Good morning members and may I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Just before I go away for a short break, here are images of my face.

I have now learnt that I will have computer access where I am going as I don't possess a laptop, so can reply if needs be.

Here is an X-Ray image (side view) taken in October 2012 which clearly shows the bony deformity over the left frontal sinus and adjacent to it towards the left centre of my forehead. The FFS was done in Feb 2004 as you know and this image was taken after two attempts of reburring in October 2010 and April 2012. There was a third and final attempt of reburring in April 2013 which also proved pointless.



Here's a front view



The report of these X-Rays. When Mr Eccles at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital operated on me in October 2014, the first thing that happened after opening the forehead was a piece of bone paste dropping out of my forehead onto the OR floor !!! ...  😮 This bone paste was inserted after my Feb 2004 FFS by Dr Z during a revision attempt later in 2004, if I remember correctly. I have almost lost count of the number of revision attempts and when they were done. As you know my left frontal sinus was perforated during the FFS and a few days later when I blew my nose, the air bubbled up my skin and Dr Z had to release this air by piercing the bubble. The ivory osteoma was the bone paste.




Now here are images taken from the 3D CT Scan taken by the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in November 2013 after the final April 2013 reburring and prior to the revision surgery done in October 2014.




Once again you can still see clearly the bony deformity




The bony deformity is still more obvious on the 3D Model done for the C & W from these 3D CT Scans





And finally brutal fotos taken by Facial Team in May 2015. Sorry if the definition is not too hot but I had to take fotos of the printed out FT images. My hair looks thin on the sides but it's not. Just bounced flash effect. However I have lost some grafts in and around the coronal incision that Mr Eccles did in October 2014 which need to be replaced but not until after the surgery in April. 

This front view shows the inappropriate PEEK implants ( these are being removed ) inserted at the C & W Hospital which raised my eyebrows even higher than before, my nose, the vertical raised ridge below the right alars ( as a result of the alarpalsty perfomed during the original FFS ) and the fat top lip due to excessive fat put in 2004 which requires another upper lip lift. Mr Eccles at the C & W did remove the bony deformity towards the left centre of the forehead but did not do anything with the left frontal sinus due to his obvious lack of expertise.















 

I thought that the bony deformity which reappeared after the swelling went down post FFS and the three reburrings might have been due to my taking Fosamax anti-osteoporosis therapy for some time ( I ceased taking this in Feb 2012 before the second reburring in April 2012 ), but this is probably incorrect as the bone that Mr Eccles removed in October 2014 has resulted in the forehead remaining flat. However it could still be that when the reburring was done, not enough bone was removed containing the drug whereas Mr Eccles did remove sufficient, I really don't know. Maybe an analysis of the removed bone should have been done but when I discussed this Fosamax theory with Mr Eccles pre and post-operatively, he thought this theory of mine was probably a red herring! In reality, probably when the reburring swellings went down, the bone simply was not properly burred down.

Interesting, I never knew my Blood Group until now and when the result came back from my GP's surgery the other day, it is A Rh D POSITIVE which I understand is quite rare.

I was told that GP surgeries in England don't hold this information normally but hospitals where you have had surgery, do. Like many NHS departments, they don't talk to one another .. G'rrrrrrrrrrrr ..

This information is only one part of quite a few blood tests that have to be done prior to FT surgery.

In future, I will carry this information on me just in case something drops out of the sky and hits me on the head ...

Wow thanks for sharing Paula!

Hi Debra,

Thanks honey.

You know everyone, I have been philosophical about my situation and have got on with life despite all the problems that begun in 2004 and beforehand in 1991. My late parents blessed me with many feminine features and the wonderful hair grafting done by the awesome Paul Cotterill in Toronto  http://www.drcotterill.com/ simply transformed my life so I could once again enjoy swimming and other sports that I did in my previous life. So it's not been all bad. Also since meeting Facial Team my confidence in human nature has returned and I am very positive about the outcome of the forthcoming complex revisions I am facing this April.

FT and I know that this is going to be one big challenge.

I am not bitter because that can destroy a person BUT when I think of the £10,000.00 that I have effectively wasted going to and from the USA for pointless revisions, it has angered me. It also has delayed my spending all this money on other procedures that I need and should have been done over the last 10 years and I am not getting any younger.

However my plans remain as follows

April 2016 - FFS complex revision, rhinoplasty complex revision, secondary upper lip lift which will also remove the vertical raised ridge below right alars

Autumn 2016 - Fillers/fat to hide indented soft tissue above the old 1991 direct brow lift scars (this might be done during April surgery)

2017 - Brazilian butt lift , hair grafting to hide the  two coronal incisions done in 2014 and again this year. Hair grafts to go along and hide the actual direct brow lift scars and maybe permanent eyebrow make-up to do the same.

2018 - Vocal Chord Surgery

2018/19 - Face and neck lift

So lot's to look forward to and give me another purpose in life.

I am not one of these women who want to grow old gracefully ...  and we girls are incredibly fortunate to remain looking younger than our years thanks to HRT and genetic background but only if we take care ourselves by not abusing our bodies by over eating, smoking, drinking too much and not getting sufficient and proper exercise.

I still feel blessed that I have been able to transition and live my life as it should have been in the beginning.

Finally I want to thank all my friends that have supported me down the years especially over the last 12 months. Hey guys and girls, I could not have done it without you ...

I hope all your dreams come true.

Paula

Quote from: Debra on January 07, 2016, 12:16:26 PM
Wow thanks for sharing Paula!

Thank you for the information.  I'm just researching this too.

You are welcome Michelle ... 

I have just found this foto of me that was taken in Jan 2009 aged 63 and 6 months (almost 5 years after FFS) and before any of the failed reburring attempts on my forehead in 2010,2012,2013 and the open surgery in 2014. Beginning to age with all the worry ...   

You can see the bony deformities in the forehead, overburred orbital rims, piggy nose, fat lips, high eyebrows and vertical ridge below the right alars.



Also found this one taken in November 2007 aged 62 and 4 months before all the stress got to me which has aged me considerably.

Look pretty good here thanks to the softer focus ...



I am 70 years and 6 months now but feel like a spring chicken again now that I know I am going to be sorted out .. Third time lucky, I trust ... 

Seems like yesterday when I started on this road in 1987 when I was 42 !!!

But I can still swim many lengths in the pool and fast walk nearly 2-3 miles virtually every day to keep fit because it's essential at this age.

One thing that I do know is that stress is starting to go now and my friends say I am looking much younger again. The other day someone thought I was in my mid to late 50's, so something good is happening.

I might even go clubbing next weekend ...   😉 but have to get rid of that " Turkey neck " ...

Quote from: Michelle86 on January 09, 2016, 03:30:59 PM
Thank you for the information.  I'm just researching this too.

Been downloading and then sending FT all the relevant fotos that I have post my FFS in 2004.

Taken me hours, there are so many .. LOL 

Just as well I kept them ... 🙂

I was chatting to a female friend of mine the other day at my local tennis club and I was telling her that I having some cosmetic surgery done in Spain this April.

She does not know my background as far as I know but even if she does " So what".

It's never been been discussed even if she does know.

Anyway, she said that a few of her friends have been to cosmetic surgeons in Spain rather than the UK for two reasons.

1) They are generally better than UK surgeons especially rhinoplasty surgeons and

2) It's a lot cheaper.

She has had work done in Marbella Spain and it looks great.

I did not ask which hospital and I did not mention mine for obvious reasons.

This lady is not short of a bob or two and neither are her friends.

Evening members,

I am getting real excited now.

The days are getting longer, spring is almost here ( well it is in the UK with our mildest winter on record ) and in exactly 9 weeks I will be in Marbella ... 

I know it's corny but

Good morning everyone,

I am going to stay at Jenny's Nest for a few days after I have had my surgery on April 6th.

http://www.thehiddenwoman.com/

Luckily she was able to fit me in.

I will be in hospital to Friday April 8th and then go to her new chalet.

Looks great doesn't it?  http://facialteam.eu/jennys-nest-for-patients-in-marbella/

Really looking forward to it and seeing her again.

Have a nice day.

Paula   

So happy for you, and good luck!  By the way how long will you stay at Jenny's after surgery?  And will you go somewhere else afterwards?

Thank you ... 

I am flying in to Malaga from London Gatwick on Thursday March 31st, staying at a rented studio apartment booked on Marbella's Golden Mile, chilling out by the pool in the complex, enjoying the many restaurants in Marbella, having surgery the following Wednesday April 6th, staying in the HC Hospital for 2 nights and going to Jenny's Nest on Friday April 8th. I don't know exactly how many nights I will be staying with her as it will all depend on how my healing process goes but when I do leave her care, I will return to the apartment on my own and fly back to the UK on Friday April 15th.

All I know is by going from all the patient's reports on here , I will not want to leave Jenny's luxury chalet ...

I am lucky that she is able to accommodate me for just a few days ...  , otherwise I would be returning to an empty apartment as my friend who is also having some surgery with FT the week before me and I am her carer, is flying home on Friday April 8th, the day I come out of hospital.

Quote from: shoko on February 04, 2016, 11:27:32 AM
So happy for you, and good luck!  By the way how long will you stay at Jenny's after surgery?  And will you go somewhere else afterwards?

Enjoy the time spent there Paula, it goes by all too fast!

If I could do it again, I would have stayed 3 weeks instead of 2. But unfortunately family and work obligations take priority!

Hi Michelle,

Quote from: michelle82 on February 05, 2016, 05:26:58 AM
Enjoy the time spent there Paula, it goes by all too fast!

Thank you, I will ... 

If I could do it again, I would have stayed 3 weeks instead of 2. But unfortunately family and work obligations take priority!

Sure I understand, likewise but there ya go, maybe next time which there will be for me as I will be having a facelift/necklift done by FT in due course.

Hugs

Paula (Growing old disgracefully) ... 😉

In just eight weeks and two days, I will be flat on my back in Marbella having a much needed few hour's rest and then off to "Jenny's Nest" for some TLC ...

I love Andre Rieu



I can envisage Jenny, Nicola, myself and other patients singing and dancing in the 'Nest ' .... 

In a couple of hours time, I am getting my blood taken for these parameters:

Haemogram, coagulation, HIV and Hepatitis (B and C) and biochemistry (glucosa, creatinine, ions (Na, K y Cl), GPT(ALT), GOT(AST) and GGT).

In exactly eight weeks I will be recovering from surgery the day before.

I am staying in for two nights and then off to "Jenny's Nest" for a few days before returning to the apartment that I have booked in Marbella.

Quote from: Paula1 on February 10, 2016, 11:10:28 PM
In a couple of hours time, I am getting my blood taken for these parameters:

Haemogram, coagulation, HIV and Hepatitis (B and C) and biochemistry (glucosa, creatinine, ions (Na, K y Cl), GPT(ALT), GOT(AST) and GGT).

In exactly eight weeks I will be recovering from surgery the day before.

I am staying in for two nights and then off to "Jenny's Nest" for a few days before returning to the apartment that I have booked in Marbella.

So they operate on day one,  and you will spend that night and one more night in the hospital ?

Quote from: Paula1 on January 02, 2016, 06:07:45 AM
Good morning members and may I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Just before I go away for a short break, here are images of my face.

I have now learnt that I will have computer access where I am going as I don't possess a laptop, so can reply if needs be.

Here is an X-Ray image (side view) taken in October 2012 which clearly shows the bony deformity over the left frontal sinus and adjacent to it towards the left centre of my forehead. The FFS was done in Feb 2004 as you know and this image was taken after two attempts of reburring in October 2010 and April 2012. There was a third and final attempt of reburring in April 2013 which also proved pointless.



Here's a front view

That forehead sinus area is still really large in your 2012 X-ray - -  why was that not addressed as part of your first surgery 10 + years ago ?

Hiya,

Good question.

Because Dr Zukowski only burrs down the bone and is not qualified to perform craniofacial surgery.

Here's his CV.  http://www.mlzukowski.co.uk/images/cv/cv.pdf

When I consulted him in the autumn of 2003, he said that it's not necessary to have forehead X-Rays done as he stops burring when the bone changes colour. Of course, now I am better educated.

As previously stated, my sinus cavity was penetrated during surgery.

He is a very good soft tissue surgeon but burring to the forehead is a very limited procedure and the result most of the time is a dolphin shaped forehead which is fine but not as good as proper reconstruction.

Quote from: oneoftwo on February 11, 2016, 09:20:33 PM
That forehead sinus area is still really large in your 2012 X-ray - -  why was that not addressed as part of your first surgery 10 + years ago ?

Correct.

Surgery on April 6th and I leave hospital two days later on the afternoon of April 8th.

Quote from: oneoftwo on February 11, 2016, 09:14:32 PM
So they operate on day one,  and you will spend that night and one more night in the hospital ?