Hello It has finally been a week since my surgery, so I’m dropping by to say hi ^ㅡ^
I’ve been busy with aftercare every day, but I wanted to help even a little, so I’m writing this!
First, I’m in my early 20s, and on Saturday 2/10 around 6 p.m., I had mouth-corner and square-jaw surgery at Brown.
(I’ve already posted the story about choosing the hospital and getting the surgery before ^^ Search my ID to see it)
Surgery review
① 2/10 Sat, surgery day: I went to the hospital an hour and a half early, wiped my face, changed clothes, took a face photo, and met the director right away! For once, there was no waiting time Since I had already discussed the line and what I wanted, the talk was over in about 10 minutes (it was about the surgery details - I had a slight asymmetry, I wouldn’t be removing buccal fat, I had a lot of cheek fat so swelling might be significant, and there could be some fat around the jaw area!) I went into the operating room with complete trust in the director. I was so nervous that the correction manager came in with me on the way there. After the IV was placed, a little later the anesthesiologist came, said they would anesthetize me with something like a ventilator, told me to breathe in a few times, and I lost consciousness. When I heard “Wake up!! Wake up!!” the surgery was already over. Then I went into a private room and lay down. Nothing hurt at all, but I was so dizzy I could barely stand it, felt like I was going to throw up, and it was exactly like being completely drunk. I was told that drinking water and getting up to use the bathroom would reduce the after-effects of general anesthesia, so.. I dragged myself to the bathroom and drank water! The water was given by syringe!! If I wasn’t lying down, I honestly felt like I would vomit right away. Thinking about it again is still awful Around 1 a.m. the director came to see me and said I’d worked hard, and I almost cried. He also changed the bandage, and I was so grateful that he came so late at night. (My mouth is small, so it was stretched open during surgery and the area around my mouth was a mess About 1 cm around my mouth was all crusted over.) I slept a little at a time.
② 2/11 Sun, the day after surgery (day 1): Around 9 o’clock the nurse explained the medicine and aftercare instructions, and around 10 o’clock my mom came to pick me up, so I was discharged. If it hadn’t been for my mom, I probably wouldn’t have been able to walk properly because of the dizziness My mom stayed at the Rex Hotel (partner hotel) the day before, and after the pickup service brought her down, I went straight to the hotel car. I got dizzy in the elevator and ended up vomiting in the room Then I threw up one or two more times that day. I ordered pumpkin porridge and ate it, but eating was really a struggle. It felt like it would come back up if I ate it, and the water was the same.. But even on the surgery day and that day, the surgical area didn’t hurt at all, and neither my jaw nor my teeth or gums hurt at all.
③ 2/12 Mon, day 2: Finally this morning I felt a bit more clear-headed, and the dizziness got much better, so for recovery I ate a whole bowl of pumpkin porridge for breakfast ^ㅡ^ I rode the hotel shuttle to the hospital in the morning, removed the bandages, took out the blood drain, got the stitches inside my mouth removed (it stung a little but didn’t really hurt), got the shampoo service, had the swelling laser treatment, got a swelling shot and an antibiotic shot, and came back out. My face was not as swollen as I expected (it felt like a little air had been blown into my cheeks compared to before surgery), and only my lip area had a wound. I was worried because I had to take a bus ride for 4 hours, but luckily I wasn’t dizzy, so I got home safely. Then I got myself together and started aftercare. Even inside the house, I walked around and kept using cold and warm compresses and the traction band all day.
④ 2/13 Tue, day 3: That day too, the surgical area did not hurt or feel uncomfortable at all, and the swelling was only slightly more than yesterday! I spent the whole day on recovery + aftercare.
⑤ 2/14 Wed, day 4: This was the most swollen I’d been so far. Still, it wasn’t bun-level swollen, just a puffy-cheek level compared with my original face! My mouth started opening a bit more, so I stopped gargling and brushed with a baby toothbrush. I spent the whole day on recovery + aftercare.
⑥ 2/15 Thu, day 5: It was similar to yesterday, but after I started warm compresses, it seemed like the swelling went down just a tiny bit! I spent the whole day on recovery + aftercare.
⑦ 2/15 Fri, day 6: Now all the scabs around my lips have fallen off, and my face looks just like it did before surgery! It hasn’t gotten bigger than that, and because of the swelling it’s exactly about the same as my old face. If someone else saw me, I’d just look like my old self with no expression! And by nighttime the swelling goes down a little more. I spent the whole day on recovery + aftercare.
⑦ 2/15 Sat, day 7: Finally today. The swelling has gone down the most so far, and my face feels a little slimmer than before! My mouth opens a lot more too, so today I could eat soft rice, stir-fried fish cake, and steamed dumplings
Aftercare
This is the part I most wanted to tell you about
First, I’m not a worker, I’m a student, so for 3 weeks I can focus only on aftercare. Since I have to go back after 3 weeks without anyone noticing, I’m doing my best all day long.
I’ll tell you while describing my daily routine!!
Morning: (wake up at 8) Bromelain 2 tablets on an empty stomach + 2 pumpkin juice packs > foot bath 40 min + lymph massage > breakfast > walking exercise all day + traction band + cold compress / warm compress
Lunch: Bromelain 2 tablets between meals + 2 pumpkin juice packs + detox juice > black bean soy milk > lunch > walking exercise all day + traction band + cold compress / warm compress
Evening: Bromelain 2 tablets between meals + 2 pumpkin juice packs > dinner > walking exercise all day + traction band + cold compress / warm compress > foot bath 40 min + lymph massage
In short, after surgery there was no pain at the surgical site or anywhere like the teeth or gums at all (so far), but the after-effects of general anesthesia were hard for two days. The hospital is busy, but I never felt that they rushed the surgery or neglected patients. (A lot of people asked whether they really take good care of you because they’re so busy!) And above all, I could feel that Director Kim Taegyu is responsible toward patients and always says only what he can keep, and even now I really think I made a good choice and am grateful.
??Things you must follow after surgery??
1. Wake up at 8 a.m.
2. Foot bath 40 min + lymph massage morning and night
3. Drink 2-3 liters of water a day
4. Sleep propped up, not lying flat (on three pillows)
5. Do not stay sitting or lying down if possible; walk and exercise all day
6. Things I eat every day: Bromelain (pills that help with swelling) 6 tablets, 6 pumpkin juice packs, black bean soy milk, detox juice, bananas and tangerines, hospital medicine
7. Except when sleeping or eating, wear the traction band almost all the time, and use compresses often: I was told I only had to use the traction band until Thursday, but I asked the manager if I could keep using it longer, and I’ve been wearing it all the time (because I’m worried about sagging cheeks! I heard from the manager that wearing it won’t make swelling go down more slowly, and some people even keep using it for cosmetic purposes, so I plan to do that)
?Ah, right, once the Promise Myeongga lifting band arrives, I’m planning to use that to keep up lifting care for 1-2 years and beyond! If anyone has tried it, please share your review??
??Helpful before surgery??
1. Starting 3 days before, I cut out all instant food and snacks and only ate good things (detox juice, pumpkin juice)
2. Buy pumpkin juice in advance
3. Prepare porridge from Bonjuk as very soft rice gruel and eat it as needed
4. Eraser pads (highly recommended): It’s hard to wash your face for 2-3 days after surgery, so these are cleansing pads; they’re great for wiping off, search them
5. Bromelain: I bought this as a substitute because Shin**** or Elas A were too expensive for me
6. Detox juice (highly recommended): It seems good because it helps remove toxins from the whole body!
7. Intake Morning Porridge: It’s tube-type, so it’s good to eat after surgery. I bought it after another person recommended it to me too (I bought two boxes, but it didn’t suit my taste.. I ate one and haven’t been able to eat the rest, which is such a waste)
8. Daiso seasoning containers: The hospital I had surgery at gave me 2 large syringes and 2 small syringes, so I didn’t really need these And I found it more convenient to eat with a syringe anyway (though many people mention them)
9. Foot bath device (highly, highly recommended)
As a result of doing all this, it’s been a week and I have no pain anywhere, no problems like cheek dents, the swelling is very little, and if other people see me they probably won’t even know I had surgery. The line seems to be coming out, and it’s close to the line I wanted. Ah, and when I sleep, the front chin area feels a little tingly (I didn’t have surgery on the chin!) That’s about it!
And if any brokers are reading my post, please read this too ^^
While preparing for surgery, I saw a lot of brokers. People who, for no reason, slander the hospital I’m planning to go to are probably mostly brokers from other hospitals, right?
Please, please, think of the desperate and struggling people as if they were your own mother, younger sibling, or family, and stop.
I see a lot of brokers getting caught and reported, and then the hospital’s image is ruined and all trust is lost in one shot!
Before surgery I also saw a broker from Brown on another community, and I was really upset and started thinking all kinds of things like maybe I chose wrong. (I was so upset for the Brown brokers who hurt the hospital’s image. Even without doing that, the director is more than capable, and if it’s a good hospital, the people who need it will come.) Of course, since a lot of people come after seeing the forum, I guess you might want to promote yourselves. Still, I don’t think this is the place for that.
Instead of spending time on things like that so meticulously, I’d be grateful if you paid more attention to each and every patient and thought about how to make the hospital better ^^ Then I’m sure people who are satisfied after surgery will, like me, leave posts like this from time to time.
I want to write more detail, but it takes quite a long time.. I’ll stop here!! I have another follow-up with the director on Monday 2/19 and aftercare is scheduled. I want to see the director again soon!!!!!!!!
I don’t know when I’ll come back to write again, but if I have time, I’ll write again around the 3-week mark before going back to school ^^ I hope everyone’s surgery goes well! I think a positive mindset is important, and aftercare is more important than anything else??
Like 17