Tarea's Facial Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery Day - Part Two

Because I had a bout of nausea after my liposuction surgery a few months prior, I vowed to be ready this time.  My plastic surgeon gave me six Compazine (anti-nausea) suppositories to use prophylactically. I used one every six hours. I was also careful to always eat a few giber snaps or some yogurt before taking any pain medication.  This did the trick!  I never once got sick! I also never had a post-anesthesia headache either, so I will be sending Dr. Smithers some flowers!

I have two "Jackson Pratt" drains hanging out of the back of my neck.  These safety-pinned to my nightgown. My husband Dick is supposed to drain and measure the amount of drainage at certain intervals. Luckily, I never have any bleeding. Everyone is impressed and my plastic surgeon was even impressed with how little bleeding I did during surgery. I give credit to the tremendous effort I put into nutrition and supplements prior to surgery. My plastic surgeon just smiles. He says some people just aren't bleeders.  (I still think it's because I took care to eat right!)

When I awoke after surgery, I had on an ice pack mask which was supplied by the surgical center.  That is the BEST thing I had for post surgery swelling and discomfort. My plastic surgeon says he is only going to use this type from now on. You fill it with ice - crushed is best - and it never is too cold, so you can just leave it on until all you have is cold water, then fill again. No bothering with ice every 15 minutes, etc. My eyes were cold 24 hours a day and hardly swelled at all. 

It is now three days after my blepharoplasty and my eyes are only red, not swollen.

I was also given a gel mask with slits for the eyes to see out of. I found it to be useless. It never properly formed to my face and the slits were so large that they allowed for both eyelids to be uncovered.  The stitching from the blepharoplasty kept my eyelids from shutting tightly and if I had swelling, they wouldn't have shut well at all.

The ice mask holds everything down very comfortably. I am given a salve to apply regularly along my lower eyelids to keep my eyes from drying out. (This can be a problem after blepharoplasty.)  My husband applies this for me.  He is also responsible for putting on my chin strap which usually feels too loose, but I am told that is correct.  (Chin straps are commonly used after facelifts.)

A word about husbands as nurses: Dick was really wonderful and good to me, but when you are blindfolded and in a helmet and your plastic surgery nurse/husband is saying "Whoops!" and "Oh sh%t".... Well, let's just say it's a bit disconcerting!

Then, I got a wonderful surprise.  My plastic surgeon shows up at my hotel room to check on me! Everything looks great. He is pleased. My post-facelift chin strap is on just right and my pillows are piled high enough.

Because my husband has already been through so much, I have arranged with an LPN (licensed practical nurse) who works for my plastic surgeon to spend the night with me. She arrives at 9:00 p.m. and leaves at 7:00 a.m., when my hubby reappears.  (He has to go home to check on our dog, Wilbur and our cat, Croquet.)

The nurse was very sweet and I talked to her way more than I should have. I was almost wired, (from the pain pills I think). I only had to wake her a few times to add ice. ;-)

I slept intermittently, but all in all it wasn't bad and I had no pain.

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