Posts by Rachel Lopez5

Amy Richardson86 said:Rachel Lopez5, I’m so happy to hear your surgery went well! I actually get my splint removed tomorrow, and honestly, the whole rhinoplasty journey hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I expected. I’m just a little nervous right now about how my nose is going to look once everything is finally off.🙂
Guys, what was that first moment like for you when you looked in the mirror after the cast came off? Was it total shock, or were you just thrilled?
How long did it take for you all to actually feel normal with your new look?

I think getting used to it really depends on how much work was actually done. =) In my case, it wasn't a massive transformation, so I'm hoping that once the swelling goes down, I'll love the result. It’s different for everyone, though—and keep in mind that once that splint comes off, things might actually look a bit more swollen since they've been compressed for so long. Don't stress! I was terrified of the outcome too, but so far, I couldn't be happier. Sure, my tip looks a bit like a lightbulb right now, but those bumps on the side that always bothered me are gone, and for the first time ever, I can actually breathe through my nose while I sleep, which was my main goal... regardless of what anyone else thinks.☕

stormyfalcon6 said:It’s wild how you can have such different experiences at the exact same hospital. My time in the ICU was the complete opposite. They wouldn't even let me walk to the bathroom by myself—they had to escort me. And since I wasn't thirsty, they kept pestering me to drink water constantly. You really hit the jackpot with that nurse of yours! 🤷

See, I'm actually relieved to hear the staff at the local University Hospital is generally great. It looks like I just happened to get stuck with a nurse who didn't really care... 🙄

I just walked through my front door! Today was the day I finally got my cast off and had a few stitches removed. The cast won't stay on my nose anymore, but honestly, that's the least of my worries. When I finally saw my nose in the mirror, I was absolutely floored. 😲 As soon as I left the hospital, I just started crying tears of joy. I wasn't expecting anything, let alone having my nose reshaped for the better. Even if it's just a matter of a few millimeters, I am over the moon! Once the swelling around the tip goes down a bit, I'll post some photos. If I were a sculptor, I’d build a massive monument to Dr. Grgić. The man truly worked magic. My case wasn't even that extreme—he didn't even have to reset any bones—but what he achieved is, for me, a masterpiece. Dr. Grgić, thank you, thank you, thank you! My experience was incredible, and honestly, if I had to go through the whole thing all over again... man, I'd do it in a heartbeat! I think I'm going to go cry some more happy tears now—maybe they'll help the swelling go down! Sending love to everyone about to head into surgery, and wishing everyone else a super speedy recovery!!

👋👋👋👋👋

ruggedpuma11 said:man, I 🙂

Seriously, there is absolutely no reason to be scared. Everything went great except for the intensive care part, but honestly, if the food had been even slightly better, I would’ve felt like I was staying at a Hilton... and the ICU phase flies by so fast. The girl sharing my room wasn't even in intensive care because they were totally full, but when she got moved back from surgery, I almost teared up seeing how sweet and attentive the nurses were to her. Since you can't have anything to drink for two hours after coming out of anesthesia to avoid nausea (which, for the record, I didn't deal with at all, even though I usually get motion sickness easily), she was incredibly thirsty. Because they couldn't give her water yet, the nurses were actually using wet gauze to moisten her lips and tongue just to help her out... seriously, you wouldn't believe that such kind-hearted people still exist today. 🙂🙂🙂

ruggedpuma11 said:Great info, thanks a million, especially since we're talking about the exact same hospital!

Hats off to Dr. Lapic, though I’m not thrilled about having to take my contacts out. I’ll try to fight for them because being at -6.00 diopters means I can't see a thing without them...

Quick question regarding the ICU—how long do you usually stay there?

It’s not just the contacts; they basically strip you down to your birthday suit =) and I don't mean "birthday suit" in a fun way, more like "here, have some hospital gowns." 😉
I actually left my contacts in my room because there was nowhere to put them by my side, and honestly, once they give you that pre-op injection, you'll be in so much discomfort that you won't even care about your lenses, world peace, or anything else. I have a -17 prescription, so you can imagine how tough it was lying in the ICU. As for how long I stayed, I had surgery at 8:30 AM and was moved back to a regular room the next morning. It was easily the longest night of my life... Thirsty, hungry, and totally merciless. The nurse kept patrolling the room and always seemed to flip the lights on just to wake you up and say, "you need to sleep." But no sh*t, Sherlock, I would love to sleep, but between her rounds, the bright lights, and someone snoring right next to me, getting any decent rest is nearly impossible.. 🙂

Oh, one more thing—don't leave your contacts in! They were killing my eyes the next day—I actually ended up with some burst capillaries. You definitely don't want that happening during the actual surgery; it's not something to mess around with! 🙂

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to check in and share how things went after my surgery. I was treated by Dr. Smith at Vineyard Opticals. He was such a sweetheart and incredibly patient. I checked in last Tuesday and had the procedure on Thursday (it was a bit busy, so there was a little wait). The surgery took about an hour and a half. I had a deviated septum that was almost completely blocking my right nostril, so while he was at it, the good doctor also smoothed out those tiny bumps on the sides of my bone—you know, where some people get that ridge on top, but mine were more on the sides. Nothing was broken or hacked apart, not even the septum; he just cleared out the excess tissue blocking the airway and fixed the bumps. As for the tip of my nose, which used to look like the little rubber ball on top of a ballpoint pen, the doctor said he’d trim the extra cartilage and then just tucked it down to fix that pointy look, stitching it to the septum (or so I gathered). Thankfully, I have zero bruising—God bless him!—though my nose tip looks a little greenish. I’m not in any pain at all, though the stitches feel a bit tight, so I can't move my upper lip much. I got my packing removed yesterday, and honestly, it didn't hurt one bit, though the tears definitely started flowing instinctively! I was lying down, but if I’d been sitting up, it might have felt worse. I'm getting the cast off tomorrow, so then I'll finally see what the rest of my nose looks like.

Now, regarding the hospital stay: I have nothing but praise for the nurses on the ward; they were all so attentive and kind, especially this one lovely, slender brunette. However, as for the ICU staff... goodness gracious! Since I had to take my contacts out before surgery, I couldn't see a thing afterward. The night nurse would rather stare at the TV than help me get to the bathroom (I'm not helpless, but being without contacts and feeling groggy from anesthesia isn't exactly a piece of cake). I ended up fumbling around in the dark trying to find the restroom, mumbling about where the light switch was, only for her to tell me after two or three minutes of me struggling that the switch was up high and I just needed to press harder. And heaven forbid you ask for water—your throat and lips get bone-dry because you can't breathe through your nose. Also, prepare for some sleepless nights thanks to the snorers in the room. I actually asked the nurse for something to help me sleep, and she offered to give me Ketoral via IV. Even though I told her nothing hurt, she said it would help knock me out. It didn't! In fact, my arm started stinging and burning. When I asked if that was normal, the nurse just goes, "Oh, no, I guess I let the flow go a little too fast," but then added that if she slowed it down, it would take forever to finish (and honey, I’ve got a trip to Hawaii planned as soon as this Ketoral drip is done! 🤦 )

The food itself was pretty terrible (and I'm not a picky eater, but just a heads-up: bring something tasty to snack on so you don't starve). On the bright side, the wards and rooms are spotless. There's plenty of TP, soap, and paper towels, and the cleaning crew works hard and is super friendly. To kill time, I brought my laptop, and a big plus is that the ENT department has open Wi-Fi, so you can surf the web while you wait. Anyway, I've rambled on like a crazy person, but I just really wanted to share my experience at the public hospital in case it helps anyone else. Everything was covered by my insurance, so I didn't have to pay a dime.

So, I do have one quick question for anyone willing to help—what's the best way to deal with the swelling on the tip of my nose? It doesn't look long and pointy anymore; it looks like a potato. 🙂 Does anyone have a "recipe" or a trick to help? Thanks in advance, and cheers to all my fellow nose-warriors!! 🙏

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Sophie says: Hey Rachel Lopez5, I had my surgery at Mayo Clinic earlier this year with Dr. Kalogjera, and honestly, he’s just fantastic. Truly top-notch. As for Dr. Grgica, all I’ve ever heard from other patients is glowing praise. Plus, the whole experience at Mayo was great. I don't spend much time in hospitals, but I have to say, the staff in the ENT department there were incredibly kind and helpful. Anyway, that's my take on it. Hang in there. It really isn't as scary as it feels right now. 🙂

THANK YOU SO MUCH, Sophie! My surgery is next week, and here I am stressing out about how many pajamas to pack and worrying if I'm going to pass gas in my sleep and embarrass myself! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣!

You really put my mind at ease! This is my first time staying overnight for surgery, and I am totally on edge...

Anyway, I'll stop rambling—BIG THANKS again!

Hey everyone,

I’ve been scrolling through all the pages in this thread, but I haven't found much regarding nose surgery experiences at the Mayo Clinic. Since I'm scheduled for a rhinoplasty with Dr. Grgić next month, I’m starting to feel pretty anxious about the whole thing. If anyone has any firsthand experience with Dr. Grgić or what it's like being treated at the Mayo Clinic, I would love to hear from you—honestly, I just need a little peace of mind right now.

Thanks so much in advance!!