Day 8 Post-Op...Where Oh Where has my sleeping ability gone?

These are the flowers from "the garden" in our hotel room. Over the last week some have been sent to the flower graveyard, but there are still many thriving! Thanks again to everyone who sent them :)


Here's the front view for today...I think I'm looking a little lop-sided (and a little creepy) with the swelling. Under my right eye I think I have some extra swelling as well. This could also have something to do with exhaustion. I did not sleep well last night, sleeping upright is getting quite annoying, but I know it has to be done to keep the swelling down as much as possible.


The profile- I would like to introduce the audience to a jaw line! I think today shows a better jaw line than in the previous days. I do have harder swelling in my lower cheeks and in my upper lip/nose area for sure, but I am pleased with how well it's coming along.


I got a call this morning from Dr. G's office wanting to schedule an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. This is just to "check up on things." I'm thinking to check in on pain levels and such since I had that little melt down in the office the other day. My pain is under control as long as I stay 100% on track with taking the doses of medicine. I wish I could start moving myself away from the hard stuff and onto Tylenol, but I do not think I am there just yet. I do still have the feeling of clenching my jaws together, although I could be misinterpreting this because I don't have great feeling or movement in the area.

Today my Dad has to fly home, so Mom and I will be flying solo till Saturday. Then Sam comes, yayyy! Mom flies out Sunday morning. I can't believe I/We have made it this far!! I know there is still a long recovery road ahead, but I'm happy to have made it this far!

I am still finding it to be a conscious effort to swallow. It just doesn't happen naturally right now. The new configuration of my airways along with being banded shut makes it difficult. Yay for drooling and not knowing it (silly numb chin). I am finding it easier to talk, which is good and bad. I'm glad I can talk, however it puts a lot more strain on my joints. I am trying to keep the speaking to a minimum. My inner left ear has also been hurting a bit in the last couple of days, I wonder what that is about...I have pressure in my joints so I'm sure they are somehow related...

So pain levels are at a 6/10 still, but last night at around 11 (an hour after I took a dose of Oxy) I was in a lot of pain again, I'd say an 8. I took some Tylenol and was able to go back to sleep. This morning I woke up very very stiff and at an 8 again, and since it was still a couple hours till my heavy med dose I had some more Tylenol which did take off the "edge" of pain. I did get doses of Oxy every 4 hrs overnight (so at 2 and then again at 6). So my next dose of Oxy is in 5 min. (10AM).

Alright I'm not sure what else I have to report on today, other than food commercials on TV are torture. Also, if anyone has any questions about all this just let me know cause I'm sure I'm forgetting something in all this rambling....

Keep on Smiling!