Last night, or rather very early this morning around 6am, I decided to take pictures of my nose and send it to a few plastic surgery clinics for online consultation. And today I got this email back. It's exactly what I was wanting from the consultation, but at the same time I have so many mixed emotions about changing my nose.
On one hand, I've been wanting to do this for most of my life and everything is falling into place for me to do it. I have the funds. I have friends who will take care of me for 2 days of recovery. I have the time that I need to recover before going back to work. There is nothing holding me back but myself.
On the other hand, I think about what I want the surgery for and what I want my new face to do for me and my career. It might seem ridiculous, but I think that getting a new face will help me get into the entertainment industry, but the fact is that I don't even want to be a star, I want to be a songwriter and a performer. You don't need a new face for that. What I do need in order to be that is to have connections and resources to become successful in the industry. What I need is the confidence and drive to pursue it even when everything doesn't line up.
It will make much more sense for me to be actually doing things in entertainment before I get the procedure, but then at the same time, what if a new face, backed up with natural talent, will help me become successful?
I keep hearing the familiar voice that tells me "You're not the type of person who gets plastic surgery. You're not rich, or beautiful. You don't have that type of background. You're just not that type of person." "You don't have the confidence or talent to do anything in music, so there's no reason to do this. Don't waste your time and money." "You think that changing your face will make you a better person? You think it will make people like you and accept you? Acceptance and liking comes from confidence, which you don't have. So don't even try."
I'm so afraid that if I do this and nothing happens with my music career, then I'll just be wasting mine and other peoples time and money. I'm afraid that I'll get the surgery and my life will still be the same. I'm afraid that I'll spend all that money and I'll still just be a music industry hopeful.
Good evening,
Thank you for your inquiry and interest in my clinic.
Also thank you for the photo attached.
Looking at the photo you sent, you have
deviated nose
hump
septal deviation
asymmetric nostril
columella deviation ( coming from septal deviation )
I think the procedures below may be necessary for your nasal reshaping.
open rhinoplasty
medial - lateral osteotomy
hump resection
tip-clumella plasty with cartilage graft
nostril plasty with ala reduction technique
I am not sure how would you like to have your nose changed by surgery, some of the procedures above are the indication.
I will let you know the best solution for your situation after I check you.
We are open six days a week except for Thursday from 11am to 7pm in Tokyo/Omtesando clinic.
Please let me know your availability to come in.
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
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Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
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Dear Mr. Thomas James Shosei Ino,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prompt reply.
Please check the access on our web site: http://www.plazaclinic.net/access.html
We are not located in Hiroo Plaza, a high rise building close to where we are, and
if you have any difficulty in finding our place, please call us anytime.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Plaza Clinic
****************************************
Plaza Clinic
www.plazaclinic.net
Certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery
5-5-1-4F, Hiroo, Shibuya-ku
Tel 03-5475-2345
Dear Mr.Thomas Ino,
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming today.
Our doctor checked Tokyo Woman’s Medical University Hospital where he works once a week
whether you can use your insurance card or not, and they can accept it.
This is a where they are located http://www.twmu.ac.jp/info-twmu/access.html (Japanese only).
It’s near Sinjuku station.
If you are interested in, please let us know a few available dates and time since you need to make an appointment in advance.
We also need your insurance data beforehand, so please scan the insurance card and attach it with email.
After we get all of your information, we will make a contact with that hospital for your appointment.
Just for your information, we are closed tomorrow,the 10th and 11th.
Thank you for your visit today.
Sincerely,
****************************************
Plaza Clinic
www.plazaclinic.net
Certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery
5-5-1-4F, Hiroo, Shibuya-ku
Tel 03-5475-2345
Dear Mr.Thomas Ino,
ReplyDeleteSorry for bothering again.
Professor Sakurai will be off on August 29th and September 2nd at this moment.
Please let us know your availability except 2 of these days.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
****************************************
Plaza Clinic
www.plazaclinic.net
Certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery
5-5-1-4F, Hiroo, Shibuya-ku
Tel 03-5475-2345
Good afternoon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your email.
One of my life work in Plastic Surgery is the treatment of cleft lip & palate.
I have been doing more than 100 cases a year and have been a board certified plastic surgeon for more than 24 years.
The nasal deformity in the patient with cleft lip & palate is one of the most difficult one to treat.
I am also an associate professor of the department Plastic & Reconstructive and Aesthetic surgery of Showa University in Tokyo which has been famous for the pioneer of the treatment of cleft lip & palate in Japan.
We have more than 50 cases of new patients with cleft lip & palate in a week.
I have been trying most up-to-date procedures for them including not only for the procedures for bone, cartilage, soft tisuue but also that with tissue engineering technique.
I am not sure whether the insurance can cover the cost for your surgery.
It usually depends on the policy of your insurance company.
Please ask your insurance company in advance.
Japanese Health Insurance can cover a part of it.
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward hearing from you.
Best regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
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Greetings Dr. Akai,
ReplyDeleteWow! Everything sounds so perfect! I would love the opportunity to come and meet with you for a consultation. Because I live very far away and have a complicated work schedule, I am only able to come to Tokyo on a limited amount of days. Would you be available to meet on September 22?
Thank you very much for your time.
I look forward to meeting with you to further discuss my surgical procedure.
Blessings,
T.J. Ino
Good afternoon,
Your appointment at 4pm on September 3rd, Saturday is confirmed.
May I have your cell phone number?
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you soon.
Best regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
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Dr. Akai,
Thank you very much for seeing me a few weeks ago. I have been thinking about my nose job and have been asking many people about how I should proceed. I have a few questions, that might help me decide when would be the best time to do the surgery with you. And yes, I have decided that I would like to do the procedure with your clinic. I feel very confident that you will take good care of me and my face.
Here are my questions.:
1. Is it possible to pay for the procedure online with a credit card?
2. What are the names of 2 types of anesthesia that I can choose from? (I would like to discuss it with my family doctor.)
3. The total cost seems to be very very high If I deduct one procedure, which procedure do you recommend deducting, but still being able to achieve a "cute" beautiful nose?
Here are the procedures that we discussed. Which do you recommend deducting to lessen the price?:
open rhinoplasty
hump reduction
medial lateral osteotomy
tip plasty
columella plasty - with cartilage graft
alar reduction
nasalis plasty
Thank you for your help and medical counseling,
T.J. Ino
Good morning,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your email and inquiries.
As we discussed in detail about your nasal reshaping surgery when you visited my clinic, there are several procedures necessary for the different nasal structures including bone , cartilage , muscle, soft tissue and skin.
I will answer your questions,
1. Is it possible to pay for the procedure online with a credit card?
The payment can be done by cash , credit card or medical loan.
2. What are the names of 2 types of anesthesia that I can choose from? (I
would like to discuss it with my family doctor.)
( General anesthesia ) and ( intravenous sedation plus local anesthesia )
3. The total cost seems to be very very high If I deduct one procedure,
which procedure do you recommend deducting, but still being able to achieve
a "cute" beautiful nose?
Here are the procedures that we discussed. Which do you recommend deducting
to lessen the price?:
open rhinoplasty
hump reduction
medial lateral osteotomy
tip plasty
columella plasty - with cartilage graft
alar reduction
nasalis plasty
If you want to have the surgery done and to have the ideal results, I think that all the procedures above will be necessary.
To be honest, I don't recommend you to deduct one of them.
I am ready to negotiate an amount of money if you have an economical problem.
How much can you afford for your surgery most?
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward hearing from you.
Best regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
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Greetings Dr. Akai,
Thank you for your responds. I really appreciate the information, in order to help me prepare for this procedure.
Regarding negotiating the price of the nose surgery:
Please keep in mind that when I say, "out-of-pocket," I am referring to the amount that I will pay on my own, after medical insurance assistance.
I have decided that if my "out-of-pocket" amount is around ¥450,000 ~ ¥500,000, I believe that I will be able to pay for it.
Do you feel that this "out-of-pocket" amount would be possible?
Thank you for your time,
T.J. Ino
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your reply.
If you use Japanese Health Insurance, the cost for the surgery including all the procedures I recommended you when you visited last time, is about ¥300,000.
If you pay ¥500,000 separately, you will take the surgery.
So, the total cost is roughly ¥800,000.
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward hearing from you.
Best regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
----------------------------------------------------
Greetings Dr. Akai
Wow! That sounds great! Thank you for helping me use medical insurance to assist with the surgery cost. I really appreciate all the financial help that you're clinic is able to give.
Okay, if the out-of-pocket cost will be about ¥300,000. Let's do it!
I'm so excited that this is actually happening. And I can afford it! I'm incredibly happy right now!
I am going to have Aki Yasumi in October, and I would like to do the surgery during that time.
Are you available on October 7th to do the surgery?
If not on that day, then we can wait for Fuyu Yasumi in December.
Thank you and your clinic so much for all your kindness,
Blessings and Aloha,
TJ Ino
Good morning,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply.
I would like to confirm that the total cost you have to pay for your surgery is ¥800,000.
If you agree, we will set the date of pre-op examination, surgery as soon as possible.
Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or need assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Hidemi Akai, M.D., PhD.
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
KNK bldg. 3F, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061,Japan
tel: (03) 5771-4114
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