Yeah, it hasn't been fun pain-wise. I just got unlucky to have a surgeon who doesn't understand proper pain management. I'm through the worst of it now though. I still take the toradol often because it really helps. It's a non-narcotic anti-inflammatory for bone pain and dental pain. I'm not takine much tylenol with codeine anymore.
I'm glad you'll be getting a morphine button (PCA). Those work really well. And don't let anyone tell you not to use it. I've had one of those for a few different surgeries and they are great. I was allowed 1.5 mg every 6 minutes. I was not pressing it every six minutes, but it's great because if you have to get up and do something or you are in a lot of pain you can press the button a few times in a row and get just enough medicine to give you the relief you need. You are neither over or under medicated. I remember having a day though where I was trying to "be good" and didn't use enough and that was not a good thing either. If you have it available, take advantage of it (if you are in pain, of course). I thought about you on Friday, but wasn't sure whether to mention it and rub it in or not.
April 2010 Buddies
Moderator: bbsadmin
I'm looking forward to tomorrow - tooth brushing day omggggggggg I can't wait.
I'm doing alright. My upper lip that was reconstructed (because of old scar tissue making it flip to the inside) is still pretty fat, but I'm hopeful that it will look good once it goes down and the drooling should go down when that goes down. Otherwise I think things are pretty normal. Congestion has gone down. I still have pretty significant swelling over all the grafts, but with how many they had to do, I imagine this will take a few months. My joints are spasming a bit which is pretty uncomfortable, so I'll have to discuss that with them tomorrow.
Only other thing really annoying me is the screw. My surgeon does a hook and screw configuration to hold the front bands, and the screw goes all the way under my upper lip through my upper jaw into my palate, so i can feel the pointy end, which oogs me out. Stupid screw must be like an inch long! I'm not really looking forward to the day they take it out - that's gonna be uncomfortable!
I'm still getting tired pretty quickly when I go out. Mom has been forcing me to go out and shop and such, which I hate because I'm still drooley and look pretty weird, but I guess I should get over that. We went clothes shopping today and I can totally wear a 4. Woohoo broken jaw diet haha.
I'm doing alright. My upper lip that was reconstructed (because of old scar tissue making it flip to the inside) is still pretty fat, but I'm hopeful that it will look good once it goes down and the drooling should go down when that goes down. Otherwise I think things are pretty normal. Congestion has gone down. I still have pretty significant swelling over all the grafts, but with how many they had to do, I imagine this will take a few months. My joints are spasming a bit which is pretty uncomfortable, so I'll have to discuss that with them tomorrow.
Only other thing really annoying me is the screw. My surgeon does a hook and screw configuration to hold the front bands, and the screw goes all the way under my upper lip through my upper jaw into my palate, so i can feel the pointy end, which oogs me out. Stupid screw must be like an inch long! I'm not really looking forward to the day they take it out - that's gonna be uncomfortable!
I'm still getting tired pretty quickly when I go out. Mom has been forcing me to go out and shop and such, which I hate because I'm still drooley and look pretty weird, but I guess I should get over that. We went clothes shopping today and I can totally wear a 4. Woohoo broken jaw diet haha.
Hi cvn, glad to hear you're coming on so well! You mum's doing the right thing getting you out a bit, but it's still early days so don't push yourself too much. Also i'm not sure i'd want to be on public view so soon, so do put your foot down if you're not comfortable.
Audra - passing the week mark now, hopefully it will all be downhill from here for you
As for my missed surgery date, everything happens for a reason so don't worry about mentioning it. Also, a sense of humour about these things is essential (think i'll need it in the coming days!)
Audra - passing the week mark now, hopefully it will all be downhill from here for you
As for my missed surgery date, everything happens for a reason so don't worry about mentioning it. Also, a sense of humour about these things is essential (think i'll need it in the coming days!)
cvn - sounds like you are doing OK, especially considering the extent of your surgery. I imagine that lip must still be pretty fat! And that hook and screw thing - your description of it oogs ME out. Yikes. So, how was the toothbrushing? I've been brushing the fronts of my teeth since a few days post-op, but the inside of my mouth is so yucky, even with Amosan mouth rinses. Can't wait to get rid of this splint!
descantus - I also believe everything happens for a reason. So, while I stress about things sometimes, when it doesn't go my way, I chalk it up to the fact that it's not supposed to all the time.
So, day 13 today for me. Swelling is still going down, but I still have a fair bit. When I take my elastics off to brush or eat, I can open my mouth enough to get capsules in, so I have started taking my proteolytic enzymes (I take Vitalzym SEB). It's good for a number of inflammatory conditions, and it breaks down and eats scar tissue, among other things. It should help with the swelling dramatically now (hopefully).
My face is tingly everywhere there's a bit of numbness. My chin feels weird all the time. I can feel the entire inside of my mouth, tongue, palate etc., so no numbness there at all. It also means I can feel all my stitches
Still feeling quite tired and have quite a bit of lip strain from the swelling. So, not too comfortable being in public right now.
I have my second post-op appointment today. I think we're doing x-rays, so that should be neat. We have a winter storm warning here and I haven't driven in two weeks so that should be a pile of fun.
Hope everyone is doing well.
3 days to go Descantus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
descantus - I also believe everything happens for a reason. So, while I stress about things sometimes, when it doesn't go my way, I chalk it up to the fact that it's not supposed to all the time.
So, day 13 today for me. Swelling is still going down, but I still have a fair bit. When I take my elastics off to brush or eat, I can open my mouth enough to get capsules in, so I have started taking my proteolytic enzymes (I take Vitalzym SEB). It's good for a number of inflammatory conditions, and it breaks down and eats scar tissue, among other things. It should help with the swelling dramatically now (hopefully).
My face is tingly everywhere there's a bit of numbness. My chin feels weird all the time. I can feel the entire inside of my mouth, tongue, palate etc., so no numbness there at all. It also means I can feel all my stitches
Still feeling quite tired and have quite a bit of lip strain from the swelling. So, not too comfortable being in public right now.
I have my second post-op appointment today. I think we're doing x-rays, so that should be neat. We have a winter storm warning here and I haven't driven in two weeks so that should be a pile of fun.
Hope everyone is doing well.
3 days to go Descantus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got a little frustrated at my appointment today. Apparently I'm swollen way more than usual at the two week mark, due to one of the materials used in my fairly extensive bone grafting. It's irritating because there are girls there at the one week mark who look way way better than me! The surgeon seemed to find it normal (and also interesting/cool lol), but it made it so that I'm too swollen to be able to change my own bands because I have one that is supposed to go to the bottom back molar that I cant even see, much less get a stupid rubber band on 
I'm pretty disappointed because this means I can't go on the puree diet for another week and I can't brush daily for another week. Lame.
Oh well. One day at a time. Hopefully I'll be less of a melon head next week.
I'm pretty disappointed because this means I can't go on the puree diet for another week and I can't brush daily for another week. Lame.Oh well. One day at a time. Hopefully I'll be less of a melon head next week.
cvn - I'm sorry to hear about your disappointing doctor's visit. I would be frustrated for sure! You can ride this out though. Stay strong. And just think - this will be your last surgery! Just hang on to that. And because of what the surgeon has done, your result is going to be so fantastic, you will have a jaw of steel!!!!!
I'm still pretty swollen too. So I'll be a melon head with you
I'm still pretty swollen too. So I'll be a melon head with you
How you doing Descantus?
I'm home for a few days (yay kitties missssssed me!), but heading back down to the surgeons for my appointment on Tuesday. I'm hoping it goes better than last week. Swelling has gone down a bit but I'm still pretty puffy. Stitches in my lip from my lip reconstruction are getting dissolved which is kinda painful. Stings like hell when they hang. I guess it's a good thing though!
I'm home for a few days (yay kitties missssssed me!), but heading back down to the surgeons for my appointment on Tuesday. I'm hoping it goes better than last week. Swelling has gone down a bit but I'm still pretty puffy. Stitches in my lip from my lip reconstruction are getting dissolved which is kinda painful. Stings like hell when they hang. I guess it's a good thing though!
I'm home, and very glad to be done! No pain to report, thankfully, but congestion pretty bad. Have to say I was blimmin terrified going into the op, no-one else seems to mention it so I must be a cowardly custard, but I was shaking like a leaf on the way up and kept asking the anaethnatist to give me a few moments before starting the anaesthetic - heaven knows why! Eventually he got fed up and just did it, I think I would have been there all day otherwise.
So now tightly banded and focusing on getting better. Glad all the april crew can now concentrate on recovery
So now tightly banded and focusing on getting better. Glad all the april crew can now concentrate on recovery
cvn - I'm still pretty puffy too. And I know how you feel about the stitches. I don't have any in my lip, but I can feel them in my gums above my top front teeth. Stings like crazy. But I guess that stingy feeling means we're healing right?
descantus - nice to see you back. Sorry to hear you were so terrified. That's awful. But at least it's all over now. Do you have a splint? How is everything going? I see you follow Graham Swan's blog. He's funny hey?
I'm going back to work on Thurs or Fri. Feeling much better every day. Lips/face are tingly with electric like shocks here and there. I still need about 10 hours of sleep each night (probably cuz I'm old at 43) so I'm adjusting my sleep schedule so I can start getting up earlier. I was up at 8:00 today instead of 9:30/10:00 so that's good.
descantus - nice to see you back. Sorry to hear you were so terrified. That's awful. But at least it's all over now. Do you have a splint? How is everything going? I see you follow Graham Swan's blog. He's funny hey?
I'm going back to work on Thurs or Fri. Feeling much better every day. Lips/face are tingly with electric like shocks here and there. I still need about 10 hours of sleep each night (probably cuz I'm old at 43) so I'm adjusting my sleep schedule so I can start getting up earlier. I was up at 8:00 today instead of 9:30/10:00 so that's good.