 with a
severely fractured nose. It was 1997 and she was living
in Qatar, her native country. Baddoura immediately
went to an emergency room at a nearby hospital.
“They manually adjusted my nose, without surgery,”
says Baddoura. This hurried procedure left her nose
crooked and misshapen.
In 1999, when she was 19, Baddoura moved to
Canada and soon began seeking out treatment options
for her nose, which was fast becoming much more than
an esthetic issue. “I was having trouble breathing and
it was really bothering me,” says Baddoura, who now
lives in Mississauga, Ont. “I saw several doctors, and
it was determined to be both a medical and a cosmetic
problem. So the doctors said they would perform
only the part of the procedure covered by provincial
health coverage, and then I’d have to have a separate
surgery to deal with the rest.” Baddoura had no interest
in undergoing painful surgery and recovery twice, so
she decided to find a cosmetic surgeon who could both
repair and reconstruct her nose.
After a great deal of research and several
consultations she chose Dr. Philip Solomon, MD,
FRCSC, a otolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon)
who specializes in rhinoplasty and cosmetic facial
plastic surgery. “I chose Dr. Solomon because I really
felt comfortable talking to him. I also saw his work
online and read some testimonials. He just seemed like
the right doctor for me.” Baddoura felt confident that
Dr. Solomon could perform the complicated revision
rhinoplasty surgery she required.
“Her nose was collapsed and had a severely deformednasal bone from the prior surgery,” says Dr. Solomon. “Revision rhinoplasty is always difficult, but Yasmine’s was even more difficult as she had limited tissue left to work with in her nose.
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The surgery involved complete
reconstruction of her nose with cartilage grafts and
bone remodelling.” Baddoura’s surgery, which took
place last August, lasted about two and a half hours.
When it was done, she finally began to put nearly a
decade of discomfort and embarrassment behind her.
“It took me about three weeks before I could go out,
but I was just finishing maternity leave, so I didn’t
have to miss work. Pain wasn’t an issue at all. I still
have some very minor bruising that can be covered
with makeup, but it’s all beginning to fade.” The
most difficult part of her recovery, says Baddoura, is
that she was unable to play with her young son. “My
mother came to help my husband and me. It was so
hard because I couldn’t pick him up or play with him
when he wanted me to. We’re much happier now that
I’m healing.” Baddoura has followup visits with Dr.
Solomon every three months and will continue to do so
for a year or more.
“She has had a very good result, so far, and is still
healing,” says Dr. Solomon. “The final result from
this surgery will be apparent after the first year.”
Baddoura has already noticed a difference. “I’m happy
with it so far. I used to turn my head away from the
camera, but I don’t have to do that anymore. You don’t
see the bump on top of my nose – that was the part
that really bothered me. It was worth all the recovery,
just to feel so much better about myself and the way
I look.” Baddoura is also pleased with her choice of
doctor. “I felt so comfortable with Dr. Solomon. He took
everything into consideration.”
Cost: Revision rhinoplasty ranges from $6,500 to
$8,500. |
