Hi Bearcat
You are having more than a septoplasty. Much more
A FESS is functional endoscopic sinus surgery - the sinuses are nothing to do with e septum. Slightly bigger involving deliberate hypotension anaesthesia but most of my patients go home the same day
SMD is burning the septum - no big deal
The new broken nose sounds like a rhinoplasty which is to change e shape of the nose. This is indeed a bigger operation but reasonably rare for functional as opposed to cosmetic issues. It will need two weeks off most work and I suspect more from flying
I would suggest you ask your surgeon to explain what is recommended and why
Finally balloon sinuplasty will not replace this operation. It is a new procedure which has been heavily promoted but the initial results are not that good. We are using it in some patients but like all new operations it starts out as the wonder operation, then is rubbished, and finally finds its place
Good luck