I had a rhinoplasty and septoplasty performed by Dr. Smith in late 2019. This is my honest account…read moreof my experience. I have nothing to gain or lose by sharing it.
Dr. Smith & his anesthesiologist were excellent. I remember telling Dr. Smith after surgery, "Your anesthesiologist was amazing." He replied, "Good. He better be, because I pay him a lot of money." I told him the anesthesiologist deserved a bonus. That part of my experience could not have gone more smoothly.
Unfortunately, my experiences with several members of the staff have stayed with me to this day.
Immediately before surgery, a staff member appeared extremely nervous while attempting several times to start my IV. I normally have no difficulty with IVs and have a high pain tolerance, but her visible anxiety and constant apologizing made me increasingly anxious & almost physically sick. Thankfully, the anesthesiologist stepped in & successfully placed it immediately.
My first appointment after surgery affected me the most. I had just endured one of the worst nights of sleep of my life because my nose was tightly packed. I was in tremendous pain & doing everything I could to hold myself together in the waiting area.
Two staff members were laughing loudly & joking with each other in the back. That did not initially bother me because I was simply trying to manage my pain. However, when I was called into the room, they remained in the same playful mood & began speaking to me in an exaggerated, babyish voice. They explained that they were going to remove the packing & give me a "mustache," referring to the gauze beneath my nose. They repeatedly told me in that same babyish voice that I was going to "have a mustache for a while."
I felt mocked, patronized, & humiliated. I was an adult recovering from major surgery & in significant pain. I simply needed to be treated calmly & respectfully. Instead, I remained silent & answered only by nodding when necessary.
When the packing was removed from the right side of my nose, the pain was unbearable. I felt intense pain travel through my nose & around my eyes, along with a distinct sensation that something had shifted or been knocked out of place. The pain continued afterward. The packing on the other side came out easily. I immediately began crying. Only after they saw me crying did their demeanor change and they begin speaking to me appropriately.
As I continued caring for my nose during recovery, I could see that my septum appeared significantly bent to one side. I was devastated because I had specifically paid to have a septoplasty along with the rhinoplasty.
I cannot know with certainty what caused it. I do not know whether the septoplasty did not heal as intended, whether there was a surgical complication, or whether something was affected when the packing was removed. However, because of the extreme pain & the sensation of something shifting during the nasal packing removal, I have always believed that something may have happened at that appt.
The first time I brought the issue to Dr. Smith's attention, my nose was still healing & the area was covered with what I was told was scar tissue. He initially said everything was fine. At a later appointment, he examined it again & acknowledged that the septum was bent to one side. I tried to explain what I had experienced during the packing removal, but I never received a clear explanation. I felt dismissed & as though no one believed me. Eventually, I began accepting that this might simply be my new normal.
I had another disappointing experience when my external cast was removed. The staff member handed me a mirror and excitedly told me, "Don't look at it yet!" She seemed determined to create a dramatic reveal.
Internally, I was furious. I had spent more than $10,000 on a rhinoplasty & septoplasty, was already concerned about my septum, & had been waiting to see the result of my own surgery. I did not appreciate being told when I was allowed to look at my own face so that someone else could enjoy my reaction.
When she finally gave me "permission" to look, I briefly glanced at my nose, handed the mirror back, & simply said, "I'm good." Seeing my nose for the first time should have been my moment, & I did not want anyone to take that away from me.
That is my honest experience. I still do not know exactly what happened with my septum, but it remains visibly bent to one side (I still believe something happened during the nasal packing removal). More than anything, I wish my concerns had been taken seriously & that I had received a clear explanation.
Externally, my nose is beautiful, & I am happy with its overall appearance. Dr. Smith did excellent cosmetic work. His anesthesiologist was also outstanding.
Unfortunately, the way I was treated by certain members of the postoperative staff, along with the unresolved result of my septoplasty, continues to overshadow what otherwise could have been a very positive experience.