Re: Almost 2 wks left till surgery and more questions

[Guest guest]

Hi sori,

I'm sure you will be just fine. And I agree with Tom, it is

absolutely normal and healthy to be paranoid about wanting to know

every litte detail (I know I sure am - am having a SARPE done soon

too, I think).

Quick question for you - what are these 'hooks' you are referring

to? Are they for that expander appliance they put in your jaw for

the SARPE? Or are they for one of the other surgeries you are going

to be having?

Thanks and good luck!

> > >

> > > Is it normal to feel like you are going to have a nervous

> > > breakdown. Having upper, lower, palate split. I keep

dwelling

> on

> > > this surgery and I know I am making myself sick and I am in

such

> a

> > > sad/scared mood plus I have a sinus infection now and am on

> > > antiobiotics. I keep picturing in my head what things will be

> > like

> > > and I know I have to stop thinking about it and relax but it

is

> > just

> > > sooooooooooo hard to do. I got my surgical hooks put on Dec.

> 30,

> > my

> > > ortho didnt' want to put them on that early but I was told by

> the

> > > resident I'm seeing at the hospital on Jan 4 that he needs

them

> on

> > > before he does all the xrays and molds etc. So reluctantly my

> > ortho

> > > put on the hooks and told me to be really careful, make sure I

> > clean

> > > good and to eat soft foods, she made it sound like it would be

> > > impossible to fix anything if something should break. Has

> anyone

> > > had their hooks put on this far in advance and how will they

> take

> > > impressions etc with the hooks on. I cried at the ortho's

> office

> > > when the hooks were going on (probably scared the kids in the

> > chairs

> > > next to me). I'm 32. I just freaked out and the hooks feel so

> > > awful. I feel like some kind of monster wearing them. I am

> kind

> > of

> > > getting used to them now but they are just strange and make me

> > talk

> > > a little funny. My ortho and her assistant both told me to

eat,

> > eat

> > > eat as they told me I am way too skinny and they are concerned

> > about

> > > me losing more weight. I am 5'5 and 109 pounds. My husband

> yells

> > > at me also. I just lost 23 pounds in the last 8 months or so

> and

> > > watch what I eat now and exercise. I am down to a size 2 or 3

> > > pants. I am trying to eat more but have no appetite really.

Do

> I

> > > need to be concerned about the weight and making sure I don't

> lose

> > > too much. I see my dr. for my physical on Wed. so guess I

will

> > ask

> > > her what will happen if I lose too much. Anybody have any

> > problems

> > > related to losing too much weight and what it does to you? I

am

> > > still really concerned about the nasogastric tube, I've been

> told

> > > not to worry about it but it really really bothers me. I

guess

> I

> > > just feel scared that I won't be able to handle all this so

any

> > > words of encouragement to help me be strong about this all

would

> > > help tremendously. I feel like such a baby

[Guest guest]

They are the surgical hooks, they are these straight pieces of metal

with a little ball on top that are installed on my wire in between

every tooth, they extend almost to the top of the teeth, the top

teeth have ones pointing upwards and the bottom are pointing

downwards so they poke/stick into your mouth, make it hard to smile,

etc as your lips get stuck on them. I have gotten pretty used to

them now (has been a week today), I just don't eat anything hard, am

careful when chewing and have to clean your teeth really well as

things get really stuck in there. They are used to hold the rubber

bands to keep your mouth shut after surgery. Hope I explained this

right.

> > > >

> > > > Is it normal to feel like you are going to have a nervous

> > > > breakdown. Having upper, lower, palate split. I keep

> dwelling

> > on

> > > > this surgery and I know I am making myself sick and I am in

> such

> > a

> > > > sad/scared mood plus I have a sinus infection now and am on

> > > > antiobiotics. I keep picturing in my head what things will

be

> > > like

> > > > and I know I have to stop thinking about it and relax but it

> is

> > > just

> > > > sooooooooooo hard to do. I got my surgical hooks put on

Dec.

> > 30,

> > > my

> > > > ortho didnt' want to put them on that early but I was told

by

> > the

> > > > resident I'm seeing at the hospital on Jan 4 that he needs

> them

> > on

> > > > before he does all the xrays and molds etc. So reluctantly

my

> > > ortho

> > > > put on the hooks and told me to be really careful, make sure

I

> > > clean

> > > > good and to eat soft foods, she made it sound like it would

be

> > > > impossible to fix anything if something should break. Has

> > anyone

> > > > had their hooks put on this far in advance and how will they

> > take

> > > > impressions etc with the hooks on. I cried at the ortho's

> > office

> > > > when the hooks were going on (probably scared the kids in

the

> > > chairs

> > > > next to me). I'm 32. I just freaked out and the hooks feel

so

> > > > awful. I feel like some kind of monster wearing them. I am

> > kind

> > > of

> > > > getting used to them now but they are just strange and make

me

> > > talk

> > > > a little funny. My ortho and her assistant both told me to

> eat,

> > > eat

> > > > eat as they told me I am way too skinny and they are

concerned

> > > about

> > > > me losing more weight. I am 5'5 and 109 pounds. My husband

> > yells

> > > > at me also. I just lost 23 pounds in the last 8 months or

so

> > and

> > > > watch what I eat now and exercise. I am down to a size 2 or

3

> > > > pants. I am trying to eat more but have no appetite

really.

> Do

> > I

> > > > need to be concerned about the weight and making sure I

don't

> > lose

> > > > too much. I see my dr. for my physical on Wed. so guess I

> will

> > > ask

> > > > her what will happen if I lose too much. Anybody have any

> > > problems

> > > > related to losing too much weight and what it does to you?

I

> am

> > > > still really concerned about the nasogastric tube, I've been

> > told

> > > > not to worry about it but it really really bothers me. I

> guess

> > I

> > > > just feel scared that I won't be able to handle all this so

> any

> > > > words of encouragement to help me be strong about this all

> would

> > > > help tremendously. I feel like such a baby

[Guest guest]

is there anyway you can go and talk to a counselor before your

surgery? having a positive attitude is the most important part of a

recovery. i was freaking out just like you before my surgery, and then

i realized that soooo many people have been through the same thing

just fine. praying helped me a lot, god gave me so much strength and

calmness. and now i'm 14 days post op and feeling fantastic!

i had everything you have and it was a breeze. the tubes in me wer

fine, the hooks never broke, i did have a lot of nausea, i even threw

up, and that was fine too. definitely not life-threatening like i

thought it would be!! they didn't even need to cut my rubberbands,

they just gave me a suction device and i layed on my side.

dont worry!!! everything will be fine

i am 5'7 " 120 regularly, i dropped down to 109 in the first week, and

now i am back up to 116. so don't worry about the weight loss- drink

lots of Ensure Plus (chocolate is the best).

best wishes to you! email me directly if you want- ginamnm9@...

gina

> > > >

> > > > Is it normal to feel like you are going to have a nervous

> > > > breakdown. Having upper, lower, palate split. I keep

> dwelling

> > on

> > > > this surgery and I know I am making myself sick and I am in

> such

> > a

> > > > sad/scared mood plus I have a sinus infection now and am on

> > > > antiobiotics. I keep picturing in my head what things will be

> > > like

> > > > and I know I have to stop thinking about it and relax but it

> is

> > > just

> > > > sooooooooooo hard to do. I got my surgical hooks put on Dec.

> > 30,

> > > my

> > > > ortho didnt' want to put them on that early but I was told by

> > the

> > > > resident I'm seeing at the hospital on Jan 4 that he needs

> them

> > on

> > > > before he does all the xrays and molds etc. So reluctantly my

> > > ortho

> > > > put on the hooks and told me to be really careful, make sure I

> > > clean

> > > > good and to eat soft foods, she made it sound like it would be

> > > > impossible to fix anything if something should break. Has

> > anyone

> > > > had their hooks put on this far in advance and how will they

> > take

> > > > impressions etc with the hooks on. I cried at the ortho's

> > office

> > > > when the hooks were going on (probably scared the kids in the

> > > chairs

> > > > next to me). I'm 32. I just freaked out and the hooks feel so

> > > > awful. I feel like some kind of monster wearing them. I am

> > kind

> > > of

> > > > getting used to them now but they are just strange and make me

> > > talk

> > > > a little funny. My ortho and her assistant both told me to

> eat,

> > > eat

> > > > eat as they told me I am way too skinny and they are concerned

> > > about

> > > > me losing more weight. I am 5'5 and 109 pounds. My husband

> > yells

> > > > at me also. I just lost 23 pounds in the last 8 months or so

> > and

> > > > watch what I eat now and exercise. I am down to a size 2 or 3

> > > > pants. I am trying to eat more but have no appetite really.

> Do

> > I

> > > > need to be concerned about the weight and making sure I don't

> > lose

> > > > too much. I see my dr. for my physical on Wed. so guess I

> will

> > > ask

> > > > her what will happen if I lose too much. Anybody have any

> > > problems

> > > > related to losing too much weight and what it does to you? I

> am

> > > > still really concerned about the nasogastric tube, I've been

> > told

> > > > not to worry about it but it really really bothers me. I

> guess

> > I

> > > > just feel scared that I won't be able to handle all this so

> any

> > > > words of encouragement to help me be strong about this all

> would

> > > > help tremendously. I feel like such a baby