MAY 2011 BUDDIES!!!!

[luke88]

Hi everyone.

Been to the hospital and had some more elastics put on so I am nice and tight again now. He has given me the scissor thing and more elastics to put on if one or two fall off... if a big chunk come off like again, I need to go up the hospital soon as possible because it will affect my bite. No damage done though.

Surgeon said I was healing very well considering I am 6 days post op. My swelling has come down a lot.

I couldn't breathe again last night but surgeon said it will clear in time.

I am terrified to eat now in case more elastics come off... why are they do fragile?

Next appointment is next Monday for new elastics.

That's all to report at the moment. Hope everyone else is OK!

[bracedfaced]

Romancommander, holy smokes...chili!? You are brave. That is awesome. I am now eating my first homemade smoothy. I had stuck with packaged liquids and soups up until now. Getting bored of the same old food though. Having creamy tomato soup for lunch and looking forward to that. My appetite is definitely present. I have lost 5 pounds.

So should I be counting my day of surgery as Day 1 or Day 0? I had my surgery on Wednesday May 11th so I have been saying that today (Monday), I am 5 days post-op.

Hey luke! Glad you got those elastics fixed and some piece of mind. I think the elastics are probably coming off when you are sticking items into you mouth like toothbrush, feeding hose, etc. I have been trying to just stick the hose-free syringe at my front teeth and suck it through to avoid that. I am now using my first baby spoon too because the smoothy I just made is kind of thick but that is taking some getting used to!

Wish my luck at my post-op appointment today. 6 hours from now.

[Rizzie]

Sounds like everyone had a pretty good morning.

I go for my first post-op visit tomorrow at 11. My swelling is much better, but my bruising takes the prize for any I've seen on others' blogs. My chest and neck are purple and Shrek green. I have one purple spot under my left eye, and one 6" long vertical stripe of purple/green on each side of my mouth. But, I'm walking in the office with my head held high, because bruising is nothing in the grand scheme of things, and I'm so happy to be where I am in my recovery!!!

bracefaced: I think you are counting correctly--at least the way you are counting matches up with the way my ticker counts the days. Hope your post-op visit goes well--let us know.

[bracedfaced]

Hi, I am back from my post-op appointment! Now I only have two tiny rubberbands on and my nose is nice and cleaned. I can eat soft foods! I came home and took groundbeef, green pepper, cremette noodles, and tomato soup and pureed it in the blender. Ate it with a spoon! Washed it down with a thick vanilla pudding. Delicious! I'll probably be gaining weight now! Ha!

[Rizzie]

Wow bracefaced! Two little rubber bands! That is wonderful! Did they actually clean you teeth? How did they do that? I'm not hoping for less bands. My OS pretty much said as much before surgery. I would like for it to happen just so I could get a better idea how my teeth look. Were you able to tell more about your bite?

[bracedfaced]

Hi Rizzie! They didn't clean them for me. They just handed me a toothbrush and I got to brush while 100% debanded! He says I can take off my bands up to 3 times a day for eating or brushing purposes. I am scared to take them off by myself though. :p

[romancommander]

Just had my 1 week check up today, doc said I only need to wear the elastics at night and that I can drink beer as long as Im not taking pain meds. AWESOME!

[bracedfaced]

Awesome, romancommander! I plan to be off these pain meds by Friday, then maybe I can have a glass of wine! The pain meds are giving me the CRAZIEST dreams!

I was able to take my two tiny bands off tonight and clean my whole mouth. I can take them off up to 3 times a day or an hour each time. I barely can tell that I have them on!

Easy from here on out... )

[bracedfaced]

One more thing... Ever since surgery, I have been having awful tmj pain. Both sides. I assume this is normal for 5 days post-op? When should it stop?

[luke88]

Wow, check out the progress going on here already. You guys are very lucky to be free from a fully wired mouth. I have 5 more weeks of my mouth wired shut (with elastics). Not good at all but it is what the doctor ordered so I have to stick with it.

[DRG]

He has given me the scissor thing and more elastics to put on if one or two fall off...

I just learned that those "scissor things" are officially called hemostats or forceps. I had to ask a girl at my ortho office as my OS provided a pair for me to use when placing my rubber bands, but his office is apparently expecting them to be returned soon. They are rather inexpensive ($5), that is if you know the correct term to search for.

DRG

[Rizzie]

Hello all. Just returned from my first post-op appointment, and no changes here. Just as I suspected. I will be in tight bands for 5 more weeks. The only freedom I will get is if the bands lose some elasticity, but that won't be enough to make much of a difference. I guess it could help my speech a bit.

I have now turned from Shrek green to a mustard yellow bruising. It is pretty extensive and just generally a gross color. I hope that resolves this next week. I'd like to get out in the world, but I don't want questions and stares--this color is really ridiculous.

I feel so much better, though, and definitely over the hump. I'm starting to try out some savory things--split pea soup for lunch was wonderful!

[Sams]

Hi all,

I've just two bands on too now and it makes a big difference. I had another check up today and I'm allowed to take my bands off to brush my teeth too. I got handed an envelope of spare bands in case I need to replace them before my next check up. I should imagine it makes a difference whether you've had one or both jaws operated on. I had my upper jaw only - my lower jaw is in tact as it were so maybe that's why I only need two bands to hold everything in place. Hang in there guys - you're already a week down.

Not on pain meds anymore but don't feel ready to drink wine/beer just yet - only because I've been eating so little I think that if I have more than I sip I'll fall over lol! Looking forward to my first glass of something chilled though Those of you brave enough to drink - have a sip or two for me!!

I made it out to the shops today without feeling like a freak! I did food shopping (ironic) and I made my fella a big pan of beer braised beef stew (I love to cook, find it theraputic). It smelled sooooo good. I made some mashed potatos to go with it and threw a couple of spoons of the gravy from the stew over some of the mash in a blender and made a soft mush for myself. Didn't look like much but was very tasty!

My swelling has come down a lot but my OS says that there is a lot more to go especially either side of my nose. He said I way to tell when the swelling has truly subsided is when you see indents appear again - like smile lines/grooves each side of your nose. I thought that was a good point. I also mentioned the numbness and he said that can take several weeks to recover from - like the last of the swelling. Ah patience....

Have any of you had to sneeze yet? I was really worried about that - mental images of me sneezing and my jaw flying out and landing on the floor like one of those joke dentures was just too much. Well I did feel a sneeze brewing and I held my head and did a really held-in, cautious sneeze and everything remained in tact - phew! Might have popped a few brain cells though...

Anyway, hope you all sleep well and 'speak' to you soon, Sams x

[romancommander]

Hey Rizzie and luke88, that sucks that you have to be wired shut with elastics for 5 more weeks. Im thinking thats cause you guys had both jaws done while I just got the top jaw. Its great that you guys are feeling better!

Thought I would go ahead and upload a few photos to show how I'm doing as well as a before photo. Just got back from eating some chicken fried rice... yum.

Before
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff5 ... G_0700.jpg

7 Days After Surgery
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff5 ... G_0708.jpg

Me trying to open my mouth as far as I can...
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff5 ... G_0709.jpg

My doc says that my mouth will be able to open twice as far within 2 weeks which is great. All the swelling and bruising should be gone by then too. Bracedfaced, my jaw muscles (tmj?) hurts a little, I am guessing cause it is always stressed not being able to open my mouth fully. I hope my upper lip starts to move more soon. Right now it only moves a bit and It is weird not being able to smile.

[Sams]

Blimey Romancommander - you look good! Hardly any swelling at all! Seven days post op I still had big hamster cheeks. I'll try to work out how to upload some pics too - need to work out where the camera cable is...