Thursday, January 14, 2010
As instructed, I arrive at Dr. Giese’s office at 9:15 a.m. The operating room suite is located here, too. This is no hospital. It’s more inviting than most luxury spas I’ve visited.
Dr. Giese comes in to mark the spots on my face where she’d be operating. The surgery will take about 2 2.5 with anesthesia) hours and then I’ll be in the recovery room for about one hour. The anesthesiologist comes in next, moves me to a wheel chair and starts the IV.
I wake up in the recovery room in a modest daze, not remembering a moment beyond the IV. A removable, ace-type bandage sling is wrapped around my head and chin. I’m supposed to keep it on as much as possible, day and night.
My sister, Shelley, arrives to escort me home and off we go.
Armed with icepacks for my eyes, painkillers and attended by a caring sister, I spend the rest of the day in patient mode. I take a photo of my swollen face. I sleep fairly well and don’t need pain medication stronger than Tylenol for the discomfort. There’s no bleeding or unusual redness.
Friday, January 15
Discomfort is most pronounced in my chin, where Dr. Giese had implanted a rubber device. It’s hard to open my mouth, but overall, I feel okay.
I call the doctor’s office in the afternoon, when the swelling seems to increase. Dr. Giese’s PA tells me it’s normal.
Saturday, January 16
I shower, remove the bandage and apply a little makeup. I meet my former husband for lunch. He tells me I look great. Douglas is pretty droll. I definitely don’t look great. I look like a truck—a Mack truck—ran me over, but that’s not going to keep me home.
I have a (recommended) post-surgical facial to help reduce the swelling with charming Nathalie Dinoia at Yasmine Djerradine spa. Nathalie uses a sophisticated Biologique Recherche machine from Paris that is designed to stimulate the lymphatic system to get rid of excess fluid, hydrate, lift and sculpt, exfoliate, promote circulation and help smooth out the skin which has been traumatized by the surgery. The machine is supposed to increase the efficiency of the Biologique Recherch products that Nathalie is using.
Natalie also wraps my feet, legs and upper thighs in a contraption that makes me look like a partial Michelin man. This is a computer controlled, compression system utilizing pumps that inflate around the limbs to move the venous and lymph flow.
I return home feeling pretty good and spend the rest of the day relaxing even more.
Sunday, January 17
Swelling seems to be decreasing and I start to see stitches dangling from my eyelids and the corners of my mouth. Lovely.
I am doing the laundry in the basement of my apartment building and two FOF women neighbors ask why my face is swollen. I tell them what I’ve done and they’re fascinated. Ronnie says to me: “I’m going to save my money to do it, too.”
David and I are out to dinner with Lois and Eliot Hess, who own the PR agency that is handling FOF, and Shirley Wexner, owner of Joseph, the magnificent store in Memphis, TN.
Jamie Dimon, the handsome chairman of JP Morgan Chase, waves to me from another table (I’m not dropping names; a relative works for him). I go to his table to say hello and explain why I look like I do. “You look beautiful,” he says. He’s a brilliant businessman and a bad liar.
0 Responses to “Flaboverfifty, Part III”
Anne says:
What a brave lady, not sure that I could go through the surgery never mind put the picis up on the web. By the way congrats on the blog and site, us over 50’s need to show the world we are even more wonderful than when we were young
Anne
Heather Chapple says:
SIMPLY PUT…… YOU ARE BRAVE all around doing it and putting the pics out there WOW!
Geri says:
Hi Heather,
I have no shame! 🙂
Geri
Maureen@IslandRoar says:
Wow Geri, just catching up now.
Can’t wait to hear more!
DivaDebbi says:
Oh Geri, this IS FAB!!!
Good for you!!! You look like you are healing well. Best of luck with all things Fab over Fifty.
It’s a wonderful concept!
Best,
Debbi
Geri says:
thanks debbi
oxo