Quote from: Mia on October 16, 2016, 12:33:34 PM
I think your initial post-op photos are fantastic! I had FFS, including rhinoplasty, tracheal shave, lip lift and forehead contouring in September of 2015 with Dr. Deschamps-Braly (with guidance from Dr. O). There was noticeable change following the surgery, especially after about 2 weeks or so, but it was very difficult to pinpoint where exactly the change came from.

I'm trying to post photos but have no idea how, and I can't find help anywhere on site! 

The biggest issue I still contend with a year later is my nose. It still swells for what seems like no reason at all, and when it does it changes my features dramatically. I guess my advice is to be patient - everything I read prior to surgery suggested that the healing and "settling" takes upward of a year post-op and my experience suggests that advice is dead-on. I don't think my features are fully settled yet, and the best part of that is that I continue to feminize so the continuing change is all good!

BTW, I had very little sensation in my scalp and forehead for months. Post-op pain was most severe immediately after awakening - think ice pick through forehead!! The next most negative experience was nose packing and sleeping sitting in a recliner!

Congratulations!

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on October 16, 2016, 02:40:07 PM
As far as photos, I think you have to have 15 posts to do that.  I'm surprised Dena or Joanna or someone hasn't come swooping down out of the heavens to give you the standard introductory welcome.

Welcome to Susan's Place Mai. The FFS section is a good place to hide out from us so we were a bit slow catching up to you. As you will see in the links, your profile will remain locked until you reach 15 posts and while posting images and links is restricted, normally we allow images that you own to be posted without restriction. The trick is to post the images on a server like Photobucket and capture the link. I suggest Photobucket because you can remove the images if you decide you no longer want them visible. After you capture the link, you include it in your post as followed.
[img]http://url.jpg[/img]

We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
  
• Reputation rules
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy
  

That amopunt of bruising is scary - is this because you had so much done at the same time? I saw a few post OP pictures here at about 10 days and they looked like they could go to work already if they put on some good makeup - but they usually had only the basics done - forehead, nose, jaw/chin and lip lift.
I think I would be quite scared to go to the hotel on the same day. It was ok to do so when I had voice surgery, but that was only 60-90min surgery time. Do they have some nurse at the hotel or some way to call for help?

Quote from: anjaq on October 17, 2016, 02:32:57 AM
That amopunt of bruising is scary - is this because you had so much done at the same time? I saw a few post OP pictures here at about 10 days and they looked like they could go to work already if they put on some good makeup - but they usually had only the basics done - forehead, nose, jaw/chin and lip lift.
I think I would be quite scared to go to the hotel on the same day. It was ok to do so when I had voice surgery, but that was only 60-90min surgery time. Do they have some nurse at the hotel or some way to call for help?

Hi Anjaq,

Yes, I hired a nurse, pre-arranged through Dr. Zukowski' office, for 24 hr/day aftercare for the first two days, and 7 hr/day for the third day.  As far as the bruising, yes, I had a lot done, but Dr. Zukowski also said I was a "bleeder".  There was some vasculature in my face that was apparently unusual.

There was always an option to stay in a hospital, but I never inquired about the price difference, since Dr. Z gave the impression that aftercare would be quite adequate at the hotel.  Except for the pain management, it was. That was a very big exception, however.  If I had to do it over, I would have probably elected for a hospital stay.  The first night after surgery was one of the worst nights of my life.

~Terri

Staying at a hospital is very expensive, as you all know (at least in the USA).  But as Terri wrote, with Dr Zukowski you also have the option of staying at a hospital, if you are worried about the immediate post-op experience and pain management.  It'll just cost a lot more money.

I just wanted to post an update.  I am now almost two months post-op, and while recovery is slow, I am mostly pain-free.  Still, many areas of my face are either tender (orbital rims, ear lobes believe it or not) or numb (forehead, front of scalp, under jaw, tips of ears).

I am still spitting sutures, which are most noticeable on my forehead.  My neck often hurts and I am constantly massaging it because it is so uncomfortable. Right now, my biggest problem area is my neck, which is still quite swollen, and the fact my nostrils are uneven and the tip of my nose is still swollen.  All these problems will likely resolve in the next few months, I am told.

You can see that here:


All that said, if you compare this photo or my avatar photo to what I used to look like, the difference is huge. Despite the pain, despite the cost, FFS has been very worthwhile for me. 

~Terri

Terri,

You look beautiful! 

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on October 15, 2016, 05:33:06 PM
I had FFS on September 15th with Dr. Zukowski. The treatment  plan was very aggressive. [...] It was a nine-hour surgery. After a three-hour recovery at the clinic, I was driven back to my hotel by a nurse.

This is what I looked like hours after my FFS, back at my hotel room:



I was in a lot of pain. 

He sent you back to a hotel room after 9 hours in surgery? I'm speechless.

You are a very brave person. My gosh what a lot you had done. You are one tough lass. All speedy ongoing recovery to you xx

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on November 11, 2016, 11:17:18 AM
I just wanted to post an update.  I am now almost two months post-op, and while recovery is slow, I am mostly pain-free.  Still, many areas of my face are either tender (orbital rims, ear lobes believe it or not) or numb (forehead, front of scalp, under jaw, tips of ears).


You can see that here:

You look fabulous honey! Wow well done x

Quote from: Rachel Richenda on November 15, 2016, 07:33:13 AM
He sent you back to a hotel room after 9 hours in surgery? I'm speechless.

You are a very brave person. My gosh what a lot you had done. You are one tough lass. All speedy ongoing recovery to you xx

Hi Rachel,

I was naive. Dr. Zukowski is fully credentialed to use local hospitals, and he offers that option, but he sells the idea that his clinic is cleaner and cheaper.  It may very well be, but the one thing I did not consider, and he did not mention, was that your options for pain management are limited when you are in a hotel room with a nurse.

I was in a *lot* of pain after surgery.  I was begging for more pain meds, but the nurse could only do so much. In a hotel room, there is no blood oximeter or means of artificial ventilation, so there is a real danger from fatal respiratory depression from opioid overdose. I really suffered. It was a mistake I'll never make again.

But yes, I am pleased with the results!  I wish you much luck and great blessings for your upcoming surgery.

~Terri

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on November 15, 2016, 04:33:28 PM
Hi Rachel,

I was naive. Dr. Zukowski is fully credentialed to use local hospitals, and he offers that option, but he sells the idea that his clinic is cleaner and cheaper.  It may very well be, but the one thing I did not consider, and he did not mention, was that your options for pain management are limited when you are in a hotel room with a nurse.

I was in a *lot* of pain after surgery.  I was begging for more pain meds, but the nurse could only do so much. In a hotel room, there is no blood oximeter or means of artificial ventilation, so there is a real danger from fatal respiratory depression from opioid overdose. I really suffered. It was a mistake I'll never make again.

But yes, I am pleased with the results!  I wish you much luck and great blessings for your upcoming surgery.

~Terri

Ouch! I'm sorry you went through that but glad you go through it ok.

Hi Terri...welcome to passdom or womanhood or whatever you want to call it. Your efforts and pain were not in vain. You made it to the other side in grand style! Have a lovely life, you've earned it in spades.   Lisa

Quote from: Rachel Richenda on November 15, 2016, 07:33:13 AM
He sent you back to a hotel room after 9 hours in surgery? I'm speechless.

This really puts me off having any kind of surgery in the USA. I can't understand how its acceptable to even offer it as a choice.

Quote from: AnonyMs on November 15, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
This really puts me off having any kind of surgery in the USA. I can't understand how its acceptable to even offer it as a choice.

Because the average cost of a hospital stay is $2000 per day in the USA.  If you stay there just 3 days after surgery, that's an additional $6000 added to the already very expensive cost of the surgery itself.

You can save a ton of money by recovering at a hotel.  And aside from the pain (and yes, it can potentially be very painful), I don't think the risk is that high as long as you have a dedicated caregiver.  Is it worth it to [potentially] endure some more pain to save $6000 - $10,000?  That's up to you to decide for yourself.  Speaking from my own experience, I felt only a little pain during my own post-op FFS.  And I also had my surgery done by Dr Zukowski.  If I had stayed at a hospital, I would have literally thrown away my money for no good reason.

Of course, if you'd rather stay at a hospital, Dr Zukowski offers that option too.  Or you can choose to get your FFS done outside the US.  Unfortunately, hospital costs in the US are astronomically higher than anywhere else in the world.

Wow. Whereas it's just over $100 a night at a top rate 5* hospital in Bangkok.

This is an example of why I think it's so dangerous: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/kellie-maloney-surgery-nearly-killed-4677898

If you do get that kind of reaction then every second counts.

At least one night in hospital post-op is surely wise isn't it? No-one can be sure how they might react in the immediate hours following surgery. PAI build that first night hospital stay into their costs and as far as I know it's mandatory.

Quote from: Rachel Richenda on November 15, 2016, 07:34:09 AM
You look fabulous honey! Wow well done x

Thank you, Rachel.  That means a lot to me.

Quote from: Maria77 on November 12, 2016, 09:09:06 PM
Terri,

You look beautiful!

Thank you, Maria.  You're very kind.

Quote from: jentay1367 on November 15, 2016, 10:06:28 PM
Hi Terri...welcome to passdom or womanhood or whatever you want to call it.

Lisa

Yes... passing, the Holy Grail for most of us.  I've been luckier than some. I'm 5'8", and have a small frame for a man, but I'm still too heavy at 185 lb, and too broad-shouldered to fit well in a lot of women's clothes. Still, I was semi-passable before FFS.

Compare me six months ago, before FFS, and me last week, two-months post-op:



It's night and day.  I cringe now when I see my before pictures. I was part-time for six months before FFS and I went out to bars, restaurants (including ladies' rooms) and shopping malls. Although I was never once openly stared at (to my knowledge) or had anyone say anything rude to me, I still think RLE is cruel, and so dangerous.  So yes, I feel I have attained some sort of right-of-passage. My driver's license and credit cards now have my female name on them (with the correct gender on my DL), sort of an added layer of protection (and validation).

Still, I have that jarring dissonance of being anatomically incorrect.  I cannot stand having a bulge in my panties. Fortunately, my RLE clock has started, and I can only hang on until I can get SRS.  Then I will truly feel I have joined the club, lol.

I apologize if I have offended those of you who reject gender stereotypes, or feel that "being a woman" is a lot more than your clothes or the physical appearance of your body.  I can appreciate that point of view, but I am very much gender binary, and I have come to the conclusion that my "inner self" does not count as currency for my desire to be accepted by others in society as female. 

With kindness,

Terri 

You truly earned it Terri! you look stunning! 

You look really fantastic Terri

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on November 16, 2016, 05:24:09 PM
Compare me six months ago, before FFS, and me last week, two-months post-op:

DAMN! All I can say is DAMN!

What a change that is! Congratz on that. Well worth the horribly tough recovery it seems you had.

Terri, your results are just amazing.  The new you looks great!  That's really remarkable.

Quote from: Maybebaby56 on November 16, 2016, 05:24:09 PM

Compare me six months ago, before FFS, and me last week, two-months post-op:

Slaying it Terri! Gorgeous.