So my doc wants me walking like on Day 2 right away. I'll be in an AirBnB with lots of area to walk and stuff but I know i'm going to look like hell.

What have any of you done to cover that up? Can't wear sunglasses of course (with nose surgery) but like bandanas or anything or do you just let it all hang out?

I'm an older woman, 56 @ surgery.  I walked around downtown Buenos Aires 4 days after surgery, with lots of swelling and bruising.  Why hide, you went through a medical procedure, not them.

To be honest I don't give a crap what people think.

Quote from: Debra on August 10, 2016, 10:18:11 AM
So my doc wants me walking like on Day 2 right away. I'll be in an AirBnB with lots of area to walk and stuff but I know i'm going to look like hell.

What have any of you done to cover that up? Can't wear sunglasses of course (with nose surgery) but like bandanas or anything or do you just let it all hang out?

Quote from: deeiche on August 10, 2016, 12:20:37 PM
I walked around downtown Buenos Aires 4 days after surgery, with lots of swelling and bruising. 

Cool, good for you! =) I'm curious if that's what everyone else has done too?

Quote
Why hide, you went through a medical procedure, not them.
To be honest I don't give a crap what people think.

again good for you =) I kinda do care a bit what people think....or I wouldn't even be getting FFS really. I mean part of it is how i look in the mirror ....how I want to look..... but part of it is definitely about how I'm perceived by others.

Hey Debra!... We are talking about San Francisco here... You'll be the most normal looking person on the streets!!! ...Actually it was a bit rainy there after my second procedure and I would walk back and forth in the hotel room a few hundred times a day...

Quote from: Debra on August 10, 2016, 08:04:49 PM
Cool, good for you! =) I'm curious if that's what everyone else has done too?

again good for you =) I kinda do care a bit what people think....or I wouldn't even be getting FFS really. I mean part of it is how i look in the mirror ....how I want to look..... but part of it is definitely about how I'm perceived by others.

sorry, seems you may have misconstrued my response.

Yes, I understand why you care about how you look, EXCEPT I don't get it when it comes to just having major facial surgery.  The bruising and swelling does not last forever, but it is there.  You are having surgery in a city other than your home city.  If people are uncomfortable being around someone who obviously had major surgery that should be their issue, not yours.

You are obviously a strong individual, you would not be living the life you live if you weren't.

I wish you the best for your surgery and recovery.

Quote from: tgirlamc on August 10, 2016, 09:41:37 PM
Hey Debra!... We are talking about San Francisco here... You'll be the most normal looking person on the streets!!! ...Actually it was a bit rainy there after my second procedure and I would walk back and forth in the hotel room a few hundred times a day...

LOL gotcha. I may be using an umbrella too then.

I have actually walked thru San francisco before, went to a conference earlier this year and some of those parts of town were not so great (and a little scary) and cat calls were abundant.

My airBnB will hopefully be in a better neighborhood but I'm trying to minimize any weird interactions I may come across.

Quote from: deeiche on August 10, 2016, 09:49:26 PM
sorry, seems you may have misconstrued my response.

Yes, I understand why you care about how you look, EXCEPT I don't get it when it comes to just having major facial surgery.  The bruising and swelling does not last forever, but it is there.  You are having surgery in a city other than your home city.  If people are uncomfortable being around someone who obviously had major surgery that should be their issue, not yours.

You are obviously a strong individual, you would not be living the life you live if you weren't.

I wish you the best for your surgery and recovery.

I see your points. Major facial surgery isn't as much of the worry as the type of surgery. Will people see me as being 'trans' because of the hairline scars or something? I'm probably reaching but I guess that's where my feelings are coming from.

I also go to great lengths to present myself a certain way whether I'm in my home town or not.....so it's hard to imagine just walking around with a bunch of surgery 'hanging out' hah.

If anyone asks, just say, "Yeah, but you should see the other 6 guys*! They were in the hospital when I was through with them!"

LOL




*Referring to the surgery team, of course. 

Quote from: Debra on August 11, 2016, 08:14:55 AM
I see your points. Major facial surgery isn't as much of the worry as the type of surgery. Will people see me as being 'trans' because of the hairline scars or something? I'm probably reaching but I guess that's where my feelings are coming from.

I had coronal incision, so I can't speak to that.  However FFS was developed by Dr O, a DDS craniofacial specialist, because someone came to him in the 80's for help.  See the wiki entry for Dr Ousterhout for specifics.  There are other reasons to have facial reconstruction, example:people who had suffered birth defects, accidents or other trauma.   If you are concerned about hairline incision have you considered temporarily changing to a hair style with bangs?

Quote from: Debra on August 11, 2016, 08:14:55 AM
I also go to great lengths to present myself a certain way whether I'm in my home town or not.....so it's hard to imagine just walking around with a bunch of surgery 'hanging out' hah.

Well, that part I can't help with.  Except to reiterate there is bruising/swelling, but "most" should diminish after 2-3 weeks.  I don't recall your age, but the younger you are the faster you should heal.

Also, something which can also occur is "hemosiderin staining", besides myself at least one other has posted about it.  It looks like bruising, but it isn't.  It can take weeks / months to absorb.

For some reasons surgeons don't bring up either "hemosiderin staining" or "spitting sutures" to patients prior to surgery.  We don't ask because we are not aware of them.