More How Long Questions... :)

[Guest guest]

I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of having

the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005. The

big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the beginning

of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and try

to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in Jan.

It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and lower

and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can speak

comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough to

return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first. I

do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of talking

all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I first go

back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6 weeks

is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

extra time after having the wires out before returning to work? Any

advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of having

the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005. The

big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the beginning

of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and try

to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in Jan.

It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and lower

and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can speak

comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough to

return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first. I

do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of talking

all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I first go

back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6 weeks

is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

extra time after having the wires out before returning to work? Any

advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

jbradley314,

I am an assistant superintendent with our school district and had some of the

same timing issues as you. I recently had my surgery on November 10. I had

both upper and lower done on the 10th. A week and a half later I found out that

the titanium screws on the right side of the lower jaw had pulled out of the

bone. Nothing that anyone did, just one of those freak things that can happen

during any surgery - and I was the lucky patient. This set back came after I

was tightly banded for 5 days and more loosely banded for another week. So, it

was back into surgery a second time on November 24 to completely redo the lower

jaw.

After the second surgery I was tightly banded for two weeks and just recently

moved to less restrictive bands. My OS does not want me to chew for six weeks

to make certain everything is healed and there are no more set backs. So I am

on a very soft diet which is better than the liquid diet though.

While my set back is not the norm and certainly extended my healing time because

of the second surgery, I can tell you that six weeks seems appropriate for

reasonable healing time. I am still very numb and have a difficult time

talking. In a business such as ours, talking is critical to be effective. I am

very glad I scheduled the surgery for the middle of November knowing that I

would have Thanksgiving and Christmas Break to heal if necesssary. While I am

back to work part-time, it is difficult. Fortunately, I have the XMAS break yet

to continue healing. I know that I will be better as we start the New Year but

I think I will still be less than 100%.

I can't imagine having this surgery in September being in a position like yours.

It will take time to heal and feel like talking again. And, if you are wired

for six weeks, it will take even more time to get the jaw working again. I

found this to be true after being wired for two weeks. The muscles get tired

and everything is numb. Not painful, just extremely annoying and a nuisance

when your job requires constant talking.

While I am glad I had the surgery, it was more difficult than I imagined. I

thought that I would have the surgery, take two weeks to heal and be back to

work at 100%. While everyone's experiences are different I can't imagine anyone

taking just two weeks and coming back at 100% in positions such as ours. Too

many students and in my case, teachers, support personnel and community members

counting on us to be talking and assisting with their needs.

I hope this helps as you look at your timing issues. I am more than willing to

provide additional input and more specific details if you have other questions.

Just reply within the support group and I will will certainly respond. I wish

you the best as you schedule your dates. Again, I am now becoming more

appreciative of having the surgery done, but it is a journey. Stay positive and

focused on the goal but know that it takes some tough days to get to the good.

MAR

More " How Long " Questions...

I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of having

the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005. The

big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the beginning

of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and try

to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in Jan.

It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and lower

and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can speak

comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough to

return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first. I

do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of talking

all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I first go

back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6 weeks

is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

extra time after having the wires out before returning to work? Any

advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

jbradley314,

I am an assistant superintendent with our school district and had some of the

same timing issues as you. I recently had my surgery on November 10. I had

both upper and lower done on the 10th. A week and a half later I found out that

the titanium screws on the right side of the lower jaw had pulled out of the

bone. Nothing that anyone did, just one of those freak things that can happen

during any surgery - and I was the lucky patient. This set back came after I

was tightly banded for 5 days and more loosely banded for another week. So, it

was back into surgery a second time on November 24 to completely redo the lower

jaw.

After the second surgery I was tightly banded for two weeks and just recently

moved to less restrictive bands. My OS does not want me to chew for six weeks

to make certain everything is healed and there are no more set backs. So I am

on a very soft diet which is better than the liquid diet though.

While my set back is not the norm and certainly extended my healing time because

of the second surgery, I can tell you that six weeks seems appropriate for

reasonable healing time. I am still very numb and have a difficult time

talking. In a business such as ours, talking is critical to be effective. I am

very glad I scheduled the surgery for the middle of November knowing that I

would have Thanksgiving and Christmas Break to heal if necesssary. While I am

back to work part-time, it is difficult. Fortunately, I have the XMAS break yet

to continue healing. I know that I will be better as we start the New Year but

I think I will still be less than 100%.

I can't imagine having this surgery in September being in a position like yours.

It will take time to heal and feel like talking again. And, if you are wired

for six weeks, it will take even more time to get the jaw working again. I

found this to be true after being wired for two weeks. The muscles get tired

and everything is numb. Not painful, just extremely annoying and a nuisance

when your job requires constant talking.

While I am glad I had the surgery, it was more difficult than I imagined. I

thought that I would have the surgery, take two weeks to heal and be back to

work at 100%. While everyone's experiences are different I can't imagine anyone

taking just two weeks and coming back at 100% in positions such as ours. Too

many students and in my case, teachers, support personnel and community members

counting on us to be talking and assisting with their needs.

I hope this helps as you look at your timing issues. I am more than willing to

provide additional input and more specific details if you have other questions.

Just reply within the support group and I will will certainly respond. I wish

you the best as you schedule your dates. Again, I am now becoming more

appreciative of having the surgery done, but it is a journey. Stay positive and

focused on the goal but know that it takes some tough days to get to the good.

MAR

More " How Long " Questions...

I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of having

the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005. The

big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the beginning

of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and try

to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in Jan.

It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and lower

and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can speak

comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough to

return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first. I

do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of talking

all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I first go

back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6 weeks

is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

extra time after having the wires out before returning to work? Any

advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your post. I am not a teacher but I work in the media on

the phone, with clients whatever all day. I have the same concerns,

especially when the consequences of not being on top of a

professional situation are significant. I am on disability until Jan

17 (surgery Dec 8) so hopefully that will give me the time but people

at work had a hard time understanding what this surgery was about.

On that note, a tiny tip. WhenI saw the OS this week, I got a

photocopy of my X rays post surgery. Not only are they fascinating

but when you show people, even close friends who have been totally

supportive, they really get it.

My question for you would be when talking became inteligible. At the

moment people really can't understand me though i am persevering. as

a teacher, I can see that that must have been difficult. When did

things improve in terms of comprehension.

j

> jbradley314,

>

> I am an assistant superintendent with our school district and had

some of the same timing issues as you. I recently had my surgery on

November 10. I had both upper and lower done on the 10th. A week

and a half later I found out that the titanium screws on the right

side of the lower jaw had pulled out of the bone. Nothing that

anyone did, just one of those freak things that can happen during any

surgery - and I was the lucky patient. This set back came after I

was tightly banded for 5 days and more loosely banded for another

week. So, it was back into surgery a second time on November 24 to

completely redo the lower jaw.

>

> After the second surgery I was tightly banded for two weeks and

just recently moved to less restrictive bands. My OS does not want

me to chew for six weeks to make certain everything is healed and

there are no more set backs. So I am on a very soft diet which is

better than the liquid diet though.

>

> While my set back is not the norm and certainly extended my healing

time because of the second surgery, I can tell you that six weeks

seems appropriate for reasonable healing time. I am still very numb

and have a difficult time talking. In a business such as ours,

talking is critical to be effective. I am very glad I scheduled the

surgery for the middle of November knowing that I would have

Thanksgiving and Christmas Break to heal if necesssary. While I am

back to work part-time, it is difficult. Fortunately, I have the

XMAS break yet to continue healing. I know that I will be better as

we start the New Year but I think I will still be less than 100%.

>

> I can't imagine having this surgery in September being in a

position like yours. It will take time to heal and feel like talking

again. And, if you are wired for six weeks, it will take even more

time to get the jaw working again. I found this to be true after

being wired for two weeks. The muscles get tired and everything is

numb. Not painful, just extremely annoying and a nuisance when your

job requires constant talking.

>

> While I am glad I had the surgery, it was more difficult than I

imagined. I thought that I would have the surgery, take two weeks to

heal and be back to work at 100%. While everyone's experiences are

different I can't imagine anyone taking just two weeks and coming

back at 100% in positions such as ours. Too many students and in my

case, teachers, support personnel and community members counting on

us to be talking and assisting with their needs.

>

> I hope this helps as you look at your timing issues. I am more

than willing to provide additional input and more specific details if

you have other questions. Just reply within the support group and I

will will certainly respond. I wish you the best as you schedule

your dates. Again, I am now becoming more appreciative of having the

surgery done, but it is a journey. Stay positive and focused on the

goal but know that it takes some tough days to get to the good.

>

> MAR

>

>

>

>

> More " How Long "

Questions...

>

>

>

> I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

> answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

> still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of

having

> the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005.

The

> big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

> extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the

beginning

> of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and

try

> to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

> Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in

Jan.

> It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and

lower

> and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

> advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can

speak

> comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough

to

> return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first.

I

> do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of

talking

> all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

> just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I

first go

> back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6

weeks

> is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

> extra time after having the wires out before returning to work?

Any

> advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

> again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

> Thanks!

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your post. I am not a teacher but I work in the media on

the phone, with clients whatever all day. I have the same concerns,

especially when the consequences of not being on top of a

professional situation are significant. I am on disability until Jan

17 (surgery Dec 8) so hopefully that will give me the time but people

at work had a hard time understanding what this surgery was about.

On that note, a tiny tip. WhenI saw the OS this week, I got a

photocopy of my X rays post surgery. Not only are they fascinating

but when you show people, even close friends who have been totally

supportive, they really get it.

My question for you would be when talking became inteligible. At the

moment people really can't understand me though i am persevering. as

a teacher, I can see that that must have been difficult. When did

things improve in terms of comprehension.

j

> jbradley314,

>

> I am an assistant superintendent with our school district and had

some of the same timing issues as you. I recently had my surgery on

November 10. I had both upper and lower done on the 10th. A week

and a half later I found out that the titanium screws on the right

side of the lower jaw had pulled out of the bone. Nothing that

anyone did, just one of those freak things that can happen during any

surgery - and I was the lucky patient. This set back came after I

was tightly banded for 5 days and more loosely banded for another

week. So, it was back into surgery a second time on November 24 to

completely redo the lower jaw.

>

> After the second surgery I was tightly banded for two weeks and

just recently moved to less restrictive bands. My OS does not want

me to chew for six weeks to make certain everything is healed and

there are no more set backs. So I am on a very soft diet which is

better than the liquid diet though.

>

> While my set back is not the norm and certainly extended my healing

time because of the second surgery, I can tell you that six weeks

seems appropriate for reasonable healing time. I am still very numb

and have a difficult time talking. In a business such as ours,

talking is critical to be effective. I am very glad I scheduled the

surgery for the middle of November knowing that I would have

Thanksgiving and Christmas Break to heal if necesssary. While I am

back to work part-time, it is difficult. Fortunately, I have the

XMAS break yet to continue healing. I know that I will be better as

we start the New Year but I think I will still be less than 100%.

>

> I can't imagine having this surgery in September being in a

position like yours. It will take time to heal and feel like talking

again. And, if you are wired for six weeks, it will take even more

time to get the jaw working again. I found this to be true after

being wired for two weeks. The muscles get tired and everything is

numb. Not painful, just extremely annoying and a nuisance when your

job requires constant talking.

>

> While I am glad I had the surgery, it was more difficult than I

imagined. I thought that I would have the surgery, take two weeks to

heal and be back to work at 100%. While everyone's experiences are

different I can't imagine anyone taking just two weeks and coming

back at 100% in positions such as ours. Too many students and in my

case, teachers, support personnel and community members counting on

us to be talking and assisting with their needs.

>

> I hope this helps as you look at your timing issues. I am more

than willing to provide additional input and more specific details if

you have other questions. Just reply within the support group and I

will will certainly respond. I wish you the best as you schedule

your dates. Again, I am now becoming more appreciative of having the

surgery done, but it is a journey. Stay positive and focused on the

goal but know that it takes some tough days to get to the good.

>

> MAR

>

>

>

>

> More " How Long "

Questions...

>

>

>

> I know that questions about how long things take are not easy to

> answer because everyone's experience will be different, but I am

> still going to ask this. I am in the beginning stages of

having

> the surgery done. My OD and OS want to shoot for Sept. 2005.

The

> big problem with that is that I am a teacher and it would be

> extremely difficult to take that much time off work at the

beginning

> of the school year. I am thinking about waiting until Nov. and

try

> to do it right before Thanksgiving and then take time off between

> Thanksgiving break and Christmas break and return to school in

Jan.

> It would be about 6 weeks total. I will be having upper and

lower

> and there is a good chance I will be wired. Does anyone have any

> advice on how much time off work would be needed before you can

speak

> comfortably and clearly? I know some people are fortunate enough

to

> return to work after a few weeks and just take it easy at first.

I

> do not have that luxury. Obviously with my job I do a lot of

talking

> all day and I teach at the elementary level so its not like I can

> just assign the students " busy work " and take it easy when I

first go

> back. For those that have been through it, do you think 6

weeks

> is long enough? What if I am wired for 6 weeks, would I need any

> extra time after having the wires out before returning to work?

Any

> advice on this would be greatly appreciated!! I meet with my OS

> again next week and would like to discuss the time line issue.

> Thanks!

>

>

>

>

>