November Surgery Buddies!

[Stellla]

You're right,I don't actually have to be on a liquid diet, I could start to chew soft foods but with the numbness of my gums and teeth I haven't been able to do it so I'm more on a semi liquid/mushy diet.
But I keep trying everyday !

I really admire you both for that actually, I had it pretty easy with the eating compared to you guys and I found it very depressing sometimes.
You really have all my respect for that haha !

[EWUgal15]

Not having had SARPE, I honestly wasn't sure. I can't imagine what numb gums feel like though. Will you be having more surgery later on or just SARPE?

[Stellla]

I'm only getting the Sarpe! I'm really happy about that, I'm not sure I'd have the courage to go through the harder surgeries like yours after that !
What about you, will you need other surgeries ?

[sherrifrob]

It's so unusual to have to pass time at all. Usually I have a million things going on. Also downside is that you're not quite all there. I like to sew & normally I'd just use the time to do that or organise or whatever but that's not happening.

My bands on one side came off tonight so I've got a trip out to the orthodontist tomorrow early. I've put on some of my usually bands to keep everything stable when I inevitably lean on my jaw in my sleep.

I haven't used any pain killers all day though, I think this may be due to my awesome couch pillow fort that I made.

It's Thanks giving over there isn't it? That must be a challenge.

[EWUgal15]

Nope. No other surgeries for me. I'm really glad I got away with lower jaw only. It's really good to hear that you won't have to go through more too!

And yes! Thanksgiving is tomorrow. The normal fare is turkey, stuffing (or dressing as some call it), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, things like that. I haven't had a turkey dinner on thanksgiving for a few years now because I don't live with my immediate family. I haven't missed it until this year. Last year we made shepherds pie and decided that would be our tradition. I'm restricted to very thinned down mashed potatoes and gravy but I'm ok with that.

Christmas is a much bigger ordeal for me, so I'm really happy that I should be back on soft chew foods in time for Christmas dinner. I may not be able to eat prime rib, but I can chow down on a lot of other stuff we have for Christmas dinner.

I told myself that I would bust out some crochet and knit projects during my time off from work but it's flying by and I haven't touched a skein of yarn. The company I work for uses another company to manage personal leave and they only approved me for 2 weeks even though I requested 3. So I'm taking some vacation to fill out the rest of that time but I don't think I'll accomplish anything I wanted to.

[sherrifrob]

Yeh, I'm definitely feeling the time will be a right off. It might be a case that once that first period is out of the way your faculties return. A friend came to see me today & after 30 minutes I was wiped.

Today I went to hand in my medical stuff for my work leave & the lady said 'all better?' obviously without looking either a) at me or b) at the paperwork. Then she got confused about Tuesday 1st of December being the day after Monday 30th of November, before asking if it hurt. I was fit to kill, were she in my department there would have been some serious words about that gaff festival.

I don't know how your work tallies sick time but if one were to have complications like an infection or post op pain that time off goes up. Might be worth speaking to your doctor on your last appointment before the 2 weeks are up. He might be able to provide something to confirm you need longer due to something unforeseen in recovery. I assume there's a policy in regard to complications & extensions.

Hopefully by the time you're back it'll already be that December period where nobody does anything cos Christmas is coming up.

[EWUgal15]

The good news is that I can do all of my job duties from home. My plan right now is to go back Dec 7 but I'll be working from home. Then I have vacation scheduled Dec 21-24, paid holiday the 25th. I'll finish up December from home and actually go back to the office in January when the bands come off. My next post op appointment is Dec 8 and I sent my doctor the return to work release yesterday. They can mark on there when my next appointment is and designate that as the assessment appointment to determine whether or not I can go back. If they do that, the absence management company has no choice but to extend my leave. Which I have more than enough sick time to cover it all and still have some left over.

I've definitely noticed that I get tired very quickly still but I have a desk job so I don't think it will be a problem. Especially since I plan to spend the majority of my work hours studying for certifications.

[sherrifrob]

Its always a struggle going back, you want to leave the house but it usually takes it out of you. That first week back in work always makes you want another week off.

I think I'll need to lay off the butternut squash soup, if I have any more not just squash but the whole autumn/winter period may become associated with having Quagmire face & stitches in my gums.

I'm finding not being able to use the phone a real problem, my mechanic has not done what he was supposed to & for that there should be consequences however without being able to speak all I can do is WTF eyes. I'm also supposed to be moving by the 23rd & arranging that will have to wait.

All this stuff about being able to do everything at your computer in the digital age, I call bull$hit on that right now.

[EWUgal15]

Is it common in the UK to not use dissolvable sutures? The sutures from my BSSO have dissolved, but I'm still waiting on the ones in my extraction sites to go away.

[sherrifrob]

Generally they only use dissolvable for internal things. Standard FDA(US) & standard NICE (UK) practices tend to be the same. I work for an international medical insurer & generally speaking there's not as much variation as you'd think country to country. The NHS cost saving stuff tends to mirror US insurer cost saving stuff like lengths of stay & stuff.

My surgery was on the 20th & I can still see the stitches in my gums, I was told it would take 2 weeks to dissolve. I had one on the outside in either cheek which were taken out 5 days post op.

I do remember when I had my wisdom teeth out I had this white stitch I could see & on my 2 week post op check up the surgeon whipped it off, it was mostly broken down but still there so he took it off. I think it was where there was a knot so it was stubborn. I doubt they cause too much of an issue if they hang around for a bit.

I took my elastics off cos I could not stand not properly brushing my teeth anymore. I had a very tentative inside of my mouth clean & it was glorious. Also I can now open my mouth enough to get a couple of pills in so no more dissolvable paracetamol.

I've lost 12 pounds in 8 days. I think it might be time to go for the high calorie shakes.

[EWUgal15]

I've only lost 8 in just under two weeks.

You're braver than me. As much as I want to brush and floss properly, I don't want to do anything crazy. I feel like if I were to take off my current elastics, I should replace them with brand new ones and I don't have the right size/weight on hand. I'm hoping at my next post op appointment I will get the ok to do that.

[sherrifrob]

You're right to hold off. I had an extra appointment,my orthodontist likes to book sort of phantom appointments where u can come in if u have a problem, if you don't they just have a cup of tea. Anyway a band broke the night before & I replaced it with one of my blue bands til I could go in the next day. She showed me where they were & gave me some red bands & explained that this week coming the aim was to have me take them on & off myself.

Sure enough that night one broke & I replaced it so I got brave. Had I not had that extra appointment I wouldn't have had the right bands.

I went puppy-sitting today & did a fair bit of talking, stitches felt a bit sore but nothing terrible. There is a lot to be said for careful though. I smoked before I should have when I had my wisdom teeth out & voila, infection. Moral of the story do what you're told.

I had a bit of a scare yesterday, I was taking the blender out of a high cupboard & the lid fell down. I moved my head out of the way & heard a crunch. Luckily it didn't seem to be a 'you've ripped something' crunch.

[Stellla]

Ohh just this weekend I was wondering about my stitches too, so your messages were helpful ! The ones in my gums have started to dissolve but the ones where I had a wisdom tooth removed do not seem to be coming off.. I guess I'll have the answer on tuesday at my post-op appointment.

I started to get a sore throat yesterday, and this morning when I woke up it was so bad I could barely swallow my own saliva. I don't know if it's just a cold or if the skin in the back of my palate is getting irritated because of the expansion. I just really hope it's not a cold, cause I don't think I'm allowed to blow my nose yet and I'm also terrified of sneezing right now haha

[EWUgal15]

I feel you on the sneezing thing Stellla, even though I didn't have anything done to the upper. I only have one of my stitches left as well and it's in a socket just like yours. It's a stubborn one, that's for sure.

Before surgery, I bought some apple, mango, kale & pear squeeze snacks designed for kids but just as good for adults. They're sort of like apple sauce but with more stuff in them. I finally tried one today, thinned down with some apple juice and let me tell you, there's a reason the squeeze bag they come in isn't clear and they recommend just eating it from the pouch. Not only did it look terrible, it didn't really taste all that great either. I only gagged once while eating it so I'm thankful it was small. It was a 12 pack so I'm going to try to brave my way through the other 11 so I don't waste the money. Changing it up from my usual chocolate protein shake was kind of nice though.

[sherrifrob]

You know what Stella I've had a sore throat too. Initially it hurt a lot to swallow after the surgery & then it settled down. It comes & goes & like you I thought 'nope, I am not up for a cold right now'. I also have this constant feeling that there's something stuck in the back of my throat. The upside is I'm drinking a lot to counter it so I'm well hydrated.

I assume that as all your muscles are connected the moved slowly around of bones makes you sore. The same happened when I had my knee reconstructed, stuff was just in new places so you used your muscles differently & they got sore from the strain & twisting.

I did sneeze for the first time today & it wasn't bad. I'd prefer not to be it wasn't the ordeal I thought it would be.

I have a crisper drawer full of these high calorie juice things they gave me at the hospital, it was the first thing I managed to swallow post-op so now I can't bear the sight of the things. I tried sorbet the other day & that was a no go. Basically if you can't pour it, it is not going in easily damnit.