Post Temporalis Tendon Transfer

[Kaybo]

Mary Ann~
Did you not just LOVE him?  I love that man!  I just have to say that everytime I say his name!!    Did you tell him Nancy and Kay sent you??

I am VERY happy with my results and I didn't have near the work you are going to get - I bet you will be even happier!

K   

[odirish]

I found the facebook link...You look amazing!!  Dr. Byrne seems pretty nice.  I had to wait 1.5 hrs though, he must have been running way behind. I asked to see before and after pictures, but they aren't posted on the website. I didn't get to tell him that you sent me, but I will (promise). Now I'm just waiting for the scheduler to call. Do any of you know if they have anywhere on site where my husband can stay overnight?

Mary Ann

[Kaybo]

My sweet hubby just stayed in the room with me & helped take care of me...and it was paid for!

K 

[odirish]

Thanks, I told my husband that I thought he could stay there also. His brother lives near there somewhere. My guess is maybe 20 mins. away. just finding your way around from the hospital to his house in Columbia might be a bit stressful. Maybe they could pick him up and he could spend the night at their house. I am getting the left side of my face lifted also o make everything look even. Can you tell me what the cost was just for your procedure? You can send me a PM if you feel more comfortable. I'm told my insurance will pay for it. I should have asked. I am having the muscle at the tempel connected to the one at the corner of my mouth. I thought you said they took something out of your leg. They didn't mention that. Do you have the gold weight in your eyelid? He is going to substitute that with something not as bulky looking.

Mary Ann

[nancyann]

Mary Ann:  I, like Kay, am so happy for you !  Having had the T3 done has made all the difference in the world !  & it gets better & better each year !
I had alot of extra work done too - believe me I felt like I went through hell & back but would do it all over again for these results.
My mom stayed with me in the room.  After being discharged, for a  week I had to stay near the hospital, we stayed at the Hilton (I think it was Hilton Gardens or something like that).  They have a kitchen area - my mom walked around the block to Whole Foods & bought me broth, etc - anything I could suck through a tiny catheter at first then a straw.
Mom also took care of applying ointment/dressings for that week.  The last day before we left I was still looking pretty beat up but was able to manage to walk around the block with her.  (the hospital pr people helped me with booking at the Hilton - we just took a taxi to the hospital when it was time to have the staples/sutures removed).
I remember I had to pay something like $12,000. up front,  but then my insurance paid back quite a bit of it (I guess they realized only a handful of surgeons are doing this procedure).  I think I only ended up spending a few thousand after all was said & done.  (Believe me it would have been worth the $12,000 - even more !).

I wish you all the best,  continued healing my friend.  Always good thoughts,  Nancy
ps:  you will be using a baby toothbrush for awhile when you're ABLE to open your mouth enough - ugh !!  but worth it like I said !

[odirish]

Whoa!! $12000!!  They did tell me my insurance will cover most of it. They also said I will probably pay less than 40 or 50%. So far I haven't been told about paying anything up front. My husband and I both have medical at our jobs, so I'm hoping that picks up the majority of it. I guess if I have to pay anything up front, they'll let me know for sure I live an hour from the hospital, so I'm going home after I get discharged. Your procedure sounds painful . When I had the cheek implant, my face swelled up like a basketball. It took over two weeks for the swelling to go down. I forgot about the pain from the surgery

Mary Ann

[Kaybo]

Just got in...I certainly wouldn't mind telling you how much I paid but I have no clue.  I had to pay to get my "good" eyebrow lifted so that they were symmetrical and I think that was 2-3K but insurance took care of everything else.  Yes, they took tendon from my leg - i would double check if they are still doing that.  I understand how that helped (gave him more tendon to work with) but for me, the recovey from that was just as bad or worse than the rest!!    However, you have to remember that I don't feel the paralyzed side of my face so that helped!!
I had a gold weight and Dr. B put in a platinum chain (which is thinner) but it "slipped" and so they had to remove it.  I actually don't have a weight right now because we were trying to give my eyelid a break and hopefully strengthen it up a bit...

K   

[nancyann]

You see ?  Dr. Byrne treated us all individually depending on our needs:  He didn't use tendon from my leg.  I was told he just cut the temporalis tendon & swung it through to attach to the cheek for bite-down smile...   so there you go !

As far as eyeweight,  Dr. Byrne did put in a platinum chain weight but I had it removed b/c I needed a a heavier one (he put in 0.6 gram & I needed 1.6 gram).  I love that he used the chain b/c as Kay said it is thinner & less noticeable.  Now I have in a regular platinum weight (which works to a point, gravity & all !  lol...).

Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[odirish]

I am supposed to get the platinum chain also. I was told they will take the tendon from the temple just as Nancy had. They
still haven't called about scheduling. How long did you have to wait for your surgery after your initial consultation? I know...I
sure do ask alot of questions.

Mary Ann

[nancyann]

My appt. with Dr. Byrne was the beginning of Oct. 2007, & I had a choice of Nov 20 or sometime in Dec. - I took 11/20/07  So it was about 1 1/2 months from meeting to surgery.  I did tell him at my initial (& only) appt. I wanted it done, there was no hesitation.  It all depends on his schedule....

[Kaybo]

TEMPLE??

I actually went to scheduling from the exam room!!  I made it very clear that I wanted it in March (my consult was march 19th) or the first of April b/c May is so busy with the end of school. I told them I had to be all healed & ready to care for my girlies full time as soon as school ended (end of May).  Every day we picked, there was some reason that kept one of the 3 of us from being able to do it. I was beginning to think we would have to wait for the fall and then she found the following Friday! He doesn't even usually do surgery on Fridays, but for some weird reason had that day blocked off for surgery...which was actually better for us since we were travelling so far!

K 

[nancyann]

Hi Mary Ann: I needed 2 months off from work after the AN surgery & 1 month off after the T3 surgery.

[odirish]

I was off work 11 months after my AN surgery. I had dizziness, balance problems etc. My Dr. didn't even want me to go back, because i work in a dusty enviroment. I talked him out of that. He did tell me that if just once I have issues with my eye (on the job), he's taking me out of work. I think I could handle a month off work for T3 surgery.
I wanted to schedule right away, but she was out to lunch. I still haven't heard from them. I will call Tuesday. I want it done before Christmas, preferrably the sooner the better.

Mary Ann

[odirish]

The scheduler called. I will most lilely have to pay 10 to 12,000 before my surgery. I don't have that kind of money. She will call tomorrow, and I will get a breakdown of the cost. I never expected that. I may have to cancel.

Mary Ann

[Kaybo]

Oh no!  Is that money that they expect you to pay up front & then reimburse you or YOUR out of pocket??

K