Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?
in Health ·
Hi everyone. Let me start by saying we’re all different people, and what happens to one of us won't necessarily happen to another. What I’m about to write is strictly my own experience and personal opinion, intended just as a guide for anyone planning to undergo this or who is still debating which surgeon to choose.
A year ago, I had nose surgery performed by Tony Bennett—specifically, Tony Bennett Jr. was the one in charge.
For a week after the operation, I was in absolute heaven (finally!! a new nose, no more hump, etc., etc.), but then the issues started creeping in very quickly.
The nasal passage they operated through was blocked about 90% of the time; I could only breathe through one side. The Doctor kept telling me it would clear up eventually, blah blah blah—yeah, right! On top of that, that same clogged nostril would bleed at even the slightest provocation. I mean, if I so much as touched it with my finger, there was blood (which basically meant bleeding every single day). Generally speaking, I consider myself a tough and resilient person, and I can handle things most people can't, but bleeding every single day? That's something else...
Once the swelling finally went down, an unevenness on the nose became visible, so the job had to be finished, and a revision was scheduled. I laid out all my concerns to Tony Bennett, and he said he’d do whatever he could, so I thought, great.
After the correction, that unevenness was smoothed out, but that wasn't even half as annoying as the bleeding and the inability to use both nostrils. I mean, why else would we be born with two nostrils? And I won't even get started on the bleeding, because I literally just stopped a nosebleed half an hour ago.
Now, let's bring in some outside expert opinions.
Because of these issues, I went to see an ENT specialist over at the Mayo Clinic, where they examined me LI for maybe 15 minutes (though I noticed the average seems to be 3–7 minutes), just to conclude—and I quote, "well, I guess he has to learn from someone too"—but it wasn't that I was unhappy with the look of the nose itself, just those two "minor" issues. Though, they did mention that even the aesthetics weren't quite right since the tip had dropped. (Keep in mind, this visit was before the correction.)
So, after hearing all that and keeping it in mind, this time I told my buddy who came along with me to put a little pressure on the Doctor and make sure he fixes that tip (honestly, if he has to pull cartilage out of an ear, fine, just do it so everything looks right), but nope! Tony Bennett thinks it’s unnecessary, blah blah blah... and let's be honest, it's just easier for him not to do it. It's less work and less hassle. So, once again, I got screwed—or rather, I got "nosed." 🙂
Fast forward a year later: I arrange a meeting with a certain doctor in Chicago. He examined me, gave his professional opinion, and now I have to undergo the exact procedure that Mr. Bennett didn't want to, didn't know how to, or couldn't do. Honestly, man, just be upfront instead of beating around the bush and trying to turn a nose into a pizza. (A little sarcasm won't kill anyone; the nose is nowhere near its original state, but there's always that one thing that bothers you.)
To wrap this up, I want to give a shout-out to all the nurses and the rest of the staff at the Tony Bennett clinic; they were incredibly kind, helpful, ready to assist with anything, and willing to accommodate every request. Hats off to them, and I'm sending my best because I know they'll read this. Unfortunately, I've simply shared my own experience and my own perspective.
A year ago, I had nose surgery performed by Tony Bennett—specifically, Tony Bennett Jr. was the one in charge.
For a week after the operation, I was in absolute heaven (finally!! a new nose, no more hump, etc., etc.), but then the issues started creeping in very quickly.
The nasal passage they operated through was blocked about 90% of the time; I could only breathe through one side. The Doctor kept telling me it would clear up eventually, blah blah blah—yeah, right! On top of that, that same clogged nostril would bleed at even the slightest provocation. I mean, if I so much as touched it with my finger, there was blood (which basically meant bleeding every single day). Generally speaking, I consider myself a tough and resilient person, and I can handle things most people can't, but bleeding every single day? That's something else...
Once the swelling finally went down, an unevenness on the nose became visible, so the job had to be finished, and a revision was scheduled. I laid out all my concerns to Tony Bennett, and he said he’d do whatever he could, so I thought, great.
After the correction, that unevenness was smoothed out, but that wasn't even half as annoying as the bleeding and the inability to use both nostrils. I mean, why else would we be born with two nostrils? And I won't even get started on the bleeding, because I literally just stopped a nosebleed half an hour ago.
Now, let's bring in some outside expert opinions.
Because of these issues, I went to see an ENT specialist over at the Mayo Clinic, where they examined me LI for maybe 15 minutes (though I noticed the average seems to be 3–7 minutes), just to conclude—and I quote, "well, I guess he has to learn from someone too"—but it wasn't that I was unhappy with the look of the nose itself, just those two "minor" issues. Though, they did mention that even the aesthetics weren't quite right since the tip had dropped. (Keep in mind, this visit was before the correction.)
So, after hearing all that and keeping it in mind, this time I told my buddy who came along with me to put a little pressure on the Doctor and make sure he fixes that tip (honestly, if he has to pull cartilage out of an ear, fine, just do it so everything looks right), but nope! Tony Bennett thinks it’s unnecessary, blah blah blah... and let's be honest, it's just easier for him not to do it. It's less work and less hassle. So, once again, I got screwed—or rather, I got "nosed." 🙂
Fast forward a year later: I arrange a meeting with a certain doctor in Chicago. He examined me, gave his professional opinion, and now I have to undergo the exact procedure that Mr. Bennett didn't want to, didn't know how to, or couldn't do. Honestly, man, just be upfront instead of beating around the bush and trying to turn a nose into a pizza. (A little sarcasm won't kill anyone; the nose is nowhere near its original state, but there's always that one thing that bothers you.)
To wrap this up, I want to give a shout-out to all the nurses and the rest of the staff at the Tony Bennett clinic; they were incredibly kind, helpful, ready to assist with anything, and willing to accommodate every request. Hats off to them, and I'm sending my best because I know they'll read this. Unfortunately, I've simply shared my own experience and my own perspective.