Thanks Michael, James, Sean, Nearing, and V-8 Buick community, Got to take things one day at a time . . . . . . Edouard
Dear V-8 Buick faithful, Another quick update on my surgery of June 7th. For whatever reason, it took the lab a while to complete the biopsy analysis. Thankfully, it is good news. The surgeon was able to completely remove all the cancer and my nose should now be able to heal normally. There will be one more surgery in about two months to thin the skin graft as had been intended for this past surgery. That should resolve the remaining breathing problems and get my nose to about as normal a shape as is probably practical. Back to a more normal life until then! Thanks for your support! Cheers, Edouard
Dear V-8 Buick community, In principle, my next surgery wasn't very high in the pecking order of facial reconstructive surgery needs. So while the earliest it could happen was in early August, I expected to be waiting in line for more urgent cases to be taken care of first. So it was quite a surprise when I checked in with UCSF facial plastics and found they had an opening almost exactly 2 months after the last surgery: Tuesday, August 9th. It has not been an easy summer because at just about the time I was planning on getting the shingles vaccine - instead I got the darn disease. While it was a moderate case, I did have to cope with a bit of postherpetic neuralgia. I'm now in the rush to get ready for the next surgery. It is suppose to accomplish the goals intended for the June surgery: thin the skin graph so it looks like a normal nose, and in that process, realign the cartilage so that both nostrils flow normally. It is hard not to have mixed-feelings about this procedure. On the one hand, I'm really tired of all these surgeries. On the other hand, I don't look or feel normal. It seems like a mighty tall order to put things right in one surgery. All I can do is prepare as best I can and hope for the best! Edouard
Thanks Nearing, James, and Michael, Definitely have to take these things one day at a time . . . . . Edouard
Dear V-8 Buick community, I'm catching up here a bit so I can give you a quick update on the results of Tuesday's surgery. There were no surprises this time, so the "debulking" was accomplished as a planned. The doctor finally explained exactly what "debulking" was. The skin on the forehead had some fat not present in the skin of a nose. The surgery was remove that fat from the skin graft, allowing the skin thin down to the shape of a normal nose. Also, on the agenda was to straighten out the graft on the nose which was twisted to the right and too far down. All this was hoped to realign the cartilage so that both nostrils could flow more normally. To my delight, the realignment appears to have been on the mark. I immediately noticed a dramatic improvement when breathing through my nose. While I'm still struggling with some congestion, I can control it with much less effort - a very good thing! The unfortunate downside is that all this adjusting involved pulling and twisting the skin - something like pulling fabric around to reupholster a seat. So my whole face is stressed and the nose is once more swollen. It will take a few weeks for all of this to calm down. Still as hoped, this surgery was a significant step in the right direction. With a little luck, perhaps it will be the last surgery needed. Thanks again for all your support! Edouard
Dear V-8 Buick community, The stitches from the August 9th surgery on my nose came out a week ago Wednesday. The doctor was very pleased at how the surgery turned out. The skin finally looks healthy everywhere and the scabbing from the suture lines are coming off as they should. What's ahead is a long period of healing and watching. At the moment, the nose still looks like a cross between Pinocchio and Rudolf the red nosed reindeer. The only difference is that Rudolf apparently forgot to pay his electric bill. Instead of being red, my nose has taken back a normal flesh color. However according to the doctor, it takes months for the skin to slim down after the fat has been removed. He doesn't even want to see me for 3-4 months! He is the expert, so I'll follow the program. I'm continuing to baby the skin in the hope that will expedite the healing process. In the meantime, I'm back to the "regularly scheduled" Mohs surgeries to remove the leftover basal cell tumors that have cropped up while the nose was being reconstructed. However compared to reconstruction surgeries, this is small potatoes. It is time to try to get back to a more normal life - just in time for the California wildfire season! Always something isn't there! Thanks for your support! Edouard
