For all freaking out about their face at one month post-op

[Arvensis]

Sorry I've been too busy to respond individually, but since there are multiple of you, I decided to just do one post.

Y'all, you're not done yet. Your faces are still swollen and you will still be noticing changes for some time to come. So don't freak out yet! It takes a while to get used to the changes, I know, I went through days where I was wondering if I was going to be carded going to R-rated movies for the rest of my life (when before I've never been carded for anything and I'm 26 now). I'm now, what, 8 months almost post-op, and I'm still noticing changes.

Examples:

About 3-4 weeks post op, And then four months, and then two from 8 months post op:


SEE? Big difference. You're not done yet.

EDIT: have posted 8 month pictures. Can see swelling on right side and nose have gone down. As well as, lips when smiling are not as thin as in 4 month photo!!



Just relax, take care of yourselves, and love yourselves! There's still changes ahead!

[Class III Blues]

Thanks so much for posting these pictures and being that someone who understands! You are doing a good thing! Thank you!

[amd]

Arvensis, nicely said.

I posted to Class III Blues directly however, as I said there....

I reserve all judgement until at least Christmas time!.

[phil]

Arvensis,

YOU ROCKSTAR, YOU!!!

I will join your ranks one day soon, my friend!

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

[Arvensis]

I posted updated 8 month (almost! like two days!) photos too.

You know how I can tell things are changing still? Because you'll notice the new haircut from today is different than the one my guy did in April (from 4 mo. photo) - because HE thought my face had changed and wanted to do this style with the bangs instead while I continue to grow out hair (used to keep it shoulder length b/c made face look long pre-op but now can totally do long hair!!!)

Meryaten: yeah I know, that's why I got carded, blah blah lol. It's also from that era when people had more trouble recognizing me too, whereas now it's not so hard despite how different things are - I think it's because the cheek bones and eyes are back to where they were pre-op.

Phil: You already are a rockstar. Are you kidding me? I would have DIED if I had to live on brown things for any longer than I did. DIED. You kicked ass. You pulled through the adversity. You did what had to be done, even though it pissed you off and was totally unfair. YOU are a rockstar.

Seriously: I'm glad I could help! Just remember to be patient and relax, I know one month sounds like it's time, but it's so short. I kinda expected recovery to take longer, quite frankly, and was surprised by the fact that at week three I looked normal enough to go out (even if I was getting carded). My fam kept talking first two weeks about how fast the recovery was and I rolled my eyes - didn't FEEL fast there!:) I told hubby 6 weeks till I was good to go; I slept on the reclining futon upright through week 4-5 as well, but this was because I was wigging about swelling by then and trying everything under the sun;)

AMD: Christmas is PERFECT for me, it will be a year:) woot woot. hehe

Class III: I'm glad it helped!!!!! I hope the pictures are enough to calm your worries Good luck and just relax!!!

[suetemi]

Wow. While you look very similar in the 4-month and 8-month pics, if you told me that those three women were different people (sisters, cousins, etc.), I could believe it.

[Arvensis]

I actually am my own younger sister...

A girl at the law school came up to me during the first 6 weeks post-op and asked, "You look really familiar. Do you have an older sister who goes here?"

[phil]

Phil: You already are a rockstar. Are you kidding me? I would have DIED if I had to live on brown things for any longer than I did. DIED. You kicked ass. You pulled through the adversity. You did what had to be done, even though it pissed you off and was totally unfair. YOU are a rockstar.

Arvensis,

Yeah, brown food. I still eat it. But now it has bits of color throughout.

I'm doing a "what's for dinner" post tonight on the blog. It will be one of my favorite dishes that I USED to blend to smithereens but now eat in its intended form. I was content with brown food, but now I am enjoying other colors as well!

I will say it now. I AM A ROCKSTAR!!! So, what will that make me when the hardware comes off? I wonder...

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

[Laundraholic]

THIS is the post I was looking for... I didn't realize it was from that long ago.
I remembered this post yesterday when I was freaking out at 10 days post-op that this may be my "final face".

From what I remember, the OP posted this because at that time (back in 2008) a lot of people on the board were freaking out about the same thing (and wondering if they had made a mistake) a few weeks post-op and so it's good to see there are still residual swelling even a month after that has to go down.