DECEMBER 2014 BUDDIES!!

[gutsygumshoe]

Day 10, and I slept so much better last night than I have done recently, only woke up a couple of times that I can remember. I ended up napping for most of the day today. Guess my lack of sleep recently is finally catching up with me. I tried having a nap in bed this afternoon - I've been sleeping on the sofa since I got home from hospital as I find it easier to be upright there. I slept alright in bed but was a bit stiff in the jaw afterwards, I guess from the lack of elevation putting a bit of a strain on my face. Will stick to the sofa for the time being I think.

No painkillers since last night before I went to sleep. I'm a bit sore and achy but I can deal with it, I don't think it's bad enough to need medicine at the moment.

I went to the annual big family Christmas gathering at my cousin's house earlier this evening. None of them had seen me since surgery and they all thought I looked good Shame I couldn't eat much of the food on offer though haha! Had to make do with potato salad and try to ignore all the crunchy things. Did a lot of talking but so far don't feel too stiff or sore so hopefully I got away with it.

Also got to meet my cousin's new baby who was born a few weeks ago So teeny!

Plan for tomorrow morning is to go meet some family in town for coffee. Will be my first time attempting to eat/drink in public... wish me luck haha!

[gutsygumshoe]

Day 11- going out this morning for coffee was successful. I had hot chocolate rather than coffee but managed to drink it in public without any random drips escaping onto my chin so all was good. Did have to get a bottle of water afterwards though because the chocolate turned my front teeth all around the brackets brown!! But the water washed all that away

My swelling was down enough this morning that I could reach nearly all of my back teeth to brush. It was the most thorough teeth clean I'd had since before surgery, and although I've still got a long way to go before I'm back to normal cleaning levels it felt good.

I've been so wiped out today that since I got home I've been napping on the sofa. At one point my head flopped forward so that it was on its side with the weight of my head pressing my jaw into the pillow. I moved as soon as I woke up and realised, but my top jaw clicked a little bit when I moved it and hurt!! I was a bit worried but it doesn't hurt now so hopefully no damage done.

Sorry my updates are probably pretty boring cos they're just little day-to-day things!! I just like having it written down so I have like a log of everything to go back over and see progress

How are you doing Nadira? Hope all's good! x

[Nadira]

I hear you gutsygumshoe,
By day 19 there is not much to report. My sister has me send a photo each morning.
Another way of keeping track. Today I smiled showing my elastics. this startled her as the elastics look like fangs.

I have been careful with my sleep, but still I have found I have moved a little to my side. Usually a discomfort wakes me up.

Day 18- quiet day, eat (drink) rinse clean and repeat. Smaller area of my chin became zingy in the evening.

Day 19 - today will be much the same, found a site with some great recipes, and I think I will try blender French toast, no syrup, a touch of ground cinnamon. I will see how that goes.

I am getting good at finding my lower lip and drinking from a glass or cup. I found my glasses with a flared edge has less spillage, drips or other leaks. I continue to syringe food to the back and centre of my tongue to keep food away from my incisions.
Due to the holiday my next appointment is not until Jan 6th, and I want to make sure the area of dehiscence ( popped stitch) has closed up. Not sure if I used dehiscence properly. I think it means split.

[gutsygumshoe]

Hehehe Nadira I know exactly what you mean about the elastics looking like fangs! I have bright blue ones at the moment so there's no missing them when I smile!

The French toast thing sounds yummy Fingers crossed all is well with your stitch and it's healing as it should be.

Day 12 - pureed bean and vegetable casserole does not look very appetising haha! But tastes much the same as non-pureed.

I sneezed for the first time today It came on and happened so quickly that I didn't have time to stop it!! Sneezing with two broken jaws is pretty scary but they're still attached to my face so I don't think I did any damage!!

One of my teeth is particularly painful today. It feels similar to when you've just had a brace adjustment, and it's a couple of teeth along from one with a band hooked on so I guess it's from the pressure of the band pulling. I see the orthodontist on Wednesday so if it still hurts then I'll get them to take a look and make sure it's ok.

My top lip is finally becoming a bit more mobile. It moves a little when I smile now, so my smiles are a bit more natural and less scary! Still numb though, and feels stiff and swollen still up under my nostrils. I think a lot of that has to do with a stitch I have there. Can't wait for the stitches to come out!

[Nadira]

Day 20 post BSSO advancement

Hi,
The puréed french toast was very good. I have a small blender the bullet, so I blended the raw ingredients, cooked them and blended them again. not having syrup was just fine, I did add a bottle of vanilla ensure to get he right consistency. As for taste I try to keep the food to the back of my tongue, so some of the taste does get through.

I even a moment last night when I had forgotten that I had anything going on in my jaw. I was reading. I finished the book and it took me a minute to remember the elastic the tingling and movement was my new normal.

I have sneezed and with only the mandible involved the worst thing was my formally feral cats, take off like a shot, and then look at me like I insulted them.

With the elastics I have found before I make a phone call I have to talk, to warm up my muscles.
And have learned the hard way and from comments on this site, that slurring words again is a good indicator I have talked too much. Laughing is very tiring, and yawning I guard so I do not open my mouth too wide. Even writing the word caused a yawn.

Today after lunch - blended beef stew with vegetables, I took a little look to see where my stitches might be, I saw one, and then some little regular spaced bumps. The bumps might only be swelling from irritation. These stitches will dissolve, and already I have notice 3 when rinsing.

The selfcare , eating and rinsing, and... Is all part of this journey.

Bright blue elastics, nice.

[gutsygumshoe]

Nadira I get exactly what you mean about the slurring - if I've talked too much and worn my jaw out then by the end of the day my speech is much less clear than it is normally.

So day 13 and I don't really have much to update. My teeth are starting to become quite sensitive and achy now. And my jaw joints ache a lot from time to time, especially when I first wake up in the morning - I suspect I probably sleep with my mouth hanging open! I'll mention the joint pain to the orthodontist tomorrow though just in case it isn't normal. It's not something I've really seen anyone mention on their blogs before (and I've read a lot of jaw blogs over the last few years!!)

When I was brushing my teeth this morning I noticed that the strings from the stitch under the middle of my top lip are starting to hang down now. Maybe they've always been like that and I was just too swollen before to move my lip enough to see them... but what I'm hoping is maybe that's them starting to drop out? Stitches are one thing I'm very squeamish about so I hope they dissolve and fall out soon!

[Nadira]

Day 21 post BSSO

More random aches, and awareness on what I think is the inner lower lip.
I am using my hot pack more often again, and that helps as I finished my perscription for codeine. I have not had the jaw pain, Yet as the muscles, joint, ligaments and all become settled I am sure that everything will of ached a few times before the braces are off..

I may go to my pharmacist tomorrow and see what over the counter meds are useful to take the sting out of nerve regeneration. It is kind of like a wasp sting after the initial jab.
It does seem fairly constant, I tend not to notice when the pain had stopped or decreased, just when it flares up. Something touches my face, the cold air outside or just because it can.

My appointment with the surgeon is in a week, the orthodontist in another 3-5 weeks. This depends on when the surgeon says I can have the splint removed.
Swelling must be going down, as I was able to see the back of the splint and it is stained with the Rx mouthwash, the lovely zombie black grunge. As is coating parts of my tongue, and I can not get back there.


I was feeling a bit sorry for myself so supper was lots is ice cream and Ensure. Comfort food without the guilt! I feel much better and am pleased that I am taking good care of myself.

Until tomorrow,
Good night.

[gutsygumshoe]

So it's after midnight here... happy new year!!

Belated day 14 as it's technically day 15 now. Can't believe it's been two whole weeks already! I saw the orthodontist earlier and it went really well. She's not my usual one as he's on holiday, so she's done all my post-op appointments so far. She's really pleased with how everything's looking The only change to my bands from last week is that I have single ones now (they were doubled up before) and I can change them myself once a day now. Swelling's gone down enough that I can get to the back of my mouth much easier now so this should be much more straightforward that before.

She said my overjet has improved by 2mm since last week - it was 6mm then and 4mm now. She doesn't think it will improve any more than this due to my face structure but who knows. Apparently 2-4 is normal range so I'm at the higher end of that. My lower jaw was moved 8mm so I guess that means my overjet was 12mm beforehand. All I know is I could fit the tip of my thumb between my top and bottom teeth when they were closed before! Can't do that now though

I also told her I'd been taking progress photos every day and she got very excited and asked if I had any 'before' photos on my phone, as she's only seen me post-op. So I showed her some and she was really impressed with the result So am I!!

I was told that under no circumstances was I to go out anywhere tonight where I was likely to get my face knocked, haha! But bars and clubs aren't really my thing at the best of times, so it was just a chilled out new years eve on the sofa at home, watching the London fireworks on the telly.

Bottom jaw has been very twingey today. It's spasmed a lot and been jerking around all over the place by itself. Very weird when it happens!

Have a good night everyone, all the best for 2015!

[Nadira]

Not quite New Years here, and I will be sleeping through the midnight, not ever been interested in being out at New Years. Morning person here.
Happy New Years


So day 22, woke up with chills and a cough. Extra rest today, seems to have helped.

With out normal distracting activity I am noticing evey twinge, ache, buring feeling.

My inner bottom lip is starting to feel discomfort, as are my cheeks, even the mini scars on outside from the screws.
I find my tongue is trying to massage the pain, and this is stretching something. And I think I am still clenching so I am hoping for the best. I have until next Tuesday to worry and I am sure I will. There is nothing that indicates anything serious,
The area of the popped stitch from the first week is now visible since the swelling has gone down.
I think it is looking better the last few mornings and there still is swelling where I have been bitten my cheek, I can see more of the teeth and the black build up, under my splint over my upper teeth. In the area over the molars. I am so looking forward to next weeks appointment. Not that the splint comes off, (another two weeks until I see the orthodontist) but maybe at the post-op they can get there now to rinse it away.
It is so... Tempting to go after for the build up but I will wait until the surgeon says the incision has healed and I can risk brushing more than my front teeth. occasionally chunks are freed with the rinsing .

Beginning week 4 of recovery. For it is much better to be 3 weeks after than before surgery.

Gutsygumshoe, interesting details on the measurements and changes.
When you go for your post-op do you also get a good rinse?

I have not asked for details, but now I am interested in asking. I am average at imagining the 3D changes, but your description of an overjet is helpful. If I understand this my upper teeth overlapped the bottom teeth and my smile was crooked. It is amazing how 7mm on one side and 4mm on the other can make such a change, and for now I have a straight smile.

Fireworks starting in town, I can see most of them from my bedroom window and am nice and warm under the blankets.
4 hours until the new year,

[Nadira]

Day 23

Still a little under the weather, discovered coughing and sneezing is ok, if you know it is coming.

I found the right combination of pillows last night and slept 12 hours!
I did have to get up for my every 6 hour antibiotic.
Speaking of the time for the muscle relaxant.

[oimysizex]

Hello all! Glad everyone surgeries went relativley well!!
I am still waiting for mine unfortunately, I have since had 2 extra dates but were cancelled too. I am hoping mine is very soon within the next few weeks because, I am getting very fed up now!!

Gutsygumhore, I am so glad you managed to get your surgery!!! I just hope recovery isn't too hard, strage to think you're already 2 weeks post op.

Last time i spoke with waiting list clerk she told me that its going to be sometime in the new year, I rang up today but she wasn't in and i was told to ring monday, though there is still no date on the system was told that as im 'high priority, there might be a date in her diary. (total bullsh**, because If I was i wouldnt have to wait 4 weeks after orginal date)

[gutsygumshoe]

Aww Nadira sorry to hear you're poorly, I hope you feel better soon! A cold is the last thing you want right now!! Good to hear about the sleeping though, I still need to find the right pillow arrangement haha.

Good to see you back on here oimysizex! I'm sorry that they're messing you about so much though

Recovery hasn't been too bad to be honest, the first two or three days were absolutely miserable but after that I was able to start getting more food in, and I was allowed soft food pretty early on which made such a huge difference. When you have yours though, make sure the hospital sends you home with decent painkillers - I only had liquid paracetamol and ibuprofen, which for the first few days really weren't enough, and then had a nightmare late one night trying to get some codeine prescribed through NHS Direct only to find that the local 24-hour pharmacy was closed!! Also take some Complan or Cuppasoups or bottles of Ribena with you for your hospital stay, just in case it's like mine was and they try to feed you normal food with huge cutlery even though you're meant to be on liquids and can barely open your mouth!

Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but day 15 was pretty uneventful, nothing new to report!

Day 16 today. One of my stitches fell out this morning! I'd brushed my teeth and was about to put my bands back on when I noticed something stuck around one of the hooks. I figured the mouthwash had dislodged something I'd missed with brushing and was all 'urgh I just cleaned that', then once I'd fished it out with my toothbrush I realised it was part of some stitches! Hopefully the rest follow suit soon haha.

I saw my surgeon this morning and he seemed pretty pleased with how everything's looking - got me to open and close a few times and had a look around with a mirror and that was pretty much it! I don't need to see him now for another three months unless I have any problems, or my orthodontist finds anything to worry about. I finally got to see my x-rays though, was cool to see all my plates and screws and the gaps in my jaw! But really weird too. I took a photo of it on his screen, I'll see if I can figure out how to attach it...

x-ray_forum.jpg

[Nadira]

Day 26 BSSO

Oimysizex sorry to hear about the delays. Something similar happened to me on 2008. For salivary gland cancer. It has inspired me to volunteer with the Patient/Family Advisory Council for the new cancer centre. Change takes time, and delays feel very very personal.

Gutsygumshoe, thanks feeling much better,

The X-ray is amazing, the cuts in the bone are so straight, and in a few months our amazing bodies will be filling the 'empty' space with bone.

Next appointment is on Tuesday, I will take a shot of the screen and see if I can post. I see my surgeon for six to eight weeks. It is interesting to read how different each surgeon practices.
I was not allowed anything at all to drink until the second night after the surgery. Clear fluids Thursday evening, to Sunday Evening! Now is pretty much liquid to keep food away from my popped stitch. Today I braved scrambled eggs.

The black scum on my teeth seems to be related to the brand of mouth rinse. PERIDEX is helping my zombie mouth created by the other brand.

[gutsygumshoe]

Nadira it would be so cool to see your x-ray if you can post it Mine was taken the day after surgery... going by the time on it, it was almost exactly 24 hours after I woke up in recovery. That was two and a half weeks ago, I wonder if it would look much different now? Like if the gaps on the bottom would have started to fill in yet.

I was only allowed clear fluids on the day of surgery. The day after I was allowed normal liquids and soft food if I could manage it. The nurses suggested porridge for breakfast but the roof of my mouth was numb and my tongue so numb and swollen that I was struggling to swallow water, let alone anything thicker! I really think the nurses didn't realise what me and the other jaw surgery girl on the ward were going through! They did have a soft serve ice cream machine though which we were allowed to have as much of as we could manage... was alright until I saw the orthodontist later that morning and she banded me shut!

Glad to hear you figured out the cause of the black gunk, hopefully the new mouthwash will help get rid of it I was using a non-branded bottle of chlorhexidine gluconate that the hospital gave me up until I finished it a couple of days ago. Using a branded one now called Corsodyl - apparently it stains your teeth brown if you use it long term. No idea how long I should keep using it, will ask my orthodontist next time.

Day 18 and I lost another bit of a stitch this morning. So far they seem to come out after rinsing with mouthwash, and like to get caught in my hooks! So I brush my teeth, rinse and then have to go in there again with an interdental brush to fish out any bits before I put my bands back on! But it's good, the incision areas are getting much less painful and stiff now.

My nerves are pretty haywire today! Lots of tingling and burning on my lips and around my mouth. Also realised if I scratch next to my nostril it makes the roof of my mouth start itching! Or if I brush the numb part of my lip it starts crawling. The numbness on the left side of my face has improved a bit, but not so much on my right side. My right side has more swelling though so I guess that might be why.

Do you find sometimes that a numb area will itch, but because it's numb you can't feel yourself scratching it so the itch doesn't go away? It happens to me a lot, especially under my nose - it drives me mad, haha!

[Nadira]

Ahh,
I remember in the recovery room that I felt an itch below my lower lip, and I would scratch it but it seemed to be on another reality. As scratching did not touch it.

Day 26 nothing new to report.