April/May 2014 surgical buddies..

[Helen82]

Phew, my surgeon couldn't see what the orthos were fussing about regarding the plate, so no extra surgery as yet. He also doesn't want to disturb things while they're still healing. Basically it's wait and see if I get any more infections in the same place. If I do, the plate may need to come out but we could do it the same time as the genioplasty, which is what I woukd prefer. Only want 2 surgeries rather than 3! Got to push all this to the back of my mind and concentrate on trying to increase my jaw opening.

Hope you are okay (or as okay as you can be) DisneyNerd and good luck Leebie3 for tomorrow!

[prairiehouse]

How long until you guys were able to brush all your teeth? I thought that it would be about 2 weeks, but I can not open my mouth nearly wide enough to get to the backsides of my teeth.

[DisneyNerd]

Hi, just wanted to let you know that were no complications during surgery. But sadly I had to stay in hospital two extra nights than expected. On Thursday when the surgeon planned to send me home, I still wasn't drinking anything and had all my various meds through the iv drip, so I volunteered to stay in until I could at least drink water. The night-shift nurse was a saint, he fed me a milkshake for dinner and breakfast. And I was given the all-clear to go home. But unfortunately the second the night nurse went off duty, I vomited when trying to take meds. Received a visit from a speech and language doctor, which gave me the kick I needed. Throughout the rest of the day, I did start drinking water and at dinner that night, I drank half a bottle of milkshake. For breakfast, Simon the night nurse pushed me to drink a full bottle. By 10 o'clock, I was up and raring to go. I'm now at home and had a quarter of flavoured milk for dinner.


After "talking" to a cancer patient who had her palate removed did sort of help because, even though she can't eat, she was helping the nurses in any way she could. Giving the immobile ladies drinks and making sure they were comfortable and stuff like that. Gives one some perspective.

[parsleysage]

Today is post-op day 3 for Leebie. Hope you are doing well Leebie!!!

[Helen82]

Good to know op went okay DisneyNerd. Hope you are getting on as best you can; one week nearly gone! Hope all went well for Leebie too.

[DisneyNerd]

Yeah I hope she's doing OK. A bit worried about her, but I'm sure she'll came back when she's ready.




I'm getting better too; the swelling's gone well down, I'm not taking painkillers anymore and I'm coming off my antibiotics tomorrow. But I'm just a bit up and down with my emotions and dribbling like hell*, those are really the only problems now.


*I was always very dribbly anyway, so nothing new

[parsleysage]

I'm sorry you're feeling emotional I'm always that way and I can imagine feeling it x1000 after my surgery. I keep having discouraging thoughts about needing to cry (I'm such a crybaby) and not being able to blow my nose afterwards and how awful that is going to feel... for 6-8 weeks!!!!

Anyway, I hope you feel better soon. Hopefully once you get start eating more and get some quality rest the emotions will quiet down. Best of luck!

[Leebie3]

Hi guys! Hope you're all well!?

glad to see everything went well disney xo

I'm doing ok.. apparently my nerve bundle is higher than normal so they had to cut higher and snapped off the coronoid process see picture. and another bit at the bottom snapped off too. surgeon just about cancelled the surgery when she saw how high the nerves were but I'm SO glad she proceeded even though it still hurts HEAPS 6 weeks later.. every time I yawn or try to eat (still on liquid diet because of it) it opens the coronoid fracture up again... if it keeps up they're going to send me for a CT scan (only way to really see it) and the only treatment is to take that bit out.. not sure what happens with the temporalis muscle which attaches to that bit of bone though but will cross that bridge when/if I get to it.

Getting feeling back slowly.. still feels as though I have a fat lip but I don't lol.. I had barely any swelling or bruising

oh yeah, and they moved my jaw forward 9mm but left my chin

[Leebie3]

day 2 xrays - pretty cool eh! I had no plates.. just screws - 5 on left and 3 on right

[Helen82]

Hi Leebie - you look great! Sorry to hear about your fracture problem though; hope you can get that sorted.

My jaw positions are a lot better than before though my midlines are still way off; just have to accept that I'm meant to be off-centre! I was on liquid diet for first seven weeks, then moved to soft food which I'm still on. Have to wear bands again unfortunately as my overbite was opening up. But - my teeth are pretty much lined up, apart from one stubborn one, and so my braces are coming off in 5 weeks time! Still got my genioplasty to do though at some point.

I'm experimenting with chewing but when I do the left side of my jaw starts popping and clicking and really hurts. Am hoping that that side is just a bit behind the other side in recovering and will hopefully improve, and that it's not a sign of anything more sinister. Still have numbness in my lower lip and chin area - again hope this will improve. Sometimes sound like such a miserable sod as people say you must be happy with results etc but I always reply I will be once I know I will be able to eat properly again and when I have less numbness!