How Long to be able to Talk?

Message

#1 Post by **iBorg** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:51 am

I'm starting this journey and learning as much as I can. I'm a college teacher facing possible double jaw surgery. The bottom is pretty definite while the top will depend on what happens with my ortho treatment.

Here's my question....How long should I anticipate not being able to teach after surgery? I normally talk about four hours a day during the semester. And yes my jaw, at least one side, hurts at the end of the day.

Mike

#2 Post by **hoca** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:54 am

I really hate to say this, because it's not the answer that you're looking for, but when you can talk normally again really depends on so many things.

After my double jaw surgery I was able to talk well enough to be understood by people who really listened after a couple of days. I could talk, with a horrible speach impediment, after about a week. It was like I was playing chubby bunny all the time. It took until my splint came out at week 7 before I could talk like a normal adult again. If you have a splint after the surgery, it really does make normal speach all but impossible. But, a large number of people never have a splint.

You should really call your OS to ask if they'll be splinting you for the surgery, since that makes a huge difference.

#3 Post by **Arvensis** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:01 am

This is exactly my point about not doing a clinic where I have to talk to small children right after jaw surgery:) Though Chubby Bubby-- that IS a fun game. It's like we get a natural handicap. This gives me a new idea-- I will require my "non surgery" friends to eat a certain number of marshmallows before they are allowed to communicate with me. It's a totally brilliant plan!

#4 Post by **Gem** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:10 am

I am 11 days out of upper jaw/genioplasty and I am still having some difficulty. When my sinuses are clear I am 75% clear but I overdid and had my jaw spasming. I have 2 small children and it is extremely frustrating because I have to hold them in front of my face so they can watch me as I try to form my words. Amazingly my doodle pad keeps disappearing

#5 Post by **anabel** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:51 am

The best person to answer this would probably be smile2006--she teaches at the university level. Maybe she'll pop in again soon.

#6 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:11 pm

It depends a lot on whether you will be banded, wired, splinted, etc. I was wired for 10 days and my speaking was barely understood. After the wires came off my speech was still a bit fuzzy for a couple weeks because of the numbness and stiffness.

#7 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:57 pm

Hey IBorg,
Not sure if this is going to help, but I'm an elementary school counselor. I talk all the time. I have been able to work my surgery out by starting well in advance for the summer. I get out of school May 23, and my surgery (upper, lower, and genio) will be May 24th at 7:30 am. This will give me a full 3 months of summer to heal. I'm hoping by 3 months things will be back to normal enough that I can go back to talking and teaching at school with relatively no problem. If a summer surgery is possible this is what I would recommend. I know from just my palate expansion surgery last year (which is far less invasive then upper, or lower) it took me a good three weeks to feel back to normal, and talking was very exhausting. Be sure you give yourself enough time. Personally, I would say 4 weeks would be a good amount if you can swing it, longer would of course be better though.

Brandy

#8 Post by **kate0310** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:20 pm

I'm almost 4 weeks post-op and my speech is completely understandable except for the odd word here and there that people have to clarify. My face is bizarre when I talk because of the numbness, and I have to work hard at making B's and P's understandable- but communicating is not an issue. I AM sore after I talk a lot, but it hasn't seemed to stop me.

I honestly don't think you will know until its all said and done, because everyone seems to be different for this one- an estimate would be about 5-6 weeks.

#9 Post by **chillin-in-grilz** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:46 pm

Im a memeber of the chubby wubby baby comittee, No lick your lips and smile

#10 Post by **iBorg** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:58 pm

I appreciate the responses. I'm guilty of being an over planner. Part of me would like to take time out during the school year to do this so I don't take away from family time during the summer. The other part of me says I should do it if possible during the summer. I'll do it when I'm ready.

If its close to the end of the semester, I'll wrap things up early if possible and have it as soon as possible so I'm able to enjoy at least part of the summer.

I'm sure I'll ask a bunch of questions as I progress.

THANKS for contributing to my education.

Mike

#11 Post by **iBorg** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:25 pm

Enjoy the ride?

I'm not the type of person who enjoys surprises. I want to know everything before I get started on anything.

Mike

#12 Post by **chrisk** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:06 am

Hi IBorg,

Here are my experiences post-operatively. I did not have a splint, but still found getting back to a full workload took awhile.

I'm an early childhood teacher and had upper and lower jaw surgery and genioplasty last August. At the time, I had one day per week regular work and worked as a relief teacher on the other days. As you can imagine, working with pre-primary children means you need to talk ALL day.

I took 4 weeks off from work. I had my surgery on the Wednesday of Week 4 of Term 3 and had weeks 4,5,6, and 7 off and went back to work in Week 8. I was lucky in that I could ease back into work. The first week back (the 4th week post-op) was quite tough, as I found my jaw was pretty tired by lunchtime. Another problem was the lack of projection on my voice (I had quite challenging children and needed to have projection). I had my assistant to help out so I got her to read the stories and get the children's attention if I was struggling.

The second week back at work (Week 9) I managed my one day regular work plus I worked a 1/2 day relief. Week 10 I managed my one regular day plus 1 full day. It was then school holidays so I had a 2 week break before school resumed. By then (9 weeks post-op), I was able to resume a full program of teaching every day.

Everyone's experiences and recovery are different. I consider that I had an easy recovery, I didn't have a splint and was able to eat squishy food one day after surgery. I felt ready to face the world at 2 weeks post-operatively, but getting back to a full workload (for me) took awhile.

I hope this helps.

#13 Post by **smile2006** » Tue May 08, 2007 4:35 am

Hello-

I was worried about the ability to talk as well. I'm a University professor. I had upper, lower and genio with widening of the palate on July 13th (2006). I had a splint in the upper jaw for 6 weeks which made talking very difficult. The splint was removed right before fall term started (like 5 days before). I found speaking loudly to be a bit of challenge without my jaws and face getting tired for probably a month or so after the splint was removed. My ROM was limited because of the surgery and splint. My first couple of classes I explained to the students what I had done (the surgery). They understood and were cooperative. My classes were upper division and grad courses so my groups of students were relatively small (that helped). I also found it weird to talk loudly and clearly at times because of the numbness which made forming words a little challenging (making your lips work). Eventually though it all went went away. My surgeons theory was the best way to improve speaking ability and get ROM back is to simply talk alot (vs. other exercises that sometimes people get to do). This worked for me. By October, I was fine in the classroom (well I thought so anyway....hahaha)

If you don't have a splint for an extended period it will be much easier speaking-wise. My splint was to hold the expansion of the upper jaw. The splint was not my favorite part of the ordeal. It was very bulky with a palatal bar (thick plastic) across the palate. Felt great to get it out though!

#14 Post by **iBorg** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:15 am

Thanks for the reply. We're similar in what we do except I have undergrads.

Based upon what I'm reading I should expect between six and eight weeks before I'm fully able to function on the job. This will make it easier as I plan ahead not for this year but the year after. Strange as it seems in college teaching you often have to do that.

Thanks,

Mike