Guest guest Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Hi there, On Tuesday Im having Orthognathic surgery on my bottom jaw and all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out! Just wondering what its like really, im a little aprehensive seeing as im 16 and ive never been into hospital before. Just wondering if anyone can tell me about it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Here is a copy-paste job of what I wrote to another person who had never been in the hospital before. I hope it helps to calm your nerves. I am also 16. I think the nurses take special care for us youngsters. I wasn't too nervous about the surgery, but they took special care to make me comfortable. More than likely, your surgery will be a lot easier than you are probably expecting. Thats how it seems to be for most people and that was how it was for me. Here is my story thus far, and I will include details about the hospital so you would know kind of what to expect. I arrived at the hospital at 6 AM, and went to, you guessed it, a waiting room. I had to wait there for what seemed like hours, and it was cold in there. I think all hospitals are cold. If you have a cold-natured person in your family, have them bring a jacket. When I was admitted, they took me to a room with a bunch of beds in it. Each bed had a curtain around it that could be opened and closed as needed. The nurse gave me a very attractive (and might I say...drafty) hostpital gown and had me put it on. Careful...they're open in the back Then I settled in to my bed and the nurse gave me some warm blankets. She then drew some blood and started an IV. She numbed it for me first so it only hurt once. Even then, it wasn't that bad. Then my family was allowed to come back. This is when various people came into my curtain and asked me a bunch of questions. Are you allergic, are you sick, etc. All questions behind me, they wheeled me away, in the bed, to the operating room. But before I left, they gave me something (through the IV, that way they don't have to poke again) to help me " relax. " This is where the cliche " it all happened so fast " comes into play. Nurses move things around, adjust some really big lights, put on gloves, push buttons, etc. But with the medical marijuana in my system, I really didn't care. Soon after I had been taken to the operating room, a nurse put another medecine in the IV. The next thing I remembered, I was waking up in the " wake up room. " No joke. In the snap of a finger, it is all over. The wake up room is another room like the prep room. I had another curtain and nurse to watch me and give me medecine. My memories from this place are kind of foggy, because I had all that medecine in me. I do remember having an oxygen tube hung loosely around my nose and a blood pressure cuff on my arm. The thing took my blood pressure about every 5 minutes, all to the scrutiny of the nurse, who also took my temperature often. I remember a baby screaming bloody murder, one of the reasons the nurses let me out of there early. The next, and final, room is the recovery room. This one is really special. I had my own room, (with walls, not curtains) TV, closet, bathroom, bed that moves up and down, and very attractive IV stand. This is where the nurses come in every hour to check up. They took off my blood pressure cuff, and just used their portable one every hour. I was supposed to have a " pain pump " where I could give myself the pain medecine, but I think they decieded I didn't need it. I had to ask the nurse whenever I wanted some morphine. There was a nifty little call button on my bed, but I had to have a family member talk into it because I couldn't. If you are worried about jaw pain....don't be. Those nurses will give you enough pain medecine that you could be shot and not feel it. The night in the hospital is really slow. The nurses would come in about every hour and take measurements, then leave. It was really annoying. Plus, the IV pumped me so full of fluids, I had to pee all the time. Another pet peeve is the ice bags. They were hung around my head, but they were really in the way. Other than that, it wasn't that bad. The next morning, they let me eat a nutritious breakfast of chicken broth, apple juice, and melted popsicle. Then I got to leave. It felt good to be home, although my family member's nagging was almost as bad as the nurses. The first few nights were kind of hard, but if I kept with the painkillers, it was bearable. Eating through a syringe is not as hard as it sounds, and I found it helps if you use a mirror. I am now 9 days post-op, and I am allowed to take out my rubber bands to eat and brush. One of the most annoying things the first few days was the dirty feeling in my mouth. I am able to eat with a spoon, and it has improved my choices drastically. I can now have cut up pasta, small fruits, rice, etc. For now, I am living day to day. I suppose the first day I felt well enough to get out was about the 5th day. My family has been really helpful. The best thing to do is to stay positive. The first few days are pretty tough, but it gets better. I feel great now. I am still not the person I was before the surgery, but I am still healing. I was skinny to start, and I lost about 10 pounds, but my weight has stablized. I hope this gives you a better idea of how the surgery works. Plus, it feels good for me to " spill my guts. " Not like I have anything better to do Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Thanks for telling me about what happened to you. Im going into hospital tomorrow i hope. There are only two things stopping this from happening. A bed being available and also the fact i have a cold. I hope i can have it. Well, thanks again > Here is a copy-paste job of what I wrote to another person who had > never been in the hospital before. I hope it helps to calm your > nerves. I am also 16. I think the nurses take special care for us > youngsters. I wasn't too nervous about the surgery, but they took > special care to make me comfortable. > > > > More than likely, your surgery will be a lot easier than you are > probably expecting. Thats how it seems to be for most people and > that was how it was for me. > > Here is my story thus far, and I will include details about the > hospital so you would know kind of what to expect. > > I arrived at the hospital at 6 AM, and went to, you guessed it, a > waiting room. I had to wait there for what seemed like hours, and it > was cold in there. I think all hospitals are cold. If you have a > cold-natured person in your family, have them bring a jacket. > > When I was admitted, they took me to a room with a bunch of beds in > it. Each bed had a curtain around it that could be opened and closed > as needed. The nurse gave me a very attractive (and might I > say...drafty) hostpital gown and had me put it on. Careful...they're > open in the back Then I settled in to my bed and the nurse gave > me some warm blankets. She then drew some blood and started an IV. > She numbed it for me first so it only hurt once. Even then, it > wasn't that bad. Then my family was allowed to come back. This is > when various people came into my curtain and asked me a bunch of > questions. Are you allergic, are you sick, etc. All questions > behind me, they wheeled me away, in the bed, to the operating room. > But before I left, they gave me something (through the IV, that way > they don't have to poke again) to help me " relax. " > > This is where the cliche " it all happened so fast " comes into play. > Nurses move things around, adjust some really big lights, put on > gloves, push buttons, etc. But with the medical marijuana in my > system, I really didn't care. Soon after I had been taken to the > operating room, a nurse put another medecine in the IV. The next > thing I remembered, I was waking up in the " wake up room. " No joke. > In the snap of a finger, it is all over. > > The wake up room is another room like the prep room. I had another > curtain and nurse to watch me and give me medecine. My memories from > this place are kind of foggy, because I had all that medecine in me. > I do remember having an oxygen tube hung loosely around my nose and a > blood pressure cuff on my arm. The thing took my blood pressure > about every 5 minutes, all to the scrutiny of the nurse, who also > took my temperature often. I remember a baby screaming bloody > murder, one of the reasons the nurses let me out of there early. > > The next, and final, room is the recovery room. This one is really > special. I had my own room, (with walls, not curtains) TV, closet, > bathroom, bed that moves up and down, and very attractive IV stand. > This is where the nurses come in every hour to check up. They took > off my blood pressure cuff, and just used their portable one every > hour. I was supposed to have a " pain pump " where I could give myself > the pain medecine, but I think they decieded I didn't need it. I had > to ask the nurse whenever I wanted some morphine. There was a nifty > little call button on my bed, but I had to have a family member talk > into it because I couldn't. If you are worried about jaw > pain....don't be. Those nurses will give you enough pain medecine > that you could be shot and not feel it. > > The night in the hospital is really slow. The nurses would come in > about every hour and take measurements, then leave. It was really > annoying. Plus, the IV pumped me so full of fluids, I had to pee all > the time. Another pet peeve is the ice bags. They were hung around > my head, but they were really in the way. Other than that, it wasn't > that bad. The next morning, they let me eat a nutritious breakfast > of chicken broth, apple juice, and melted popsicle. Then I got to > leave. > > It felt good to be home, although my family member's nagging was > almost as bad as the nurses. The first few nights were kind of hard, > but if I kept with the painkillers, it was bearable. Eating through > a syringe is not as hard as it sounds, and I found it helps if you > use a mirror. > > I am now 9 days post-op, and I am allowed to take out my rubber bands > to eat and brush. One of the most annoying things the first few days > was the dirty feeling in my mouth. I am able to eat with a spoon, > and it has improved my choices drastically. I can now have cut up > pasta, small fruits, rice, etc. For now, I am living day to day. I > suppose the first day I felt well enough to get out was about the 5th > day. My family has been really helpful. The best thing to do is to > stay positive. The first few days are pretty tough, but it gets > better. I feel great now. I am still not the person I was before > the surgery, but I am still healing. I was skinny to start, and I > lost about 10 pounds, but my weight has stablized. > > I hope this gives you a better idea of how the surgery works. Plus, > it feels good for me to " spill my guts. " Not like I have anything > better to do > > Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 - Good luck to you tomorrow, hope things go as planned. My daughter, Taryn, is also having surgery tomorrow. She's having her upper jaw done. She's been in braces for almost eight years, so she's more than ready for this, and can't wait to have it over with. I'll be thinking of you also, and sending out positive thoughts. Try to enjoy the rest of your summer, and take care! a > > Here is a copy-paste job of what I wrote to another person who had > > never been in the hospital before. I hope it helps to calm your > > nerves. I am also 16. I think the nurses take special care for > us > > youngsters. I wasn't too nervous about the surgery, but they took > > special care to make me comfortable. > > > > > > > > More than likely, your surgery will be a lot easier than you are > > probably expecting. Thats how it seems to be for most people and > > that was how it was for me. > > > > Here is my story thus far, and I will include details about the > > hospital so you would know kind of what to expect. > > > > I arrived at the hospital at 6 AM, and went to, you guessed it, a > > waiting room. I had to wait there for what seemed like hours, and > it > > was cold in there. I think all hospitals are cold. If you have a > > cold-natured person in your family, have them bring a jacket. > > > > When I was admitted, they took me to a room with a bunch of beds in > > it. Each bed had a curtain around it that could be opened and > closed > > as needed. The nurse gave me a very attractive (and might I > > say...drafty) hostpital gown and had me put it on. > Careful...they're > > open in the back Then I settled in to my bed and the nurse gave > > me some warm blankets. She then drew some blood and started an IV. > > She numbed it for me first so it only hurt once. Even then, it > > wasn't that bad. Then my family was allowed to come back. This is > > when various people came into my curtain and asked me a bunch of > > questions. Are you allergic, are you sick, etc. All questions > > behind me, they wheeled me away, in the bed, to the operating room. > > But before I left, they gave me something (through the IV, that way > > they don't have to poke again) to help me " relax. " > > > > This is where the cliche " it all happened so fast " comes into play. > > Nurses move things around, adjust some really big lights, put on > > gloves, push buttons, etc. But with the medical marijuana in my > > system, I really didn't care. Soon after I had been taken to the > > operating room, a nurse put another medecine in the IV. The next > > thing I remembered, I was waking up in the " wake up room. " No joke. > > In the snap of a finger, it is all over. > > > > The wake up room is another room like the prep room. I had another > > curtain and nurse to watch me and give me medecine. My memories > from > > this place are kind of foggy, because I had all that medecine in > me. > > I do remember having an oxygen tube hung loosely around my nose > and a > > blood pressure cuff on my arm. The thing took my blood pressure > > about every 5 minutes, all to the scrutiny of the nurse, who also > > took my temperature often. I remember a baby screaming bloody > > murder, one of the reasons the nurses let me out of there early. > > > > The next, and final, room is the recovery room. This one is really > > special. I had my own room, (with walls, not curtains) TV, closet, > > bathroom, bed that moves up and down, and very attractive IV stand. > > This is where the nurses come in every hour to check up. They took > > off my blood pressure cuff, and just used their portable one every > > hour. I was supposed to have a " pain pump " where I could give > myself > > the pain medecine, but I think they decieded I didn't need it. I > had > > to ask the nurse whenever I wanted some morphine. There was a nifty > > little call button on my bed, but I had to have a family member > talk > > into it because I couldn't. If you are worried about jaw > > pain....don't be. Those nurses will give you enough pain medecine > > that you could be shot and not feel it. > > > > The night in the hospital is really slow. The nurses would come in > > about every hour and take measurements, then leave. It was really > > annoying. Plus, the IV pumped me so full of fluids, I had to pee > all > > the time. Another pet peeve is the ice bags. They were hung around > > my head, but they were really in the way. Other than that, it > wasn't > > that bad. The next morning, they let me eat a nutritious breakfast > > of chicken broth, apple juice, and melted popsicle. Then I got to > > leave. > > > > It felt good to be home, although my family member's nagging was > > almost as bad as the nurses. The first few nights were kind of > hard, > > but if I kept with the painkillers, it was bearable. Eating through > > a syringe is not as hard as it sounds, and I found it helps if you > > use a mirror. > > > > I am now 9 days post-op, and I am allowed to take out my rubber > bands > > to eat and brush. One of the most annoying things the first few > days > > was the dirty feeling in my mouth. I am able to eat with a spoon, > > and it has improved my choices drastically. I can now have cut up > > pasta, small fruits, rice, etc. For now, I am living day to day. I > > suppose the first day I felt well enough to get out was about the > 5th > > day. My family has been really helpful. The best thing to do is to > > stay positive. The first few days are pretty tough, but it gets > > better. I feel great now. I am still not the person I was before > > the surgery, but I am still healing. I was skinny to start, and I > > lost about 10 pounds, but my weight has stablized. > > > > I hope this gives you a better idea of how the surgery works. Plus, > > it feels good for me to " spill my guts. " Not like I have anything > > better to do > > > > Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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