Surgery #15...Not done yet.

Well last I posted it was about my last surgery which was roughly 7 weeks ago. Double surgery summer. I have once again another surgery on Tuesday, August 6th at 7:30am. This surgery will be #15.  Each surgery is just a little more draining than that last and this process leading to this next surgery proved even more to me that I'm human. I have limits, I hold anger, I can be selfish and I try to do too much too soon. I get into surgery mode, I try to push aside the emotional effects each surgery can have on me and just try to focus on the things that need to be done and stuff the rest down. That's not healthy and within these 7 weeks between the last surgery and this surgery I've found I hit what seemed to be my max.

It was an option to do the corrective surgery this summer or wait till Christmas or next summer. But I'm going into college in 3 weeks and wanted this part of my life to left at the door as I entered this new adventure. I didn't want to have to come home and face another surgery because the one the following year failed. I wanted to piece it all together and move on. This nose surgery was to be the stepping stone to the end. But it wasn't. We have to do "take two" as my doctor put it. It's a blessing to be in a family that can financially get it to work to keep repairing my face. More than ever this surprise of another surgery has caused tears and frustration within the house. I didn't realize how much effect getting ready for another surgery would have on me. We didn't know what would have to be done whether more cartilage had to be taken out of me or if we'd have to start all over and hope for a better result. It was all up in the air and time has been running to fit it all within the schedule. Part of me doesn't want to have to go through another surgery and deal with all the pain and medications put into me. But part of me knows this is what "needs" to be done in order to get the best result and be finished. 

We saw my doctor on Thursday and discussed what was to be done for this next surgery. He decided to removed the whole piece of cartilage in my nose and shave off the bump of cartilage that is warped upwards and take that piece to fill in the dip in my nose in order to make the bridge of the nose "straight". He said there are special sutchers that can be used to hold the cartilage into place. He also wants to secure the tip of my nose better and will be using donor cartilage to hold it up. Then he will place the cartilage back into my nose. My cartilage also warped to the left so he will shave on some of the side too to create the straight look up and down as well. Thankfully he doesn't have to take any more cartilage from my body. He said theres less chance of the cartilage warping any more since it's had a while to sit and form on it's own again. 

My nose has shifted and unswelled a lot since the last surgery but recorrective surgeries on a nose that has already been corrected takes a longer to heal. I was told it'd take 6-12 months until my nose is fully set into place and done changing. 

Thanks for all the continuous prayer and support through all these surgeries. It's been hard and sometimes feels impossible, but my family, friends and ultimately God gets me through each one. He never gives me more than I can handle. I've been equipped with the strength needed to get through and I'm almost done. A few more steps and maybe this journey will come to a close. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28

Thank you all,

Katie