Doctor question

[Jackysue]

This might sound like a silly question.....but......you all are talking about doctors advice regarding facial issues and such....well...what doctor are you seeing about this issue?  Is it your family physician, your AN doctor, or some other doctor?

I am 5 years post op, and I absolutely HATE what my face looks like.  I just don't know who to go to talk about it.  My AN doctor is at Stanford, but that is so far away.  I don't know if anything can be done, but I just got back my sons graduation pictures, and while I was so happy and ecstatic, I look sad and stoic.  It made me sad.  I have another graduation next year, and I don't want that face in the pictures.

It's so nice to have people who know where you are coming from to vent to.  I don't get on often enough, but now that summer is here, I will be able to catch up.

JackySue

[Omaschwannoma]

Hi, just thought I'd let you know you can do a "search" here for "nancyann" and I'm sure she will be able to better serve you regarding her facial issues and what she did to resolve the problem.  Sorry I'm not much help here because I do not have the same issues, but I know others do. 

[nancyann]

Hi Jacky:  I decided to go to Dr. Patrick Byrne at Johns Hopkins to have a surgery called Temporalis Tendon Transfer.   The right side of my face is still paralyzed but the droop is gone & when I bite down I have a 'Mona Lisa' smile.   Dr. Byrne is a plastic/reconstructive surgeon who works under the ENT division.
I decided against a nerve graft - too scared, I was 51 at the time & a smoker, so opted for the above alternative.
You can see my before/after pictures under this Facial Issues,  Subject: Temporalis Tendon Transfer (it's back a few pages).
I know how you're feeling.  I had total facial paralysis for only 1 1/2 years.

Always good thoughts,   Nancy

(Hi Karen:  thanks for giving Jacky the 'heads up' - I haven't been as active on this site lately).

[Debbi]

And, Nancy, can I just say that your after pictures look AMAZING!  I hadn't seen that thread, so went back and looked at it and was just blown away with the before and after pics - wow!  You look gorgeous.

JackySue- don't get discouraged! Both Nancy and Kaybo have had such amazing results with surgery - really is encouraging.

Debbi

[nancyann]

Thanks Debbi - I am so happy with the results also.  I have a Brackman scale of 6,  this surgery was truly a miracle for me.   Had it not been for Pattibobatti who had the surgery 1st & told us all about Dr. Patrick Byrne, I wouldn't have found him.   I am forever in Patti's debt !

Always good thoughts,   Nancy

[Kaybo]

I LOVE Dr. Byrne - isn't he the BEST (& I think he is really HOT too & I don't think that about men much!!)?? 
Nancy~
I have missed you, but we have been out of touch getting Addi from camp!  Hope you are doing well.  Isn't your eyelid surgery the 7th?  It'll be here before you know it, but it will be so much better (I hope) after it is done!!

K

[leapyrtwins]

I LOVE Dr. Byrne - isn't he the BEST (& I think he is really HOT too & I don't think that about men much!!)?? 

Why, Kaybo!  You're a married woman! 

Btw, is this Dr. Bryne single? 

Just curious,

Jan

[Jackysue]

I guess my problem lies in that the dr told me following the surgery that he was able to leave my facial nerve intact.  He was very happy about it, because the surgery took longer then expected because I had the "sticky" kind of tumor.   I keep wondering why it's not coming back.  I have some smile (not enough to look equal), but my eyebrow doesn't move, I don't cry out of that eye, and the strangest thing is that I have a darker circle under that eye.  I use concealer, but it doesn't totally cover it up. 

It's so much easier not to smile because at least I look "normal".  I think that way of thinking is now affecting me mentally.  I find myself trying not to smile unless I have to.  Laughing? ha!  Not unless I have my head down or covering up my mouth somehow with my hand....silly, huh?

Thanks for letting me vent.  No one here is interested.  My husband just says it doesn't matter, he loves me for me.  Sweet, but doesn't help.   

JS

[Kaybo]

Jan~
Sorry, he is married and they are expecting their first child...I thought that you were not ever going to get married again anyway!!!!

K

[leapyrtwins]

Ah, good point, K.

I forgot to say "unless it's for money" LOL  Married for love the first time and we all know how that turned out 

Jan

[sgerrard]

I guess my problem lies in that the dr told me following the surgery that he was able to leave my facial nerve intact.

I think that happens, that the surgery leaves the facial nerve intact, but it still doesn't work right. Have you considered surgery? I don't know what the different kinds are, but judging by Nancy's and Kaybo's results, it seems to be a dramatic improvement. I'm sure your husband really does love you for you, so it may not matter to him, but it matters to you. It would be great to hear about a better graduation picture next year.

Laughing and smiling are worth it.

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Jackysue -

As Steve said, although your facial nerve is intact, it can still have problems.

Possible surgeries are 7/12 jump and T3.  I know that Lori67 is currently considering the 7/12 jump and that Nancyann, Kaybo & Praba have all had the T3 surgery.  Perhaps if you read some of their posts, it would be helpful.   You can search on "7/12 jump" and "T3" to find their specific posts.

Hope this helps,

Jan

[Kaybo]

Jackysue~
I had the 12/7 a year after my surgery when it was apparent that I had gotten NO movement back.  The biggest thing that it did for me was "regenerate" my face since the 7th nerve was hooked up to a "live" nerve.  I had a little movement, but not a lot.  The T3 has improved my resting face so that it looks more "normal" - I would encourage anyone to at least talk to Dr. Byrne as he is in it for the whole face to look it's best and do all he can to improve the overall symmetry.  He is just a wonderful man...he even called me the night before my surgery to make sure I didn't have any questions and to reassure me that I'd be in good hands the next day!!  I don't know of many Dr's who do that!  Let me know if you would like to talk about it!

K