Two Weeks Post-Op...Home :)
I feel like the last 24(+)hrs have been such a whirlwind...flying red-eye and changing time zones really confuses the mind, but apparently is good for swelling! I am currently so exhausted I'm not sure how this blog post is going to turn out, but I figured I needed to update so everyone would know I got home OK and of course update on the jaw.
Flying. Flying was less than pleasurable. My right ear was the devil. It was clogged, ringing, and shooting pain for about 75% of all the flying we did. I did take Sudafed and nasal spray, but it just didn't do a thing. Before getting on the long red-eye from Portland to Newark I took a Claritin which did help for this flight. There was less pain and more of a water park sound in my ear. I was able to sleep, so I am grateful for that. I currently still wish my right ear would "pop." The left ear is OK. I am told continuing Sudafed for several days should help...
Last Post-Op went really well. Dr. G said everything looked "fantastic" and officially cleared me to come home! He checked my midline, overbite, overjet, and posterior width. He took off my elastics and let me brush for the first time....this was awkward, frustrating, and tiring. All of which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would feel like brushing as always, but it was hard because I am not able to open my mouth that wide, I can't feel my gums, I can't really see the back sides of my teeth, and simply holding my mouth open is tiring. It did feel good to brush; however, I was not able to brush the insides of my teeth or my tongue because I couldn't open up enough to get the baby toothbrush in there. Dr. G then put elastics on again, and we took pictures of my bite. This was a but uncomfortable because the plastic utensils (I can't think of the name of right now) they use to pull your lips back was stretching my incision sites. It didn't hurt, just stretched. After taking pictures I was taught how to take-off and put-on the elastics myself. This isn't hard, just sometimes awkward because I'm not used to using the little plastic tool. I'm sure with practice it will become easier. Right now the two sides are in a triangle and the front is straight down from the screw above my two front teeth to the hook that is below by bottom teeth.At some point in here I also did exercises for working on the range of motion (ROM) for my jaw. Right now it is really small. I open and close for 15 minutes. I equate doing this with my jaw to trying to learn how to do a split. The muscles just do not want to do it. I do these exercises twice a day, and I know I need it! I learned that I because my incisions are healed well enough I can skip the strained puree diet right to the regular pureed diet. This is awesome news!
Two weeks ago today I was being chopped up and being put back together (kinda like humpty dumpty). The last two weeks have gone by quite quickly I think...I am very amazed by how fast my swelling has gone down, and that I did not bruise really at all.
I still look like me, just better...more comfortable looking in a way...like the pieces of my face fit together more appropriately. Some people when they have jaw surgery it is like looking at two different faces, I am glad I still look like me, as the goal of my surgery was not to cosmetic, but medical.
There really is a great difference in my profile, I mean I have a jaw line, it is still slightly hidden behind some swelling, but it is there. I'm sure it's going to be coming into view soon. My nose fits better, and I think my lips look different. I'm not going to post a verdict on them till braces are off because the braces certainly change the look a bit.
In my post-op yesterday I found out that I have 18, that's right 18, bone grafts in my upper jaw & 10 in my bottom. That is a lot. I don't know what the average is, but I imagine that is above it. They said they will be sending me copies of my x-rays (both pre & post) in a couple weeks. I am very excited to see them! I want to see where all the plates and screws are, along with seeing the grafting!
My nose still has drainage several times a day it will just start running without notice. It is a light brown color, I am assuming because of dry blood in my sinuses...but that is a 100% guess.
Today while doing my brushing and exercises I was very frustrated. I just never thought too much about this aspect of this whole process. Brushing is going to take some getting used to, and the exercises, well, I don't know if I'm ever going to like them...but I will always do them so I can succeed at having good ROM. Right now when I close, not open, for my exercises my right jaw muscle is so mad it brought me to tears tonight. They say it is just like working any other muscle that has been injured...so I am going to stay positive. Always stay positive.
Now that I am home I am going to have to get used to my new routine, new medicine, new foods, new ways of eating...I am slowly, very slowly, adjusting...it hasn't even been 24hrs yet so I need to give myself time...
Today I was very grateful to see friends who stopped by to say "hello" and to see my sister for the first time since surgery! My Mom also stopped by and bought me some food supplies (Thank You!).
Oh! I forgot one important thing! For all those jaw buddies out there, when you are in your elastics it is important not to open your teeth with your elastics on. I did not understand this and had just started to talk while opening my teeth a bit. This can cause your bone to move while it is trying to heal...so be careful and don't open your teeth when talking or eating! It is a bit uncomfortable/unnatural feeling, but it is important.
My pain level is at a 4 right now, but it can jump up to a 6 after doing exercises and/or eating...somehow swallowing the pureed food causes more stress on my jaw muscles. I think I may need to thin it out more.
Okay...that's all I've got for tonight...I know there is more I have, but this was a pretty long blog post...goodnight....smile :)
Flying. Flying was less than pleasurable. My right ear was the devil. It was clogged, ringing, and shooting pain for about 75% of all the flying we did. I did take Sudafed and nasal spray, but it just didn't do a thing. Before getting on the long red-eye from Portland to Newark I took a Claritin which did help for this flight. There was less pain and more of a water park sound in my ear. I was able to sleep, so I am grateful for that. I currently still wish my right ear would "pop." The left ear is OK. I am told continuing Sudafed for several days should help...
Last Post-Op went really well. Dr. G said everything looked "fantastic" and officially cleared me to come home! He checked my midline, overbite, overjet, and posterior width. He took off my elastics and let me brush for the first time....this was awkward, frustrating, and tiring. All of which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would feel like brushing as always, but it was hard because I am not able to open my mouth that wide, I can't feel my gums, I can't really see the back sides of my teeth, and simply holding my mouth open is tiring. It did feel good to brush; however, I was not able to brush the insides of my teeth or my tongue because I couldn't open up enough to get the baby toothbrush in there. Dr. G then put elastics on again, and we took pictures of my bite. This was a but uncomfortable because the plastic utensils (I can't think of the name of right now) they use to pull your lips back was stretching my incision sites. It didn't hurt, just stretched. After taking pictures I was taught how to take-off and put-on the elastics myself. This isn't hard, just sometimes awkward because I'm not used to using the little plastic tool. I'm sure with practice it will become easier. Right now the two sides are in a triangle and the front is straight down from the screw above my two front teeth to the hook that is below by bottom teeth.At some point in here I also did exercises for working on the range of motion (ROM) for my jaw. Right now it is really small. I open and close for 15 minutes. I equate doing this with my jaw to trying to learn how to do a split. The muscles just do not want to do it. I do these exercises twice a day, and I know I need it! I learned that I because my incisions are healed well enough I can skip the strained puree diet right to the regular pureed diet. This is awesome news!
Two weeks ago today I was being chopped up and being put back together (kinda like humpty dumpty). The last two weeks have gone by quite quickly I think...I am very amazed by how fast my swelling has gone down, and that I did not bruise really at all.
I still look like me, just better...more comfortable looking in a way...like the pieces of my face fit together more appropriately. Some people when they have jaw surgery it is like looking at two different faces, I am glad I still look like me, as the goal of my surgery was not to cosmetic, but medical.
There really is a great difference in my profile, I mean I have a jaw line, it is still slightly hidden behind some swelling, but it is there. I'm sure it's going to be coming into view soon. My nose fits better, and I think my lips look different. I'm not going to post a verdict on them till braces are off because the braces certainly change the look a bit.
In my post-op yesterday I found out that I have 18, that's right 18, bone grafts in my upper jaw & 10 in my bottom. That is a lot. I don't know what the average is, but I imagine that is above it. They said they will be sending me copies of my x-rays (both pre & post) in a couple weeks. I am very excited to see them! I want to see where all the plates and screws are, along with seeing the grafting!My nose still has drainage several times a day it will just start running without notice. It is a light brown color, I am assuming because of dry blood in my sinuses...but that is a 100% guess.
Today while doing my brushing and exercises I was very frustrated. I just never thought too much about this aspect of this whole process. Brushing is going to take some getting used to, and the exercises, well, I don't know if I'm ever going to like them...but I will always do them so I can succeed at having good ROM. Right now when I close, not open, for my exercises my right jaw muscle is so mad it brought me to tears tonight. They say it is just like working any other muscle that has been injured...so I am going to stay positive. Always stay positive.
Now that I am home I am going to have to get used to my new routine, new medicine, new foods, new ways of eating...I am slowly, very slowly, adjusting...it hasn't even been 24hrs yet so I need to give myself time...
Today I was very grateful to see friends who stopped by to say "hello" and to see my sister for the first time since surgery! My Mom also stopped by and bought me some food supplies (Thank You!).
Oh! I forgot one important thing! For all those jaw buddies out there, when you are in your elastics it is important not to open your teeth with your elastics on. I did not understand this and had just started to talk while opening my teeth a bit. This can cause your bone to move while it is trying to heal...so be careful and don't open your teeth when talking or eating! It is a bit uncomfortable/unnatural feeling, but it is important.
My pain level is at a 4 right now, but it can jump up to a 6 after doing exercises and/or eating...somehow swallowing the pureed food causes more stress on my jaw muscles. I think I may need to thin it out more.
Okay...that's all I've got for tonight...I know there is more I have, but this was a pretty long blog post...goodnight....smile :)
Mary you look awesome!! i'm so exicted for you :D
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