Hello All,
I felt that i should share my recent experiences with FFS as knowledge is power, and hopefully someone will find my rambling helpful. I know over the past couple months i have stalked this site for information, and personally found some very useful tidbits. So i hope i can do the same.
The StoryThe Search
So well i know there are many talent doctors both in the states, and abroad i limited my search to the 3 common names Dr O, Dr Spiegel, and Dr. Zukowski. Ever since i have been young Dr. O has been the pinnacle and after seeing the work of Authenkate from back in the day, i was ready to contact him. So with that in mind i spoke to to Dr O over a series of emails. He was very sweet over all off them, but like everyone else he threw out the 40k number and i knew i only wanted the upper portion of my face done, and he wanted to do everything.. That is fine.. I talked to Mira about just doing what i wanted.. Also a very sweet person! She gave me rough pricing for what i wanted. I even mentioned that i had seen on the (this) Board that the doctor with one patient would only do the procedures she (board member) want if also the jaw was performed. Mira told me not to worry that is not the case. if i just wanted to do the upper half of my face that would be fine... The real sticking point with Dr. O was that i live on the east cost and while other doctors will do skype, and phone calls, Dr. O required me to come.. A flight out there just for a 1-2 consult to me was not worth it. I am very busy with work, and he was not the only game in town and that inflexibility between him and me irked me personally.
So a lot of time past so i contact Dr Zukowski, and Dr Spiegel at the same time. Both seem like great doctors. My first interview was with Dr Spiegel on Skype. He is very nice and has a laid back style of "you tell me what you want..." (Granted he knew from the emails i sent in prior) but offered me the time to speak my mind on what i wanted. He agreed with what i wanted, and things seemed good... Two observations that where interesting. People on this board say a good question to ask is about a revision policies and so i had prepared that question for Dr. Speigel.. After asking that he visibly clinched his back teeth. now this could be over analyzing but it was a small thing that did not sit right with me. Always ask the tough questions.. So i also asked him about the rumor as that is all can believe it is (started in the yahoo ffs group) that he has student help work on patients and he vigorously denied it, though he did ask for me to tell people in the community to stop saying that... Which was kinda annoying, i am not your Social Media Expert and/or Reputation Management Company.. I do work in the industry and can help you out for fee, but Speigel is very active on the interwebs.. I am sure he is aware of what is going on and being said.. Anyways with that said i was still going to choice him... He had great credentials. I saw the work he did on one of the members on this board and i was impressed.. I was eager to move..
Yet in the end i did not choose Speigel. I am a person who is in a professional environment daily, and expect timely responses and service that are top notch. So i strongly base my views on experience. While the initial email from Dr. Spiegel staff was nice, it came off like bubbly sixteen year old.. i can wave that off, but when it takes 3 business to respond me emails, and then walk/dance around direct question it gets irritating, and any free time i called i got a very nice girl but she never had any answer, and told me the primary person would email me that day which would never happen. While i don't doubt that Dr. Speigel is very talented, i do believe the people that he hires give me a good example of the type of experience i am going to have overall with the Doctor , and his staff showed me i would be getting a less the desirable experience. Let me note i have heard many other stories where people have loved Dr. Speigels staff and they where great so maybe i just had an unfortunate bad experience.
Note: some may feel i was asking for too much but when you are paying the price of a newcar for surgery i expect business profession, and timely service.
Last but certainly not least would be Dr Zukowski. Now i must say Dr. Z's patient coordinator is on the ball.. Cole for those of you who are not aware of him is Dr Zukowski's patient coordinator, and he was persistent ( I like that ). So i followed up with him.. It was 630pm EST and i had emailed him.. I was not expect to get a response that day, but ten minutes later i had an email that answered all my questions... in a situation that was looking bleak after the past two experience, i finally had a smile on my face. An office that was on the ball! So i decided to setup an appointment with Dr Zukowski over the phone. Now let me note this experience was completely different then Speigel. While both Speigel and Zukowski had pictures and knowledge of what i wanted ahead of time speigel had the approach of "what do you want". Dr. Zukowski was very up front and is mainly a conversation of him tell you his review based on the data you provided him.. now i totally see how some can be pushed away from that experience.. Just note that while he is coming off very forwarded this is just his professional view on what should be done... He got me a quote sheet emailed to me. When speaking to Cole he will ask what procedures do you want to to get done.. You can do all the Doctors recommendations or pick. Dont let that very forward approach dissuade you from possibly going to him (Zukowski).. he is very talented! Also he will make comment about that forward approach if you continue on with him.. Something to the effect "that first call was basically all me talking, but not as we continue the conversation is going to change to reflect the situation"
The Choice and Procedure
So as you might suspect i went with Dr Zukowksi. I choose to do the following
- Endoscopic brow and orbital rim reduction
- rhinopasty
- fat graphing to nasal folds, cheeks, and lips
- chemabrasion TCA 20%
For those who choose Dr Zukowski, you will find out that Cole the patient Coordinator will become your new best friend.. He is master of keeping everything organized, and getting all the information to you.. He is also very nice.. You will also have contact with other staff members all very sweet. I remember on the day of surgery sharing a laugh with the nurse desi (sp?). Things moved very fast once in chi town. i got in the day before had a 20 minute meeting with the doctor to go over expectations, and on the day of i literally got in, went over paper work, and before i know it i was groggily laying in recovery going in and out... it was surreal since i remember conversations but have no concept of time for it.. The surgery it self took about 4 hours and change according to the doc.
After surgery i was back at the hotel.. I had a nurse with me, and had opted for just 24 hrs but due to my eyes closing up i kept her for 72 hours... Since i was by my self this was a great option... They took such great care... The first 72 hours where really just about sleep, meds, cleaning... Which was perfectly fine.. I have had surgery before and i know being calm
and letting your body rest is key... by the end of the 3 days with the nurses help the swelling in my eyes was gone and was feeling really good.
around day 5-6 the doc asked for me to try to drive in (since i would need to drive back home) and he wanted me to get comfortable driving... its not a long drive, but chitown traffic is an annoyance and was a good test... (note by this time he knew where my progress was) Thing where going well.
One of the things that i really appreciated is that the doctor came the hotel multiple times over the course of my time there, and made calls to check up on me. He could have easily had made me get a cab and have to come in every other day, but he came to you.. its part of that experience with doctor zukowski that really made me feel good, and that i was in good hands...
plus he seems to like if multiple patients are in the same hotel as he says "misery love company" and its true.. its nice to talk to some sharing the same experience if possible.
Results
What i can really see right now is my nose and i like it! It is not too pixie like some feel he does.. Its actually looks like a good match for brow work he has done. I had personal issues with the orbital rim and the doctor saw that too.. He actually mention that he really had to go to town on the orbital rims. also the frontal brow bossing is down a ton.. as days got closer to surgery i would flick at the brow bone and now it is basically none existent. I cant wait for 1 month to 3 months after alot more swelling is down to see how much more changes. as the forhead is still pretty darn swollen. 9 days aint going to give me the finial answer, but i am liking where it is going!
Rules of Thumb / Best Practices
- Soft Food! You dont want to upset your stomach after surgery.. I found these packages that are basically like babyfood for adults in a tube (called: gogo squeezes fast fruit) <-- super yummy easy to eat (no spoon required)
- Eat light on the night before.. The doc will say be merry, but dont eat heavy.. it never turns out well
- compassionate care was worth every penny.. Even if i brought someone i dont think they would have been prepared for the needed care, the nurse was
- Dr Zukowski has a network to help you with surgery.. Use the staybridge suites.. Amazing experience at the hotel and very spacious, and comfy beds, and they do food on the week days (breakfast and dinner)<-- free... Also Speak to Nadia at the cab service.. It was very nice on the morning of surgery be drove in a black leather SUV Lincoln , plus as the doctor says they are all very "gender friendly". Nadia is such a sweet little bulgarian lady
- Rest!!! I know some people are so happy they got surgery they want to jump for joy, but spend those first few days doing nothing but letting your body heal.. unless the doctor says otherwise you you really should only be up for potty breaks and if the nurse needs you up.. Trust me your body will thank you
- from my experience it was not the pain that was the problem but the lose of senses.. you got to be calm through this time.. The first few days you may have little / no vision due to your eyes closes, your nose will be plugged, there will be drainage feeling in your throat and your ears might pop because you all plugged up.. this is not a comfortable feeling... harness your inner calm this is why it is great to have a nurse as they are going to constantly help minimize that feeling, drugs help too!
- Ice Chips... If you dont get jaw work and/or the doctor/nurse let you then ice chips are amazing.. they are like a magical items that will help clear your throat
- I saw this posted in another thread but it needs to be said... Do your massaging that the doc ask for in the shower. it is 100 times more comfortable and feels like you can be a little more forceful in really massaging the tissue in the shower... In the morning i would wash my hair and incisions, then do massages. At the end of the night i would take a shower, not get the hair wet and do massages. at night i followed it up with my vicodin and diazpam and went to bed after drops and etc where in.
- The doctor can tell if you are not keep up on your requirements.. Make sure to do them.. He want the work to turn out the best, and at that point it is on you to make sure the outcomes out as best as possible
- ask questions not wants... If you are at the point where you are getting FFS you more then likely have done a lot of research both academic, and personal reviews... but no matter what doctor i have spoken to if you ask with "wants" it will feel awkward... an example would be... I have heard that (insert topic) works best in getting certain results? Is that true? and can we use that method?, compared to "i want to make sure it comes out (insert type of way) way... How you ask your questions to a doctor usually great help you and/or make feel less confident.. In the first method the doctors will usually unloaded their great wealth of knowledge and give a much more of an answer that will make you feel satisfactory... Yet i still hear people from a local doctors office to surgeons get all webmd and try tell the doc how things should be done.. I know it is hard to give up control, but the way you word things might help give you the answer you are looking for
- Be Prepared Ahead of time.. Do not wait till the last minute!
- Have worse case scenario plan/funds... I was only expecting to need a nurse for 24hours, but thankfully i prepped extra funds in case of something happening and it help cover the nurse for another 2 days
- Enjoy the experience!
