delete

Message

#16 Post by **HighandLo** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:26 pm

It's amazing that you can open that wide! You must be a fast healer. You can actually brush your teeth!

I was sure lagging behind with that!

Lo

#17 Post by **Renden** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:00 pm

cheers people

Still feel like sesame because of this crappy liquid diet and i refuse to leave the house looking like a Neanderthal with all this swelling lol

And i brushed my bottom teeth and tongue today without any pain what so ever, so that's all good.

Have an appointment with my orpho on Friday to check my splint but i doubt I'll be getting it out since I'll only be 10 days post-op but fingers crossed (i seriously hate this splint)

Still lots of swelling, especially under my chin and at my cheeks area, but it's slowly getting better

#18 Post by **SandraJones** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:52 pm

Wow, another set of amazing pics that compels me to post !!!! You look awesome ! Such a big difference. I'm sure you're thrilled !! My LeFort was purely functional and did not change my appearance, it's so interesting for me to see surgeries that not only correct functional problems but change the facial appearance too !! Truly amazing !

#19 Post by **Renden** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:32 am

We all love positive comments but with the swelling i have a monkey face at the moment, lol.

MY under bite may be gone but I look like a caveman!

#20 Post by **SandraJones** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:48 am

OK, I will resist the urge to make a Geico comment here ....

You look so good 6 days post, I imagine you will have little or no swelling at the end of the 2nd week. You've had amazing results, I hope you continue to post pics because they are super interesting to look at !

#21 Post by **john21** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:53 am

Renden,the results seems to be very good!But,it surpised me atfirst,because i thought your underbite would be corrected with BSSO.i didnt know that underbite can be corrected with lefort...

#22 Post by **phil** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:48 am

Renden,

Looking good! The swelling should go down in no time.

Looks like you have an excellent result! Best of luck in your continued recovery.

#23 Post by **Renden** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:55 am

delete

#24 Post by **SandraJones** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:47 pm

Renden, you had your surgery on Aug 14 and it's only been 10 days so you likely still have some swelling.

Are you thinking that your maxilla sticks out too far ? If so, I don't think so at all. I'm wondering if you are just not used to your new profile. The after pics are a major change from the before pics, I'm sure your new face shape will take some getting used to, but it really does look great !

#25 Post by **Renden** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:23 pm

delete

#26 Post by **phil** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:58 pm

Renden,

I want to tell you that I can completely sympathize with you on how you feel about your appearance post-op. I have gone through periods when I looked in the mirror, and didn't even recognize myself. I was a Class III, like you, but I had a bimax surgery (they setback my mandible AND advanced my maxilla). The only advice I can give you is to give yourself some time, and try not to focus on it too much right now--focus on taking good care of yourself. Lots of rest, fluids, good nutrition, and moist heat if you need it.

Your face has undergone drastic changes, and you need to get used to them. You are also undoubtedly still swollen, and things will yet change. If it's any consolation, I have looked in the mirror more than once, and said to myself, "I think I DID like my old face better!" After all, it was the one I knew for a very long time. But, I know that things will be better when my treatment is all done. And, eventually, I will be able to accept my new appearance, which many people think, by the way is an improvement over the old one!

Hang in there, and give yourself some time. And, know that what you're going through is to be expected. After all, that was no small change!

#27 Post by **SandraJones** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:18 pm

I totally agree with Meryaten and Phil.

Renden, in your 6-days-post pics it's obvious you still have swelling and I have no doubt you still have some swelling 10-days-post. Stuff usually drains down (unless you spend an inordinate time on standing on your head !), so your jawline/neck is probably going to be the last place to fully settle. When I watch that Dr. 90210 show on TV, the doctors are always telling their patients that swelling can take weeks to completely resolve. I hope as time passes and your final face shape is revealed you will find that you like it.

Btw, I'm so sorry about my prior Geico remark, I thought you were describing yourself as a caveman just because of all of the swelling. I remember I referred to myself as a "bowling ball" post-surgery. I had the advantage of having the posterior impaction Le Fort I, which did not noticeably alter my appearance.

I do think you look great though, fron front as well as in profile. I hope you'll continue to post pics, I would love to see your progress and see how your face shape takes on it's final appearance. I'm so sure you're not "there" yet.

#28 Post by **Renden** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:05 pm

delete

#29 Post by **WhiteLurcher** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:13 pm

I've got some questions for Mr K Monday too!

I hope we both get some satisfactory answers.

Hopefully he'll be able to ally your fears!

Give it time.

#30 Post by **Happysmiler** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:21 pm

Hi Renden,

As a fellow underbiter, I can totally sympathise with how you feel. You have been so used to looking at your face with a deficient maxilla, that now you have a maxilla in the correct position, you feel odd and like a 'monkey face' (as you put it!!) - You have to be still swollen to some extent and it will take some time before your finished result is seen. Try not to panic yet, speak to you surgeon by all means, but I don't think you need to talk about reverse ops yet.

I have read so many stories and reviews of peoples surgeries and I have to say that after say 6 months, not one of those people has regretted it and they have all been totally delighted with the results, they have found it life changing and would do it all again in a heart beat.

I am the most impatient person going and I know when my turn comes, I will be exactly the same as you, wanting immediate results, but this procedure is not instant - try to move away from the initial changes and see how things go, give yourself time to heal and time to adjust to your new 'improved' face.

At the end of the day, orthognathic surgery is very technical and scientific. The movements of the bones of the scull are based on the ideal, which not many people are lucky enough to have. Your soft tissue will take its time to settle into its new position, but I am sure that when it does you will be delighted.

I think your pics already look amazing, so stick with it, give yourself time and let yourself heal.

Saying this, I understand that what you are feeling is a completely normal reaction to having such a dramatic change in front of you when you look in the mirror.

GOOD LUCK
Happysmiler