Re: Wiring and cleaning post op

[Guest guest]

I don't fit your criteria, as I wasn't wired. But my number one piece

of advice would be to be sure that a nurse who understands that

you're wired is nearby all the time. Or that a friend or relative who

can communicate for you is with you, for at least the first 24-48

hours post op, and will be prepared to get you things like ice

regularly, help you with food, etc.

There have been some incredible tales, not from Japan but from the

U.S., about nurses and other attendants who refused to answer the

call buzzer, but insisted that the patient speak with them through

the intercom, about nurses who didn't realize their patients were

wired and tried to take an oral temperature, about inedible meals

brought in -- and even about one memorable nurse who managed to

reverse the surgeon's instructions and brought heat instead of ice

when the patient was immediately post op!

It may be that none of this ever happens in Japan... But it has

happened, however rarely, in the U.S.

As for cleaning your mouth, you just do the best you can. Ask your

surgeon when you might be allowed to use a waterpik, if you have one;

a baby toothbrush will also be helpful.

C.

>

> Hi there. If anyone out there who has had surgery and was wired,

> could you please let me know how you cleaned your teeth and mouth?

> I'm having lower jaw advancement next week. I live in Japan so the

> surgery will be done in a Japanese hospital. I speak some Japanese

> and my oral surgeon speaks English but the nursing staff will not

be

> speaking English. You should have seen the look of panic on the

> head nurse's face when my surgeon have a quick tour of the floor

> I'll be staying in for 2 weeks! Anyway, if anyone has any advice,

> anecdotes or words of encouragement (I'm a wee bit nervous about

the

> whole thing even though I think this is the right course of action

> for me) I would really appreciate it.

> Thanks,

>

[Guest guest]

I don't fit your criteria, as I wasn't wired. But my number one piece

of advice would be to be sure that a nurse who understands that

you're wired is nearby all the time. Or that a friend or relative who

can communicate for you is with you, for at least the first 24-48

hours post op, and will be prepared to get you things like ice

regularly, help you with food, etc.

There have been some incredible tales, not from Japan but from the

U.S., about nurses and other attendants who refused to answer the

call buzzer, but insisted that the patient speak with them through

the intercom, about nurses who didn't realize their patients were

wired and tried to take an oral temperature, about inedible meals

brought in -- and even about one memorable nurse who managed to

reverse the surgeon's instructions and brought heat instead of ice

when the patient was immediately post op!

It may be that none of this ever happens in Japan... But it has

happened, however rarely, in the U.S.

As for cleaning your mouth, you just do the best you can. Ask your

surgeon when you might be allowed to use a waterpik, if you have one;

a baby toothbrush will also be helpful.

C.

>

> Hi there. If anyone out there who has had surgery and was wired,

> could you please let me know how you cleaned your teeth and mouth?

> I'm having lower jaw advancement next week. I live in Japan so the

> surgery will be done in a Japanese hospital. I speak some Japanese

> and my oral surgeon speaks English but the nursing staff will not

be

> speaking English. You should have seen the look of panic on the

> head nurse's face when my surgeon have a quick tour of the floor

> I'll be staying in for 2 weeks! Anyway, if anyone has any advice,

> anecdotes or words of encouragement (I'm a wee bit nervous about

the

> whole thing even though I think this is the right course of action

> for me) I would really appreciate it.

> Thanks,

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cammie,

I've been reading your other emails and I just want to thank you for

taking the time for answering them and mine. Your advice is sound.

My husband will be with me as will a Japanese friend. I'm taking a

small whiteboard with me to help with communication. I'll be in the

hospital for 2 weeks so I'm taking lots of books, music and a cross-

stitch project to work on. I will definitely miss reading this

website but I'll enjoy catching up when I get back home.

Thanks again,

> >

> > Hi there. If anyone out there who has had surgery and was

wired,

> > could you please let me know how you cleaned your teeth and

mouth?

> > I'm having lower jaw advancement next week. I live in Japan so

the

> > surgery will be done in a Japanese hospital. I speak some

Japanese

> > and my oral surgeon speaks English but the nursing staff will

not

> be

> > speaking English. You should have seen the look of panic on the

> > head nurse's face when my surgeon have a quick tour of the floor

> > I'll be staying in for 2 weeks! Anyway, if anyone has any

advice,

> > anecdotes or words of encouragement (I'm a wee bit nervous about

> the

> > whole thing even though I think this is the right course of

action

> > for me) I would really appreciate it.

> > Thanks,

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Cammie,

I've been reading your other emails and I just want to thank you for

taking the time for answering them and mine. Your advice is sound.

My husband will be with me as will a Japanese friend. I'm taking a

small whiteboard with me to help with communication. I'll be in the

hospital for 2 weeks so I'm taking lots of books, music and a cross-

stitch project to work on. I will definitely miss reading this

website but I'll enjoy catching up when I get back home.

Thanks again,

> >

> > Hi there. If anyone out there who has had surgery and was

wired,

> > could you please let me know how you cleaned your teeth and

mouth?

> > I'm having lower jaw advancement next week. I live in Japan so

the

> > surgery will be done in a Japanese hospital. I speak some

Japanese

> > and my oral surgeon speaks English but the nursing staff will

not

> be

> > speaking English. You should have seen the look of panic on the

> > head nurse's face when my surgeon have a quick tour of the floor

> > I'll be staying in for 2 weeks! Anyway, if anyone has any

advice,

> > anecdotes or words of encouragement (I'm a wee bit nervous about

> the

> > whole thing even though I think this is the right course of

action

> > for me) I would really appreciate it.

> > Thanks,

> >

[Guest guest]

You're welcome, and I'm glad to be of help.

Here's another example of how differently different docs approach

these things.

I had lower advancement -- not a large one -- with a minimal shift

sideways. No work on upper or chin.

I checked into the hospital at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, had the surgery at

7 a.m. Tuesday and left the hospital Wednesday early afternoon,

neither wired nor banded.

You're having about the same thing, best I understand, and you'll be

in the hospital in Japan for two weeks, and be wired shut.

Different strokes for different folks, I reckon. I think surgeons in

the UK also keep their patients in the hospital a lot longer than the

docs around here do.

Best of luck to you,

Cammie

>

> Hi Cammie,

> I've been reading your other emails and I just want to thank you

for

> taking the time for answering them and mine. Your advice is

sound.

> My husband will be with me as will a Japanese friend. I'm taking a

> small whiteboard with me to help with communication. I'll be in

the

> hospital for 2 weeks so I'm taking lots of books, music and a cross-

> stitch project to work on. I will definitely miss reading this

> website but I'll enjoy catching up when I get back home.

> Thanks again,

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

You're welcome, and I'm glad to be of help.

Here's another example of how differently different docs approach

these things.

I had lower advancement -- not a large one -- with a minimal shift

sideways. No work on upper or chin.

I checked into the hospital at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, had the surgery at

7 a.m. Tuesday and left the hospital Wednesday early afternoon,

neither wired nor banded.

You're having about the same thing, best I understand, and you'll be

in the hospital in Japan for two weeks, and be wired shut.

Different strokes for different folks, I reckon. I think surgeons in

the UK also keep their patients in the hospital a lot longer than the

docs around here do.

Best of luck to you,

Cammie

>

> Hi Cammie,

> I've been reading your other emails and I just want to thank you

for

> taking the time for answering them and mine. Your advice is

sound.

> My husband will be with me as will a Japanese friend. I'm taking a

> small whiteboard with me to help with communication. I'll be in

the

> hospital for 2 weeks so I'm taking lots of books, music and a cross-

> stitch project to work on. I will definitely miss reading this

> website but I'll enjoy catching up when I get back home.

> Thanks again,

>

>

>

>

>