Mitch Hunter (Full Face Transplant)

I'm truly amazed on how seamless your skin looks! Are you fully recovered, or do you have to return for "touch ups" or additional surgeries in the future?

I am going back to Boston in June for a minor surgery or two. Having I guess what you would call a "nose job" to remove some excess bone growth between my bone and the donors bone. I also want to have another nip/tuck procedure done on my neck area (that has been the only surgery I've had since the transplant). And possibly a Z plasty on my eyes. I think with the nose job and Z plasty, the hollow look around my eyes/nose will look more normal.

Very cool, I wish you all the best!

Thank you!

This is the raddest AMA I've seen in a long time.

I don't really have a question, but since I'm here so early I may as well come up with one:

Can you smell?

I look forward to reading your replies to all the questions!

I never lost my sense of smell!

That's excellent!

You look amazing, I'm very happy that the facial transplant has worked out in your favor, very seamless.

Also, how is nerve function? Can you make all the facial expressions you desire? Or are some more difficult than others?

Smiling big enough to show my teeth is the hardest thing. I still can't do it. As far as nerve sensation, I can feel everything a normal person would!!

May I... offer up a simple solution?

That's awesome, it's incredible how far medicine has come, 20 years ago you probably wouldn't even be able to have nerve sensation, now you have a full on face and feelings!

Awesome pic!! Yeah medical science is amazing these days. Give it another 20 years!!

How much did all this cost? Seems like it would be a lot, or is it insurance covered?

I have no idea.

Wat.

You have insurance, no? Or is it all based on the kindness of strangers?

The government is funding face and limb transplants. I do have insurance but everything that happens in Boston has been covered.

I did have a fundraiser to help with travel costs, hotels, and what not. So the kindness of strangers helped a lot.

So do you consider yourself at all a government experiment?

It's pretty amazing that it's all been funded. You are one of the pioneers of the next generation of medical care.

Nah, I don't feel like an experiment. I feel very fortunate to have a normal life again! It does feel awesome being a pioneer in this aspect of the medical field!!

Have you compared a picture of the donor to yourself? I know it's that person's face, but do you look exactly as they did? Do you like the movie Face Off?

I have seen pictures of him and I look nothing like he does. Your bone structure is what makes you look like you, not the soft tissue. I only had minor bone damage around my nose. I look a lot like myself and older brother.

I did like that movie!! Never though it would be possible lol. Though the recipients look nothing like the donors.

Please tell me you've done the "face...off" Nick Cage impression. Please.

Hand over face and pretending to pull it off. Yup!

So how does the donor look now? What happens to the donor? (Unless you become a donor after you die)

EDIT: Sorry for being ignorant and having a serious question.

He passed away, they wouldn't let a living person donate so much tissue if they would let them donate tissue at all.

Makes me wonder who got my now passed wife's eyes :(
She was an organ donor, unintentional overdose, to my knowledge that was all they harvested from her body. I hope it wasnt a dude that got them.

To my knowledge the can't transplant the entire eyes, and if so there are millions of nerve endings to connect to make sight possible. It was probably a retina transplant. I'm sure you could contact the donor bank and find out what they were used for, but maybe not find out who they went too. Though, in my case, it was up to the family to want to meet me, so you may be able to if the person wants to meet you!

On a side note. How are you more attractive then me?

LoL, beauty is on the inside. To bad it took me losing my looks to realize that. I was pretty conceited before the accident. Life gave me a reality check.

If beauty is on the inside... Can I be inside of you?

Understanding you are new to Reddit, OP's usually deliver with a yes.

Bby you str8

If you were to go on a diet and lose weight would your body cannibalize the donor fatty tissue in your face?

Have you cut yourself shaving and if so, does it bleed/heal normally?

Would the dna from dead skin cells from your face be yours or the donors?

fascinating AMA, I was shocked by how normal you look and spoke in your video. great to see how fast the technology is advancing in this field.

I lost a lot of weight after gaining so much from the prednisone and my face did slim down.

I have cut myself as I was learning to shave again, it heals just like yours would!

They would find both mine and the donors. The call it being a Chimera when you have two dna strains.

They say the body completely replaces itself every 7 years or something like that. Will there ever be a point where your face is entirely comprised of your DNA?

That is still being looked into by the team. That was one of my first questions and it had them stumped.

Is your facial hair your own hair color or the donor's hair color?

Did it have hair on it during the transplant?

Did you get a free beard? I must know.

Our hair color was very close. Over time the color has became closer to mine.

No, but in the three days I was in a coma following, I had already grown hair.

I can grow a really nice beard. Some of my friends are jealous.

Wait, are you saying your own DNA slowly takes over the donors? Would that mean your face would gradually transform closer to your original face?

We still aren't sure on that but that's what it seems like. My face already looks like mine because of my bone structure.

Is your beard different from the one you could grow before the accident?

No idea, as when I got in the accident i could barely grow any facial hair. But seeing how my brother's beard has turned out, I don't think my original one would have been as good ;)

How was the drivers girlfriend after getting struck?

She had burns to her right foot. Her and I lost contact about 3 years ago. I had her on my myspace, ws having a kid, turning 30 and was like "I'm to old for myspace" ended up deleting it. I still talked to her on the phone but that phone got dropped in the bathtub.

I've been trying to find her ever since i became a candidate for the transplant. I sent all her information to CNN and we have been trying to find her for a while now.

Hopefully she is a Redditor and sees this. I really want to find her, the last time we talked, she was still very upset and felt like it was her fault what had happened to me.

If she is a redditor and she does see this, what would you like to say to her?

What I always told her "It's not your fault"

Don't fuck with me Shawn...not you, don't fuck with me!

Great movie, while in Boston I visited the park bench where he was sitting on.

Why did I read this AMA as Milf Hunter?

LoL

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding, but what actually caused all the damage? The electricity? What happened to your leg, and how did it get infected?

10,000 volts 7 amps for 5 minutes caused all the damage listed. I got grounded out and was held by the current rather than being thrown from it.

So, any super powers now? You can PM me if this is confidential.

I think my brain capacity is higher. On my sleepless nights I study astronomy and astrophysics as a hobby. And can actually wrap my mind around a lot of it ;)

Thanks for replying to my dumb question! Are you serious about your mental acuity? Obviously this wouldn't be due to the electricity, but did you fill your recovery time with new intellectual pursuits?

It was more of a joke but yes, I occupy my time researching everything that interests me. I'm always looking up sleep disorders and remedies. I run an FB page called The Insomnia Club and I try to give my Insomniacs all natural sleep aids.

5 minutes? I am surprised the issue here is not brain damage. Incredible!

When I was in a coma, the doctor told my family I would either not survive. Or I would be deaf, blind, dumb, or all three. I woke uo and the first thing I said was "where the fuck am i at" "can I get a fucking cigarette"

"Mr. Hunter, I'm afraid that your son succumbed to Chronic F-bomb Syndrome."

LoL!!

Holy shit. That should have killed a lesser man. Congrats alone on surviving that much of a shock

I've been told by a lot of electricians that about 95% of the people in this world would not have survived.

Electrician here. All I can say is wow, there are levels of danger you approach different situations with [it could hurt// that will hurt// and better have a defibrillator] and this one isn't even discussed, its in a whole different ballpark. Superhuman indeed.

Ironically they use the defib to "shock" me back. Its like "don't you think I've had enough electricity for one say" "CLEAR"

1) Did you lose your sight?

2) Was there structural damage to your face and what was done to it surgically after the accident but before the transplant?

3) Do you worry about rejection or acute/chronic GVH?

4) How have the people in your life reacted to your new face?

5) Would you want to meet the family of your donor? Would that be strange?

1) I have perfect vision 2) I lost bone around the bridge and side of my nose, I have had over 70+ surgeries since the accident. That includes many on the face, leg, and right hand. I forgot to mention, I lost my pinkie and ring finger on my right hand. 3) I've had one about of stage 2 to stage 3 rejection. Was easily knocked out with the use of prednisone. I try not to think about it, so I don't over worry myself. 4) They are amazed at how well it looks. I imagine it took them a while to get use to, just as it took them a while to get used to how I looked after the accident. Now they just see me as me again. 5)I have met three members of the family. I can't go into much detail out of respect for their anonymity. I will be meeting more in the future as well!

Thanks for the answer, i have more questions: Has your self image changed? When you close your eyes do you see your new face or your old one. When you dream?

It has not changed, I look a lot like myself. About dreams, when I first got into th accident, I always dreamed of how I looked before. It took a few years to dream about the way I actually looked. Now when I dream, I dream of how I use to look before the accident because that is how I feel I look.

Congrats man that is awesome. This must have been a such a relief. Do you have pictures of post accident pre transplant?

The ones on the net are my Army pics. I probably should go to my mom's house and scan other pictures as well.

It was a great relief! I went from being the face that stood out in a crowd to just another face in the crowd. It feels awesome not being stared at all the time!

All things considered you look fine. Is it difficult to see "yourself" now?

Not at all!

Not at all.

Dude, your surgical team at the Brigham did a phenomenal job. If/when you come back to Boston, get some Cannoli's at Mike's in the North End before you return home.

I love the North End!!! Best Italian food I've ever had!!

Do you ever think about how your face might change as you grow older, I noticed how smooth and wrinkle free yours and the other face transplant recipients are. Seems like the lack of fine movement in the muscles would keep your face from aging like most people, sort of like extreme botox.

I have wondered how I wil age, I knew before the transplant, I would not get wrinkles ever. Not sure how that's going to work now. This will be a great question to ask the team!!

How does/did your girlfriend deal and react to all of this?

She was very surprised at how well it looked. Unfortunately her and i are no longer together but remain great friends to this day. We have a beautiful son together. I also have twin girls with another women. She was quite amazed as well.

How have your children reacted to what's been happening? (If they're old enough to understand what's going on, anyway.)

My son i more understanding than the girls, but all three haven't really been affected by it. My son can look at all three versions of me and knows that its "dad".

1) Did she leave you prior to the accident?

2) can you reveal a picture of yourself before the accident?

My gf at the time of the accident dumped me two weeks before I was released from the hospital. I did get the sympathy lay beforehand though ;)

I have provided links in the OP or just google Mitch Hunter. My Army pics are on google images.

If I have missed any questions, feel free to ask again. You all have made my day/night/week/year!! I love people's curiosity!

How does a full face transplant work?

They removed all the scar tissue from my face, then removed the face from the donor. A lot of microsurgery was performed to connect the blood flow and four nerve endings. Some bone around the nose issue was transplanted as well. I know it's more complex than that, but I'm only the patient, not the doctors. I hope this answers your question though.

[deleted]

Actually, I do have a few of the main doctor's personal phone numbers!

You said you've met some of the donors family, how was that???

Very emotional!

I know you say you look like yourself, but does the donors family think you look like the donor? Thanks!!

I've never asked and probably never will. Out of respect.

You're doing great with the AMA so far. Thank you for taking the time to actually answer questions!

I was in Speedway a couple years ago. I highly recommend that if you go through the museum that you also pay the extra $5.00 and take the busride around the track!

Anyways, no questions. Thanks, though.

I've been going to the track since I was a kid, use to have a job there in HS cleaning all the offices and what not. I had a pass that could get me into the track whenever I wanted!

Ill be the first to ask. Where did you get the face to be transplanted? And if you don't mind telling us how much feeling and mobility do you have in your face currently and before the transplant as well? EDIT: I want him to at least see this lol.

Someone had to pass away for the transplant to be possible. I will never forget that and am very thankful for his selflessness on being a donor and the families decision to let the doctors use the facial tissue.

I have close if not 100% feeling back in the face. The mobility is pretty well too. Still fine tuning the muscle control around my mouth but it's getting better everyday.

Before the transplant, I had good mobility as well. I still had a lot of my own muscle in most of the face. Though the skin was a bit contracted by the scar tissue.

I understand the circumstances are different, but do you ever experience any sort of "phantom limb" sensation from your previous to current face?

Edit: Thanks for doing this! Modern medical advancements are truly amazing, and this really makes me get that living in the future feeling.

I do not. I do experience phantom pains in my left BKA (Below knee amputation).

I've always been curious about phantom pains. I know phantom limbs still feel like they're there but what exactly does the pain feel like? I've always imagined it being either that feeling you get when your leg wakes up from falling asleep or just an ache.

My left foot that isn't there gets itches, cramps. Sometimes it feels like its on fire, I guess at one time it was. I feel my toes moving. It's definitely weird but have gotten use to it over the years. Sometimes I do have to go to the ER when it's really bad.

[deleted]

I have, and have tried it to no avail.

Hi there, and thanks for doing this, it's very interesting. My question is about odd sensations. I had a large scale surgery done on my upper chest, that left very long, pronounced scars. Sometimes, when I have an itch and I scratch it, I actually reach for another spot to relieve it. As in, I feel the itch on the third rib down, but must physically scratch the fifth rib to get it! Do you have anything like that?

At one point before the transplant, they did a flap graft from my back to my chin, they had kept the blood and nerve endings attached. I would get an itch on my chin but it felt like the back of my shoulder when I touched it.

In the new face, all sensation is normal.

I've been reading every comment so far in this thread. I am amazed by your candor and how easy-going you've been about everything. This is the most intriguing thing I've read so far. You're awesome, man.

Thank you! This is very interesting to me to, I wish I would have signed up to be a redditor a long time ago!!

How did you transition into recognizing yourself with your new face? Do you still do a double take?

To be quite honest, I could see my Hunter features showing through the first time I looked in the mirror. I never had any kind of dissociation with my appearance. I do look in the mirror a lot though, more to see if there is any redness, the first signs of rejection. But I do look a lot like myself, probably not exactly like I would at 32 if the accident never happened, but a lot better than looking like a zombie :P

How many surgeries have you had so far?

70-80+

how many after the transplant?

One so far. I'm having at least one in June but I'm going to push for three. All will be minor.

How has this accident affected you (besides physically) when it comes to all other aspects of life? Do you have paranoia of riding in vehicles? Did you ever have to seek counseling? Did it change your outlook on life/humanity? Thanks for the AMA!!

I have PTSD from the accident but am pretty much in control of it now. It all depends who is driving the car, I sometimes get triggered pretty bad. If I am driving, I'm not worried at all.

It made me appreciate life a lot more, I know what it feels like to be told I probably won't make it. I'm very thankful I did. I see a psychiatrist every month, we talk for a little bit. I take Klon to control the anxiety that came with PTSD. I also have severe insomnia but it's getting better!

Mitch, after I read through this thread, you answered all of the questions I could think of and even those I couldn't. After reading plenty of AMA's, I am pleasantly surprised how many questions you reply to--including duplicates. So often, folks start an AMA and then seem to lose interest or ignore, in my opinion, great questions. Thanks.

I have bad insomnia and this is actually fun for me. I love peoples curiosity.

1. How much are you able to move the muscles in your new face?
2. How did the family of the donor react to meeting you?
3. How many meds do you have to take every day for rejection?
4. Is there any chance in the future that you will have to get another face transplant, like how people with donor hearts will eventually have to get a new heart?
5. Are you able to talk normally?
6. What happened in the picture where your eyes are red?

1. I can move them pretty well, can raise my eyebrows, flare my nostrils, smile. The one thing I can't do yet, is smile big enough to show my teeth. I still do facial exercises to this day and the doctors are amazed at how well I can animate my facial expressions.
2. It was a very emotional meeting to say the least. I really can'y go into a lot of detail about the meeting, but I have stayed in contact with one of them through emails since. I think more want to meet me when I go back in June for my two year checkup!
3. Only two, Prograf and Cellcept every twelve hours. 2mg of prograf and 500mg cellcept twice daily.
4. If severe enough rejection happens, I suppose that could be a possibility, but I'm not quite sure how that would work. Let me speak with the team and I'll be able to answer this better.
5. I can speak very clearly now, at first my speech wasn't ood at all, but over time and with facial exercises, my speech is almost back to normal!
6. To make a long story short, some guy tried to fight me, his punches didn't cause any damage, so he used his weight to tackle me and then choked me unconscious. That is why my eye were filled with blood.

A guy tried to fight/kill you after you went through this experience? What a prick.

He is paying for it ;)

Wait WHAT please elaborate on this. This AMA has crazy things in it but this is by far the craziest. After what you went through some asshole shithead motherfucker hit you ( channeling some serious r/rage right now)

He accused me of something I didn't do. I also got cocky and egged him on for being an idiot.

What kind of trouble did he get in? Great AMA btw

Assault & battery + strangulation. In Indiana strangulation is a different charge in itself.

If you were stranded on a tiny Micronesian island with a mermaid friend to keep you company, would you want the bottom half human or the bottom half fish?

LoL. Top half human, head would still feel good (this also means she is attractive). I don't think I could get turned on by a fishhead...

You mentioned people staring. When I see someone with an issue, being a scar or disfigurement, or disability, I try my very best to be respectful and kind. Were you really all right with someone coming up to you and asking about your disfigurement or did you consider it an invasion of your privacy? I am, of course referring to before you had your transplant. You look awesome btw.

I would rather have had people walk up and ask, rather than staring and wondering!

[deleted]

My friend Mike is the one that got me to come here after her mentioned me in the one facial reconstruction post. It's amazing how positive people are here. I was kind of scared it might turn out like 4chan.

[deleted]

I've never posted there about this but I can only imagine the troll fest I would get!

Can you grow a beard?

A very nice one!!

A very nice one!

Just wanted to pop in and say that this is super interesting and cool and you look awesome!

Thank you!!

Thank you!

As a fellow veteran, I'm curious if the VA is flipping the bill for this, or if you've had to pay out of pocket?

And thank you for your service!

The government is funding these procedures, face and limb transplants. I could have received a partial hand transplant on my right hand, but didn't want to risk losing more. I can game like a mofo with what I have. Did not want to risk losing my gaming abilities lol. Pc gaming > console!

Thank you for your service too!!

Hello, I was just wondering what happens when the body gets electrocuted? How did it led to your face getting damaged?

NO idea, electricity follows the path with the least resistance, since you have openings on your face, I suppose it decided to exit from there. I'm not an electrician so I really don't have a solid answer here. Sorry.

If money weren't an issue, what would you be doing with your free time?

Traveling the world, meeting other transplant teams/patients. I have met four so far, three in person and one found me on FB. Some teams want to fly me out, but I also have three kids to raise, so I don't want to be gone all the time and miss out on their lives.

How have your kids reacted to the transplant?

They are still pretty young. They may not ever remember me looking like I did. My son at three knows me in all three versions of how I looked though. Me showing him pictures and explaining has helped a lot. My nephew is very curious about it too. When I first arrived back to Indy after the transplant, he was only two and when asked by a reporter as to why I went to Boston, he said "Uncle Mitch needed a new face". It was adorable.

An admirable answer! If you could take your kids with you, and money wasn't an issue, where would you like to visit?

Definitely the UK (first partial in 2005), Switzerland, Australia, Spain (where the first full was done).

So...visiting me and riding roller coasters together isn't on your radar? Oh...okay...:(

I love roller coasters, what theme park do you live by?

What was your first reaction when you wore up from the coma?

I was pretty drugged up on pain killers and a heavy dose of prednisone. I was hallucinating pretty bad and still had a tube in my trach. It was hard to communicate and I was very frustrated. All I had was a piece of paper with the alphabet on it and the letters were blending together lol. I couldn't even use my Evo to txt because I couldn't tell which letters were which.

How did you hear about the procedure/decide to go along with it? Did a surgeon approach you about it or was it something you sought out? How is your relationship with Dr. Pomahac? Does he also do your follow up procedures or does a different plastic surgeon do those?

Thanks for doing this!

My aunt saw the first one that got airs on 60 Minutes, told my mom, then she told me. I then researched the hell out of it. I found a doctor in Kentucky that had a team that was interested in doing it, spoke with him on many occasions. Then life got busy and it wasn't until I asked my original surgeon if his team ever planned on doing it. He then got me in contact with the team in Boston in late 2010.

Dr. Pomahac is a great man and doctor. I consider him a friend, not just my doctor. Him and hi team are innovators! He does all my follow up procedures but I have only had one so far.

You're welcome, thanks for the great questions.

As a future Plastic Microsurgeon (hopefully), I would love to hear any advice about how to build such a healthy and great relationship with patients.

Be honest to your patients w/o shattering all hope. Good bedside manner is a plus. Dr. P and team are great. They all are concerned with my well being, they call me from time to time to just talk, not about medical things, just to shoot the shit for a few.

About how much time did the whole operation take?

I think around 14 hours.

Praise science! Technology never ceases to amaze me. Lookin' good, mate!

I fucking love medical science!!

After seeing the bill for just one surgery for a broken jaw I can only imagine how much 70+ would cost. Mind sharing the total with/without insurance? Also, did you receive help from outsiders along the way?

Not including the transplant, my bills were a little over a half a million dollars. Medicaid covered a nice portion of that.

Coke or Pepsi? Stones or Beatles? Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or one horse sizedduck?

I don't drink carbonated or caffeinated beverages! Stones all the way. 100 duck sized horses. I would just take my fake leg off and use it like a golf club!

Perrier or Dasani? Lol

Dasani, Perrier is to expensive for water IMO. I love my Pur filter though!

What's your advice on keeping up hope in such difficult moments?

Don't hold in the depression, talk to your family and friends about how you feel. I really didn't use any kind of doctors in the psychology field. I think my time in the Army helped me mentally as well. I can't say it was easy as there were many times I just wanted it to be over. I just had a love for life, I knew I would never be able to end it. I wish I had some secret I used to keep pushing on but like the saying goes "You won't know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice"

As you grow old, will your face pass through the age effects in an accelerated manner or will it progress normally? Thanks for doing this!

I'm not quite sure how that will work out. I'll ask the tam, I'm alwys full of questions when I speak with them. Like "whose DNA would show up on a biopsy?" Or "Since your skin renews itself, would I eventually be renewing my own skin?"

were they able to answer those? kinda made me curious as well.

Both sets of DNA would show up. They have no idea on the regeneration one, I'll ask it again to see if they have researched it.

Woah, I didn't even think of those questions. Great, now I want to know the answers, too...

Both DNA strains would show up. Still not sure on the regeneration.

I'm not even sure the doctors could answer that with 100% certainty. I will ask and get back to you!

Would you say you are a man of several faces?

I really can't even remember looking like I did the 10 years following the accident. I know that sounds weird but it truly feels like I was born with this face.

Mitch: You, sir, are beautiful.

Thank you!

You say "face transplant" does that mean you are wearing someones face? Like Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If so. Badass.

I'm no longer wearing it, it has become a part of me!

Did you go out alot? if so, how did the public react before and after the transplant?

People stared, grown adults made jokes about my appearance. Little kids were afraid of me. Ar first it bothered me a lot, then I would walk up to them and ask them if they wanted to know what happened instead of being an ignorant asshole. I also got in a few fights with the real disrespectful ones.

Though for the first 4-5 years, I rarely left the house and if I did, I had a hat and hoodie on, no matter how hot it was. When I eventually moved back to Indy, my friends wouldn't let me be a hermit lol.

I don't want to lose my spot, you're an Indiana boy?

Speedway, IN!! Go Colts and Hoosiers!! Pacers can get a shout out too bu I can't get into the NBA like I use too. ND football all the way!!

Dude, you look amazing. I had no idea what to expect when I opened the link, but if I saw you in the grocery store or something I wouldn't even notice anything out of the ordinary.

What kind of psychological prep did they give you before doing the transplant? What questions did they ask, that sort of thing? This is what I'm most curious about.

Thanks for being awesome and sharing your story.

I did have a psych evaluation in the process to becoming a candidate. Pretty much what I told them was "Even if I don't get the transplant, I will be happy. I have three beautiful children and a gorgeous girlfriend. I just want to have this done so I can lead a more normal life and not stand out in a crowd".

I wish i could remember all the questions but that was over two years ago. Apparently they knew I was mentally strong enough to go through such a procedure.

Will you admit that Jaqen is your favorite Game of Thrones character?

And on a less serious note (that first question is incredibly important, mind you), what sort of thoughts go through your mind when you look in mirrors?

I have not watched GOT yet. I already watch a lot of shows, I'll probably just buy the seasons on blu-ray and watch them back to back. I did that with Lost and loved not having to wait a week for a new ep.

What thoughts? "damn, i need to shave again" "that better not be a pimple" "Man I need a hair cut".

How does it feel having a reconstructed face? Is it an apparent thing that tends to be uncomfortable, or have you become used to it?

I'm very use to it, it feels natural now!

Is your name Mitch or Mitchell?

I'm wondering if you also go by Mitch because people can't spell your name right.

It is Mitchell bu I have gone by Mitch since I can remember. Now here comes the Mitch the Bitch jokes lol J/k

So what do you know about the donor? Who was he, how did he die? Have you been in contact with his relatives? And how does it feel to have another mans face?

I don't know much about him even though I could ask. I just feel like it' something that should not be asked of the family. I don't see another person's face. Your bone structure is what makes you look like you, not the soft tissue. Hope this helps!

Have you ever had a "freak out" moment? Kinda like, ahhh, this isn't my face? Sorry man, I don't mean to be insensitive, I just can't comprehend what that would be like.

You are a remarkably brave dude!

I have not had that kind of moment. I have tough skin, don't worry about appearing insensitive!

Can you make a post on your Facebook referencing this AMA so we know its you and not some random linking to the pages?

Done, made it public and put it on my medical page as well.

Will do!

Do you take any medication to prevent rejection?

Prograf and Cellcept. 2mg of prograf every 12 hours and 500mg of Cellcept every 12 hours.

Hey Mitch,

I've followed you as I'm a tech journalist and and your story is incredibly interesting. Glad you're doing OK and thanks for the AMA.

My question is this (I'm sorry if someone else asked it below, I'm on a terribly connection): When you look into a mirror, do you at all feel like a different person? That's one of the moral questions this type of transplant brings up and I'd love to hear an opinion from a reliable source!

I do not see another person when I look in a mirror. Even the first time I saw myself post transplant, I saw me!

Do you have to take immunosuppressants? Has any part of the tissue that got transplanted get rejected by your body? Have you had any side effects from the immunosuppressants (now I'm assuming you do take them)?

I take prograf and cellcept. last October I had a minor bout of rejection but didn't lose any of the skin. It was fixed in no time with Prednisone infusions.

How much sensation do you have on your face, also is your smelling still okay?

close to, if not 100% sensation. My smelling was always intact!

How have your senses, (touch, smell, taste, hearing), altered? Do you have any way to help amplify them?

My smell, taste, and hearing were never affected at all. I had full sensation after the accident and after healing. Upon getting the transplant, my face was pretty dull to the touch, it was about week 3 that I started feeling sensation and now I can feel everything like normal.

I know someone else already asked a beard question, but I was wondering if they did a whole face transplant does that mean clear down to below the chin/throat? What I'm actually wondering is how the beard kind of grows in I guess, I mean, if there was enough left there to grow beard on one part of your face does it grow in differently in any way where they did the transplant?

Also, are you still doing everything you imagined you would be doing before the accident?

By the rest of your answers you don't seem to be letting it affect you at all which is fucking awesome.

They did take it down to my neck area, as that area was scarred too. I can grow a pretty good looking beard if I say so myself!

I plan on gong back to college this fall or the semester following for IT/CS. That is what I had intended to do after the Army. I was pretty scared of the public right after the accident but I wish I would have knocked out the college in the 10 years before the transplant.

It did affect me in some ways, I just never let it get me totally down. I really wish I could say I was strong the entire time, but I did have my weak moments. Though I think those weak moments made me stronger in the long run.

How much have you personally spent to finance all of this? (Completely curiosity, no judgement passing whatsoever)

Looking good as. I thought the after picture was a before photo, if that's any indication of how well it turned out! (before the accident)

I did a fund raiser to cover travel costs, hotels and what not. Over the last two years, about $18k.

I'm still amazed at how well it looks!! It doesn't even cross my mind that the face isn't a part of me, that's how natural it feels now!

Have you met the family of the donor? If so how was the reaction and do you still keep in touch with them?

I have met some of them. I have kept in contact with one through email but I plan on meeting more of them my next visit to Boston. I can't really say much more on it.

Hey man, sorry about your accident. But I'm glad you're ok now.

I was just wondering if we could see a before/after photo of you before the accident and after. If not, I understand.

Keep it real, be safe.

I have many pics on my FB medical page. My personal is not public so my medical page would be the best source.

You are a great man, OP.

Thank you!!

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost, and how did you find someone who would preform such an operation?

The Military/Government funded it. I don't know the actual cost but I imagine it is pretty expensive. The main reason why the government it funding such procedures (face and limb transplants) is because of all the injured soldiers that are coming back from combat.

I don't know the cost, the government funded it. My original surgeon had a colleague on the team in Boston and got me connected with them. I also talked with the team at the Cleveland Clinic who did the first partial in the US on Connie Culp in 2007.

Have you met Connie Culp or any of the other facial transplant recipients? If so, how'd it go?

I've met Dallas, Charla, Jim and Richard. Richard and I have not met in person but we are going to make it happen. It has been great meeting others who can relate to what I went through!!

So what does the donor look like now? I'm confused as to how you could donate a face.

He passed away, a living person can't donate their facial tissue.

Does your facial hair grow typically?

And this is probably dumb but will your new face age?

I can grow a pretty nice beard I must say! Not sure on the aging part, I will ask the team!

Hey Mitch, Thanks for doing this AMA!

How did you feel about the movie Looper? I absolutely loved it but it has become a bit of divider between my friends and I. See, they ALL hated it and I thought it held up pretty well (as far as time travel movies are concerned). JGL actually did a great job as a young Bruce Willis. Couple plot holes here and there but still an awesome movie. Anyways, what did YOU think?

I have not seen Looper yet, it sounds very interesting, I will have to give it a watch!

Dude, this title is not even trying.

I'm sorry, should I have been more specific. I didn't know I needed a flashy title to explain who I was and why I made an AMA. I think "Full Face Transplant" was enough. Thanks for your concern bruh.

I think he/she is talking about the lack of IAmA/IAm in the title, which no one really cares about. I really appreciate the AMA. I remember reading about you after seeing an article on thedailybeast about a woman who receieved a facial transplant.

I'm new to posting here. Had no idea what an AMA was until a fellow Redditor told me lol. I'll see if I can edit it.