Rhinophyma: Day One

Ouch !

Procedure went quite smooth. Little pain before starting while numbing fluid being shot in but didn't feel much after that. Yag laser is a little noisy,sounded little like a large rubber band being snapped at a rate of once a second.

Only problem was afterwards had a little problem with bleeding. Seems like it took forever for the bleeding to stop. First picture is of me night after the laser procedure. My right eye is swelled up a little and the packing is on it's way to being full.

Second picture is about 20 hrs afterwards and had to change bandage because it was weeping pretty bad overnight. Took this as the wife was changing the packing and nose is covered in Vaseline. Both eyes have pretty much swelled up now. Not much pain at all and weeping has went way down.

Rhinophyma

Definition of Rhinophyma

A manifestation of severe acne rosacea resulting in significant enlargement of the nose and occurring primarily in men. It is caused by hypertrophy of the sebaceous glands and surrounding connective tissue. The nose is reddened and marked with numerous telangiectasias.

Numerous web sites will tell you that this is the final stages of Rosacea. I had no previous symptoms of rosacea. Had a small bump show up on my nose about 7 yrs ago. Ignored it and it turned into this wart shaped looking thing. After trying several ointments and oral medications with no luck, I was referred to a Surgeon in STL for yag laser removal of it.

This is a picture day before it was getting zapped off.

Disclaimer:

This was not posted to gross anyone out, I am posting it because there is very limited information out on the web about this. Just trying to share my experiences with this and maybe give the next person some better information.

1.12.09

Today is my 11th anniversary at Wis-Pak.


4015 days of Fun!

Welcome to My World

Every since I remember, I have always been fascinated with mechanical stuff. I remember taking apart my dads VW engine and rebuilding it at the age of 14.

I have been in the beverage business since the age of 18. Started as a truck mechanic at Coca Cola and got sucked into the production and vending side of the business when I was bored and looking for stuff to do. Sometime during this, I acquired my ASE Master Mechanic certifications for automotive mechanic.

After about 9 years of that, I ventured over to Pepsi Cola as a maintenance mechanic. Spent about the same time over there until they shut down production. Bummer.

Lucky for me, Wis-Pak decided to open a production facility here and I got hired on as the Maintenance Manager. Every day there a new adventure. No two days have ever been alike. Everyday is like walking into a giant mechanical playground, there's always something to do.

Things in my world are either black or white. No Gray.

Either it works or it don't. Not kinda.

If it's not broke, it probably doesn't have enough cool features added to it yet.

Why this Blog?

I have no idea.

I have worked with a wide variety of people. Some seemingly average people have shown me things that I had no idea how they came to the correct solutions to people who I am amazed that they find the gas cap when they pull into the station.

I just think I have enough mechanical background to at least help one person out.

SO

Take this blog with a grain of salt and maybe, just maybe one thing you read may help you out. I will stick to mostly my personal experiences and stuff I have knowledge of. Trust me. I have no problem saying " I don't know".

I reserve the right to venture off on personal crap when I am bored or think it may be of general interest.

Grammar here is going to suck. I didn't score high in grammar in high school.

Just a warning.