"Face Frying" - 2+ Weeks and Counting

I have lips again. Mobile, pink - not red, lips. Oh, and they're not sore anymore either. And...I can drink out of a big girl cup again.
No straws. No siree. This girl is drinking without dribbling and even ice cubes don't faze her. Whoo hoo.
Not only that, but I am wearing lip gloss. Shiny pinkish with aloe and moisturisers. I look spiffy.
Sorta.
The face still has a way to go.
There's a redness that hasn't faded, especially around the eyes. But I'm very much improved from recent time past. And the makeup I now have, it covers the redness quite well. I just use a brush and puff it on gently and there we are. Then a very light pink blush to keep from being too flat an affect.
Well, I almost look normal after a little work. I have to do the eyes, of course. And then there's the lips.
A soft, glorious, glossy, mauvey pink color painted on. Within the edges. No going outside with liner anymore.
I love it. I haven't worn gloss like this in forever.
I haven't the foggiest if this will last. Haven't a clue. I just figure I'll enjoy it while I can. One must take what one can get. I shall; with hands out stretched and with a smile.
And on the 14th of the New Year, I'll traipse back into the Doc's domain and let him have a look see. He'll go over his handy work; grade it; and decide what else - if anything; should be done. Photographs will be taken.
Maybe there will be some before and after shots I can post.
I'm not sure how to do it, but if possible, I might just give it a go.
We shall have to see. I'm not a computer guru and I'd hate to bite off more than I can chew.
I might bruise my new lips.
OnceAgain

"Face" Frying - A Week Out Plus Some

It's been a week and a day since the "Face" fry.
I can already see some significant changes. The AKs that were lurking are gone. Yep, burnt up, vaporized, zapped, and sent to wherever they go when sent to AK hell. As a bonus, a lot of little lines are much "littler" now. Yiiiippppeeee!!!! And I've gained controlled over my upper lip. The bottom lip is still doing it's own thing, but the upper lip is much more obedient. I'm no longer lisping quite as bad as I was when I talk. That of course came with a minus, I can eat better now. I actually was able to eat a biscuit this morning by tearing it into small pieces and feeding it to myself. Gonna have to watch that. Drat it. When I win, I still lose.
But here is the real click. I have blephrospasms - eye tics. Actually have to be injected with meds to keep them under control. And I had started to get another twitch/tic by the side of face. It comes and goes, usually 3 - 4 times a week. I haven't had it once since I've had the "fat grafts" injected in that area. My theory: the skin was lifted and/or disrupted enough to disturb those twitchy nerves. Well, at least for a while. After all, they found that migraine sufferers that had had face lifts, experienced decreased headaches both in intensity and numbers after their surgeries. I am so signing up for that study if I can ever find an opening. Or a study. Or some mad scientist that wants to try and do a face lift-migraine-Igor experiment thingiebobber.
In the meantime, I'm taking all this one day at a time. After all, that's about all I can do. Until this all heals, I'm definitely not "biting" off more than I can chew.
OnceAgain

Face "Frying" - Lasered

It's done.
Yep. Thursday morning, around 0730, I rolled into the OR and the face got fried.
Of course I don't remember much after the "bump" of Versed they gave me. But I do remember waking up and getting dressed and coming home.
Then it was sleep off and on. And that's been it for the past 2 days.
Of the pain I was told to expect; there really hasn't been any. I've only had discomfort when I've washed my face. Only when the air has hit the skin that's exposed. That nips a bit. Then I get an almost frantic feeling to put on the ointment that soothes everything.
I splurged, if you will, on fat grafts. Decided if I was going to do this, I might as well get something out of it. So I let the Doc fill in some spots with fat grafted from other parts of the old bod. Hell, I even offered to donate some extra for the skinny patients I seen hanging around his office.
He thought that was amusing. Oh, and he declined the "generous" offer.
Rats.
Well, I didn't know until right before I rolled in that the grafts would make me look like a puffer fish. I mean really look like a puffer fish.
You should see my lips.
Should; but won't.
They are HUGE. And this is after some of the swelling has gone down.
At least today, I have some mobility. The 1st day, I couldn't move my mouth. 2nd day, a little better. Today, I can smile, but it's wop sided. And they feel very tight and dry.
And with the grafts came an "oopsy."
You drool with them apparently. And I did. Soft foods only, and still hard to eat. I dribbled some and when I dabbed, I lost the skin on either lower side of my chin. And didn't know it because I was numb. Now there's a bit of drainage. Serous in type, and clear that I'm having to watch the area very carefully. And yes, I could scar there. But, there you are.
There are risks in everything. And I knew it.
And now I'm peeling too fast. So they are worried about that.
What can I say. I always peeled badly with sunburns. And this is supposed to be like a real bad burn. So there you are.
And the Nurse that calls to check on me has given me different directions that the one that talked to me pre-op, so I'm bumbling along. Pre-op said I'd peel by this weekend and Check-up said I shouldn't peel until Monday.
Well, I go in Monday for them to check my stitches and I guess I'll find out then.
All Hell will break loose or not.
I'll keep you informed. Right now, it's time to closed the old eyes. For some reason, I'm really tired.
So for now; I'm done.
OnceAgain

Face "Frying" - The Journey Begins

This is the story of my "Face Fry."
The Beginning.
I have been fighting "AK's" (precancers) and a basal skin cancer or 2; OK 3; for a little over a year now. They've been running rampant merrily across my face and up and down my jawline having their way.
Doc Amy has been freezing them and slicing them away as needed.
Yes; it hurts; some worse than others. But all sting or pain as removed or ended. And yes, there's something about having your face being attacked in bits and pieces that is upsetting. I'm not a beauty queen by any stretch of the imagination, but I have what I have and I'd dearly like to keep it.
So; I started my research. And with my Doc's approval; I'm having a CO2 laser procedure in Dec.
Hence the "face fry."
Yep; I'll wake up - they put you out - with the WORST sunburn of my life. But; I'll also be pretty much precancer and hence cancer free for 4-5 years. Of course, my insurance company begs to differ as they see this as purely cosmetic. They don't believe the STATS and Studies. Or don't care or it's an excuse to get out of even paying just a little bit.
Screw them; I'll pay for it. I'm not gonna go around looking like a patchwork quilt if it's preventable.
If it weren't or if I'd been in an accident, then there's that. But this; I can do a preemptive strike.
And so I will.
So on the Oct 30th, in I went for the 1st of my app'ts to learn how to pretreat my skin.
Because, I'm going to a Plastic Surgeon, they want me to go thru all the gobbledy gook of doing this and that to make my skin amiable to the Fry.
I just want to get it over with and get back on to getting back on.
I hate hurting and staying indoors and following orders. As it were.
And there are so many.
But I'm on my way.
And as Doc Amy has already spotted some new AK's roiling up, it will be none to soon. She won't do anything with these areas as they won't have time to heal up before the Fry. But since they're only AK's; I've time.
And I'm dutifully following my Plastics orders. In a way, it's nice to pamper myself with these lotions and creams. I've a feeling if I'd done this earlier in my life; I'd not be in this spot - with these spots.
Oh, and stayed out of the sun.
Maybe I'll post some pics after. Depends. I've seen a couple. Nearly backed out when I saw those 24 hr. after shots.
They volunteered for that? Sheesh. Those women are braver than me.
So; that's the start. Next I go in for some kind of prep. Then it's the real deal. And then I'm out of circulation for 14 days. And then back out.
And the irony of this whole thing, is that most of it is due to days when I, in the blissful ignorance of youth, fried myself in the sun.
Who knew I'd be paying for it after all these years.
OnceAgain