hi girls & guys!
had my rhino with dr. kao last week. took off my cast today... I LIKE IT so much already!!!! it's close to what i imagined
i feel like my face is more harmonized. i just hope that my swelling on my face goes down more and more so that i could look completely normal again... i still look strange right now, due to swelling.
this forum has helped me a lot on my research to do this. so i want to add info to this community.
tips and advice i have for you:
(don't have to listen/agree with me... just my personal opinion from this experience... i am not an expert
)
on post-op care:
* get the
wu gong grass herb from Kao. (8 small bottles for $950NTD delivered to your door) Drink two bottles per day, morning & night. i think it made me deswell faster.
* bring your own
ice gel pack! get the ones that are rectangular shape, with a strap attached. you know, the long ones that are meant for your forehead when you have a fever? the hospital's icepacks slip off your face easily and is an odd square shape. starting on the second or third day, your swelling will become really severe. the swelling of your rhino from forehead & cheeks will follow gravity and move down to your jawline and lower cheeks. you will look like a friggin blowfish. or you will look like you gained so much weight. (i was so embarrassed that i didn't leave my room for like four days)... i used the straped icepack i brought and wrapped it around my head over night every night, with the ice pack part on my jaw line. i think i deswelled much faster because i did this.
* do the
light therapy at tri-service hospital laser center. it's 20 min long, only $200 NTD. it helps get rid of bruises.
* for eye jobs: buy a pack of
teabags. brew tea. take out the teabags and throw them in the freezer. drink the tea. after a while, take out the teabags and put them on your eyes to help deswell. you could also throw
metal spoons in the freezer and cup them on your eye.
on pre-op prep/research:
* my opinion:
bargaining is not a good idea esp when it comes to these things. it's your face cut up on an operation table. i think that kao's prices are VERY reasonable for his craftsmanship i think we should be fair to him. it's not a night market situation where we should bargin...... it's a permanent structure in the middle of our face. i feel that surgeons will loose interest to do a decent job if price is bidden down. i don't know. if finance is an issue for you, be honest to him and let him know your budget. i think he will understand... if you look up the prices for the same ops in korea... it is a mismatch form his quoted prices.
* know exactly what you want. research.... understand your face. take photos of yourself of diff angles and liquidfy your nose on photoshop and see what it turns into. don't just browse random celebrity's nose/eyes and say you want this, you want that. it might not suit you. crop their features out and paste it on your face and see what it looks like. does it harmonize?? what kinds of procedures would that result require? is this realistic?? study things like the golden ratio, parts of a nose, types of implants. watch videos on youtube of the operation so you know what you will go through (be ready, it gets very graphical)
* i THINK Dr. Kao is fond of natural change... faces that harmonize or fit a ratio in his head. he will not give you a very tall/small nose that doesn't suit you. he will not give you eyes that are too big for your face. if you are looking for drastic change, or change that makes you almost un-recognizable, maybe you should look clinics in korea. i think you will be happier with the results.
* don't be afraid of Kao's personality. he is very rushed in his emails because he is a busy guy. but in real life, he is very friendly... almost comical, in my opinion.
* i thought he would speak better english... but i was wrong. LOL!!! but we were still able to communicate very well. his listening > speaking. like others have said before... tell him EXACTLY what you want.. use pictures, draw... etc... be straight to the point.
* take off your nail polish. clean out your ear. take off all jewelry on day of op...
* i don't know if i got lucky or what, but unlike many forumers have said, i actually did receive post-op care from him. i saw him every single day after the op. they were really quick visits, but i think they still count.
* if you don't speak chinese, i think you will have trouble going through this. find a friend who does, or do a lot of homework before you go through this. you should familiarize yourself with the area through google maps street view, and do other homework. this is all because the staff everywhere barely speak any english. you have to fill out forms, go through steps in order to get to your consultation... and everything was quite messy and traditional paper-style.
list of things i brought to my trip. yours might be diff. don't really have to follow mine. make your own!
bring these with you on day of op!:
* arnica med
* bromaline
* arnica cream
* gel ice pack with strap
* tynenol extra strength pain reliever (or... your own choice, coz his pain killers might not work for you)
* supplements like vit c & zinc (optional)
* dry shampoo / baby powder, for hair
* honey cough drops <- helps dry throat from surgery
* hot pack (optional)
* q-tips
* hairtie
* straws
* mouthwash
* face wipes
* NTD$$ get coins. you need it for bus
if you are staying in KN
Service Apartment:
* detergent
* frying pan/pot thing to cook
* a bowl, and utensils like chopsticks and spoons
* dish soap??
* cooking oil
* a router!!!! (if you are that desperate for wireless internet) LOL!! there is no wifi in the rooms. there is only an ethernet cable that plugs into your computer. there is only wifi in the lobby. but you don't wana go down there with your face all bruised up
* oh, the 7-11 downstairs has a great variety of things... it has many things that you need for post-op care ranging from face masks to paper panties to snacks like onigiri, fishballs... etc.
* you might want to bring your own pillow for comfort. i didn't like their pillows. they were very hard. but i was able to sleep more elevated haha
i talk too much.............
while my mind is still fresh, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS!!!! ^__^
i want to be of help!
but don't ask me for pics plz, i am shy
i thought he was busy that day but subsequent emails were just as short and rushed. what's more he takes many days to reply 1-2 lines.
