The day of

I'd had pretty much all the anxiety I could about my face lift in the months after I decided to have the procedure done. Once I made my final payment and knew I'd be out $6500 if I backed out I came to terms with the fact it was going to happen.

My worries:

The procedure is done under local anesthesia so my number one concern was pain. I'd researched my surgeon and was confident he would do a good job. I'd watched several videos and interviews of people who had the MACS lift and they all said it didn't hurt. Hmm, were they just talking to the people who said it didn't hurt? It really didn't hurt. When he used the cautery under my eye there was one time I said "DAMN, that hurts." He then numbed my eye up so much I could barely open it. Honestly, I think having my eyebrows micro bladed hurt worse than the face lift.

The procedure takes 4 to 5 hours and you can't get up and pee during that time. I knew the minute I laid on that table I would have to pee. When I talked about it in advance they said they had actually stopped a procedure because the woman could not stop getting up to pee. Hmm, how to deal with that? I went online and found an adult pull up that is supposed to be able to hold a gallon of pee. Guess what, when you wear a pull up and know you can pee you know longer have to pee.

I was worried I would need my chap stick during the procedure as I am addicted. I told them I had a friend who waits for me in post op when I have surgery with my chap stick. Dr Henstrom said "your lips will be so numb you won't feel them." He was right. I thought about chap stick but I couldn't feel my lips so I didn't really need them.

I was worried about being thirsty but I wasn't.

They gave me a prescription for valium and lortab. I was supposed to take the valium before the procedure and start the lortab after. Being the self medicating nurse I am, I took one of my clonazepam instead of the valium and I took a lortab BEFORE the procedure. I think I may have dozed off occasionally, I'm not sure but I think I heard myself snore. Either way I was not hurting. We talked about travel. Dr Henstrom and the tech have both traveled a fair bit. Trying to talk was like trying to talk at the dentist. The left side of my face was so numb it couldn't move. I smiled like I'd had a stroke. The doctor said that could last awhile. Holy crap, "how long is a while?" I asked. he said 6 to 7 hours. It was gone by the time I went to bed.

Don dropped me off at the Doctors office on his way to work, came in and gave them his number and told them to call when I was done. I think he was more nervous than me.

Here's a close up video of the muscle being pulled up under the flap of skin.

 Video: Close up of MACS lift

One last ugly picture of my chin before I have the surgery.

This is after the surgeon has marked my face up. My last chance to go pee. 

Here's the skin they removed. Steph told me I should save it and make a Christmas tree ornament out of it. I thought about taking it and giving it to her. Maybe drying it and making some mother-in-law earrings for her.

This is right after they finished wrapping me up and I was ready for Don to come get me.

Getting ready for bed. My eyes were blurry from the ointment but I wasn't in a lot of pain. I got a cooler full of ice packs and set it next to my bed so I can rotate them. The hardest thing was not sleeping on my side.

Sean thought I looked funny enough with my triple ice packs that he took a picture with his cell phone.