March 2014 buddies unite!

[Tingrinteacher]

Hiya Murph,

I went in for my surgical hooks yesterday too (Tuesday) and had my wafer fitted... Did they show you the models of what your teeth will look like after? It's just something else....!

This time next week we will have new faces...and probably be off our faces on painkillers. Rock on!

With you on balloon head.. Nurse took us to one side and warned me that being so pale with ginger hair, I'm going to be huge and will look like my face has melted. Oh, and not to let my little girl in to see us, and she will probably be terrified. Brilliant.

[murphjohn]

Hey Tingrinteacher,
Its your own fault for being ginger and the swelling is Gods punishment . My surgeon has not show me any models or workups at all so any changes will be quite a surprise. I was at the ortho today and he fitted more hooks and talked a little bit about the procedure and what he will do in the months after surgery. I am having a BBQ and Drinks session on Saturday for friends and neighbors and plan on cleaning out the drinks cabinet in anticipation of my alcohol free month or two. Everything else is good, not as nervous as I thought that I would be, made another video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw7XlLO3 ... e=youtu.be

[redwine]

I'm a ginger and I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I sure swelled. I looked like pumpkinhead for longer than I care to admit. On the up side: The bruising wasn't nearly as bad as for SARPE and was virtually gone at the 10 day or so mark.

[murphjohn]

Ok, leaving for the hospital now, pretty much dreading the whole thing, yesterday was tough, was cranky with everyone and did the whole self pity thing. At about 8pm I lit the BBQ and seared a really nice rid eye steak for myself and it tasted wonderful. With no food or water since 12 midnight, I am very happy that I did.
So that's about it, I tomorrow or the next day when I get a chance or am feeling up to it.

[Tingrinteacher]

So I went in on Tuesday at 12pm. Went under at just before 2 and was out at 8pm. Surgery was supposed to take 3-4 but took longer because my surgeon didn't have a piece of equipment he wanted, so sent an ambulance down from another hospital with it! Of the surgical wafer snapped so they had another made up quickly.

Day 0-morphine I love you
woke up feeling dreadful and very sick. Face didn't hurt at all, but throat was incredibly sore. On oxygen, no sickness as pumped full of anti-emetics. Very drowsy and all over the place, not much swelling at this point.

Day 1-Wednesday. Crappy stroke face!

Woke up feeling a bit crappy. The wonderful nurses had pumped me full of morphine all night, so I was feeling great. Got up a few times to pee on the commode (living the dream...) then went back to sleep. Pain was minimal, dry heaved a couple of times but nothing came up. Throat still really hurt. Mother of all nose bleeds later on.

At about 9am I decided to try and way and drink something. Fail. Through was far too sore. Back to saline. Went to sink to wash mouth out as it felt rank, and coughed up what looked disgustingly like a dead rat. Hooray for the massive blood clots... No one tells you that bit. After coughing up all manner of horribleness, my throat felt decidedly better. Swelling was pretty dreadful (curse of the ginger hair) and my bottom jaw looks like it has melted.

Surgeon came round about 9:30am told me to try closing my mouth together... My teeth actually meet!! So long underbite!!! He told me to keep my lips closed to stop me dribbling. Speech reasonable, but not great. Great day of on and off sleeping.

My little girl, husband and mum and dad in law came to see me in the evening. Little girl (3) recoiled in pure horror. Husband And mother in law fantastic, father in law nearly passed out at the sight of the drainage containers. (Oozy bright red blood. Lush)

Another decent morphine induced sleep. Woke at 2:30am, played on phone, back to sleep then up at 5, same as normal. Now moved on to drinking from a cup.

Day 2: Thursday. I am iron (wo)man

Lovely surgeon decided I did not need to be banded shut (I could lick his tonsils at this point, except my multiple chins are in the way)

Had X-rays this morning-32 screws and 7plates. Bottom jaw back 9mm, top jaw up 4mm, back 6mm and moved slightly to the left. My teeth actually meet and look great. Yep, I cried like a little girl.

Left hospital about 1pm, after a load of painkillers and some antibiotics. Husband forgot to bring my coat and shoes, so I left hospital in the pissing down rain in a pair of slipper socks. The rain felt remarkably good on my face.

Very happy with the results, even with melting chin. Lips are incredibly saw and still completely numb. Rock on!!

Good luck Murphjohn. Sending you my love xxx

[murphjohn]

Ok, so I made it. Tough going though. Pre op was fine and went down to surgery. Anesthesia guy looked like a homeless
Man and thatvwas a bit disconcerting. Was in for about 3 hours, upper only 3mm forward and widened 6mm. Yesterday was pretty much a blur. Felt a bit nauseous and my first bit of syringe juice came back up with about a pint of blood, felt a whole lot better after that. Sleep was ok and came in 2 or 3 hour groups. This morning my 3 year old came in to see me, she was fine and game me an arm rub and a little lblack puppy to, she said my cheeks looked funny and then tucked into a burrito she was carrying.
Still in hospital for the next hour or so, will update, keep strong.

Ps- have found that Starbucks premixed cappuccino is particularly nice through a syringe.

[Tingrinteacher]

Murph, glad you're doing alright. My anaesthetist was so Irish I thought he was talking in Gaelic. We must have looked like a right pair.

My three year old just came in, asleep. Mr Dave put her in the bed next to me, she woke up about 20 minutes later, caught sight of me and started screaming, crying and shaking with fear. It was horrific

Feel really bad for her. Xxx

When are you going home? Xxx

[murphjohn]

Hi, just got home. Wow, you had some serious movements. I was saying to my surgeon that I would have felt better if there was something really off with my face, as in some big benefit at the end rather than reduced tooth wear. In fairness it is probably enough not to have to get implants in my 40's due to wear. Feeling OK, right side of my face is swelled up far more than the left. My nose is tilted to the left but I am putting this down to swelling. I can't close property due to the splint, surgeon used a heavier than normal one because of the amount they widened the arch by.

I am/coming to realize that this child diet is going to be tough, dreamed about batch bread with marmalade earlier today.

Probably going to hit the shower a bit later, should be interesting to see how my nose reacts.

Hope the throat feels better, suprisingly I felt no discomfort from the air tube.

Keep well.

[murphjohn]

Ok, got through another day. Right side of my face still far worse than left, also some discomfort towards back of palate and to the right of nose. Really feel as if 80% of discomefort is on right side.

Blocked nose is annoying and managed to work up to a shower, did'nt unblock my nose. Still on pain meds and will likely be on them for a couple of days to come. Had to open the door to fedex guy today, reckon he got quite the shock but hid it well.

Going to keep it short today, nothing to report but discomfort hatred of this liquid diet, really did not think that it would be as annoying. I managed to get some ice cream in but what I really crave is really wholesome food.

Anyway, anyone else out there who is in recovery hang strong!

[murphjohn]

Hi guys, Hi Tinginteacher , hope you are feeling ok, have not heard from you in a while. Well today started pretty poorly and as it draws to a close I am hoping that I am over the worst. The swelling has started to subside and the pressure around my nose has started to ease. Stil clogged up with blood but still do not have the guts to poking around yet. Tommorw I see my oral surgeon and hopefully everytrhing is looking good. I felt ok energy wise and went and cut the grass. I made a point of wearing a hat and shades to draw attention away from my very swelled self.

I uploaded my drive to the hospital and its here.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFaKN_n887U

[murphjohn]

Feeling a bit energetic so I upload pt4 , the day after!!! , feeling a bit rough and sweating in the video but not quite as bad as I thought I would.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pexIDbWetjM