Well, Tomorrow a.m. Upper Jaw Surgery!

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#1 Post by **ssspidermom** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:52 am

Its finally here. I go in at 7:30 tomorrow morning. I have everything set up here at home, and lots of support coming my way. I feel very confident about everything, but am beginning to feel a little anxious. I am having arch bars put on, because I don't have braces. They are gruesome little wires wrapped around the base of each tooth at gum level to secure the rubberbands. Has anyone else had those?

I am looking forward to having this all behind me and my bite back to normal. I will post some photos later.

Please visualize me with very little swelling and pain afterwards!
I'll update you when I can.

#2 Post by **spartanfan72** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:18 am

ssspidermom wrote:Its finally here. I go in at 7:30 tomorrow morning. I have everything set up here at home, and lots of support coming my way. I feel very confident about everything, but am beginning to feel a little anxious. I am having arch bars put on, because I don't have braces. They are gruesome little wires wrapped around the base of each tooth at gum level to secure the rubberbands. Has anyone else had those?

I am looking forward to having this all behind me and my bite back to normal. I will post some photos later.

Please visualize me with very little swelling and pain afterwards!
I'll update you when I can.

Good Luck!!

Tomorrow I'll be exactly 9 weeks post op. (3-piece LeFort) While it seemed at the time to be a rough recovery (re-hospitalized a week after) it's all a distant memory now.

I'm back to eating whatever I want, no restrictions. Most of the numbness is gone, my top teeth and roof of my mouth are still a little numb. The swelling is 99% gone...in fact I'm the only one that can tell there is still very minor swelling in my upper cheeks.

Looking back, I really only had about 3-4 really bad days during my recovery.

You'll do fine, I've heard women have a lot higher pain tolerance than men and that men can be big babies when it comes to surgery.

#3 Post by **iBorg** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:40 am

Best of luck to you. I say a kind thought for you tonight.

Mike

#4 Post by **jjames** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:22 pm

Good Luck ssspidermom $+\+$ let the countdown begin! Before you know it you'll be on the other side.

Wow - arch bars - I didn't even know such a thing existed, well, maybe I did, bit I wasn't sure how they did it. How intereting. You're going to do great, I know you're really prepared with your ZNS, soups and pillows galore. We'll be thinking about you and visualizing an easy healing tomorrow morning!

#5 Post by **loulou123** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:22 pm

Good luck. Im sure itll all be fine, see you on the other side.

#6 Post by **sauerkraut** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:27 pm

I'd not heard of arch bars either but they sound a bit grim. I'm sure you'll get used to them

.

All the very best for tomorrow, ssspidermom.

#7 Post by **Raspberry** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:44 pm

Good Luck SSpidermom!
I'll be sending some good vibes your way! I have my surgery exactly a week from yours... so that makes you my guiney pig i guess LOL just kidding.
All the best to you for a speedy recovery! Can't wait to hear how it went!

#8 Post by **smileyone44** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:07 pm

Good luck! I was in the same boat just about 1 week ago and I can tell you it is really nice to be on the other side. We are thinking about you!

#9 Post by **Clo** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:10 pm

Best of luck !

#10 Post by **WhiteLurcher** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:59 pm

A bit late now, but I hope your recovery is going well!

Take care and best wishes!

#11 Post by **ssspidermom** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:14 pm

BIG Thanks to everyone for ALLL your well wishes.

I'm home, after One piece LeForte.

Arch bars are actually not causing any discomfort, but we'll see whne I'm off pain meds. So far so good.

Had lots of swelling because I took off my ice pack - Didn't remember I was to leave it on all day today. So 2 hours later, I'm back on it, feeling better, and swelling is going down. I am having a hard time swallowing, feel like I need to hold my breath to swallow. Aspirated (down the wrong tube) a little water, which scared me. Probably why I am holding my breath. But that makes my nose bleed.

NO NAUSEA! YAHOO!

Feeling relaxed and sleepy.

Lower lip/chin numb, which I wasnt expecting with upper surgery. Maybe from all the stretching? Any expereince with this?

More later.
Again, big thanks to each of you who posted.

#12 Post by **sauerkraut** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:36 pm

What! You're back and posting already?! I am very impressed. Sounds like things went well - congrats

I found sleeping propped up on lots of pillows helped a lot with swelling and breathing, but I expect you know that already. Numbness: my whole lower face was numb for about a day after SARPE, and the top lip and area under the nose for a good long while after that. It goes eventually!

All the best for a continuing good recovery

#13 Post by **Sidney Malkin** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:37 pm

Feels strange at first but you'll adjust and life will be back to normal in no time

Good luck

#14 Post by **Arvensis** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:42 pm

LOL how do you sound so coherent already?? My posts 2-3 days after surgery were ungrammatical nightmares!!!

Sounds like it went well:) Congrats on being on the other side!!!

#15 Post by **JennX** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:12 pm

Welcome back, ssspidermom!

I don't know about mild exercise, Meryaten. I guess it depends on what all you have done, but I was told to "get up and move around" after a couple days. When I asked what this meant, they said, "you know, go to the bathroom, get some water..." I was discouraged from going for walks or even leaving the house for the first couple weeks. I didn't feel much more than light "moving around" anyway. So folks should probably check with their individual doc on exercise.

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Well, Tomorrow a.m. Upper Jaw Surgery!

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