A man who lost his nose when his dog ripped it off while trying to save him from a seizure has undergone ten reconstructive surgeries - using bones from his ribs.<br /><br />Ben Horne, 34, has suffered with epilepsy since he was 15 but after undergoing a change of medication he started having night seizures.<br /><br />During one episode, his dog Henry became spooked and mauled Ben's face, ripping off his nose, and parts of his mouth and chin.<br /><br />Ben came to and managed to call for an ambulance but struggled to come to terms with his new appearance.<br /><br />Over the last five years he has had around ten surgeries to reconstruct his face, using bones from his ribs and skin from his forearm and forehead. <br /><br />Now he is finally starting to accept himself and hopes by sharing his story and he can help others going through something similar.<br /><br />Ben, of Yeovil, Somerset said: "During one of my night seizures my dog got scared.<br /><br />"In the process he did a lot of damage to my face.<br /><br />"My whole house was plastered in blood. I called 999. I couldn't really talk but I managed to convey I needed an ambulance.<br /><br />"When I came round a nurse said 'I'm going to hand you a mirror and it's going to be a big shock.<br /><br />"I couldn't quite believe the amount of damage. It was heart-breaking. I'm really trying to accept myself.<br /><br />"It's learning to love yourself and the way that you are rather than reflecting on how you used to be."<br /><br />After the incident in November 2019, Ben's top lip was hanging down, he'd lost a lot of his chin and was only left with the septum bone in his nose.<br /><br />He was rushed to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, for a 10-hour emergency operation to piece what they could back together.<br /><br />Ben, an aerospace engineer, said: "I remember looking in the mirror and I just wished that I hasn't managed to call an ambulance.<br /><br />"I didn't see how I could live with what happened."<br /><br />Ben decided to go down the route of reconstruction and had an initial reconstruction in May 2021 - due to delays due to the pandemic - at Southmead hospital, Bristol.<br /><br />This involved creating more of a septum for his nose but this collapsed after he had to wait until October 2021 for the next surgery.<br /><br />They took skin from his left forearm to create the inner part of his nose.<br /><br />Ben said: "Both my forearms are tattooed so I had to make a decision over which I preferred.<br /><br />"At least I can say I have a tattooed inside in my nose."<br /><br />They also took bones from his ribs in the same surgery and an artery from his forearm to connect this into his neck.<br /><br />Ben said: "I found it very difficult.<br /><br />"I always tried to keeping looking forward.<br /><br />"Having a tattooed chunk on my face that I had to put make-up on every day."<br /><br />He had another surgery in September 2022 to take part of the skin from his forehead and fold it down over the top of the tattooed skin.<br /><br />Ben said: "Having the forehead flap - it was huge on my face.<br /><br />"They have to leave the skin connected so you have a huge lump hanging over your eyes.<br /><br />Ben's surgeon decided to go private mid-way through his surgeries but Exeter plastics team were able to step in.<br /><br />They completed a surgery in March 2023 where they took more bone from his hip and the cartilage in his rib to bolt it onto his forehead - after the previous donor bone got infected.<br /><br />In May 2023 Ben had the forehead skin disconnected and the team have since been completing operation to work on the structure of his nose.<br /><br />Ben still needs plastic tubes to help him breathe so the next step is to find a way to remove those without his nose closing up.<br /><br />Ben is now finally starting to accept his new appearance but has struggled with stares.<br /><br />He said: "It's very difficult when you see people staring at you for too long.<br /><br />"They look at you like an object.<br /><br />"It was a lot of embarrassment.<br /><br />"I liken it to a dream where you are naked in public.<br /><br />"You want to hide but you can't.<br /><br />"You can't change things and what has happened."<br /><br />Ben who had Henry for 10 years before the accident said the dog has been rehomed after an assessment and is happy in his new family.<br /><br />Ben is fundraising to support Exeter Plastic Surgery and Epilepsy Action.<br /><br />He will be taking part in two tough mudder's and two 50k races.<br /><br />Support him here - https://rdhc.enthuse.com/pf/ben-horne
