Why I went back under the knife (again)

Fiona Lovell
Aug 3
3 min read

Personal Styling in hospital Fiona Lovell

Hi there,

I want to share something a bit personal with you today — why I've just had my second eye surgery in a matter of months, and the slightly chaotic (and very humbling) week that followed.

Back at the end of March, I had my first surgery — a double upper eyelid lift. And honestly, I was thrilled. My eyes looked amazing, my surgeon was happy, recovery was smooth. Win all round.

Then, a little while later, I noticed my right eye had started to drop again. I woke up one morning and just thought, "why is my eye dropping?" I know it drops a bit when I'm tired, and even a sprinkle of Botox will do it — but this time it was only my right side. My left was perfect. And that was exactly the thing that had made me self-conscious in the first place, so the paranoia crept straight back in.

I went back to my surgeon, told him I wasn't happy, and asked if it could be fixed. He agreed straight away — you could visibly see it needed correcting. So we booked it in, and I had my second surgery last Friday.

Now, plenty of people told me they couldn't even tell it needed fixing. But this one was always a "me thing" — I've felt self-conscious about my hooded right eye for years, and I wanted it sorted properly. So back in I went.

I can't really judge the results yet — I'm only on day three of recovery. But I can tell you day two was more swollen than anything I experienced after the first surgery. And that one's entirely on me.

What was in the panadol?

Here's the not-so-glamorous bit: on the way home from surgery I took a Panadol… except it was a Panadol I'd brought back from Bali, which turned out to be a bit more "extra" than our version. Cue a completely sleepless Friday night, wide awake and wired, which absolutely did not help my recovery.

Saturday I tried to rest — "tried" being the key word, because I am constitutionally incapable of sitting still. I washed the car, popped to the shops, felt weirdly great (still riding the anaesthetic and Bali-Panadol combo, I suspect). Then Sunday morning, getting ready for Pilates, I bent down to pick up Elsa's toy and put my back out.

Here's the funny part — the exact same thing happened after my first surgery. Putting a shoe on, my back pinched and grabbed. Twice now. So naturally I went down a Google rabbit hole about anaesthesia and injury, trying to work out why my body keeps doing this to me. I've landed on: the universe is telling me to slow the f down.

So Sunday, Matt went to Pilates without me. We caught up with friends for brekkie, then I came home and couch-surfed all afternoon — which drove me absolutely mad, because I am not a sitter. I had my laptop on my lap, one eye blurry with ointment, trying to watch a movie, sore back and all.

Today (Monday) I finally listened. Slept in properly, took Elsa for a slow little walk because mentally I needed to get outside, pottered around, and now I'm at my standing desk writing this to you — because lying with my knees up or standing are currently my only two settings. I'll be back seeing PT clients this afternoon, one bung eye and one bung back and all.

So here's the actual point of this email, beyond the drama: when you have surgery — or honestly, whenever you're sick or run down — slow down and let your body do what it needs to do. I tell my PT clients this constantly, and clearly I need to take my own advice. Rest. Recover. Let your body get you back to fighting fit. It'll happen a lot faster if you stop fighting it.

Thanks for reading — and for letting me share the slightly messier, more human side of this journey with you.

Have a great day,

Fe XO

PS. Hospital fashion is on point!