Day #10 update + new pictures uploaded

[Guest guest]

Good afternoon everyone !

First, I've updated my pictures galleries, and I placed the pictures in column,

so that it'll be easier to see the progression in my " un-swelling " quest!

http://www.pbase.com/carbone/surgery

The numb areas are beginning to resorb. But by doing so, it brings strange

sensations, like itching. I constantly have to remind myself that this is not

a real itching, and that I can't start scratching my face every 2 seconds...

That being said, the stiffiness is still present, almost as day #1. I'll have

to

talk about this to my surgeon. Numbness has disappeared from a portion

of my right side. That's a good sign!

I don't have sinus pain anymore, and there is less and less blood comming

out of my nose. What's coming out now is solid (no more running blood).

Surgeon said this would happen before my sinus would return to normal

again. So, I feel joy in that area!

Taste is slowly returning to normal. Salt tastes salt again. Sweet stuff is

always too sweet or not enough sweet. It seems I can't find a balance. It'll

get there, I'm positive! Tongue isn't burning anymore, but still numb on

60%, from tip to the end, left side mainly.

My cheeks aren't as numb as they were neither. I'm beginning to feel the

presence of the rubber bands... Cool... and not so cool because I can feel

the surface of the interior of my cheeks has been cut at various places.

Moral is extraordinary good since I increase my food intake. I'm now eating

5 times a day. I was getting tired of eating because it takes so long for

anything to fit in my mouth. Eating less at a time, but more often, seems

to help me get more. I've also managed to stabilize my weight

loss, at 10.5 lbs.

I can think as clearly as before, but not for as long as I used to. I mean, I

can,

for example, play games of mind, but only for a few minutes (30 at best), as

opposed to before. I think I'm still flushing the drugs I was injected to get

sleeping and to kill the pain. So I got out the Sega Dreamcast console!!! Days

are going much faster now that there's actually something I can do!

My nights are better and better. For the last two days, I've only woke up once

every night. That's because something happened in my lower abdomen. They

took a piece of bone from my hip to graft it in my face to adjust my jaws.

Normally, that would only bring pain in my right thigh. But while I was in the

hospital, I tried to move on my bed, and I felt a very sharp like knife pain in

my

abdomen. Since then, certain moves I make will bring back this pain. I believe

I may have a torn muscle. I'm seeing both my surgeon and generalist this week.

I'll make sure to bring this matter up!

Well, that's it!

Ray

[Guest guest]

Hi, Ray... You're doing all the right things to get through this.

You might, or might not, want to know, if you don't, already, that

many times the donor site on the hip is a more painful injury than

all that stuff in the mouth. Do be sure to tell your surgeon about

the pain you're having.

As for drinkies: Well, today I tried a new slushy for mine husband.

Not that he's had jaw surgery, but hey -- we're in the subtropics

here, and it is hot (think 90s F.) and humid (think near 100 %) and

he's trying to do inside-outside hard stuff, and he likes thick,

soft, icy things.

Soooo: I used a can of Kern's Strawberry-Banana nectar, juice,

whatever they call it. Haven't used this before, but

ZipnSqueeze recommends Kern's canned stuff. Mixed in some Butter

Pecan ice cream, and some milk, and about 1/4 tsp. ground ginger.

(Sometimes a little hot on some cold and sweet is good. When you're

up to it, try pineapple, grapes, even tuna, with some cottage cheese,

with just a tiny bit of cayenne pepper on top, if you don't believe

me.) We'll see what the verdict is. He's usually appreciative of even

my worst efforts -- but then he told me two hours ago that he'd

be " right back, " and I'm desperately trying to preserve the ham

sandwich I made, per request, two hours ago, too.... The slushy is in

the freezer, ready for a second blending when/if he decides to come

home.

The infamous itch that can't be scratched is just that. I have it a

lot in my feet, which suffer from neuropathies. I also have the

stabbing pains there, and the burning, as well as in my cheek, the

latter from the shingles, neither one related to jaw surgery. Those,

for me, aren't likely to get any better, alas. At this point, for

you, I'd think it's a good sign that the nerves are restive and

getting ready to tell you that they're coming back to serve you.

My surgeon told me I'd probably lose 10 percent of my body weight (I

didn't) but that it would come right back, as soon as I started

eating again. He was wrong about the losing, but right about the

gaining. >:orthognathicsurgerysupport , " Ray "

wrote:

> Good afternoon everyone !

>

> First, I've updated my pictures galleries, and I placed the

pictures in column,

> so that it'll be easier to see the progression in my " un-swelling "

quest!

>

> http://www.pbase.com/carbone/surgery

>

> The numb areas are beginning to resorb. But by doing so, it brings

strange

> sensations, like itching. I constantly have to remind myself that

this is not

> a real itching, and that I can't start scratching my face every 2

seconds...

> That being said, the stiffiness is still present, almost as day

#1. I'll have to

> talk about this to my surgeon. Numbness has disappeared from a

portion

> of my right side. That's a good sign!

>

> I don't have sinus pain anymore, and there is less and less blood

comming

> out of my nose. What's coming out now is solid (no more running

blood).

> Surgeon said this would happen before my sinus would return to

normal

> again. So, I feel joy in that area!

>

> Taste is slowly returning to normal. Salt tastes salt again.

Sweet stuff is

> always too sweet or not enough sweet. It seems I can't find a

balance. It'll

> get there, I'm positive! Tongue isn't burning anymore, but still

numb on

> 60%, from tip to the end, left side mainly.

>

> My cheeks aren't as numb as they were neither. I'm beginning to

feel the

> presence of the rubber bands... Cool... and not so cool because I

can feel

> the surface of the interior of my cheeks has been cut at various

places.

>

> Moral is extraordinary good since I increase my food intake. I'm

now eating

> 5 times a day. I was getting tired of eating because it takes so

long for

> anything to fit in my mouth. Eating less at a time, but more

often, seems

> to help me get more. I've also managed to stabilize my weight

> loss, at 10.5 lbs.

>

> I can think as clearly as before, but not for as long as I used

to. I mean, I can,

> for example, play games of mind, but only for a few minutes (30 at

best), as

> opposed to before. I think I'm still flushing the drugs I was

injected to get

> sleeping and to kill the pain. So I got out the Sega Dreamcast

console!!! Days

> are going much faster now that there's actually something I can do!

>

> My nights are better and better. For the last two days, I've only

woke up once

> every night. That's because something happened in my lower

abdomen. They

> took a piece of bone from my hip to graft it in my face to adjust

my jaws.

> Normally, that would only bring pain in my right thigh. But while

I was in the

> hospital, I tried to move on my bed, and I felt a very sharp like

knife pain in my

> abdomen. Since then, certain moves I make will bring back this

pain. I believe

> I may have a torn muscle. I'm seeing both my surgeon and

generalist this week.

> I'll make sure to bring this matter up!

>

> Well, that's it!

>

> Ray

[Guest guest]

I want to thank you and the others(AJ, Dale, Jay and whomever I

forgot) for keeping us all so accurately posted with your progress,

it's so good to read this since I know I'll be experiencing it all

soon as well. I've been reading the boards for a long time now and

definately feel so much more prepared going in to all this. I'll be

going to Venezuela tomorrow with my hubby, and the surgery will take

place on Wednesday over there. I'm a little nervous but not so much

as I would think (that will probably come once I'm there). I don't

know if I'll be able to post anything while we're there so I just

want to say thanks to all, especially my surgery buddies for next

week, good luck with your recovery and see you on the other side!

Nathalie

> Good afternoon everyone !

>

> First, I've updated my pictures galleries, and I placed the

pictures in column,

> so that it'll be easier to see the progression in my " un-swelling "

quest!

>

> http://www.pbase.com/carbone/surgery

>

> The numb areas are beginning to resorb. But by doing so, it

brings strange

> sensations, like itching. I constantly have to remind myself that

this is not

> a real itching, and that I can't start scratching my face every 2

seconds...

> That being said, the stiffiness is still present, almost as day

#1. I'll have to

> talk about this to my surgeon. Numbness has disappeared from a

portion

> of my right side. That's a good sign!

>

> I don't have sinus pain anymore, and there is less and less blood

comming

> out of my nose. What's coming out now is solid (no more running

blood).

> Surgeon said this would happen before my sinus would return to

normal

> again. So, I feel joy in that area!

>

> Taste is slowly returning to normal. Salt tastes salt again.

Sweet stuff is

> always too sweet or not enough sweet. It seems I can't find a

balance. It'll

> get there, I'm positive! Tongue isn't burning anymore, but still

numb on

> 60%, from tip to the end, left side mainly.

>

> My cheeks aren't as numb as they were neither. I'm beginning to

feel the

> presence of the rubber bands... Cool... and not so cool because I

can feel

> the surface of the interior of my cheeks has been cut at various

places.

>

> Moral is extraordinary good since I increase my food intake. I'm

now eating

> 5 times a day. I was getting tired of eating because it takes so

long for

> anything to fit in my mouth. Eating less at a time, but more

often, seems

> to help me get more. I've also managed to stabilize my weight

> loss, at 10.5 lbs.

>

> I can think as clearly as before, but not for as long as I used

to. I mean, I can,

> for example, play games of mind, but only for a few minutes (30 at

best), as

> opposed to before. I think I'm still flushing the drugs I was

injected to get

> sleeping and to kill the pain. So I got out the Sega Dreamcast

console!!! Days

> are going much faster now that there's actually something I can do!

>

> My nights are better and better. For the last two days, I've only

woke up once

> every night. That's because something happened in my lower

abdomen. They

> took a piece of bone from my hip to graft it in my face to adjust

my jaws.

> Normally, that would only bring pain in my right thigh. But while

I was in the

> hospital, I tried to move on my bed, and I felt a very sharp like

knife pain in my

> abdomen. Since then, certain moves I make will bring back this

pain. I believe

> I may have a torn muscle. I'm seeing both my surgeon and

generalist this week.

> I'll make sure to bring this matter up!

>

> Well, that's it!

>

> Ray

[Guest guest]

Great news Ray! Happy that things are going well for you. I'm 10

days post-op upper and lower and I still have numbness in my tongue

and chin. The nerves seem to be trying to wake up...especially in my

chin. Take care and hope that recovery continues to go well for you!

With regards,

Dale

[Guest guest]

> I want to thank you and the others(AJ, Dale, Jay and whomever I

> forgot) for keeping us all so accurately posted with your progress,

> it's so good to read this since I know I'll be experiencing it all

> soon as well. I've been reading the boards for a long time now and

> definately feel so much more prepared going in to all this. I'll be

> going to Venezuela tomorrow with my hubby, and the surgery will take

> place on Wednesday over there. I'm a little nervous but not so much

> as I would think (that will probably come once I'm there). I don't

> know if I'll be able to post anything while we're there so I just

> want to say thanks to all, especially my surgery buddies for next

> week, good luck with your recovery and see you on the other side!

>

> Nathalie

You know what Nathalie, at the end, I had to get mad at a few people

around me because THEY were making me nervous while, on my own,

I wasn't the least! But they managed to get me nervous by, amongst

other things, continuously asking me if I was nervous... Grrr! :-)

I was remarkably calm before the surgery. Until a few minutes before.

And I do mean like 10 or 5 minutes before they put me under.

Good luck and I'm positive, everything will be alright!

Ray

[Guest guest]

> Great news Ray! Happy that things are going well for you. I'm 10

> days post-op upper and lower and I still have numbness in my tongue

> and chin. The nerves seem to be trying to wake up...especially in my

> chin. Take care and hope that recovery continues to go well for you!

> With regards,

> Dale

Dale, same wishes for you my friend! I was reading your note and suddenly,

a few new nerves woke up in my chin... It's something I had never felt before...

ALIEN! I'm becoming an ALIEN ;-)

Take care of you,

Ray

[Guest guest]

> Hi, Ray... You're doing all the right things to get through this.

>

> You might, or might not, want to know, if you don't, already, that

> many times the donor site on the hip is a more painful injury than

> all that stuff in the mouth. Do be sure to tell your surgeon about

> the pain you're having.

That, I learned since I started to walk again, on Saturday. She did warned=

me,

my surgeon, that most people complain more about the hip bones than the

orthognatic surgery itself. Who am I to disagree with the crowd! :-)

The pain in the abdomen, I must tell, I'm scared a little. It's probably

nothing but still, I find it odd.

> As for drinkies: Well, today I tried a new slushy for mine husband.

> Not that he's had jaw surgery, but hey -- we're in the subtropics

> here, and it is hot (think 90s F.) and humid (think near 100 %) and

> he's trying to do inside-outside hard stuff, and he likes thick,

> soft, icy things.

Sounds like summer in Montreal.. It's an Island, so it's basically always 7=

0-

100% humidity, and several weeks per summer, temps go as high as 95F

Although when this happens, we all wish for snow... ;-)

Thanks for the slushy recipe, but I don't drink that. Too cold stuff make

my teeth hurt a lot. I clean my teeth in the morning with lukewarm water,

just to tell you how much they dislike too cold stuff!

> The infamous itch that can't be scratched is just that. I have it a

> lot in my feet, which suffer from neuropathies. I also have the

> stabbing pains there, and the burning, as well as in my cheek, the

> latter from the shingles, neither one related to jaw surgery. Those,

> for me, aren't likely to get any better, alas. At this point, for

> you, I'd think it's a good sign that the nerves are restive and

> getting ready to tell you that they're coming back to serve you.

I'm sorry to hear that about you.

As for my nerves, I'd like them to make a reunion, discuss the issue

between themselves, set up a date, and all come back on the same

date & time, so that in the meantime, I can avoid becomming crazy :-)

> My surgeon told me I'd probably lose 10 percent of my body weight (I

> didn't) but that it would come right back, as soon as I started

> eating again. He was wrong about the losing, but right about the

> gaining. >:

> You say: My cheeks aren't as numb as they were neither.

>

> You don't need both negatives here. (that is, " aren't " -- meaning are

> not -- and " neither " -- meaning not either--) Instead, try out " My

> cheeks aren't as numb as they were, either. " I think French is more

> reflexive than English, but if there's a grammarian in the house, I

> stand ready to be corrected.

>

> Of course, my keyboard doesn't even have the characters I need to try

> decent French, although I studied it from grammar school through

> college, and I fare far less well in French than you do in English,

> so maybe you'd just rather tell me I'm being presumptuous.

NOT AT ALL! I like that, very much thank you!! :-)

In French, you negate all the way or nothing at all. So, when I translated=

,

I negated all the way. It's illogic in French to say 'aren't either', exce=

pt, of

course, under certain conditions, which weren't meant when I wrote that.

I have yet to find an English (or American) grammar which I could easily

understand at home, alone. I am treating my self on Amazon.ca tonight,

so perhaps I should recheck again ;-)

>

> A bientot, mon ami!

Pareillement, très chère! (Same thing here, dear)

Ray