I am having a moment of weakness because it seems so much is not under my control at this moment. 

 

I had my last dressing taken off this morning.  My face is raw, bloody looking in some area, still oozing, swollen, and hurts when I move any facial muscles or when I wash my face.  The slightest wind on my face would magnify into tingling pain.  I had one gallon of water today and I am still thirsty.  It is so hard to see in the white paper mask.  I am so not ready to get on the plane tomorrow in this shape.

 

Luckily, reading portlandboy's journal gives me some comfort.  I feel better now knowing I am on par with his post op day 3 progress, and that he healed much better in the following days.  It is weird but its like reading my own pre-written dairy.  If you are reading this, thanks for sharing your journey portlandboy.

 

Its time to let the survivor in me take charge now .... 

 

 

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Shade,

Thanks, I can really use some morale support. Right now I just want to look reasonably normal in 9 days before going back to work.

After a long grinding trip I finally got home. I took a shower and cleaned my face with shaving foam again. Most of the bloody patches are replaced by rose red skin (like the color of rare prime ribs). A lot of dead skin are also loosening and some are coming off.

I'm so dying for real food now ...

Regards,

Sword

hang in there ... the improvement within the first two weeks on a DAILY basis is amazing.AA ull be ok to board the plane just keep that mask on and try to get through it.

 

 

 

 

Good Luck Sword. I am so happy for you. Dr Y is truly a wonderful Doctor. Sometimes I feel I wouldn't react well to a dermabrasion due to my tests spot, but now it looks ok. I think dermabrasion is ok for me to do (even he said it was fine) and I am just being a fraidy cat!

My new game plan is to somehow reduce the depth of my depressions (hopefully 302 will do that, but it may be unlikely as it is only a topical), and then do a dermbrasion. When I saw Yarborough he felt I would get dramatic improvement from just one dermabrasion because he said I had "hills and valleys" type scars. I went to see him in May 2004. I also met Cassandra and told her she sounded like she was from NY!!! LOL. She admitted she gets that a lot.

Happy Healing Sword!

Hi animegirle, kwi, ylem,

Thanks for your kind words and support!

Post Op Day 5:

There are pastes of dead skin that looks * almost * ready to come off, but I'm not going to pick them.

The area below my right cheek where Dr. Y went deeper is lagging behind, I am concerned that it won't heal fast enough. It is overed by a large patch of dead skin propbrably 1.5 inches tall and wide.

Overall skin feels * very * tight when talking and eating. I have to cut my food into small pieces to eat them.

Skin is still too red and a bit swollen, currently the only scars I can still make out are the large scarred pores on the forehead, which have been smoothed out a lot. icepicks on nose and cheeks looks like small normal pores. I'm sure when the redness and swelling goes I will see some of them again ... but right now I just want to heal.

kwi,

I don't have active acne anymore, so I cannot answer your question. Its best for you to call and ask Dr. Y tomorrow.

ylem,

I have not followed the 302 thread, I imagine it is similar to the Amino Plex spray? After I made up my mind to have dermabrasion, I gave up on all topicals except for moisturizer, because any minor improvment (if any!!) from using the topical will be dermabraded anyway. Just my 2 cents.

animegirle,

You look stunning even in your no-make-up pics. I am so happy for you!

Thanks,

Sword

sword,

Congrats on your dermabrasion!

It's a big step-I can't wait to take myself.

Best of luck w/your outcome.

Mamascarface

Thanks. Looking forward to see your name changed to Mamaface!

sword,

Congrats on your dermabrasion!

It's a big step-I can't wait to take myself.

Best of luck w/your outcome.

Mamascarface

 

 

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I have a rather simpleton question. Does Dr.Y only do one dermabrasion a day? I wonder how many patients he does accept for dermabrasion in a single day...

Monday morning to call is just not coming fast enough for me.

Hi Kim,

My dermabrasion was in the PM. I suppose Dr. Y can do one also in the morning ..

Regards,

Sword

Hey Sword,

Thanks. I hope to share my experiences with everyone when my time comes...

Btw, I hope you got your luggage from your airline.

A strange but concerning question, I have claustrophobia (from an incident I had as a child), do you think the mask is very restricting? It sounds like it is, from what I gathered in your descriptions about not being able to eat and stuff. Hmm, I'm really nervous.

-Donna

Hi Kim,

I had both mine on Monday Mornings - one at 9am, and one at 10am. How many he does per day and at what time just depends on his appointments. In his younger days I think he mentioned he did 5 in one day once!

Hi HopefulSkin,

You know, nothing beats a mask-free head. Most people are just happy to get off the mask on post-op-day-3. On day 2 Cassandra adjusted the chin piece and eating was no longer a problem.

The piece between mouth and nose was annoying (Cassandra cut it away on day 3), and ears are pressed against your head. But I had no problem seeing or breathing, so it wasn't caustrophobic, just some discomfort.

Regards,

Sword

Hi Kim,

 

My dermabrasion was in the PM. I suppose Dr. Y can do one also in the morning ..

 

Regards,

Sword

 

 

 

 

Hi Kim,

 

I had both mine on Monday Mornings - one at 9am, and one at 10am. How many he does per day and at what time just depends on his appointments. In his younger days I think he mentioned he did 5 in one day once!

 

 

 

 

Post Op Day 6

I managed to gently rub off the stubborn dead skin in the beard in the shower. I took a one-hour shower to soften them before rubbing them away. I am 90% dead skin free now. I also very gently shaved off the beard (took 20 minutes!!), which makes it so much easier to moisturize the chin.

This morning I walked 2 miles on the treadmill (40 mins!! I had to control my urge to run) and VERY light weight exercises (50% of normal load). It wasn't strenuous and I did not sweat a bit. IMO, this will help me return to my normal routines next week and at the same time help my blood circulate.

Shade, you were right when you mentioned the day to day improvement during the 1st 2 weeks.

If it wasn't for the red, I'd say my skin looks pretty damn good now. I don't see the 2000 shallow icepick scars that used to cast deep shadow on my nose and cheeks ( and whatever that area below the cheek is called) anymore. Of course when the swelling subsides I will see them again, but I'm sure they will be much shallower and smaller than before. I don't mind that.

I cannot see any trace of the damage caused by SmoothBeam in Nov 2002 (burnt and fat loss), except for the bridges that join the nose and the face, where there is still evidence of some fat loss (about 2mm wide both sides of the nose), but you'll have to look up close to spot them.

In fact, this is the first time in 3 years I see any sign of life in this face. If this is not amazing, I don't know what is. It is very hard to not be excited.

Cheers,

Sword

Yes this is madness isn't? When I think of the last night at the hotel, I think of the scene in Minority Report when Tom Criuse just had his eyes replaced.

It was worth it but I don't want to go through it again any time soon.

Regards,

Sword

Thanks sword for answering all of these questions in the midst of madness for yourself.AA When I find out definitively for myself, I'll let anyone else thinking about it know.

 

 

 

 

Sword,

Sounds like your doing great! Isn't it just the best thing when you look at your face and all the old scars are gone?!! It was a bit disappointing when some of them started reappearing, even though I was told to expect it, but my skin still looks so much better than it did before the dermabrasion. Hang in there, the hardest part is over now .....!

Hey Sword,

That's just awesome that you're healing so quickly! I think this whole dermabrasion battle sounds more emotional/psychological than physical strangely enough

Thanks for your feedback. I feel a bit calmer now about the mask. Hey, from what I've been reading, it'll be worth the few days of discomfort.

Well, continue to bring good news!!

-Donna

Sword,

Good to hear of your recovery...have u ever posted before and after pics?...this would be so helpful!

EH

Post Op Day 7

Thanks Ebby, Donna and EHgirl.

I am in the Eucerin phase now. No matter how much lotion I put on the skin just gulps it all. It must be really thirsty!! I also have a minor breakout because of the Vaseline.

I can see (old) enlarged pores in the forehead and cheek and icepicks on the nose resurfacing, but they are so shallow I no longer see shadow inside them anymore. I also used to be able to feel them with my fingers but now everywhere feels silky smooth.

Have a lot to catch up with in my life now, I'll report in around Post Op Day 13.

Hi EHgirl,

I've been taking daily pics since day 4, but don't really have a good before pic.

I'll mask them (to protect my identity) and post them in a few days.

Thanks,

Sword

Sword,

How many days did it take for the swelling to go right down?

EHgirl,

My face is still quite swollen!

Sword

Post Op day 11:

The swelling came down around post op day 10. I can see all my old icepick scars again. Well my smooth-again skin days were short lived! (Note: Dr. Y told me that they will reappear after the swelling is gone.) They still look shallower and narrower than before, I won't judge % improvement at least until my skin tone returns to normal.

Skin tone has not improved much, still very red. I was peeling like a snake, but the peeling has pretty much stopped now. Cassandra said this is normal due to the cold and dry weather. So I stayed on the vaseline for a few more days.

I had a minor break out but it is under control now, no new pimple in the last couple days.

I uploaded pics up to day 9, sorry that is all the face I want to publish.

recovery pics

As for make up, I tried the MAC Concealer and hate the rubbery look. The lady told me concealers are not meant for full face coverage anyway.

I tried Jane Iredale liquid foundation (Sun Tan, a shade darker than Warm Sienna). Its a little better, but I still look like I have stuff put on my face.

I hope I can find the MAC tinted moisturizer that matches my color before I go to work.

I have to lie to everyone who wants to see me and my family that I am sick. I've never lied to my friends. I hate it! Maybe I should tell them about my dermabrasion.

Sword

Hey Sword,

You are recovering quite well there..your skin looks good!...it didn't look like u had very bad scarring to begin with though either.....i think an "improved" looking scar is still something i would be happy with!

Thanks EHgirl. My scars is not as severe compare to some, but enough to prevent me to live my life fully.

I am so dreadful of going back to work. Compare to the next few weeks ahead, the trip back home from NO was a cake walk!

Sword