12 weeks post op

August 25, 2004

Hi all!

12 weeks ago, I was readying myself for an orthognatic surgery :

Upper, lower and genio. Today, very few could tell I had a surgery.

No visible scars, nothing visible in my mouth. I have one scar on my

right hip, but with the new technique my surgeon used, the only thing

visible is the discoloration. There are no " lips " (sort of).

Very little swelling remains visible on my face. I'd say less than

5%, and you'd have to know me before the surgery to remember how I

looked, otherwise, you wouldn't tell. Eating has improved a lot! I

had veal two weeks ago, and I'm enjoying almost everything. Excluded

are peanuts (because of the braces) and other hard stuff like that,

and some things that are eaten very hot or very cold (my mouth

remained very sensitive to heat). It takes less and less time to eat

any meal. I went from 90 minutes to about 25-30 minutes in 3 weeks.

Granted, it's tough at first. You have to fight the fear of breaking

something, all that while training (or retraining) your muscles to

eat. Before the surgey, average time to eat was 20 minutes.

Sadly, I've regained all the weight I had lost. I'm not sure if it's

because of my new eating habbits or the fact that it's also been 12

weeks since I quit smoking. Perhaps a little of both. I'm

exercising every day (walking for more than an hour). And I'm

planning on getting back to the gym after my annual vacations, in 3

weeks.

I met my surgeon last week for the last time. She will want to see

me again once the braces are over. And the ortho performed the real

treatment since the surgery last week as well. It wasn't as painfull

as before. In fact, I hardly felt anything. I don't think he was

being kind with me, I rather think it's because of what he said: the

last few treatments will be insignificant in comparison with the pre-

op ones. My jaws are just perfect, all that remains to be done is

touch-up moves. On of my front teeth needs to be lowered a little,

and that's it.

Good news from my ortho, btw, is that I'm going to get those braces

off in 6 months, perhaps less if I'm lucky. Initial plan was for me

to wear the braces 12 months post-op. I'd be off braces for

Valentine Day 2005, or Easter at the very least. That's cool!

I have no more numb spot on my chin and face, except for one tiny

spot on my nose (the seperator.. ). However, my chin hasn't fully

regain its sensitivity. I'm about 75%. I mean I can feel hard

things, but soft ones are harder to detect.

Inside my mouth is a different story, but I feel I'm getting there.

I have regained some sensitivity in my gums, but not much. I'd say

I'm about 5% of what I was pre-op. This is not bothering me at all,

though. I've regained feeling in all my teeth. I can now know when

my jaws are closed!! The tongue is the one thing I'm really tired

of. There has been very little improvement. Taste, speech and

feeling have improve just a touch. Less then 5%, in both affected

area and sensitivity. The palate has, on the other, regained much of

its feeling. It still feels cold when I breathe, but the affected

area is really small compared to what it was right after the surgery.

One problematic area is my hair... I haven't loss much, but what's

there is unbelievably hard to deal with. I abandoned them, they're

free to do as it pleases them.. ;-)

People say I look happier and I sound more cheerfull than before the

surgery. I think it has to do with the fact that now, when I smile,

they actually see a smile, rather than a black hole in my mouth. We

should never judge someone based on his / her appearance, but like it

or not, that's what we see at first. Now that my smile is visible,

people see me differently.

I attended my first party two weeks ago. It was the 18th birthday

party of a friend's daughter. No one, not one person, noticed I had

a surgery. That was cool! They couldn't hear the difference in

speech neither. I was so much relieved. I didn't want to have to

explain this all over again... (it becomes boring after the 15th

time...). Next big test is in a month, when I'll me a bunch of my

personal friends for a big party.

Finally, I had (and still have) to learn how to use my new mouth. I

mean, where to park the jaws when they're unused, how to eat certain

problematic food (those that come in millions of little pieces, or

those that have to be eaten with your bare hands), how to control my

smile, etc. It's not a burden, it's more fun than anything else.

Still, it's something I have to learn, at the age of 37... hahaha!

Forgot to mention, I can open my mouth 47mm. Pre-op, I was at 57mm,

but this was abnormal. My surgeon said I would loose 10mm, and this

is exactly what happened. 47mm isn't enough for a Big Mac, but it's

enough for a hot dog (all dressed), a regular hamburger, etc. I know

I'll have to use knife and fork for submarines sabdwiches (SubWay)

from now how... No problem, I can live with that limitation,

anytime! For all the benefits I got so far, I'm more than grateful!

Ray

August 25, 2004