April 2012 buddies!

[Clare85]

Oh no! I'm SO sorry to hear that!!! I had a similar blood test done about a week ago, so hopefully I'm in the clear as I haven't heard anything to the contrary. What a bummer. Try not to worry about it too much, especially before you've had it rechecked and a doc discusses it with you. There are plenty of things they can do about it, even you can donate blood prior to surgery in case you need it transfused back in. I'll be sure to tell you how it all goes for me, I'm just sorry we can't share the journey together!

[Tracey55]

So sorry Aa27 !! Try not to get too discouraged! Hopefully once thy figure it all out you will be short listed!
Best of luck!
Tracey

[Tracey55]

Hi all... I am 4 days post op! I survived the first of 2 surgeries! I had a SARPE and partial Le Forte. My face is swollen but surprisingly not bruised. Sleeping lots.. A few complications with the drugs, but I think I have it under control now.
Good luck to all of you heading to surgery this week!
Tracey

[Clare85]

I'm 5 hours post op. Feeling pretty good really! Dying for the loo but am going to hold on for another hour as then I'm allowed to try and get up for the loo rather than using a bedpan!
Whole chin and lower lip completely numb so pain is minimal, I have a morphine clicker I can use but have only used it twice so far. Have also beengiven penicillin and dexamethasone into my drip.
I am already very swollen, and a dark shade of purple. Swelling apparently peaks day 3 so worst is yet to come.
Everyone, especially nurses, have been so kind. I've had an ice bra around my face since I woke up, and have just had my oxygen mask taken off.
My mum and sister said my bite looks a heap better already, and apparently the surgeon thinks I'll be really pleased with my profile when the swelling settles. He didn't need to do anything with my chin after all.
That's all I can think of for now; fire away with any questions you might have! I've paid $13890 in costs so far my surgery, but it looks like I may only need to stay one night rather than 2 so I'll get $1040 back from the hospital if that's the case.
Glad you're goIng well Tracey. What has been your worst day so far?

[AA27]

Really glad that both of you seem to be doing well. I had my 2nd blood test and the results came back fine, they had problems with the first test so the readings looked like I had an issue with my blood clotting. I have since been told the operation is back on so just waiting for a new date. Dissappointed in the delay, but very relieved at the same time. I haven't given it much thought today but if my Op went ahead as planned I would be waking up in recovery about now.

Clare I'm surpised you are able to post a message just 4-5 hours after the operation Hope you both have a very speedy full recovery, take good care of yourselves.

[Clare85]

Well good news about your bloods AA27! Hopefully they'll get you a new surgery date right away! My surgeon didn't even get a copy of my bloods til Friday so thank goodness they must have been okay as it would have been awful to have been cancelled 3 days out. Pain is okay today- about 18hrs post op. Used my morphine clicker lots overnight plus multiple ice pack changes helped a great deal. I've just had a short Panadol drip and taken a dexamethasone tablet. Swelling definitely worsened a lot overnight, as did bruising, which explains the pain. Now purple black right down to the base of my neck.
Dinner was a bit of a struggle 12 hours ago. Fainted right before it and started profusely sweating but have been ok since- though still sweating as the heat has been up so high in my ward! Sharing with 3 ladies all in their 60s-70s all having different stuff done.
Dinner consisted of individual vitamised foods- carrot, broccoli, veal, mashed potato, gravy, apple juice and vanilla yoghurt. Very tough to eat, my Dad visited and helped me out but then we got in trouble with the nurse who said I had to do it myself. Found best technique was to get half a teaspoon of food, stick my tongue all the way out, drop it onto that, then use my top lip, which had fullsensation, to wipe it off my tongue. Very slow going and quite messy but we got there! Also got in trouble for using the 50ml syringe I had brought to squirt my apple juice and water into the back of my throat- nurse said I had to persist with the cup which was much harder but reasonably do-able. It is hard only being able to open your mouth less than half a centimetre!

[Clare85]

Forgot to mention I have already regained some sensation (it's tingly but can definitely feel it) to my lower right lip and right hand side of chin so I'm guessing that's a really positive sign that the nerve damage on that side at least is unlikely to be permanent! Has also made it much easier to drink out of a cup now I can at least feel one side of my lower lip! Left side of lower lip and chin still totally numb.

[Clare85]

Yesterday just before breakfast surgeon came to see me and placed an elastic running from my upper left front teeth to lower right front teeth, to help with correcting my crossbite. This resulted in the inability to protrude my tongue making breakfast near impossible except for the water and orange juice. My drip was stopped and with it my intravenous analgesia though I was given 2 Panadol and one oxycodone tab. I felt okay til lunchtime, about midday, til the effort of eating the vitamised lamb, zucchini etc really took it's toll and my pain hit an 8.5/10. While still battling through lunch I was called for xrays which involved a lot of waiting around in radiology with the pain nearly unbearable, esp when I had to put a prong in between my teeth and the machine juddered my teeth around. Cried for the first time since the op. Back up to bed where I tried to sleep but nurse came to say I could go home and figured they were no longer doing anything for me I couldn't do for myself so went home. Straight to bed with ice packs all around my face and pain dropped down to a more bearable 6/10. When I woke up this morning pain only about 3/10 so have started to do laps around the garden as have heard early return to exercise can help dissipate swelling. Swollen from under ears right down to just above breasts but bruising is already not so purple/black. Forgot to mention dietician visited yesterday after surgeon did and gas recommended Up and Go and Sustergan for the next week until I'm allowed to remove my elastics for eating. I have had no trouble drinking from a thin lipped cup. At this stage with the elastics in it is a struggle to even get tablets in between the tiny (1/4-1/2cm) gap between my teeth so will definitely stick to a purely liquid diet for now.

[MadAussieGirl]

Hi All,

Thought I'd post and find out what other people's recoveries have been like...

I am now 7 days post op! Had a single lower jaw surgery on April 16 along with bone graft and implants all at once. Came up pretty bruised and swollen but thankfully most of the swelling seems to have gone and everything seems to be travelling pretty well so far. Though I am worried about keeping my mouth clean as I am just swilling with salty water at the moment (am sure the plaque is having a party in there!)... how is everyone else keeping things clean? how soon before we can start brushing again?

Got my first ortho visit tomorrow which is a little nerve wracking (hope they don't try to do too much as everything is still pretty tender!)

Had mine with Steven Gibbons at Cabrini Brighton in Melbourne and everything seemed to go really well. And I must say the nursing staff at Cabrini were excellent!

Kim.

[Clare85]

Hi Kim!
So good to hear from you and that things are progressing well!
To clean my mouth I brush my teeth where possible with a baby toothbrush (I can stretch my elastics far enough to get it inside my mouth) and I also use a 50:50 2% chlorhexidone:water mouth wash after I eat.
My nutrition has been appalling. A lot of days I've managed just half a glass of apple juice. Yesterday I turned a bit of a corner in that my tummy settled a bit (my neck and chest turned the most BRILLIANT yellow with the bruising!) and I managed 3/4 of a thing of 2min noodles- I broke the noodle cake into 1cm squares before cooking, and could then slurp it into my mouth with my fingers assisting to push it in. Did take about 45min.
My set back is that yesterday I noticed a firm, large, painful swelling under my left jaw. I then considered that right from the start that side had been far more painful than the other- in fact, if I thought about it, the right side felt pretty much pain free!
I had a very sleepless night due to pain over the lump, and worry.
Today I saw my surgeon who said we wil try salt water rinses and new antibiotics for 24hrs, then tomorrow, if no better, he will inject local, lance the area, and flush it out. I shudder at the thought of the grossness that will involve, though in sone ways look forward to it as it is very sore, and under so much pressure right now I'm worried it might burst out through the skin if not lanced from the inside! Still feeling positive, no regrets, we will see what tomorrow brings.

[MadAussieGirl]

Hi Claire, don't worry too much about the lump - It sounds like it will be a pretty straightforward fix. I'm pretty sure by now there's not much these nurses, surgeons etc haven't seen so they'll have it under control in no time... My Surgeon stocked me up pretty well on drugs - I have childrens nurofen which is really quite good, and oxycodon which I discovered is quite fast acting and basically knocked me out for the count on those first few nights.. (the first time almost before I even made my way from the bathroom to my bed - nearly spent the night on my bathroom floor I think) Have been using them as needed but before the pain gets bad enough to stop me sleeping. Am now pretty much pain free though I have noticed my jaw joints are starting to ache a bit... Nutrition wise it took about four days after the surgery to have much other than plain vanilla yoghurt and apple juice, but i have expanded the diet to include flavoured yoghurts, custard, jelly, and puréed apple - all with a teaspoon. Have just started to introduce scrambled eggs (a bit runny) and am going to try making a smoothie tomorrow and see if I can use a straw yet.. Up n Go works well for breakfast... And hot milky drinks (Milo, hot chocolates) are yummy too. And chocolate mousse... Just cause I deserve it! Hopefully your stomach settles a bit soon so you can start enjoying the recovery diet...

Weirdest sensation to date has been an itchy chin which I can't scratch as it is still numb, most annoying is the constant pins and needles, and most frustrating is the sore neck from having to sleep all propped up in bed!

Kim.

[Clare85]

Hi Kim,
Glad to hear you're almost pain free! What dose of oxycodone were you taking each time? 5mg every 6 hours did nothing at all for me!
So my nutrition is really good now- porridge for breakfast, pasta for lunch, risotto for dinner. It's been great to get some decent food into me.
Are you managing to brush your teeth yet? How did your post op check go?
So yesterday I went to the surgeons for the second day in a row. He cut the wound right open to explore the painful hard area. It was a rather gruesome experience. He didn't find any pus or blood clots, only indurated, or abnormally hardened, tissue. So he stitched me back up again after flushing the wound- he will send the flush for culture just in case. He said he doesn't know why it has happened but he's hopeful it will go away with time. I guess the alternative is that it turns into a thick wad of scar tissue...
I'm seeing him again in another week and on the meantime am going to try and see if anyone else on here has had this experience and if there was anything they did to help resolve it.
It feels as hard as a rock in my neck under my jawline. Very sore to touch. About 3cm wide, 5cm long.

[MadAussieGirl]

Hi Clare,

When I've needed the oxy, I was taking a 10mg dose... But I only did that at night - knocked me straight out so I managed to sleep...
I hope that lump of yours will settle soon and stop causing you discomfort!
Had my post op review yesterday, and the orthos a couple of days ago... Everyone seems happy with it all. I'm just hanging out for the pins and needles in my chin to stop and for my lower lip to feel things again. I know that one takes some time - I'm just impatient.

Am almost back to normal cleaning wise... Just using a kids toothbrush (I think it has Dora the Explorer on it) and the salt rinses to keep it all good. The surgeon is waiting to see the swelling in the gums go down and then he'll be happy I think. (the area around my implants is quite inflamed. But that is to be expected.

[Clare85]

Hi Kim,
Glad you're going well!
Yes the pins and needles is crazily annoying isn't it! I've been having to take sleeping tablets to get to sleep because of it! I've now been able to ditch my V-shaped pillow and back to using 2 regular ones which is awesome. My doc says expect 6mths for sensation in chin/lower lip to be normal again (though for some people it never is).
Managed to eat malai kofta from the Indian takeaway the other night which was truly a taste sensation
My swelling is now minimal except for my lump, though still have a big yellow bruise down over my chest.
I have regained the ability to turn my head from side to side which is fab, previously The lump was stopping me from doing that, so hopefully that means it's getting smaller! Still just as hard though. Might be having CT scan of it next week according to surgeon.
How are you managing with your elastics? I have a really thick one (aptly called a 'Bummer'!) going diagonally right across my front teeth which is mega annoying, to help correct my cross bite, and 2 more going straight up and down on each side which don't bother me.
When do you go back to work? I'm back may 7, was supposed to be may 3 but had to delay it with my lump.
Well, it was really great to hear from you Kim

[AA27]

Hey everyone

I got a call this afternoon to say my Surgery can be fitted in this coming Monday as someone else had to cancel/was not ready. So technically I can still be part of this thred very happy that the surgery got re-scheduled so quickly, but at the same time quite worried as it seems to be happening so soon. Will spend the rest of the weekend buying things I need for recovery, and for my hopefully short stay at the hospital. Anything you guys can recommend as must/very useful to haves prior and after the Surgery?

Clare85 do you think returning to work on the 7th is going to be ok for you? I suspect my recovery is going to be a bit tougher than both of you (Hi MadAussieGirl) as I will be having double jaw surgery. Hope you both have a good weekend