PRE & POST-OP SUPPLY LIST---add your list or ideas

[tee]

I'm looking at the Nutrisqueeze bottles on the Cranio Rehab website, and it looks like that would come in handy, but the shipping for me is outrageous! Is there something similar that might be easier to find? Or what did you find worked best?

[sirwired]

As a LeFort I patient (meaning I still had use of my lower lip and didn't need to use a squeeze bottle) my most valuable post-op implement was a pair of square whiskey tumblers that I got for free with a bottle of Tullamore Dew. The corner of the square tumbler could "hook" on my lower archwire/brackets and I could just "pour" the contents into my mouth without my abused upper lips making a broad seal with the liquid to keep it from spilling all over.

[patcharee]

Great list!

[patcharee]

forgot to add " waterpik" with the lowest setting it was really useful for me to keep my mouth clean after operation. But please check with your surgeon before start using it...

[mouth]

Being a nurse I would take as few items as possible to hospital. You will only be there a nite or two depending on the type of surgery. I did not take any pjs,but if u do maybe just bottoms. They provided the non slip socks which I worn. Lip balm and facial wipes were very helpful. My face was very tender to touch. I did not take a pillow even though I use a special one at home. There is possibility of it getting stained. I had a morphine PCA post op. It's a pain med machine I could push myself when I needed pain med. The nurses were great and allowed me to push it one last time before they disconnected it. They also gave me pain pill several hours before disconnecting pain machine for it to start working. Because my pain was controlled I was able to sleep pretty much thru the nite. I put the head of the bed up with one pillow under head and one under knees and was pretty comfortable. I slept on my back. I also had cell phone and charger but that was it. Do not take any wallet pocketbook. Hospitals can not be responsible for that. Horizontal space is limited(one bedside table). I put my lip balm in with my tissues so it didn't roll off and kept facial wipes at bedside too. Wouldn't bring a picture you can place some on your phone if u have capability.

Nurses are busy so try and get all your needs done in one shot. I asked for several boxes tissues had my family put trash can within reach. Also asked for 2 towels in case I had drainage from mouth or nose. Found I could lean my forehead or chin against it for support. I kept my ice packs cold. They had both large and sm ice packs. Found I could lay smaller ice pack across my mouth and cheeks with towels supporting them. I did not use any ice on my jaws. My surgery was SARPE so upper jaw was effected,not lower jaw. I got out of OR about 3 pm and left 11 am next day . Next surgery will be more complicated. I will also say they put the breathing tube during surgery through my mouth not nose. Since they were able to visualized surgical site with tube in mouth. Probably reason I had minimal drainage from nose.

At home, had elevated memory foam support for bed and also bought cheaper type for living rm couch. I would suggest u have both areas where u will be most of time ready to go. You can probably just prop some pillows up in living rm too.I also had towel laying on top to catch any drainage and extra one to lean against when I turned to my side or to place under neck. I bought jaw bra which I never used. Just used ice pack from hospital then threw it away after 2-3 days which is when u should stop using ice. Jaw bra will definitely help next surgery when I have lower jaw surgery. Kept Kleenex ,lip balm facial wipes,trash can at both sites ready to use. I used the saline spray, hospital gave me one and had bought one. Kept one upstairs in bathrm and one downstairs with Meds. This kept nose moist and helped loosen up drainage. I then carefully used quick tips to put Vaseline in nostril and outside nose. Doc told me just to rinse with salt water. I did have some chloahexidin which I tried to just rinse where sutures were- under top lip. Chloahexidin stains teeth so try only to use near sutures. I also used electric tooth brush on lower teeth and Childs toothbrush for top teeth avoiding sutures. Being a nurse I did feel comfortable cutting some of the suture strings that were hanging down. I have a blender but never used it. Just drank pre made protein and those green premed shakes available in bottles. I did not have any energy first week,it was enough to try and drink anything. If my urine was too yellow or dark I knew I wasn't drinking enough. My family would brink me a large cup of coffee from coffee shop which I enjoyed daily. I was able to drink from glass and use regular teaspoon. Next surgery may need child's spoon. First week just watched TV or slept. Hope this was helpful. If I think of anything else will post again.

[thewalkingsuit]

Thanks for the list! =)

[Basicgrey7]

Wax for your braces!! After surgery my hooks kept digging into my incisions and they hurt so bad. I think it inhibited the healing. I started using wax all day and night on the hooks, and it helped heal it much faster. I was able to brush my teeth much better because the incisions were healing. Before the wax, just the toothbrush even being close to the incision hurt. Stock up! I went through a bunch.

Baby wipes. So good because I was constantly drooling, and when eating with the syringe to help clean up. Regular paper towels or napkins got too wet and messy. Baby wipes were perfect.

Carmex and Aquaphor lip balm. I didn't know Aquaphor made lip balm, but I found it when I was looking at Walgreens. Aquaphor is what was recommended for healing when I got my tattoo, so I thought I'd give it a try. I read Vaseline wasn't the best, but Aquaphor has the consistency of Vaseline without being Vaseline. I used this the whole time in the hospital and really helped, when I got home I started on Carmex. Carmex is the best, most nourishing Chapstick in my opinion because it goes on so thick and lasts. I like the sticks.

A notebook and pen! I was constantly writing notes to the dr, nurses, family. I really couldn't talk much and would have been lost without it.

Qtips! Although I have read it's a no no, I went through qtips like crazy cleaning my nose. It is also good because you will have a runny nose, and I can't explain why, but Kleenex was not cutting it. Qtips have been awesome. I am on my second box.

Plastic spoons! They are smaller and easier to eat with. Plus, no mess, who wants to do dishes after jaw surgery?

I don't really think my dehumidifier made a difference, but I used it the whole time. I already had one so I didn't have to purchase it.

Moisturizer-your face will be so dry after surgery!

Button up pj shirts. You will be so swollen and have no energy to pull a shirt over your head. Robe as well. I left the hospital rocking a pj set with robe. It covered me up and was super easy to get into. Also comfortable.

Water and Gatorade. Cold drinks will be so refreshing and you need the hydration.

I asked my dr about Breathe Right strips and he told me not to get them because it would stretch out my nose. I didn't get any kind of surgery done on my nose.

For women, bring a nice lotion to the hospital. I know it sounds silly but one of the nurses gave me a bottle of her lotion and after feeling crappy, having a nice scent Gave me a pick me up and I felt better.

Ensure. I got mine from Costco. I bought the Ensure plus which is more expensive but has more calories. I did not have a huge appetite when I got home, so this was helpful to get in more calories. The vanilla is very tasty. The bottle is small and easy to drink from.

Make sure that your pharmacy gives you syringes for your meds. My pharmacy always forgot to put them in the bag and I'd have to ask.

I was able to take children's liquid ibuprofen with my pain meds. I think it helped a ton with the swelling. Stock up because you will go through it fast.

[Basicgrey7]

I also brought a picture of my puppy for my hospital table and it cheered me up. Was also a good ice breaker with the nurses.

[cbrfoltz]

Hi Y'all,

Claire here. New to the group.

My surgery is April 21st.

My question is about an alternative to the Jaw Bra called a CryoJaw. Basically, it's a Jaw Bra with a tube in it that goes out to a cooler which circulates cold water through the Jaw Bra. This way you don't have to have multiple Bras and keep changing them out. My guess from reading an speaking with Oral Surgeons is that Swelling is enemy #1 in Orthognathic Surgery like it is in many other surgeries.

Background. I am a retired Certified Athletic Trainer, and 29 years ago, I began running, and ran for almost 10 years until the babies came along, the Sports Medicine Department at the local Children's Hospital. I did a lot of rehab following orthopedic surgeries. Our two biggest enemies were swelling/inflammation and regaining range of motion in whatever joint was operated on. I admit that I am very passionate about defeating these two enemies, and if you'd made as many 6'3" 240 pound 17 year old young men cry like a baby as I have, you'd be passionate about avoiding them if at all possible as well.

Here's how we did it, and I've been looking for the dental equivalent. We knew and were early adopters of a device called a Cryo Cuff. Same idea as the CryoJaw, only it had different attachments for knees, ankles, wrists, shoulders etc. When it first came out, it didn't have a motor to keep the water circulating. I used to make my patient's parents drain and refill the device every time the water got hot 24/7. Depending on the patient, this could be as often as every 15-30 minutes. If they didn't do it, they could count on about 45 minutes every session 3x/week of one of us cranking on their child's newly post-op joint, and making them cry, to help them regain their range of motion. A couple of years later, the inventor added the motor to keep the water circulating. Now the patient could go 4-8 hours without Mom or Dad having to change out the ice water in the attached cooler. The difference in post-op rehab was staggering. Today, most good Orthopedists use a Cryo-Cuff following orthopedic surgery. The patient wakes up with it on in recovery, it's already hooked up and circulating. You can wear it 24/7, plug it into a car, detach the cuff from the cooler and go to the bathroom etc.

I looked in vain for a face Cryo-Cuff and have even been in touch with the development team of the company that bought the inventor out. They don't have anything except something like a Jaw Bra. I just this weekend found the CryoJaw. It's expensive, $250, but my caregivers are going to love me, and the best way to get rid of swelling it to prevent it from happening in the first place.

My Oral Surgeon has given me a thumbs up for using it, but I probably can't in the hospital since it's not an "approved product." I'm still going to bring it with me and try. I know from experience, once the RN figures out that he/she doesn't have to keep changing out ice packs or Jaw Bras, he/she will be all for it. I'm confused that it's not better known, and am thinking that it's new to the market possibly.

Has anyone else heard of this device or used it? I would love feedback.

Thanks,

Claire

[cbrfoltz]

Claire again.

Re-reading my post, it sounds like I'm a rep, and/or spam. I promise I'm not. I don't even know the name of the company that makes it. I just know that there's no way in the world I'd have orthopedic surgery without waking up in recovery without a Cryo Cuff in place and circulating. Hence my search for the dental equivalent.

Can't wait to hear feedback from anyone who knows about it and/or has used it!

[Elucidation]

Hi guys, I'm 15 days post-surgery (double jaw, wired up), and several of the things I'd bought for post-surgery were invaluable to my recovery.

They were:
* Humidifier, absolutely vital for the first couple nights to help my nose stay unclogged enough to sleep while wired shut
* Vaseline for lips
* Ketchup condiment bottles for liquid meals. Absolutely perfect, because they were large, and I could cut off the tips for ideal flow rate. They also had little caps that kept me from making a mess when I invariably dropped one due to being slightly out of it.
* Pack of cheap cloth napkins, for just about every unexpected thing that came out of my head area.
* Pocket mirror, feeding/cleaning/etc, take this to the hospital

I ended up buying a lot of things that I didn't end up using, like sippy cups, blenders etc. My mum had bought a large pack of protein shakes and smoothie drinks that lasted me for the 1-2 weeks until I transitioned to a soft chew diet, so almost all the things I bought for liquid diet went unused

[braceface2017]

I am at 6.5 post op. Here is what I found important:
-100% Cocoa Butter Lip Balm. My lips were so swollen and dry, EOS was not cutting it!
-CoolJaw wrap. Used it for the "ice" for the first couple days, then was able to use it for heat
-Infuser to help with breathing: Eucalyptus, peppermint
-Great blender (of course)
-"baby buddy" toothbrush. It has a 360 head and super soft
-Baby washcloths to keep face clean (softer then regular face cloth)
-Lots of papertowls to help with drooling and food / drink drips
-Nature's Fuel, Super Greens, and protein powder (did not drink ensure)
-3 Condiment bottles (water, sweet, savory) to act as "squeeze" bottles.
-Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild (kept me sane!)

[kegreen]

I soaked sponges in water and froze them individually in Ziploc bags. These did great for me. They seemed to last longer than ice packs and also were easier to manage than a bag of ice since they are flat.

[fullbald]

Awesome list, I will surely save a copy. It will come handy for my surgery in 2019

[sweetgreenpixie]

This is a great list and informative board. So glad to know someone else used a diffuser with oils.