Brendan's Upper/Lower/Chin on April 1st

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#31 Post by **Esoteric** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:35 am

This is the video that I watch when I have second thoughts lol =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91tf0UnD9mw

#32 Post by **chicago29** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:23 am

Esoteric...HA!!

I had no idea that happened to him. I'm definitely going to keep the video handy

I did get your PM, but I must admit I forgot about it. I have gotten horrible with email and communications lately. There are too many tools out there with email, text messaging, Facebook, etc. I can't keep up!!

#33 Post by **Nora Elizabeth** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:57 pm

Hey B-
You look great, considering all you've been through--- I'm sure G-man has done an amazing job. Is breathing/ sleeping getting easier, I hope? G actually told me I have the smallest airway (5 something) he has ever seen which means I have constant shiners from lack of 02 and don't get enough REM either. I am not looking forward to the breathing dramz after surgery- I barely get enough oxygen as it is! I'm glad you pulled through- it sounds tough though. Not sure if I am man enough for this surgery

. How is the eating thing going? Are you managing to get full or are you ravenous all the time? Lorazapam- nice! At least I have something to look forward to...
Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions and for sharing the videos. I'll be spending my last dime on this surgery so it's really cool to get your insight in advance.
Cheers to you! Happy Healing!

#34 Post by **brendan** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:12 pm

Nora Elizabeth wrote:Hey B-
You look great, considering all you've been through--- I'm sure G-man has done an amazing job. Is breathing/ sleeping getting easier, I hope? G actually told me I have the smallest airway (5 something) he has ever seen which means I have constant shiners from lack of 02 and don't get enough REM either. I am not looking forward to the breathing dramz after surgery- I barely get enough oxygen as it is! I'm glad you pulled through- it sounds tough though. Not sure if I am man enough for this surgery . How is the eating thing going? Are you managing to get full or are you ravenous all the time? Lorazapam- nice! At least I have something to look forward to...
Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions and for sharing the videos. I'll be spending my last dime on this surgery so it's really cool to get your insight in advance.
Cheers to you! Happy Healing!

No problem! To be honest with you i spent all my savings for the past 5 years or so as well, so i know about the investment aspect of it. Ruthless cost. But i try not to put a price on something like this.

I definitely notice breathing is easier, even though i am still a bit congested and obviously swollen . I can now get full breaths most of the time through my nose which is an amazing feeling! Eating still kind of sucks because its all liquid and i have been watching all this TV and non stop commercials of some bomb ass food!!! hahah.

I always have minor circles under my eyes as well! One of the top things i am praying goes away are these circles!! I am crossing my fingers to say the least. Anyway, i'll update with more info and another video early next week. Probably tuesday when i am able to finally take off my bands and do some excercises.

#35 Post by **Esoteric** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:21 am

Brendon, so you are banded and not wired shut then?

#36 Post by **brendan** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:41 am

Esoteric wrote:Brendon, so you are banded and not wired shut then?

Yeah, they are bands.

Still annoying as a mofo though!!

#37 Post by **Nora Elizabeth** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:48 pm

So did G put screws in your mouth (the gum part) to connect those bands or are they tied to your braces? I have been anticipating the Frankenstein screws in my mouth b/c I think that is their standard treatment at the CFCJS...but not really sure what to expect. What are you eating, drinking anyway?? Ouch, food commercials must be a bummer to watch...but the non-chewing is only temporary so in only eight weeks you'll be gulping down everything (almost) that you want AND breathing through your nose at the same time! Damnnnn! I can't imagine what the open airway feels like.... In the meantime, I say stick to action movies where no one is ever eating....

#38 Post by **treevernal** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:39 pm

Hey Brendan,

Wow, you are really swollen!! But it looks like you're recovering well. It looks as though they did a "setback" genioplasty and moved your chin backwards; is this what they did? Your chin looked more prominent in the before video, but maybe that is just due to being swollen and your jaws being advanced.

Speaking of which, it looks like you got quite the advancement in both jaws! Wow. You said your upper jaw was advanced 8mm, how much was your lower advanced? And this is a very technical question, but did Dr. Gunson advance your True Vertical Line in your Cephalometric Treatment Plan? It looks like it might have been advanced a couple of mm to get the amount of projection you currently have.

Does your skin feel very tight around your jaws, mouth, and neck? Looks like there is a lot of pressure there. Hopefully the swelling will go down quickly!

Anyway, sorry for my long list of questions. I hope you're doing well and that you feel better everyday! You must be so looking forward to getting those bands off!

Take care man,

Dan

#39 Post by **brendan** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:48 pm

Nora Elizabeth wrote:So did G put screws in your mouth (the gum part) to connect those bands or are they tied to your braces? I have been anticipating the Frankenstein screws in my mouth b/c I think that is their standard treatment at the CFCJS...but not really sure what to expect. What are you eating, drinking anyway?? Ouch, food commercials must be a bummer to watch...but the non-chewing is only temporary so in only eight weeks you'll be gulping down everything (almost) that you want AND breathing through your nose at the same time! Damnnnn! I can't imagine what the open airway feels like.... In the meantime, I say stick to action movies where no one is ever eating....

Yeah, he puts 2 in he center. Do you know how long it takes before i get an idea of my perm new airway? I mean, because im swollen, i imagine its going to still get bigger right?

#40 Post by **brendan** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:51 pm

treevernal wrote:Hey Brendan,

Wow, you are really swollen!! But it looks like you're recovering well. It looks as though they did a "setback" genioplasty and moved your chin backwards; is this what they did? Your chin looked more prominent in the before video, but maybe that is just due to being swollen and your jaws being advanced.

Speaking of which, it looks like you got quite the advancement in both jaws! Wow. You said your upper jaw was advanced 8mm, how much was your lower advanced? And this is a very technical question, but did Dr. Gunson advance your True Vertical Line in your Cephalometric Treatment Plan? It looks like it might have been advanced a couple of mm to get the amount of projection you currently have.

Does your skin feel very tight around your jaws, mouth, and neck? Looks like there is a lot of pressure there. Hopefully the swelling will go down quickly!

Anyway, sorry for my long list of questions. I hope you're doing well and that you feel better everyday! You must be so looking forward to getting those bands off!

Take care man,

Dan

I actually didnt end up getting a genioplasty and he didnt mess with my chin. Weird i know. My lower jaw was rotated/moved forward and thats how it turned out. He liked it how it was and didnt want any uneccesary risks since he and i guess 2 others in the OR room thought it looked fine.

He moved my upper 9mm actually i think and the lower to match. Dont know about the other stuff

As for skin being tight. yes, it is, but i think its becuase of the swelling mostly.

On another note, i just carried in groceries all at once... not a good idea. definitely should have went twice. dumb ass me!

#41 Post by **Nora Elizabeth** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:20 pm

B-
My guess is that by week 3 you'll start really noticing the enlarged airway. 80% of the swelling will be gone by week three according to G's people---which means you have only two weeks to go! G said dark circles disappear completely in a year. Check out this guys orthognathic surgery blogs on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ryanraddatz (he has two jaw surgery blog entries with images). He was a patient of Dr. G too--- you can see how much his swelling goes down in the first month....
Take it easy- no more lifting!

#42 Post by **HokieTay** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:47 pm

Omg Nora. Not going to lie... that guys blog freaked me the HECK out!!! His face was sooo intense... looked like he was in a horrible car accident. My god. What surgeries did he get exactly? I was trying to find it, but it didn't look like he listed which procedures were done?

#43 Post by **treevernal** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:05 pm

WOW! That guy looked insane! Maybe it just "looks" more horrendous than it feels?? I hope so! It is still a LONG ways away until I have surgery, but it's still scary to see these pictures

#44 Post by **Nora Elizabeth** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:27 am

Yikes, guys! So sorry, I posted this link without thinking how the images would be received. I meant to illustrate how the patients swelling improves substantially over the first twenty days...I have no idea what procedure he underwent, just found the blog googling around on the internet...

#45 Post by **chicago29** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:22 am

Wow...those are pretty intense pics. I think the reason they look so bad is the color of the bruising. I'm fair skinned myself, and I bruised almost exactly like this guy did. That "yellow" type bruising just looks horrendous, and luckily it doesn't happen to everybody.

His swelling is intense, but honestly I think everybody's is pretty bad and there are many factors that can make it look worse (i.e., the lighting in the photograph). My swelling went down a lot quicker than his did (I wonder if he used ice and heat at all), but that could be because a SARPE/MSDO is not as invasive as a bi-max.

By the looks of it, he underwent the typical LeFort/BSSO surgery. If not, I'd hate to have seen what he'd look like with a more invasive surgery!!

Metal Mouth Message Board

Brendan's Upper/Lower/Chin on April 1st

Love Kanye Wired Shut- the best!!

Re: Love Kanye Wired Shut- the best!!

bands

Re: bands

airway

sorry!