Day 38! Just Rambling
Today was a very productive day...Sam and I did grocery shopping & spend quality time at the laundromat. It cleared me of any energy I had, but it felt good to get out and be productive! It is cold and snowy up here which isn't very motivating to do much of anything. Still relying on the space heater for heat...Dec. 16th can't come soon enough!
I'm pretty sure the botox has started working. If I try to tense my masseter muscles it is pretty impossible...so yay?! I mean that is the result we were looking for, but it is weird not being able to use them. My post-botox appointment yesterday was very anti-climactic. Dr. H came in to look at me, we talked about how my muscles felt and about the spasms I was still having. He also checked my "wobbly" area's that I had earlier in the week. They are no longer wobbly. I go back in a month (a couple days after being in CA for my post-op) to check in. As a result of my masseter muscles not being active my joints hurt more. I am taking Tylenol twice a day, and am looking forward to the 16th when I am cleared to start my prescription pain medicine for the arthritis in my joints. I hope and pray this arthritis will clear up. After all it was the major reason/cause for me having the surgery to begin with.
I am now doing my exercises 3 times a day. I was cleared to go up to one more time a day because I felt that my joints were in dire need of WD40...they felt rickety (kinda like the tin man, pre-oil can). They feel better now after more exercise. I think my ROM is also improving more. I also think this extra exercise is helping my swelling. BUT the hook is still causing me a lot of pain. Every time I have to hook the band back on after exercise/brushing it literally feels equally as bad as someone shoving a nail into the bottom of my foot. I get so stressed about putting the band back on that I give myself an upset stomach. I don't know or think there is anything they can do about the hook pain, but to be blunt- is sucks, a lot. Oragel is a joke...when I am feeling really desperate I use some, but I never get relief from using it...it just helps me mentally because at least I am doing something to attempt to help.
As for physical therapy, I am still in limbo. I need it. My hip is out of control. Popping in and out of socket. My knee creaks and cracks again whenever I bend it to sit/stand or do stairs. I know if I were back in PT I would feel better. However, I am not allowed to do any "alignment" exercises because there is a chance they would interfere with the healing of my face. So for now I guess I have to wait for my face to heal, then work on aligning the rest of my body. I am disappointed because for the first 3 weeks after surgery my hip and knee were perfect! I don't know what happened to cause them to go out of wack again...
Joint pain is at a 4-6 depending on the time of day. Sleeping is difficult. Forcing myself to sleep propped up and on my back is a nightly struggle. Overall all of my post-op jaw issues are becoming "normal"....BESIDES eating. I would love to eat boneless chicken wings, and tacos, and pizza!!! I am months away from this, but knowing I will get there is a positive. The biggest mistake I made with this surgery was NOT getting a Vitamix Blender. I was introduced to this blender during a Costco demonstration about a year ago. This blender came with a recipe book and all the food was liquefied. Perfect. It was/is expensive ($$$) but at this stage I really wish I had it. Only 4.5 more weeks till soft food stage one....
I did have the pleasure of going to my friends Rach & Mike's house for dinner the other night. Rach made a delicious butternut squash soup. It was the right mix of sweet and spicy. Thanks Rach & Mike! It was great both eating the soup and getting out of the house!
Other than all of this, I am attempting to get into the holiday spirit. I am making my gifts this year so maybe I should get started...? Our tree and other decorations are awesome and Sam found some really great Christmas music...just wish I was able to enjoy all of the holiday food & treats!
That's all for now...smiling on!
I'm pretty sure the botox has started working. If I try to tense my masseter muscles it is pretty impossible...so yay?! I mean that is the result we were looking for, but it is weird not being able to use them. My post-botox appointment yesterday was very anti-climactic. Dr. H came in to look at me, we talked about how my muscles felt and about the spasms I was still having. He also checked my "wobbly" area's that I had earlier in the week. They are no longer wobbly. I go back in a month (a couple days after being in CA for my post-op) to check in. As a result of my masseter muscles not being active my joints hurt more. I am taking Tylenol twice a day, and am looking forward to the 16th when I am cleared to start my prescription pain medicine for the arthritis in my joints. I hope and pray this arthritis will clear up. After all it was the major reason/cause for me having the surgery to begin with.
I am now doing my exercises 3 times a day. I was cleared to go up to one more time a day because I felt that my joints were in dire need of WD40...they felt rickety (kinda like the tin man, pre-oil can). They feel better now after more exercise. I think my ROM is also improving more. I also think this extra exercise is helping my swelling. BUT the hook is still causing me a lot of pain. Every time I have to hook the band back on after exercise/brushing it literally feels equally as bad as someone shoving a nail into the bottom of my foot. I get so stressed about putting the band back on that I give myself an upset stomach. I don't know or think there is anything they can do about the hook pain, but to be blunt- is sucks, a lot. Oragel is a joke...when I am feeling really desperate I use some, but I never get relief from using it...it just helps me mentally because at least I am doing something to attempt to help.
As for physical therapy, I am still in limbo. I need it. My hip is out of control. Popping in and out of socket. My knee creaks and cracks again whenever I bend it to sit/stand or do stairs. I know if I were back in PT I would feel better. However, I am not allowed to do any "alignment" exercises because there is a chance they would interfere with the healing of my face. So for now I guess I have to wait for my face to heal, then work on aligning the rest of my body. I am disappointed because for the first 3 weeks after surgery my hip and knee were perfect! I don't know what happened to cause them to go out of wack again...
Joint pain is at a 4-6 depending on the time of day. Sleeping is difficult. Forcing myself to sleep propped up and on my back is a nightly struggle. Overall all of my post-op jaw issues are becoming "normal"....BESIDES eating. I would love to eat boneless chicken wings, and tacos, and pizza!!! I am months away from this, but knowing I will get there is a positive. The biggest mistake I made with this surgery was NOT getting a Vitamix Blender. I was introduced to this blender during a Costco demonstration about a year ago. This blender came with a recipe book and all the food was liquefied. Perfect. It was/is expensive ($$$) but at this stage I really wish I had it. Only 4.5 more weeks till soft food stage one....
I did have the pleasure of going to my friends Rach & Mike's house for dinner the other night. Rach made a delicious butternut squash soup. It was the right mix of sweet and spicy. Thanks Rach & Mike! It was great both eating the soup and getting out of the house!
Other than all of this, I am attempting to get into the holiday spirit. I am making my gifts this year so maybe I should get started...? Our tree and other decorations are awesome and Sam found some really great Christmas music...just wish I was able to enjoy all of the holiday food & treats!
That's all for now...smiling on!
Hi Marym,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say thanks for your encouraging words on my blog. I've had a good read through your experience, and it really is an inspiration to me and others waiting to go through the same thing.
Good luck with your continuing healing, I look forward to following your story :)
You can come over anytime! Anything we can do to make this easier for you...it's our pleasure.
ReplyDelete