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#1 Post by **clairet707** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:52 am

Hi had surgery on friday lunchtime, lower jaw forwards about 1cm and upper jaw up about 3mm

was supposed to be in hospital for 2 nights, ended up staying a third as they kept me on morphine for too long and I kept throwing up.

Just got home today and am struggling already, it was easy to do stuff in hospital as the staff knew what to do and how to do it and provided equipment but at home its fend for myself and I dont know what to do.

I bought a baby feeding cup pre op but its the sort you need to suck and I stupidly didnt check

Ive ordered some zipnsqueeze bags but dont know when they will turn up as I live in the UK

My head feels like its in a vice, my neck hurts, my sinuses are full and my lips rotten

Here are some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairet707 ... 851305829/

Am seeing surgeon on thursday to remove the plate and loosen the bands, I have so many I can only just get a syringe in, nothing more

#2 Post by **clairet707** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:39 am

thanks for that advice, will get the lipbalm out, and try a heat pack on my neck

#3 Post by **Rach** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:35 pm

Hi Claire,
I am one week post-op now and had my jaw moved back not forward. I totally agree with the above advice. I wasn't able to comfily clean up my mouth area for a few days but did use a wet flannel for that. I know how you feel at the 3 day mark and just coming home is kind of a shock but you soon settle into a routine and everything becomes easier day by day. How long ago did you order your zip-n-squeeze products? as I am from the UK and mine took about 2 and a half weeks to come and they are a very useful alternative to a syringe (I had to use a lot of them in my hospital stay too). Your swelling does look at its peek there and as that goes down, eating becomes easier aswell. You can take a look at my blog (in my sig) or on my post-op thread viewtopic.php?t=24146 for more info if you need it

Hope you feel better tommorow

Rach xx

#4 Post by **clairet707** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:40 pm

[quote="Rach"]Hi Claire,
I am one week post-op now and had my jaw moved back not forward. I totally agree with the above advice. I wasn't able to comfily clean up my mouth area for a few days but did use a wet flannel for that. I know how you feel at the 3 day mark and just coming home is kind of a shock but you soon settle into a routine and everything becomes easier day by day. How long ago did you order your zip-n-squeeze products? as I am from the UK and mine took about 2 and a half weeks to come and they are a very useful alternative to a syringe (I had to use a lot of them in my hospital stay too). Your swelling does look at its peek there and as that goes down, eating becomes easier aswell. You can take a look at my blog (in my sig) or on my post-op thread viewtopic.php?t=24146 for more info if you need it

Hope you feel better tommorow

Rach xx[/quote]

Oh pants I only ordered the zipnsqueeze today, only found out about them this pm from someone who had the surgery last year, 2 1/2 weeks.... erk, syringing for that long will be fun, Ill have strong fingers anyway

#5 Post by **clairet707** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:18 pm

Well the bruising has come out today, all down my chest too, my neck is all greeny yellow - attractive

The swelling has gone down a bit more but the dull ache in my cheeks is now worse and painkillers dont appear to be touching it

One positive is I can now drink from a glass without dribbling so thats making things a little easier

#6 Post by **kelly J** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:58 am

Clairet707 - I'm having lower jaw surgery next year - approx 6mm forward and upper jaw surgery moving the jaw up approx 3mm so a very similar case to yours. Looking at your side profile before photo my bottom jaw sits in a very similar position to yours and I'll be watching with interest to see you before and after pictures as you heal and how quickly the process takes.

Your recovery so far looks fab - the swelling looks like it's over the worse and it can only get easier from now.....at least you can drink with a glass. Thanks for posting!

k xx

#7 Post by **misskristen** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:48 am

The weeks after double jaw surgery are the most difficult.... but you'll pull through! I did a year ago. You'll have lots of improvements to look forward to!

http://bracemyself.blogspot.com/

#8 Post by **clairet707** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:32 pm

well today I had double whammy appointments

Ortho at 12 - very pleased with jaw, and progress!

Surgeon at 3 - took elastics off (well the ones I had left, one snapped the other night as I was brushing my teeth), took the plate out (wierd feeling), and took the stitches out of my cheeks. He then put on looser elastics

So its a bit easier now, I can start eating soft foods, scrambled egg and beans here I come!

I saw my xrays - I have 30 screws in my face and 6 titanium plates - wow!!

#9 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:20 am

Damn those eggs and beans

It was really mushed up and I was using a teaspoon and it still snapped an elastic

Gah, so took the other one off like surgeon said and am now waiting to here back from him as to whether I have to go back in today to get them replaced

#10 Post by **phil** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:12 am

clairet707 wrote:
I saw my xrays - I have 30 screws in my face and 6 titanium plates - wow!!

OMG, Claire! That's a LOT! I don't think you have the slightest chance of ANYTHING moving around in there, do you?

#11 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:51 am

[quote="Meryaten"]Gahhh. Annoying! No chance he'll give you elastics to take home for if this happens?[/quote]

Well my ortho gave me some extra elastics but surgeon said for at least a week I wont be able to fit them myself

I ended up having to go down there today to get him to replace them

Oh and he noticed the squishy fluid feeling I have in my right cheek today - its air not fluid and apparently is from blowing my nose, the senior nurse in hospital told me to (so not my choice), surgeon is having a word!!

Slightly mushier food tonight then

#12 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:51 am

[quote="Meryaten"]Gahhh. Annoying! No chance he'll give you elastics to take home for if this happens?[/quote]

Well my ortho gave me some extra elastics but surgeon said for at least a week I wont be able to fit them myself

I ended up having to go down there today to get him to replace them

Oh and he noticed the squishy fluid feeling I have in my right cheek today - its air not fluid and apparently is from blowing my nose, the senior nurse in hospital told me to (so not my choice), surgeon is having a word!!

Slightly mushier food tonight then

#13 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:52 am

Meryaten wrote:Gahhh. Annoying! No chance he'll give you elastics to take home for if this happens?

Well my ortho gave me some extra elastics but surgeon said for at least a week I wont be able to fit them myself

I ended up having to go down there today to get him to replace them

Oh and he noticed the squishy fluid feeling I have in my right cheek today - its air not fluid and apparently is from blowing my nose, the senior nurse in hospital told me to (so not my choice), surgeon is having a word!!

Slightly mushier food tonight then

#14 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:53 am

phil wrote:
clairet707 wrote:
I saw my xrays - I have 30 screws in my face and 6 titanium plates - wow!!
OMG, Claire! That's a LOT! I don't think you have the slightest chance of ANYTHING moving around in there, do you?

Seriously hope not after that lot

#15 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:19 pm

Updated photos on my flickr page now, 1 week post op

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairet707 ... 851305829/

check out the bruising

cant tell if my profile has changed much, I dont think it has really - booo as I hated my profile before - no chin

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