Ask a Rhinoplasty Patient

I've decided to publish the questions I get from folks where the answers would be helpful.

Dear Rhinoplasty Patient,

Can you get your nose wet now?

Yes! Now that the splint is off, I'm free to wash my nose and take a shower without worrying about it. My nose is still very delicate, though, so washing my face isn't the slapdash process it once was. The bruise makeup is heavy-duty stuff, so I VERY carefully rub my face with cold cream. I've actually found it's easier to move my head around while my hands stay stationary to avoid pressing on my nose too much. Then I VERY carefully take it off with a soft washcloth and then wash with my normal cleanser in much the same process. You can't just splash water on your face to rinse everything off because you invariably end up hitting your nose and that HURTS.

One other thing: because I'm a bad person who hates the Earth and will eventually be tried before the Hague for crimes against the environment, I have a special high-pressure shower head that I take when I move from apartment to apartment. I also removed the water regulator from it (stick it, Energy Policy Act!) Friends who come to visit say they feel like they're being blasted against the back of the shower. I like it this way. The water stream doesn't actually hurt my nose, but I read over at the MakeMeHeal.com message boards that you shouldn't have the shower hitting your nose directly, so I do try to keep my nose on the outer edge of the water, where the the PSI is weaker.

Dear Rhinoplasty Patient,

Criminy! Did they make your nose BIGGER?

No, wise guy. Here's the deal: most people have bad hair days, I'm going to have bad nose days now for up to a year. The bone structure heals in 4-6 weeks, but the cartilage part is going to take much longer. Some days my nose will be crooked. If I sleep on my side, that side might be more swollen than the other. If I bend down to pick something up off the ground or slouch over my computer, I feel pressure going straight to my nose, so I try to keep my head up all the time. It will get smaller--Patience!

Sheesh! My passport photos are cheerier. I'll try to smile next time. My bruises are fading, slowly but surely, and one of my broken blood vessels has nearly healed! Here are a few pictures of me--yesterday (left) and today, first thing in the morning...Not a lot of obvious progress, but there are subtle changes each day.