Experience report of an affected patient - "Review of my face lifting in plastic surgery".
I would describe myself as a positive, extroverted, and socially-committed person. I have always had a pronounced zest for life and a high degree of social and professional commitment! Until the day that was to completely change my life: I was diagnosed with a tumur of the base of my skull, which urgently needed surgery.
After this bad operation of the acoustic tumor and the bad consequences (unfortunately necessarily) caused by it (total loss of the right hearing, ataxia (gait insecurity) on the right, facial paralysis on the right, tear flow on the right no longer possible, the eye was open, because no eyelid closure was possible, thus constant wearing of a watch glass bandage), I was completely desperate.
At the young age of 36 years, I was suddenly 40 years old, looking and feeling like an unfortunate stroke patient! No one could help me properly. This plunged me into a deep crisis and depression that I struggled with for years. Professionally I could not bring a leg to the ground for a long time, had little drive. Self-doubt plagued me: why me? Why was there no improvement? I always felt "obliquely looked at" by my environment, which was obviously reinforced by my avoidance behavior.
After one year the ataxia was corrected by practice, the hearing did not return (which is also not possible because the nerve in the area of the cerebellum is severed), but the facial paresis was still present. Through much, much practice, I finally managed to close the eyelid almost completely again. But I still have to take care of the eye by constantly dripping it and it is still closed by hand to sleep!
All these adversities were to be mastered for me, but my face I felt as disfigured. - It was not possible for me to deal with it and to live with it. Even friends were a burden to me.
My encounter with plastic surgery suddenly gave me new hope and strengthened my self-confidence. On my advice, I bought a Tens device and used it to treat the right side of my face to strengthen my muscles.
The facelift at that time was amazingly positive for me.
I could live with my face again! My positive condition gave my personality its strength again. Some time later I was able to work again. Meanwhile I am independent and nationwide in the retail trade on the way. My job forces me to approach people and my face is an important part of my personality. I still get Botox injected twice a year. This balances the facial expressions on the right and left side of my face and I am very satisfied with it. Unfortunately, the injections are not paid for by the cash register. This although I certainly did not choose my tumor disease and the consequences suffered from it. Even though the measures may be borrowed from aesthetic surgery, I do not see them as a "cosmetic treatment of choice", but as an important part of the restoration process. Their effect goes much further than what "the eye can see...".
I am writing these lines in the hope that they will also help other people affected by this fate.
Your D.V.