September 2011 Buddies!!!!

[Marian]

Jo, I'm so pleased to hear that you are home.You sound very positive - good girl!!!!

Your surgeon isn't messing around this time is he!! - he sounds determined that this is going to work. It must be reassuring to you that they really are giving this 110% for you.

Get lots and lots of rest and drink lots (I'm sure everyone is telling you that but it makes me feel better to nag ) .

Puppy day tomorrow - damn, I wish I lived nearer to you, I'd be round yours like a shot!!!!!

Speak to you soon.

Marian xx

PS Have you tried Goodness Shakes (in the chiller cabinet at the supermarket). Runners use them - they've got vitamins and stuff in and the chocolate ones are very nice.

[underbiter]

Hi marian and everyone else, got home fine, went to bed fine and woke up at 4am with my bottom jaw having moved forward, and major clicking noises going on. Had a massive panic attack and was hysterical had to take extra steroids to calm me down, my mum rang the ward so we could get in first thing in the morning.

Went to bed again for another couple of hours, got up and my bottom jaw had moved back again, not all the way but it was clear to say all was not lost. Went to the hospital saw another consultant who was in the operating theatre with my surgeon so she knew what she was talking about, she had a poke around said yes it has moved forward, she went to ring for second opinion, they said add some really strong normal elastics to the front of my mouth, and to come in again if it moves any more.

It seems like these have done the trick as more pulling going on than usual. So all in all been a bit traumatic to say the least! Ive been told in no uncertain terms not to bend down, do any more movement than is necessary, keep my jaw up and not lower it and complete liquid diet. Which unfortunately means ive got to crush my tablets and administer through a syringe. Think im going to be fully liquid for at least 6 weeks. Im not bothered as long as it works, couldnt bear to have to go through it again in 3 months time.

My good news is the puppy is coming this evening rather than tomorrow cos it was the only time my dad would be available to pick it up and my mum couldnt leave me tomorrow to pick it up. So all in all its not been the best 3 days lol! im staying positive tho at least people are taking me seriously, and ive been told even if its 3 in the morning to come in as the consultant is on until monday evening poor lady due to some junior doctors going sick. Took in 2 big tins of celebrations and a thank you card to the nurses and doctors on the ward as they were complete stars yesterday and today, apart from losing me notes at one point.

Havent heard about those shakes but will get my mum to go and search them out when she goes shopping thanks for the tip marian x

[Marian]

Crikey, you certainly have your medical team on your side don't you!! (Can I just check that this op was done under the NHS!?!?!?!?!?!)

Your September buddies NEED a photo of puppy (ask someone else to take the piccie though - I'd hate puppy to leap on your head thinking you were up for a game of rough and tumble )

You have had a rough three days, and I just want to say well done you!! Your determination to get this right comes across in heaps and can only be admired - well done you!!

Marian xx

[gothpenguin]

Jo- I'm sorry to hear you had to have the surgery redone; but its good to know the surgeons are on your side. I really do hope this one takes. But I'm curious, how is it that your jaw seems to move so easily?Is it a muscular thing, or did they just not put the pins/staples in properly?

I'm now 19 days post-op(when do we start counting weeks?). I've still got a little bit of swelling and soreness, lower lip/chin is still numb but the big news is "I'm eating" !!! No more slurping my food. I should point out, i'm still not eating biscuits or crisps or anything chewy but I can manage on a soft-food diet(pizza, pasta,chicken etc). I'm not biting through anything, but I can masticate things enough to get soft enough to swallow.

My ortho has me changing out all my elastics at least once a day.I don't know what I would do without my wife, I can't imagine trying to replace them myself Anyway, I've been taking them out before dinner. And my goodness, it feels so good to move food around my mouth. My jaw hurts after dinner so I take paracetamol but still.

Jeff

[underbiter]

Hi everyone, Frank the puppy has settled in so well he slept on me for half an hour and never moved. but my dad insists on keeping him awake so the poor bugger is going to be sleep deprived, luckily my dad is at work tomorrow so frank can get some rest. trying to attach a photo hopefully itll work . Hes so calm its unbelievable just seems to fit right in here straight away. Photo of him shows the daft way he fell asleep in his basket.

Marian yes it is NHS staff for all the moaning people do about them i have found them fantastic and so supportive and understanding.

Jeff its a muscular thing i just have very very resistant jaws, which was proved in my last surgery 10 years ago when i had a metal distraction device on my jaws and my jaw twisted in response to it, and the metal screw bent in my skull. This was really the only way that it was going to work so if it doesnt work im pretty much screwed! This surgery they took the metal plates that they put in two weeks ago as it needed to then be put in place with elastics a bit like a metal chain both sides of my mouth plus today i had additional elastics put in the front of my mouth so my jaws are almost completely shut it is working but very slowly.

[Marian]

Hello Frank - welcome to Archwired you little cutie!!

Jeff, you are very lucky to have a wife who is happy to fit your elastics. My hubby will do most things for me (including keeping me company in the loo when I was in hospital ), but I think he would run a mile if I asked him to put the elastics in. I guess if you have big hands it must be nearly impossible to put the tiny elastics in yourself.

Jo, how is the liquid diet going - are you managing to drink enough to stop yourself being hungry? Are you managing to sleep ok?

[underbiter]

Hi Marian liquid diet going ok to be honest i havent got much of an appetite yet i found that last time my appetite took about 6 days post op to come back properly. The worst thing about the liquid diet is as of yet the hospital hadnt got my liquid versions of my medications ready so will get them on tuesday when i go back to the hospital, but i think they wont be able to do liquid versions of my steroids or thyroxine (i have hypoglaecemia and hypothyroidism which is my thyroid gland doesnt work and doesnt produce the right hormones in my body so i have to take medication to replace it) so its basically a bit of water mixed with my tablets crushed up and try not to gag on the taste lol! Soluable paracetamol as well which is bad enough but not as bad as my regular meds.

My jaw was fighting again last night wasnt painful but some clicking going on in both the bottom and top jaw which i think is a good sign, as my bottom jaw seems to be further back this morning thank god!

Oh and as for frank hes a little cutie, hes playful with my mum and dad but really really calm with me and will just settle on me or on my feet its almost as if he knows that im recovering from something he was trying to lick my neck at one point i think he saw the bruises and was trying to make them better lol!

[underbiter]

quick question does anyone know how to get rid of the sores and blisters around my mouth?, vaseline doesnt seem to do anything, and ive got a particularly bad one just on the inside of my top lip, i think the surgeon was a bit more rough with the jaw stretcher thing this time cos the sores werent as bad last time

[Marian]

Jo, I don't know if you are on a mouthwash from the hospital, but Corsodyl is a fab mouthwash which certainly helps with gingivitus and brace sores that I have had in the past.

Also, I'm sure you've thought of Bonjela, which has got a numbing agent in it.

Marian
xx

[underbiter]

yes ive got the corsodyl mouthwash will continue using it and apparently salt water helps, its really difficult to keep clean in my mouth as my jaws are so close together cannot get even a baby toothbrush past but this is a good sign means the gap is closing and the bottom jaw is going in the right position. ive tried bonjela does work a bit the lip ones arent too bad its the ones on the inside that are difficult to treat. hopefully the elastics will have done their job by tomorrow fingers crossed...touch wood an all that. Tomorrow if all is well will be having wires put in place i think u are right marian i will feel a lot more relieved when this is done cos my jaw wont be able to move any more well a lot more difficult anyway ill still be paranoid.

[underbiter]

Well been for my appointment, the surgeon says my jaw is back in the right position but bottom jaw not moved back yet, so today he got my ortho who told him off for not bringing me to him on friday instead of trying to do himself in a dimly lit ward lol! my ortho took all the elastics off except for the ones my surgeon put on on friday and put 3 more on really strong chain elastics and i can definately feel my bottom jaw moving back now, and hes seeing me again tomorrow along with my ortho who clearly doesnt trust my surgeon to do the elastics properly so if the bottom jaw is behind the top tomorrow he'll put the wires on if not he'll put more strong chain elastics on to pull me even more.

he said he might see me thurs as well but the bottom jaw should be definately done for friday, so then wired up. its exciting cos i wont be an underbiter anymore, providing it doesnt go back after they took the wires off, but im going to tell my surgeon that i want the wires left on for as long as possible to make sure my jaw has fully healed.

[underbiter]

How is everyone doing recovery wise? x

[gothpenguin]

Unfortunately I've not got much to report. Things are pretty much as they were late last week. My chin is still numb(and getting crusties as I'm not cleaning it properly ). I'm still sleeping sitting up, I tried laying down but that was just too uncomfortable. I take all my elastics off for one meal, and have been eating everything in sight.(I got a great appetite now) My energy levels leave a little to be desired, I tried cycling into work (~2km) and that just took alot out of me, so now I just bus it.
Jeff

[Marian]

Hi everyone

I have the ortho and a follow up visit to the surgeon tomorrow.

I'm a little bit concerned because, without elastics, I still can't get two fingers into my mouth - I could probably get in one and a half.

I had a bit of a vegetable overload tonight - I'm starting to get little spots on my chin and I'm sure it's because of the spaghetti hoops, chocolate mousse and omlette diet. It took me ages to post carrots in through the slot betweem my teeth?

My lip and chin are still numb, with some 4 or 5 second freaky pain episodes every so often.

The elastics don't seem to be pulling my bottom jaw to the left to line up my mid-line, but then I don't know how quickly that would happen - a question that I must remember for tomorrow.

My right jaw line is super sensitive, and is irritated by my hair blowing against my face or by the duvet cover in the night - I guess all these funny sensations (and hopefully the restriction on my mouth opening) must be due to the swelling.

I'd be interested to know if you guys are experiencing the same things.

Marian xx

[underbiter]

That sounds strange marian the really sensitive jaw part i mean, i havent experienced any of that but i guess my jaws are proper tough.
The only numb place i still have is my chin and the teeth behind that part everywhere else i have the feeling back.

Not been so successful today with the elastics it was ok having them put on but then ive been yawning a lot and i try to stop yawning but it makes it worse, and i think that forces my bottom jaw forward and makes the really strong elastics quite slack, am seeing my ortho and surgeon again tomorrow so will ask if theres anything that can possibly stop me making movements when i yawn i.e. some sort of tablets? or if theres anything stronger they can use elastics wise. Its really disheartening when you think you are progressing then it slows down again or regresses grr! Its difficult because im finding it hard to see a way around it.

Also im very sorry its wayyy too much information but i have very bad constipation and the straining doesnt help my jaw either (again sorry!) trying to up my water and fibre intake but its difficult when i can only drink out of a cup or straw.

Plus its hard work mashing up my regular tablets with water theres 4 different ones that i cant get in a liquid form, luckily ive got calpol for paracetamol which makes things easier. I sound depressing lol i need to think positive it will work!

Again sorry about too much information! xx JO