Posts by Laura Booth6

George Ramos11 said:Can someone please, just for once, upload an image that's actually large enough for the human eye to decipher? I mean, seriously, what is this? Use Imgur or whatever service exists and just drop the link. This thumbnail is absolutely brutal. If I were trying to showcase a high-quality photo of my own nose, I’d be posting something the size of a massive billboard on a highway. Instead, these people are dropping $2,000 just to post something the size of a fingernail. LAME!

Just come on over whenever you get back! 😉

Ashley Young34 said:How much can I see? It looks great.🙂
Come on, take a photo from a bit further away. I can't really tell what's going on here. Since I can't see your full face, I have no idea how big your nose actually looks in proportion to everything else. I can see there aren't any bumps, which is great, but I still can't get a good sense of the actual size.🙂
I still think it’s great, honestly. I'm really happy about it.😉

I'm not going to post a photo right now. I’m still pretty swollen and dealing with some bruising, plus my nose is still visibly puffy. It needs to go down by at least another 30% before it looks normal—I only just had the cast removed yesterday.

I didn't go in to shorten my nose—just the hump and the tip. Honestly, the bump was the main issue for me, and now that it's gone, I'm incredibly happy with the results. That was the only thing that actually mattered to me! 😁

You'll be getting the best full-face photos in just a few months! 🙂

Here are the photos, I couldn't get them any clearer:



Thanks, everyone!!!! : 😊

@vividfox—I actually had a couple of those too! 😬

I couldn't even get my laptop to behave, and then the forum decided to stop working on me too..

I finally downloaded the template—it looks absolutely stunning now!! Bryan Reed4, I'll email it to you, and I'll post it here on the forum later; I honestly can't be bothered to edit the photo right this second. 😁 😍

I’m still feeling a little lightheaded, and I've got these purple and green bruises everywhere, but hey, luck is always on my side—plus, my dog is coming over today, so life is good!! 🙂

🙂

Ashley Young34 said:Laura Booth6, did you pull your own nasal packs out?
If you did, give us some details so we can get ready. 😉

I'm here, I did pull the packs out.😉

Look, it didn't hurt at all. They were out in a second. They were about the size of a cigarette filter, so there's nothing to worry about on that front. 😉 😁

Susan Watson31 said:I'm up tomorrow!

Keep us posted!! I'm waiting on you!!! 😍

George Ramos11 said:Is Kawasaki still alive? Is what Scott Allen10 is saying true—that the folks over at the Tončić clinic put her under permanently because she gave them a hard time? :P Laura Booth6? Hellooo... we're all dying to see pictures of your progress.. come on.. it's not even that painful...

Yeah, I'm alive. Of course I am, it was just nose surgery! 🤣 ... Yeah, I definitely gave them grief, and I got my revenge after the packs came out! 😬

Everything feels the same as before, just without the packs. I'll post photos once I can. I'm still taped up, and I take the mold off tomorrow. My hands are actually shaking a bit thinking about seeing my new nose tomorrow.. 😲 😁

Scott Allen10 🙏

I found some clips—there’s quite a bit on YouTube if you want to check them out; you'll be able to see those little instruments clearly

I would've posted it here, but the file is a bit 😲 in the States, a rhinoplasty usually runs about $4,000

Susan Watson31 said:They definitely shaved down your bone structure too. There’s honestly no other way to get the end result you’re looking for. The difference between the nose you started with and the one you want is massive—going from having a bump to a completely smooth, sloped profile.
Don't sweat the initial swelling and rough edges... it'll pass.

I know exactly what you mean,😁 but do you actually know the technical name for the procedure? Everyone gets squeamish when they hear the word "shaving."😁 I tried to look it up on their website, but based on my experience, they would have described my nose as looking like I went twelve rounds in a boxing ring.😁 🤔 So, was yours an internal approach while yours was external? I'm asking because you mentioned having scars right on the bridge of your nose.

Susan Watson31 said:Those nasal tampons are just there to provide the compression needed to stop the bleeding. Honestly, I think being stuck with them for 24 hours is fine, provided they adjust the cartilage part correctly. Septoplasty is a whole different beast—much more brutal and bloody.

Any idea what they actually did to me based on that description? I honestly have no clue. Nobody explained a single thing to me.🤷

ruggedbadger9 said:Look, I actually dealt with that stinging sensation you're talking about tonight. I made the mistake of skipping my pain meds, and around 2 AM, my nerves just started fraying. My advice? Pop some Advil. It makes everything significantly easier.

Anyway, my roommate just had his tampons removed about two hours ago. He said it felt like pulling two aliens out of his brain. His nose bled for a bit, but he’s fine now. His sense of smell is already coming back, too.

I'm taking pills—just Tylenol right now, and I haven't had any since yesterday evening... I really hope removing the tampons doesn't hurt too much. How long are they usually?

Ashley Young34 said:I'm actually going with Ostojić. They pull the tampons out the very next day, like 24 hours later, so I'm just telling myself I can handle having a stuffed-up nose for that long.😁
Laura Booth6, I've got my fingers crossed for you. I hope you end up with a perfect nose.😉

Thanks! You too!! I hope your surgery goes perfectly and your nose turns out indescribably good!!! 😘

ruggedbadger9 said:Honestly, once they're in there, you actually start to love them. 🙂

It hurts to laugh because my nose feels like it's being stretched, but that totally cracked me up! 😂 😂 😂

Trust me, I did *not* love them. I'm trying, but it's just not happening! 😁

Look, let's stop stressing over it. What happened, happened... it's over now. 🙂

Honestly, I think I'm partly to blame for rushing things too fast. 😬

Thanks everyone for the kind wishes!! 😘

I can't wait to finally get these nasal tampons out. My head feels pressurized, there's this constant ringing, and it just hurts. Every time I try to eat or drink anything, I feel like it all drains straight into my nose right at the front, and since the packing is still in there, it's miserable. 🙄 They were supposed to be out by now!

I was checking their website, and they mentioned removing the mold about 7 or 8 days after surgery... so that could be sometime this week. Not sure if I should be excited or nervous about it. 😂

And there's this weird stinging sensation inside, like when you have a bad cold and your nose gets super irritated from blowing it constantly. It feels like my nose is going to explode because it wants to swell up, but the mold won't let it. 😛

Here's a photo from today: (just ignore my eyebrows and everything else 🙂)


Basically, the swelling is worst in the corner of my eye where it's dark purple, and now it's spreading out. I don't know if it's going to get worse. My eyelid is the same way, and right under my eye, it looks yellow-green at the moment. 😁

It’s actually much worse than it looks in the photo. It's hard to get a good shot, and the swelling under my left eye is definitely more intense than the right.

ruggedbadger9—man, you are swollen pretty bad yourself! You've got some serious bruising and swelling. Which hospital are you at? How much longer are you staying there? How have you already seen your nose? And do you also get that feeling where food seems to go straight into your nose when you eat?

@Olivia Gonzalez11, that’s exactly what he told me and my boyfriend right before I went under. He claimed some women find it incredibly pleasant and even mentioned one woman saying she’d never felt better. Well, some people definitely botched it. If you ask me, there was absolutely no anesthesiologist present, period. It was just me, the doctor, and two nurses in the room.

But here is what really stung:

I’ve been messaging another user on this forum about these surgeries and all the logistics. He’s actually scheduled for his procedure in ten months... also with Tončić.

I had my consultations with him before the surgery, and then again an hour before the actual procedure. As you guys know from my previous posts, I kept pushing him to use general anesthesia. I told him I’d pay extra—and I meant it—but he wouldn't budge. Both Dinko and Rajko kept insisting they don't do that anymore and that there was zero chance of getting general anesthesia. That’s why I didn't pay the full amount upfront to the nurse at the office; I was spooked. I even considered going to Kinčl instead, but I ultimately stuck with them. I paid a deposit via bank transfer and settled the rest on the day of the surgery. I wanted to be able to recount the whole experience to this other forum user so he could email Tončić, and this is what he got back:

"Dear Mr. *****,

We are more than happy to answer our patients' questions. We regret that you have not come in for a physical examination, as that would allow us to properly address all your concerns regarding the procedure and anesthesia. It isn't always simple, and sometimes it's impossible to resolve every detail over email or phone.

All decisions are made in agreement with the patient. During the final exam, following consultations and prior to surgery, the patient signs the agreed-upon consent form. All details regarding the operation, including anesthesia, are defined during the examination. Locally reinforced anesthesia is much better for the patient because breathing remains spontaneous and recovery is significantly faster. Furthermore, general anesthesia unnecessarily increases the cost of the procedure by $333. With experience from over 3,000 rhinoplasties, our advice regarding surgical details is invaluable.

Your surgery is booked personally with Dr. Rajko Tončić."

So, who's the crazy one now??!! 😠 What is wrong with him?? He looked me in the face and said there was no way he’d put me under, and he didn't mention a single damn thing about the price hike $333—there wasn't even a hint of it! I would have gladly paid much more than $333... I should have just gone to Kinčl!

Now I’m honestly terrified of what my nose is even going to look like! 😢

ADMIN EDIT: Let's try to refrain from this kind of open and unnecessary hostility that doesn't contribute to the discussion. 😉 Share your experiences, but please don't resort to crude labeling. Be respectful (for your own sake 😉).

gentlemaker46 said:Girl, you look great. I remember being all bruised up around my eyes and under them—day two and three were the absolute worst. I was honestly terrified my kid would go into shock just looking at me. How are you handling the tampons? For me, that was hands down the worst part of the whole experience, even though I only had them for one day. I felt like I was suffocating, and my mouth was constantly bone-dry. As for the anesthesia... they totally botched it. I work in medicine, and that shouldn't have happened. But look, it’ll pass quickly. At least the baby clothes will be cute.

So, the bruising and purple discoloration started tonight. I think it's just getting started. Yesterday it was just swelling, so I can only imagine what I'll look like by Monday. 🤣 It’s like a rainbow under my eyes. 😁 I'll post pictures a little later, but right now my head feels like it's the size of a planet. Those tampons are absolutely killing me. I can't wait until they take them out; I honestly feel like ripping them out myself. My head pressure is insane—it feels like it's going to explode. I can barely catch a full breath; I can only manage half an inhale before needing more. And at night, 😲 my mouth gets so incredibly dry. I actually woke up today and licked my tongue just to check, because it was so parched and slimy. I feel dizzy, almost like I'm seeing double. Oh, and my nose (the cartilage) has been aching since yesterday. I just want this to be over. 🙏

That local anesthesia was such a joke. 👎 I should have just gone to the hospital in Chicago and called it a day instead of messing around and listening to him.

wanderingmason86 said:Man, what a mess... They definitely messed something up with the dosage.
For me, that sedative injection was just boring. I was basically sitting there waiting for them to finally come grab me so we could get the surgery over with, just to avoid dying of boredom. 🙂
I didn't feel a single trace of fear or discomfort.

I trust it’ll be worth it in the end. Just in case, you can post "before and after" photos here for us to judge without worrying about getting hit on—looks like this thread is strictly women, except for me, right? 😉).

Honestly, I wouldn't know if they botched the dose because this was my first surgery ever (and hopefully my last 😁), but I assume they did, because it felt absolutely terrifying...

Right now, I've only posted a shot of my nose incision. Once everything is fully healed, I'll put up actual before and after photos. Until then, you'll just have to settle for the bruising... It's not huge, everything looks the way it should, maybe it's under the bandage near the top, maybe it's all purple, but from what I can see, it's just in the corners of my eyes. I'll take some pictures tomorrow and brighten them up so you guys can see what it actually looks like... People always act surprised when they visit because they expect me to be unable to open my eyes.

Grace Williams19 said:Jesus God,..
I can't believe this.... 😲😲
That sounds horrific!!!

What I want to know is: has anyone been to a hospital through public insurance—like, not at a private clinic—in the last year or two???
How does that even work? You stay for 7 or 8 days?? During surgery, you're under general anesthesia, so you don't see or hear anything, you just sleep???? 😕

There's no way everyone goes to private clinics!! LoL 🤷

By the way, how long do you usually have to wait for surgery at a public hospital?? A month or two, or more or less??

I don't know about the hospitals, but yeah, if it's general anesthesia, you feel absolutely nothing. You're essentially "dead," which is why there's an anesthesiologist right there managing your breathing for you.. 🙂

wanderingmason86 said:It’s totally normal for everything to feel jumpy like that. On the first day, you might be spotting constantly, but after that, the itching starts, along with that constant feeling of soreness and irritation—that general "crankiness" down there. 🙂
What they actually gave you, God only knows... Maybe some kind of muscle relaxant.
Were you feeling more relaxed or just high compared to how you felt before they started digging around in your arm?
You should have been dead set on getting it right in the ass, or else you might as well have just headed home! 😁
So, looking back at the whole thing—did it feel to you like you were under the knife for an eternity?
It would have been the decent thing to do if he’d at least stopped by to visit you after the surgery...

General anesthesia isn't exactly a walk in the park either. I mean, personally, I handled it fine, but everyone reacts differently. Some people end up dealing with a nasty sore throat from the intubation, or they can't stop throwing up afterward. It’s just one of those things.

I wasn't more relaxed or high than usual. I wasn't even asking her to give me an injection in the butt again; she told me she had to go through the hip because that's where those specific nerves are that need to be numbed out. 😕

When they were working on my arm, I felt totally fine. Honestly, I don't know how long it actually lasted—it felt like an absolute eternity to me, maybe around 45 minutes or so. At least, that's how it felt.

Yeah, it would’ve been decent if they actually took a moment to check in on me and see how everything went. Instead, I just had to sit there while the nurse stood around chatting with the Sisters of Mercy, all while she was swabbing me. I was basically catatonic from fear—just frozen, unable to really process what was happening or even hear what they were saying. And honestly, it would have been nice if they’d given me a private room to have some actual peace, rather than shoving me into a semi-private space. A nurse called me today to let me know I need to head back in this Monday to have the tampon removed. I can't wait. 🙏

Even if I’d spent three days bleeding out at General Hospital, I wouldn't be able to blame anyone but myself. I forced my way into this surgery. First, I tried reaching out to Kinčl, but he never even picked up the phone. I was getting impatient, so I just called Tončić instead, and we set up the consultation right then and there.

I’m actually really curious to see how my nose turns out. I seriously can't wait!

wanderingmason86 said:Do you happen to know what they gave you in that pre-op room before you headed into the OR, or what they administered once you were actually on the operating table?
I think they use Midazolam for preoperative sedation, but shouldn't that be administered before even stepping into the OR? You know, just so you don't have to deal with the whole atmosphere of the room while you're still trying to stay composed.

What exactly do you mean by "burst veins"? Are you saying this was already happening whenever you were getting a needle stuck directly into a vein?

Basically, I’m as sweet as Hannibal... Cmox up my nose!

🙂 Thanks! I look so dead serious in my photos. Every time I try to force a smile, my dog Lex comes running over to me immediately because he thinks I'm crying—that's how much he can hear it in my voice! 😂 I watched Hangover again yesterday, and honestly, I almost died. It hurt so much because I was laughing way too hard to actually breathe. 😬

Sneezing and drinking water... it's honestly a nightmare. I’m sneezing two or three times every half hour—well, only while I'm awake, anyway; everything just feels like it's jumping around inside me. And whenever I try to drink water, it feels like half of it ends up going straight up my nose instead of down my throat, despite having tampons in there.

I honestly have no clue what she actually gave me. I straight-up asked her what the deal was—like, why not just give the shot in my glute? It feels way better there than in my thigh. She just told me it was because of where the nerves are located, and after that, I didn't bother asking anything else. As for calming down, they had me sit in the recovery room for a bit right after the injection.

I don't really get this whole "burst veins" thing either. That’s just what they told me—that they were trying to poke me, but my veins kept snapping, and they couldn't even find them because they had supposedly retracted from the shock. Honestly, I think they could have just given me a little sedative pill to take the edge off. 🙄 So, the doctor finally tells me he’s going to try right where they drew my blood for the labs earlier. He said they didn't really have any other choice. Then he goes in—poking, prodding, digging around—and just slaps a bandage on it. The nurse looks over and asks if everything went okay, and he’s just like, "Yeah, totally," basically telling her to quit being dramatic so they can get back to work. Just like that. And after all that bloodwork, I feel like I only got half a dose... maybe even less. 😁

This was my first actual surgery, but I’ve done blood work plenty of times before. I have no idea why this is happening now—it's already happened three or four times in a row. 😂

Zachary Nguyen29 Asks:
I hope you have a speedy recovery.
I’m honestly so sorry you had to deal with all that. I haven't heard anyone else mention those specific issues before, which is surprising because I’ve actually done quite a bit of digging and asking around regarding local anesthesia.
Just keep your chin up and stay positive. This will all pass quickly for you, while the rest of us are still stuck waiting for our turn.😲
Hey. 😉

Thanks! Someone definitely had to go and twist things. Honestly, I’m done even thinking about it. There's no point waiting around for anyone else—just head over to the general practitioner. What's certain is certain. 😉

unless you’ve got nerves of steel! 🙂

I'm just dying to see my nose, especially if they finally get those swabs out of there.

Just wanted to give the ladies—and the guys—visiting Tončić a heads-up. Bryan Reed4 messaged me something earlier that really made me stop and think..

It looks like things went sideways because my veins kept blowing. Basically, there's a real chance some of what they were injecting intravenously leaked out paravenously—meaning it just pooled around the vein instead of going in—so it couldn't hit full effect..

That’s my take on it anyway. Not enough actually made it into my bloodstream, especially since he gave me a double dose like he mentioned.. Yeah, my veins are basically to blame for the whole horror show. 😢

In that photo (the first one with the Bruin, though you can barely see it since I wiped half of it off on the sheet), I was covered in blood. My whole arm was a mess, especially moving up toward the sleeve and underneath 😕.. Even when he was trying to hit that last vein, he looked pretty skeptical. Even the Sisters of Mercy were asking him if it was working right..

Well, at least I survived the ordeal, so I can tell those of you who actually managed to sleep through your procedures exactly how it goes! 😬

Susan Watson31 said:I think he said about 10 days

He told me seven, and I just realized I have no clue if he meant seven days from the surgery itself or seven days after they pull the tampon out. Maybe it’s from the tampon removal? Since you usually have the tampon in for about three days, that would make it ten days total. Could be that... 🤷

I'll ask on Monday..

Susan Watson31 said:I think they told me the tampon comes out about 3 or 4 days after surgery

And do you know anything about the mold? I can't wait to see it😍 it might actually be a pleasant surprise

Susan Watson31 said:What was it again, about ten days with the mold?

Seven (if the weekend doesn't mess me up again 😁) but now I'm confused—is that seven days from the surgery or from when the packing is removed? Does anyone know? I feel like what happened to me is exactly what you described to me in our private message earlier! 😢

Susan Watson31 said:maybe someone's little Hannibal L. 😉

😂 I'm basically a full-on Hannibal Lecter fan 😬

And honestly, I can see the resemblance. All I need now is a little bit of blood smeared across my mouth. 🙂

I’m holding steady, now it’s your turn! I'm rooting for you—just make sure you tell them you want the double dose, please! They gave me that much, at least that’s what they told me, though apparently some people only need half. Whatever you do, don't back down. Don't let fear get to you, otherwise, things will just feel worse. It worked for me, and it'll work for you—and I don't mean the pain, I mean the surgery itself. Everyone reacts differently, but just think about that new nose! 🙂

Here are some new photos. I'm bored out of my mind and can't sleep or do anything else. 😁

Not sure why these turned out so dark, especially since I took them right by the balcony with the door wide open! 🙂

This one is the only shot from the clinic. I actually wanted to snap a few more to see how I looked, but the Sisters of Mercy started giggling when they realized what I was doing 🙄 so I just gave up. 🙂



Just me and my little swelling! 😁

Profiles:



My eyes—you can't really see them well in these shots. I'll brighten the next batch up a bit. They are definitely swollen, that's for sure, and there's a bit of purple in the corners, though it might just be the lighting making them look that way.




And alright, don't freak out, but my dad told me I look straight up like Hannibal Lecter. 😂