DECEMBER 2014 BUDDIES!!

[gutsygumshoe]

Sorry for disappearing completely, I was given a new date but I was paranoid I'd jinx it if I said anything. But I figure it's probably safe-ish to say now... It's actually today. I'm currently sitting in what I presume is the theatre waiting area in my hospital gown and compression stockings, heh. There's another girl here who's now disappeared so I guess she's gone in first, they said I was second.

Feeling alright right now I guess? Ahhhhhhh

oimysizex how are you, how are things going? Good luck to everyone waiting for their dates and speedy recovery to everyone post-op x

[Nadira]

gutsygumshoe (((((Hugs)))))

All the best today!

[Nadira]

[quote="tracey68"]Hello December 2014 buddies! I'm new to this forum but wanted to join this thread. My surgery is scheduled for 2 weeks from today, on December 29th, although it was once scheduled for December 11th. I'm very anxious and reading about your struggles and cancellations is making me even more nervous. I hope you get new dates soon.[/quote]

Tracey68 - two weeks to go, I hope that your date is not changed. Was the change in dates a last minute change?

My first tentative date in October was earlier in November but quickly was confirmed to be Dec 10. I now am glad for the extra time. Once I got into the operating room and found out there would be 2 surgeons, one resident surgeon, 3 OR nurses, my surgeons dental tech, anesthesiologist, the porter that walked me into the room and assisted getting me set up on the OR table. I was feeling pretty special, all this for me?
This helped me to understand all the different things/people that need to come together on a process that started Nov 2011!

[gutsygumshoe]

Thank you Nadira!

So yesterday was something, lol. I was actually called in shortly after I posted, was with the anesthatist (sorry no idea how to spell it!) just before 9am. Had a bit of a wibble saying bye to my parents and boyfriend but was otherwise ok. Think they had a bit of trouble getting my cannula in and I remember the nurse had really nice pink shoes on lol but other than that, the next thing I knew I was dreaming something when they started calling my name to wake me up.

The clock in recovery said 12.15 so I guess it took just over three hours. I vaguely remember my surgeon coming to tell me it all went well, and after that they were worried about my breathing cos I was coughing up a lot of blood. (sorry tmi) Was there for about three hours before they wheeled me up to the ward. Oh yeah and I remember being in a lot of pain when I woke up, but they gave me a morphine button!

My parents and boyfriend arrived on the ward not long after I got there. I don't remember a lot really, I kept dozing off mid-conversation. Could talk quite well from the get-go so that was good. But drinking was so difficult though, because my tongue was numb making swallowing difficult. I could only have water and clear liquids. Ended up needing a catheter too because of fun anaesthetic side effects... but probably the less said about that the better lol.

I slept ok, woke up every hour or so and got into a little pattern of adjusting my ice packs and oxygen mask, having some water to drink, then pressing the morphine button before going back to sleep. I was so dizzy yesterday I couldn't even sit up, it was horrible.

Feeling much better this morning! Oxygen mask, morphine drip and catheter have been removed and I'm sitting in a chair and had a little walk. Also got ice cream for breakfast!! Still painful and swollen and coughing but oh well. Numb too. Surgeon saw me this morning and said my swelling doesn't look too bad. I think I'm seeing an orthodontist later for more bands (got two in right now) and getting x-rays too. He said if I'm walking and eating ok later then I might be able to go home tonight... fingers crossed!!

(Sorry for the huge post lol, didn't want to forget anything. Also sorry for any typos or whatever, I'm on my phone)

[gutsygumshoe]

Ohh yeah and another thing my surgeon told me yesterday - he was very annoyed about the original cancellation, and he had another patient cancelled that day too. Apparently it's only the third cancellation he's had in thirteen years! So we were just really unlucky. He said there were problems with the air filtration system in the theatre and that's why they cancelled. Spose it was for the best in the end though because who wants to have surgery in a theatre that isn't working properly!!

[Nadira]

I was going to mention that as stressful as delays are... Think about a cancelled flight, weather, mechanical issues, and staying a little longer does come into perspective. So really better safe than sorry.

gutsygumshoe re catheter, I was a little slow going to start and narrowly escaped the 'service'. Lol
Take care and speedy recovery

[gutsygumshoe]

So it's 5am on day 2 and this is probably the most miserable I've been in my life!! Came home from hospital last night, very much missing my morphine button. I don't know why but I never expected to be in this much pain, which is silly really considering what the whole things involves but there you go... I've had paracetamol this morning and got some new ice in my head bandage thing so just waiting for it all to kick in.

Boyfriend has been amazing getting up every couple of hours to give me painkillers and refill ice.

One thing I'm finding really difficult is hiccups and heartburn... presumably because my stomach's empty. Chest really hurts from it.

[katsface]

Surgery went well last night.

They put me on a patch before the surgery last night. I also had zofran in my IV during surgery and more after b/c they did remember to tell the recovery room nurse.

I love nurses. The one I had last night once I got a room wasn't great though. I had some kind of device that was supposed to be hooked up to provide humidity for my nose, but she never hooked it up, and tried cramming on my face even though it wasn't hooked up to anything, and she addmited she had never seen that device nor did she know how to use it. We finally came to the conclusion that if she didn't know how to hook it up, I shouldn't have it on me, and that since I just had JAW surgery, I shouldn't have anything shoved onto my face.

The nurse for the late night/early morning shift was amazing though, as was the nurse in the recovery room.

I did throw up last night. Even with all of the anti-nauseal precautions, I still got sick. I was freaked out b/c I am tightly banded shut and can't open my mouth, but it ended up not being a big deal and I felt a lot better after I actually emptied my stomach. This is gross, but in case anyone else reads this b/c they are curios about puking while banded shut, it will just come out from between your teeth or the sides of your mouth. No big deal.

I was sent home with a narcotic Rx (demerol) and zofran. The doctor also suggested that I could get liquid advil to take in addition to the demerol. I know a lot of people say they are fine with just Tylenol (paracetamol if you're in the UK) But that's not enough for me.

gutsygumshoe, Maybe the Dr. can write you an Rx for something heavier?

[Nadira]

Gutsygumshoe

I am sorry you were discharged so soon.
Glad you have your boyfriend, and as katsface says call your Dr. My understanding to much pain can add to much strain on the plates and pins.

Rest well.

(My surgeon is known to be very conservative.
My surgeons rule is 3 nights for BSSO and 4 nights for those with double jaw. By Saturday being without morphine was ok with Tylenol and codeine and muscle relaxants. And my Mom taking care of me.

[Nadira]

Hi katsface,
Zofran a new best friend, when I was in hospital, post nasal drip on an empty stomach was not comfortable. I had a minor throw up but as the nurse said sitting forward,and letting things go is a relief. It was more worrying then the actual event.

nurse are amazing I had two that had not worked with my surgeon, and were stopped from giving me a mouth swab, and ice water when my Dr says NPO, no exceptions!

Rest well

[gutsygumshoe]

My dad phoned the hospital because my pain has gotten to almost unbearable levels even with the ibuprofen and paracetamol, and they said to go out and buy some codeine... oh yeah except it's late at night and nowhere's open!! Even the much-advertised local 24-hour pharmacy is closed. Hospital basically said 'sorry nothing we can do'. I can't sleep, I can barely move, I just want someone to put me out of my misery, this is the worst thing I ever did.

[Nadira]

I am so sorry, Can go to your nearest Emergency room, it might be worth the wait to get looked at and for pain relief?

[gutsygumshoe]

I finally got my codeine! And they were able to prescribe me a liquid one too which is even better. Actually it's easier to take than the paracetamol and ibuprofen as it's a lot runnier. Hoping it might knock me out a bit now so I can sleep longer than a couple of hours at a time.

So today I've managed to have a bath and feel more human for it. Also had a homemade smoothie for breakfast and homemade soup for lunch, and some chocolate dessert and a little bit of yoghurt so I'm hoping that my stomach might stop feeling so gloopy. Has anyone else had problems with stomach rumbling? Mine has times when it sounds like a wild beast!!

My swelling seems to have gone down a bit today too which is good, although my cheeks are still pretty puffy. The main thing that's bothering me right now (this might be tmi so maybe don't read anymore) is that I have a massive hard blood clot or something right at the bottom of each nostril and I'm sooo desperate to pull them out haha. I'm sure I'd be able to breathe much clearer with them gone... but I'll be good and leave them alone.

Only managed to change my front band so far, but my mum had to help cos it's so fiddly even with the little tool thing. It's a weird shape, kind of like an arrow. I haven't been brave enough to attempt changing the bands at the sides because I don't think I can reach far back enough to put them back in. I'd love to be able to though because I can feel gunky stuff starting to build up from food I guess, and mouth wash is only getting so much of it out. I see my surgeon on Monday so I'm hoping he can help. Really hoping he'll give me the go ahead to clean out my nose too haha!

Hope everyone is well! Sorry for being so dramatic last night, was a difficult evening Glad it's over! Don't be in need of an out-of-hours pharmacy or doctor on the last Friday night before Christmas!!

[Beebop]

Nice to hear you are out the other side gutsygumshoe! Surprised they didn't give you codene to go home with, odd!

All my meds were liquid and had I syringes and a tube to administer them. Kept to strict regieme every 4 hours, even used an alarm to take through the night. Sounds extreme but believe me kept the pain at bay.

Keep resting, eating as much as you can, it'll all help with recovery. Oh and leave those clots, as much as they are tempting you to pick them! They'll drop out eventually!

[gutsygumshoe]

One of them just came out!! Sorry I am so super gross haha but I'm genuinely excited about it oh dear. And I promise I didn't touch it - had a 'syringe incident' while having my dinner where I pulled too hard and the plunger end came out and went flying across the room. I laughed in shock (and pulled some of my stitches, ow) and I guess it was that that made it fall out. Oh man I can breathe through one of my nostrils now, it's so good haha.

According to the consultant at the hospital my dad spoke to last night, they don't routinely prescribe codeine unless you're really really suffering. In the end we had to phone NHS Direct (or whatever it's called now) and tell them that this guy at the hospital had told us what we needed, and they eventually sent a prescription through to a local pharmacy for us to pick up. Massive faff, but I feel so much better now.

Thank you Beebop