Jayne Hardman had her nose removed in November last year after developing a type of vasculitis, she first noticed when she was headbutted by her dog
A mum-of-two whose nose rotted away had magnets screwed into her skull so she can wear a life-changing prostethetic.
Jayne Hardman had her nose removed in November last year after developing a type of vasculitis, she first noticed when she was head-butted by her dog
The family dog, Cece, a 14-stone Neapolitan mastiff, knocked into Jayne’s face and caused her nose to swell.
She was diagnosed with Wegener’s granulomatosis – a rare disease that rotted the flesh on her nose and later that year both nostrils collapsed.
In fear the autoimmune disease would destroy more facial features, the doctors had no other choice to amputate her nose.
Jayne, 48, was left with a hole in her skull but in January this year, after four prototype prosthetics, Jayne was given her magnetic nose.
Jayne Hardman had her nose removed in November
She had a rare autoimmune disease
She says the pain was excruciating as metal was screwed in to her head, but she has found a new lease of life in her prosthetic.
She even appeared on ITV's This Morning and shocked Eamonn Holmes and wife Ruth Langsford , by whipping off her nose while live on air.
Jayne, from Redditch, Worcestershire, said: “For three and a half years my nose was disappearing and towards the end of last year the bone had completely disappeared.
“After having my nose amputated in November last year, I finally have a perfect prosthetic nose and have the confidence to leave my house whenever I feel like it.
“I trialled four other noses before having the one I have now, I couldn’t be happier with it, it’s done so well and people can never tell that it’s not real.
“So although I’ve lost my real nose, I feel like I am now complete. Something weirdly clicked into place when I clicked this magnetic nose on.”
After being head butted by her dog Jayne’s nose continued to pour with blood, but the doctor’s insisted that it was not broken and just needed to be iced.
She was headbutted by her dog
And eventually had the nose amputated
However after her nose continued to swell, Jayne returned to the doctors and was eventually diagnosed with the rare autoimmune disease in June 2014.
She said: “I knew from the moment that CeCe hit my head that something wasn’t right with my nose, and from that day on it never went back to normal.
“The disease was always there but it was lying dormant, it was CeCe that saved me really – if the collision hadn’t have happened I could have died.
“If the disease had remained unnoticed, my immune system would still be working to kill off all of my cells and slowly destroy me.
“Over the years after my diagnosis, my nose started to dissolve, in the end amputation was the only sensible thing to do.
“I went through several rounds of chemotherapy in 2014 to stop my immune system from killing all of my cells, but even after that they couldn’t save my nose.
“The day I found out my nose was being removed was the worst day of my life, but I knew it had to be done to make progress.
“I had already been wearing glue-on prosthetics over my collapsed nose, so I just had to believe the doctor that the new prosthetic after my nose was removed would be even better.”
So once her nose was removed, the NHS started to create the perfect prosthetic for Jayne and took several moulds of the cavity.
However to ensure that her nose would be easily detachable, so that she could still clean out the hole in her face, doctors had to drill metal screws into her skull.
She said: “The pain of the metal screws being tightened into my skull was a pain I cannot describe, it was just excruciating.
She has a magnetic nose now
Jayne with her sons Roman, 14 and Todd 22
“But I knew it was the only way to make my magnetic nose work and I’m so glad now that I sat through it.
“Before my magnetic nose I had glue-on prosthetics, but they never lasted long.
“I’ve ripped them, the dogs have chewed them and they haven’t always fit right, but this prosthetic is perfect.
“It’s very easy to take on and off so that I can steam the hole every morning to make sure any mucus is removed.
“And considering I hated my original nose and would’ve had a nose job to fix it anyway, my confidence is now higher than ever!”
But despite not being able to taste or smell when her nose was removed, last week she regained all her senses again.
Jayne had grommets fitted into her ears, which allowed her hearing to fully return.
Jayne said: “When my nose was removed I couldn’t hear without hearing aids, and I couldn’t taste or smell anything because my nasal receptors were damaged.
“But as of last week , as well as my sense of smell and taste, so life is slowly but surely going back to normal.
“So now I am on a concoction of steroids and antibiotics to help keep illness at bay and help with my recovery.
“Now I am focusing on seeing the fun side of what’s happened to me, and even when I’ve sneezed it off or it’s flown across the room at my son, we just see the funny side.
“I still feel extremely lucky to be alive, so I want to make sure that no one else goes through this and if I can save one person from losing my nose, it will all be worth it.”
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