Response to Bailey

Hey Bailey, surgery coming up on the 3rd? Exciting!!

I'm not sure I have much to say in response to your questions.

For instance, did my "lips thin out"? Um, no. If anything, they're fuller. Honestly my surgeon never mentioned them. I don't see much difference, and certainly NOT for the WORSE.

3 mm upper jaw advancement. Hmm. I believe mine was advanced 2 mm. Needless to say, everyone's case is different. Did it make my face shorter? Hell yeah. That combined with my lower jaw surgery - shortened my face by a whopping 9 mm.

Being able to close your lips without a conscious effort would be a good thing, don't you think? Has your surgeon indicated which option he favors?

The best thing I can share with you is this: relax. Trust that everything will go just as planned, and that you'll be THRILLED with the results. I recall being rolled into the operating room, scooting over onto the operating table, and passing out promptly, the instant my head hit the table (or maybe even before!). When I came to, it was all done! Voila! Nothing to it.

Oh - and eat what you enjoy while you still can. You'll be very hungry for the next few weeks. ;)

Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

Nose and Cheekbones

Hi Susan - thanks for leaving a comment on my blog.

Q: "I am writing you again because your comment on this thread about Dr. Li saying your nose would be wider was intriguing. I'm guessing that the composite photo pre-op wasn't able to show you this?"

A: No, it wasn't. The composite was only of my profile.

Q: "I'm concerned about how upper jaw advancement will change the look of my cheeks and nose from the front view, not just profile. Did you find that his prediction turned out to be accurate? It's hard to tell from the photos you've posted - your hair is different and there's swelling that makes it hard to compare - but would be great to get your personal take on the nose / cheek changes."

A: Yes, Dr. Li's prediction did turn out to be accurate. My nose has become slightly wider. See photo above showing day of brace installation vs. now. But I suspect I'm the only one that notices. Trust me, no one else stares at my face as much. LOL. I don't dislike the change, however, and quite frankly, I don't think much about it at all. Why? Because I believe it's not about any single feature. It's about proportions and balance. It's about adjusting what was misaligned/malfunctioning to make it function optimally, and as a by-product, make the features look more balanced. Does that make sense?

Now, about the cheekbones. Mine are slightly higher now. My favorite pair of sunglasses leave a slight indentation on my cheeks now while they never did before. That's the ONLY give-away.

Overall I think the thing you'll notice the most in the long run is that your facial features are more balanced and harmonious. For instance, in my case, I used to feel very self-conscious about my long and prominent chin. I felt like Jay Leno. Now when I see photos of myself I don't see any single feature jumping out at me.... they all kinda blend in and play well together.

Talk to your surgeon if any other questions nag at you. They've heard them all and will most likely have answers that would help put your mind at ease. Good luck! :)

Happy Findings of A Nomad

• Old book stores with the soothing, intoxicating smell of yellowed pages.
• Gray-haired, graceful old couples arm in arm at the symphony.
• Watermelon on a hot summer day.  Guilt-free indulgence.
• Manolos on sale at Barneys.  Guilty indulgence.
• Loving my own solitude. 
• Catching his eye from across the room, and the quiet smile.
• Seeing a city for the first time.  Assuming it's a city worthwhile.
• My cynicism occasionally proven wrong.
• Being aware of the difference between my ego and my inner core.
• An enduring friendship that distance and time cannot fade.

Wanderlust

Coldplay's tour destinations read like my travel wish list. Though it'd require me to double back to countries (but not cities) I've already visited. Oh the wanderlust.

02/08/08: Hartford, CT
03/08/08: Washington, DC
04/08/08: Boston, MA
09/08/08: Osaka
10/08/08: Tokyo (check)
01/09/08: Strasbourg
02/09/08: Mannheim
04/09/08: Lyon
06/09/08: Barcelona (but NOT in the summer!)
07/09/08: Madrid (check)
09/09/08: Paris (Check, check, check. What's the hype about Paris anyway? It doesn't even make my top 3.)
10/09/08: Paris
12/09/08: Cologne
14/09/08: Hamburg
15/09/08: Berlin (check)
17/09/08: Stockholm
18/09/08: Stockholm
19/09/08: Oslo (for sure, in 2010.)
22/09/08: Prague (A little too Eastern European - I know it's not PC - but freedom of speech!)
23/09/08: Budapest (I hear it's beautiful)
24/09/08: Vienna (almost went last year, but ran out of time)
26/09/08: Munich

Later this year I'm going to Ireland, and perhaps Scotland. Next year will be an all Asian fare: my best guy friend's wedding in Taipei, then adding Vietnam to the itinerary. 2010? Hopefully any and all of the following: Vienna, Oslo, and Stockholm.