August Buddies

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#31 Post by **braceface23** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:10 am

I had my surg Aug 11th and I am startin to get tingly feelings back around my chin and and all over my face, Ive needed the pain pills every 5 hours but I was able to get a full nights sleep last night. I only woke up once to take more pain pills Hopefully it gets better each day from here on out. I had a pretty bad sore throat the first few days and that has subsided so thats good.

#32 Post by **Josh'smom** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:29 pm

Jessica37769 wrote:So I went back to the oral surgeon to get the splint repositioned and he decided to just leave it out!!!! Yeah!!! As long as I promised not to chew, so I am super happy that all that happened! He said that everything looked great and very stable, so he left it out. It is so great talking!!!

yeah, I am unsure about my look too, but just like you the oral surgeon says its perfect! So we will see when the swelling goes down!

10 days post op

Yeah Jessica! I'm so glad you got that dreadful splint out. So you are talking normally now? We're just trying to gauge how to support Josh.

Two days and counting....

#33 Post by **Josh'smom** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:34 pm

I'm trying to print out a checklist of what we think Josh will need so that he can just point to what he wants.

Can you guys on the other side think of anything else?

-- I'm thirsty.

-- I'm hungry.

--I need to go to the bathroom.

-- I hurt.

--Rub my:
back

hands

head

legs

(He loves massages)

--I'm bored

--Read to me

--Play Spam spam spam tra la la....spam spam spam with me

--I want to sleep

--It's too noisy in the house.

--Can I move to the living room.

--???????

#34 Post by **aliciaj212** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:23 pm

^

One thing that I've been requesting a lot lately is:

- I'd like a pain killer.

Also,
-This soup is too thick. (Replace soup with whatever liquid.)

#35 Post by **Audra** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:25 pm

Josh'smom wrote:I'm trying to print out a checklist of what we think Josh will need so that he can just point to what he wants.

Can you guys on the other side think of anything else?

-- I'm thirsty.

-- I'm hungry.

--I need to go to the bathroom.

-- I hurt.

--Rub my:
back

hands

head

legs

(He loves massages)

--I'm bored

--Read to me

--Play Spam spam spam tra la la....spam spam spam with me

--I want to sleep

--It's too noisy in the house.

--Can I move to the living room.

--???????

-- Can you get me a wet cloth for my face (I loved having a cool wet cloth on my eyes. It helped me to go to sleep.

-- I'm stuffed up. I need my nasal spray.

-- Can you replace the ice in my ice pack.

-- Can you make me a milkshake

-- Can you get me some juice (juice was a necessity after the surgery...and lots of variety. I hated the taste of water for probably 3-4 weeks post-op.

One thing my hubby did for me was to tape a small kitchen garbage bag to the coffee table by the couch where I slept. I had a bloody nose for several days after I got home so I had a six pack of family sized kleenex so they fill up the garbage quite quickly. I also wiped off the tubing on my syringes with kleenex as it made less of a mess of my face that way when eating.

I'll be thinking of Josh (and you) on Monday. I think this is almost harder on the family than the patient. Remember to also take care of yourself

#36 Post by **aliciaj212** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 6:43 pm

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

I wasn't able to sleep very well last night and spent a lot of time coughing up phlegm. (Josh's mom, I would recommend that when Josh starts to cough up phlegm, to rub his back with a good amount of pressure, as that felt very soothing to me.) After a short nap this morning, I started to feel pressure in my left ear. Also, my right cheek feels like it's about to pop from all the swelling. Do the heat packs help any with this? It's summer here & still so hot that I don't know if it does any good.

#37 Post by **Jessica37769** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 7:16 pm

The comments added for josh mom are good.
I requested more ice alot.
More water in cup.
More paper towels.
Lost Pen/Marker.
Need pills.
Food to thick, needs more mixing/liquid.
Like something to do/bored.
Ready for a nap, leave me alone.

I am sure he will have a lot of request! But I know you guys will get through it and everything will be great!!

I can talk fine now it is great! I can even eat things that i can mash and just set in my mouth to swallow, no chewing! Overall I am very happy and comfortable. This experience has been better than I or my family ever imagined. I think that this is because originally I was suppose to be wired shut with splint for 4 weeks, and than it got to come out after a week and a half so that is major and has made me very happy! My pain is very mild.
Yesturday I went to my program registration at school from like 9-2 and felt pretty good, no pain meds since the night before until I got home at like 4 so like 16 hours. I never wake up to take meds anymore just when i wake up i take them. I can open pretty normally also.

Anyways good luck to the other August buddies and Josh!!

#38 Post by **BracketRacket** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 8:44 pm

Turn TV on/off, change channel (or where's the remote!)

Maybe include a list of numbers (2 ice packs, pain scale, #of pills, etc), and a letter chart (it can be frustrating to not have people understand you, and worst comes to worst, he can spell out what he means if it's not on the list).

I'm not sure if he and you have cell phones, but I found it quite handy to text my parents right after surgery, even if they were in the same room! It let me say what I needed to say clearly!

Best of luck to Josh, and I hope your nerves can take it easy! It'll be over before you know it. The next few weeks will seem like an eternity, but I had surgery less than three months ago and already it seems like forever ago.

#39 Post by **Jessica37769** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:21 pm

I also used texting to communicate, came in very handy! Especially when they were out of the room or went to get me something and I thought of something elce I needed. You cant really yell so texting helps alot. Good luck again!

#40 Post by **Josh'smom** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 6:49 am

THANK YOU so much. These are great suggestions. i would have never thought about the texting!

We have his boy-cave set up pretty good in there. We've been experimenting with what can be pushed through a syringe. He really liked the oatmeal apple cinnamon baby food! It's not too sweet.

We are 24 hours away....

Glad to hear how good you are feeling Jessica!

#41 Post by **aliciaj212** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:11 am

Wow, I can't get over how much difference a single day makes. Last night, I had so much trouble sleeping that I almost started crying, until I remembered that crying prevents breathing. But after a few naps in the morning, I woke up and found my throat nearly clear of phlegm and discomfort. Throughout the day the swelling started reducing, and now I can feel parts of my cheeks. I can feel almost my entire cheek completely as of this moment.

The only thing is that I have this stinging sensation on the left side of my mouth. I'm pretty sure it's my gums, but I can't tell if it's the stitches or maybe a bracket from my braces digging into my stitches? It's not painful per se, but it's really annoying. Has anyone else had this issue?

Thank you so much for your stories - for those who are going through post op difficulty, hang in there. There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel (though it may be hard to see it now).

#42 Post by **braceface23** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:05 pm

5 days post op, Still in pain until I take my pain pills, whole face is tingly, escpecially by the chin.. My jaw/ chin/ neck are all yellow now from the bruising but the swelling has went down alot. Tried mac and cheese today for the first time but it didnt taste very good. Oral Surgeon is very happy w the results, says I look like a million bucks!

#43 Post by **Josh'smom** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:56 pm

Josh made it through. Surgeon moved his upper jaw back 4 cm and his chin forward 3 1/2 cm. For the first time since I can remember, his lips actually meet!

His dad is staying overnight with him tonight and I pick them up at 6am. He is the only overnighter in the entire outpatient center so he has a nurse and a nursing assistant all to himself.

He's definitely not a happy camper at the moment. But all things considered he is doing simply marvelous!

Thanks for all the good mojo!

Josh's mom

#44 Post by **BracketRacket** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:27 pm

Thanks for the update -- been thinking about you guys all day (hope that doesn't sound too stalkerish!). The next few days will be rough, but I'm glad he's getting so much attention, and I'm sure he'll bounce back quickly! Make sure to spoil him, just a little!

#45 Post by **Josh'smom** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:58 pm

He's happier to be home and in his boy-cave. He was happy to have three packets of cream of wheat through a syringe! He was a hungry 80 pound boy!

I also made him instant mashed potatoes (Potato Buds) and put some Boston Market gravy in it. He loved that too!

So far, he's not in too much pain, loving the attention and getting stronger. He was very weak this morning, but is steady to get himself to the bathroom.

SO CUTE and has a sense of humor. Ahhh....youth..... I hope this is how it will go for him.

Josh's Mom