Saw my mom & dad 1st time post-op

[Guest guest]

Saw my mom & dad for the 1st time post-op (I'm on day 16), and it

went ok. Heard my dad talking to my younger brother on the telephone

(he couldn't make it for dinner, so I didn't have to deal with my

young niece's reaction), and he said that my brother will not

recognize me at all, there's that much change in my appearance.

My mom says I look great! but that she wishes I would smile more.

Every day that gets a little better and doesn't hurt as much. She

says she's " still taking it all in " , which means she's trying to get

used to my new face.

Now they are trying to figure out which ancestor I look like -

definitely on my dad's side of the family, but they can't quite put

their finger on it.

Glad that hurdle's over with!

[Guest guest]

I can't even imagine what it must be like to essentially have a new

face. I've seen your pictures, and you do look significantly

different after the surgery. It's such a positive change that I'm

sure you'll have some fun with it in the coming months.

The difference in my own appearance (near as I can tell) has been

very subtle - which is exactly what I'd hoped for. I was one of the

asymmetry patients; and, our final results tend to be hardly

noticable, as opposed to the dramatic changes for the under/over-bite

folks.

-john

> Saw my mom & dad for the 1st time post-op (I'm on day 16), and it

> went ok. Heard my dad talking to my younger brother on the

telephone

> (he couldn't make it for dinner, so I didn't have to deal with my

> young niece's reaction), and he said that my brother will not

> recognize me at all, there's that much change in my appearance.

>

> My mom says I look great! but that she wishes I would smile more.

> Every day that gets a little better and doesn't hurt as much. She

> says she's " still taking it all in " , which means she's trying to

get

> used to my new face.

>

> Now they are trying to figure out which ancestor I look like -

> definitely on my dad's side of the family, but they can't quite put

> their finger on it.

>

> Glad that hurdle's over with!

>

[Guest guest]

I brought out pre-op photos of when I first started treatment and

just before surgery. A lot of work was done with ALF appliances and

cranial structural therapy to correct asymmetries and maxilla cant,

and you can definitely see a difference if you know what you're

looking for. Even though it is subtle, people will notice an

improvement, I think. Anytime you return something to correct

proportions it can't hurt. If I ever get my scanner hooked up again

(my home office is being re-structured), I'll post them so you can

see.

For the first week post-op, I had a challenging time watching a new

face emerge. It's a strange emotion and I was totally unprepared for

it, especially as I didn't do any of this for cosmetic purposes, and

thought I could live with anything that resulted. But once I got a

smile happening, and more animation in my face, I began to be more

comfortable with it. Today was a first hurdle. I am dying to walk

into work pretending I don't work there, but don't know if I can

carry it off ... they're gonna know when I'm supposed to come back

and I don't feel like going in any earlier than that!

There are some people in town that I could use the cover for, and

that's going to be pretty darned useful, I tell you!

>

> I can't even imagine what it must be like to essentially have a new

> face. I've seen your pictures, and you do look significantly

> different after the surgery. It's such a positive change that I'm

> sure you'll have some fun with it in the coming months.

>

> The difference in my own appearance (near as I can tell) has been

> very subtle - which is exactly what I'd hoped for. I was one of the

> asymmetry patients; and, our final results tend to be hardly

> noticable, as opposed to the dramatic changes for the under/over-

bite

> folks.

>

>

> -john

[Guest guest]

....

Glad it went so well last night.... It is a big change for everyone and

they do need time to adjust. My surgeon told me 2 years ago to let everyone

you know, know about your surgery. Keep on telling them that you'll be

different looking from you cheekbones down.

I haven't seen my surgeon since 2/00 but he put me so much at ease.... I

just wish it were my turn!!!

Is neat though, trying to figure out who you look like....

Carin

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[Guest guest]

> There are some people in town that I could use the cover for, and

> that's going to be pretty darned useful, I tell you!

>

Hmmmm, should we compare your " before " pics to America's Most Wanted

list?

-E

[Guest guest]

You can if you want, but you won't find me on America's or Canada's

Most Wanted List. I'm not that notorious.

Went to drop in on my hairdressers today - one guy recognized me

because of the highlights they did for me 3 weeks ago (I guess they

are programmed to look at hair first). My hairdresser

recognized me too, but couldn't believe the change.

Guess I'm not as incognito as I thought. 'Course my husband says I

could easily complete the camouflage if I wore a wig.

> > There are some people in town that I could use the cover for, and

> > that's going to be pretty darned useful, I tell you!

> >

>

>

> Hmmmm, should we compare your " before " pics to America's Most

Wanted

> list?

>

> -E

[Guest guest]

Fiddly, tell her you're grinning all over inside, and that you

won't be able to suppress it much longer! Yahoo!

Why not send your younger brother a photo, or better yet, send one in

a card, or with a little gift -- maybe a tiny stuffed alligator?? --

to your niece, and introduce your new look that way? Or do you relish

the surprise and sweat of face-to-face encounter? At least the child

could become accustomed to the vision of Auntie (geez. I'm

sposed to be the Auntie in this relationship!) as she is in her

revised version.

Cammie

> Saw my mom & dad for the 1st time post-op (I'm on day 16), and it

> went ok. Heard my dad talking to my younger brother on the

telephone

> (he couldn't make it for dinner, so I didn't have to deal with my

> young niece's reaction), and he said that my brother will not

> recognize me at all, there's that much change in my appearance.

>

> My mom says I look great! but that she wishes I would smile more.

> Every day that gets a little better and doesn't hurt as much. She

> says she's " still taking it all in " , which means she's trying to

get

> used to my new face.

>

> Now they are trying to figure out which ancestor I look like -

> definitely on my dad's side of the family, but they can't quite put

> their finger on it.

>

> Glad that hurdle's over with!

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I suppose that sending a photo would be a good idea now. We

probably won't see them until our Canadian Thanksgiving now.

I did take my laptop and attempt to show my mom some of my post-op

stuff (the ones posted on oss2), but she didn't really want to look

at her poor baby all wrapped in head bandages and icepacks and oozing

at the mouth - I wonder why???

> Fiddly, tell her you're grinning all over inside, and that

you

> won't be able to suppress it much longer! Yahoo!

>

> Why not send your younger brother a photo, or better yet, send one

in

> a card, or with a little gift -- maybe a tiny stuffed alligator?? --

> to your niece, and introduce your new look that way? Or do you

relish

> the surprise and sweat of face-to-face encounter? At least the

child

> could become accustomed to the vision of Auntie (geez. I'm

> sposed to be the Auntie in this relationship!) as she is in her

> revised version.

>

> Cammie