At three months post-op, I think that my nose looks great in comparison to the original. Although my nose will never be perfect due to my facial features, the results so far are better than I dared to hope for. By setting realistic goals and expectations, I have been very happy and optimistic throughout recovery. I sought to improve the appearance of my nose, and with the help of the very talented Dr. Romano, we were able to make that happen, and more.

Getting used to my new nose has been easy, and a pleasure. Perhaps, some of the most telling moments are the briefest ones where I catch a glimpse of my profile in a reflection while walking down the street. Before surgery, that brief glimpse was usually followed by a negative "sigh, that nose again" reaction. Now, I'm rewarded with a positive "ah, nose! – it's really mine". Having this positive feedback often brightens an otherwise ordinary day.

Although the thought of having a rhinoplasty first occurred to me as a young teen, it took decades to give myself permission to have cosmetic surgery. The mere act of giving oneself permission might sound easy, but it wasn't for me. With my permission slip in hand, I quickly realized that not only may I have surgery, but I should have surgery to finally put to rest an age-old insecurity. In retrospect, all of the energy that I had expended worrying about my nose could have been put to better use. How silly of me not having realized earlier that there was an appropriate solution for me, and followed through on it. It took me quite a while to reach the point to "just do it", but I finally did it, and I couldn't be happier.