video update, post-op day 6

Video update.  I think I said it all, good luck understanding me!

I just had my first post-op appointment today.  Surgeons took a peek around and said everything was healing fine.  Interestingly enough, they said even though the swelling is more on the right on the outside of my face, the inside of my mouth is swollen more on the left.

I'm just going to try straining everything from now on because I know I'm not getting enough calories.  Its hard with a liquid diet to get enough nutrition!

They also said that I'll be de-banded next week!  can't wait for that day.

Thank you everyone again for the tips about eating and everything else, they've really been helpful and encouraging.

life at post-op day 4

My life over the past couple days has been a cycle of taking medications on a schedule, eating and drinking as much as possible, and napping when possible.  It's kind of tiring to constantly be focusing on all of this but at least I know that I can take the time off of school and not worry about studying yet.

Today was definitely the best day so far, so I'm hoping everyday is going to get better from here on out.  I have a few new best friends:
liquid percocet
liquid ibuprofen
vasoline
eating syringes
straws

Eating is a tricky thing.  My mouth is banded shut with a splint (a retainer like thing) between the teeth.  When I eat this makes my teeth act like a sieve when anything that's not liquid tries to go through. I can drink water from a straw, it just goes slower then with the syringe. Here're some examples:
Good to eat:
a boost for breakfast and ensure for dessert (go to 56s)
milk
juice
broth
ensure
tomato soup
yogurt watered down with juice

not good to eat:
corn meal mush watered down
cream of wheat watered down
these things are too particulate and get clogged up in my braces

Before I forget I'd like to thank everyone that has been sending me their thoughts and prayers.  All of the moral support is really helpful.  I'd also like to say thank you to my mom's friends and my friends that have sent cards and supportive messages.  When you think things are tough, it really is nice to know that someone is there for you keeping you in mind.

Here are some pictures of each day since day 0, you can really see how much the swelling is going down!  I'll update more about the hospital experience later but everything was great, I love my team of doctors they are the best.

day 0. in recovery that afternoon

day 1. the hospital suction was my best friend

day 2, ready to go home later

day 3, my roommates travel neck pillow was a lifesaver

day 4, today.  my right side is actually more swollen than the left, the picture is just deceiving.  

this picture was from the beginning of the day, i'm even more yellow now

recovering at home

I'm currently at home recovering from jaw surgery.  Everything went as well as it possibly could have during the surgery and in the hospital recovering.  My top teeth are in front of my bottom teeth!!  Trying to keep my eye on the big picture here.

I'm sticking to the liquid percocet every 4 hours because I can feel the achy-ness/ pain starting to come back at the end of that time period.  Right now everything is revolving around getting enough liquids, taking medicines at the right time and trying to get rest.  Last night was difficult.  I find that if i'm sitting not moving around for long (like when you're sleeping haha) my nose will start to get stuffy and breathing gets more difficult.  more on that subject later.

Maybe I'll post a picture later, I seriously look like little miss piggy right now!

T -3 days and THANK YOU

Only 3 more days until the big day!  I'm really excited to get everything over and done with.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has written blogs like these and who has helped me out with a bunch of questions.  We all know that you go a little crazy before a surgery like this figuring out all the things you'll need for recovery not knowing what to expect.  For a lot of us, being a patient in the hospital will be a first time experience also which is nerve-racking.

So THANK YOU Jamie, Nikki, Nichole, Tara, Amanda, Catherine, Terra, Max, Amy, Gordon, Dani, Shane, Bracedmom and all the others that i've forgotten.  Your support and disclosure has been so helpful this far and I feel so much more prepared for what is to come.  Even though everyone is different and there is still so much unknown about what will happen I would probably be much more of a nervous wreck right now if it wasn't for you guys. :)

To anyone reading my blog for the first time please check out the links to these other people's great blogs on the right hand side of the screen.

a few last pre-op pictures:

need advice

Surgery is next week!  That snuck up quick. April 12th has been looming somewhere in the future and now its practically here.

The question I have for you fellow bloggers that have had surgery already and are recovering is;  How long did you need someone to take care of you?

My mom who works from home and lives far away (far enough a plane ticket is necessary) is coming to Boston to help support me through the recovery process.  I know at first I'm really going to need someone to help me take meds and eat and be in the hospital with me.  I'm guessing I'd need her to be here at least until the first post-op appointment?  It is scheduled for 6 days after.  That is already 10 days away from work for her.  As of now she's got her ticket here but no return ticket so I'm trying to think ahead to when she can get back home.

Any advice? suggestions?

pre-op...check!

15 days til surgery!  I seriously can't believe that it is so soon.  I'm excited to get everything over with already!

I had my pre-op appointment today with two residents and my oral surgeon.  They were great! "A-team" lol.  We did all of the typical stuff- pictures, x-rays, measurements, facebow, and impressions (not so fun with all those surgical hooks for the alginate to get stuck in).  The residents did everything and answered all of my questions.

these were some of my most important questions:
diet?: anything you can get through a blender and in your mouth
splint?: yes, 2 weeks at least.
medications?: liquid
how long banded shut?: 2 weeks at least, up to 6 wks.

The oral surgeon came in after, did a few measurements for herself and discussed the cephalometric analysis with the residents to come up with a tentative plan about movements they will do in the surgery.  It was kind of funny because we (3rd year students) just had our final oral surgery exam yesterday which had questions from her lectures on craniofacial deformities on it!  lol, talk about the educated patient!  I already new that I will definitely require double jaw surgery because if they were to just move my lower jaw back I would not have enough space left for my airway.  They have a tentative plan of how much to move each jaw but need to confirm it after they do the mock surgery on the models.

They said they'd probably want to have another appointment closer to the surgery (which is only 2 weeks away!!!!!!) to confirm everything after they do the model surgery.  One of the other things my Mom was concerned about was what she needs to do while she's taking care of me in terms of when to give meds, what signs to watch out for, etc. My oral surgeon was so nice, she said we can just set up another quick appointment with the her for when my Mom is in town right beforehand so she can meet the oral surgeon and ask herself.

The rest of the day wasn't so fun.  I had a meeting with anesthesia to have blood drawn and meet with the nurse about anesthesia stuff.  Then I had to go donate blood to myself :(.  I've volunteer donated blood many times in the past and this was not one of the best times.  ouchy.  Let's just leave it at that.

Anyhooo, that's all in the past now.  I have my last appointment with my orthodontist on Thursday.

check out my new GRILL

I had my second to last pre-surgical ortho appointment last week.  We put on 20 or so surgical hooks.  These are the hooks that the oral surgeon will use to wire my mouth shut when they do the surgery.  The orthodontist says the more hooks the better because they can break and the surgeons are always asking for more.  The orthodontist wants to have one more appointment before surgery just to check on the hooks and change the ties?

any votes on what color I should get before the surgery?  I was thinking just plain silver so they wont show stains- silver is just so boring though!!

35 days til surgery.  I can't wait.  I'm so excited to be 6 or so months down the road and be able to BITE into things and actually bite through them.  Like sandwiches, pizza, cookies- any and everything you bite into with your front teeth?  I'm so excited to be able to incise correctly and not tear, rip, or pull food to be able to get it in my mouth and eat!!

I'm officially on a no restrictions diet to try and gain some weight before the surgery- any pointers?  Ive just been trying to up the calories with every meal.  

Pre-op appointments are set for the end of this month, I'll be sure to update the blog afterwards.

Here are some pics-

My new grill! lol this is me slightly opened

luckily, it doesn't look too different from normal braces with my regular smile

right profile, jaw relaxed?

left profile

I wish my teeth were cleaner for these pics- sorry!

I've got so many sweet surgical hooks now!

there was only one area the hook wouldn't fit onto the wire because it has a bend

so class III!

Profile, biting down. I can't wait to have cheekbones!