Re: Survived my Jan 17 upper lower chin surgery

[Guest guest]

Good God, are you trying to scare us to death?=) My surgery is less

than a month away, and I was already nervous about it ~ but now....

yikes!! I'm sorry you are having to go through so much problems, it

seems like some ppl have it easier than others on this group. Just

take it one day at a time ~ even one hour at a time. It can only

get better from here! You are past the worst part now, the most

important thing is to get as many calories and protein as possible

so you can heal better and not waste away. Hopefully your surgeon

can help you with a few things, such as the breathing issues. Try to

keep positive, it's natural to get a little depressed during

recovery ~ it's so tiring and frustrating. We're all here for you,

so vent as often as you want! It's scary to read the bad things

that can come from this type of surgery, but I think most ppl want

to know what to expect. Your reports can help those of us who

haven't gone through it yet. Try to listen to music or find a nice

way to relax and keep your mind occupied ~ it'll get better before

you know it!

>

> Hi all. I am almost a week post op. I feel not so great. My

> surgery was 1pm on the 17th. I couldn't stop crying at the

hospital

> and almost chickened out. The hospital staff was nice and seemed

> surprised that I was so upset. When I woke up I had trouble

> breathing and don't remember being in recovery much. When in my

> room I was told by my surgeon that I was wired shut. I had upper

> and lower and wasn't supposed to be wired or splinted but he said

he

> has never seen an upper jaw so thin. He said when he cut it it

was

> like an eggshell and he could see through it and it started

> crumbling (just what I wanted to hear) so now I have larger

plates,

> more screws and am not wired shut with a splint (I think I'll be

> wired for 2 weeks, god I hope not longer). I had a nasogastric

tube

> which didnt' help with the vomiting b/c I vomited for hours and

they

> had to call the dr. to come see me and they had to remove the

tube.

> The vomiting was a nightmare, my husband I was told had to walk

down

> the hall away from me b/c he couldn't handle it. Once I finally

> stopped I was so dizzy, couldn't keep my eyes open till the next

> afternoon. Had to go down for xrays the next morning in the

> wheelchair and that was horrible, felt so sick, and could barely

> stand up for the xrays. Started trying to use the syringe and

drink

> Tues. afternoon and then felt a little better. It was very hard

to

> breathe and I kept pressing the nurse call button. By Wed. I was

a

> little better and they sent me home. Of course we had snow in

D.C.

> this day and a 30 minute ride home took 4 hours so I was not happy

> about sitting in the car this long. So have been mainly resting,

> watching tv. Can't really sleep at all and I'm exhausted. I have

> been trying to eat but it is so hard and tiring. Was taking me 2

> days to finish one can of Ensure or Boost. I am getting a little

> better now as I am hungry and I can see my ribs sticking out now

so

> this scares me that I am losing too much weight. I now like a

> package of the instant breakfast, 1 cup of milk, scoop of ice

cream

> and half a banana blended up. The swelling has gone down some,

I

> was sooooooooo swollen. I am now a greenish yellowish color on

most

> of my face and neck. I can't talk at all with being wired. I am

> trying to keep my teeth/mouth clean but not sure if I am doing it

> right. I can kind of lift up my lips a little to brush some of

the

> front teeth and then use the syringe to squirt in saltwater and

the

> rinse the dr. gave me. Can't see anything else. I now have a

chin

> which is nice, he slided my bone forward, no implant. It is

swollen

> but I can see the chin. My nose looks different, my hump seems to

> be gone and my nose looks smaller (had a jewish nose). My nose is

> crooked though which I assume is from the swelling (I can most of

> the time breathe out of the right nostril but not the left). My

> face seems to not be as long too. I am numb but I think I am

> getting alot of feeling back. The pain medicine (tyleonol

codeine)

> doesn't help much). Didn't want anything stronger since I was so

> sick in the hospital. I feel alot of tingles, twinges, can feel

> when I touch my face, thought I felt some tooth pain yesterday,

can

> feel my tongue which feels beat up. I go to see my surgeon

> tomorrow. I am looking forward to it (guess to make sure things

are

> ok and to ask him some more questions). I worry alot.

> God I can't wait to be normal again, it is hard to relax. I freak

> out about breathing and swallowing, sometimes start coughing b/c

> guess didn't swallow right then find it hard to stop and breathe

and

> it scares me alot. I hate being wired shut. I keep thinking why

> did I do this to myself I must be nuts to have done this surgery.

> Guess someday it will seem worth it but definitely not right now.

> My kids who are 6 and 7 asked my mom if I will ever look like

their

> mom again. How sad.

[Guest guest]

" I worry alot.

God I can't wait to be normal again, it is hard to relax. I freak

out about breathing and swallowing, sometimes start coughing b/c

guess didn't swallow right then find it hard to stop and breathe and

it scares me alot. I hate being wired shut. I keep thinking why

did I do this to myself I must be nuts to have done this surgery.

Guess someday it will seem worth it but definitely not right now.

My kids who are 6 and 7 asked my mom if I will ever look like their

mom again. How sad. "

Honey, all of this is completely usual and normal. But soon, things

will start getting better.

For one thing, in case nobody has told you -- the steroids did you a

big favor while you were in surgery, in helping to keep the swelling

down (believe it or not).

But just now, they're doing you no favors at all. They can and do

contribute to depression for most of us. It's biochemical, and will

pass. Soon some of the other woes will begin to feel better, too, as

you get to feeling more and more able to get up and do things.

What you don't want to do is to sit in a corner and feel sorry about

what you've done -- not that you have been. But find things you

like and enjoy. I don't care whether it's an ice cream slurpy, or a

manicure, or a new DVD or a book or an album you've been eager to

get to. Let someone help with the children, and make some time for

you.

As for their question: No, I don't think it's sad, at all. I think

it gives you a good chance to talk with them about changes in

appearances that all of us have as we go through life. Grandmother

(if they're fortunate enough to know grandmother) doesn't look as

she did at their ages, nor do you, nor did you, before surgery. Tell

them you look like their mom right now! because you are their mom,

and you love them, and would, even if you didn't have a face! That's

an important point. And I think they might also benefit from knowing

that you love them, no matter how they look, as well.

Just a thought. There are probably also some children's books that

deal with such issues, although it's probably more in terms of

disfigurement, scarring or some skeletal deformity (like the one you

just had fixed!) -- call (or ask someone to call for you) your local

library's children's librarian to see if there's a suggestion to be

had there.

I think that's a really important lesson to learn, and your

young'uns are still young enough not to get trapped in the sub-teen

beauty contests!

Cammie

[Guest guest]

Nope. Nobody's trying to scare anybody else, I think. It's just that

some people do have a tougher time than others. And in the

immediately post-op period, it's tougher than it is once things

settle down a bit.

Don't be any more frightened than you can help. You need, though, to

see the difficulties as well as the creampuff trips that some of us

have, I think, to be prepared. Then if you scoot through lightly,

as I did, you know what you have to be grateful for!

And you're right about taking it one day at a time, keeping your

mindset positive and trusting your own decisions and your docs

expertise!

best,

Cammie

>

> Good God, are you trying to scare us to death?=) My surgery is

less

> than a month away, and I was already nervous about it ~ but

now....

> yikes!! I'm sorry you are having to go through so much problems,

it

> seems like some ppl have it easier than others on this group.

Just

> take it one day at a time ~ even one hour at a time. It can only

> get better from here! You are past the worst part now, the most

> important thing is to get as many calories and protein as possible

> so you can heal better and not waste away. Hopefully your surgeon

> can help you with a few things, such as the breathing issues. Try

to

> keep positive, it's natural to get a little depressed during

> recovery ~ it's so tiring and frustrating. We're all here for

you,

> so vent as often as you want! It's scary to read the bad things

> that can come from this type of surgery, but I think most ppl want

> to know what to expect. Your reports can help those of us who

> haven't gone through it yet. Try to listen to music or find a

nice

> way to relax and keep your mind occupied ~ it'll get better before

> you know it!

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

It is natural to be scared. I had my surgery Oct 26. The main way I

got through it is because my OS was wonderful! He answered all of my

questions. He said that an informed patient makes a patient less

scared.

He is such a skilled surgeon that I had very little swelling, very

little bruising, hardly any pain, and little loss of blood. I didn't

even really have any complications and was eating soft food in two

days.

When I think back on it, I think it was bad, but it really wasn't. I

am doing great now and I am sure you will too!

So, just ask a ton of questions so you know what to expect and it is

okay to be frightened.

Shauna

> >

> > Hi all. I am almost a week post op. I feel not so great. My

> > surgery was 1pm on the 17th. I couldn't stop crying at the

> hospital

> > and almost chickened out. The hospital staff was nice and seemed

> > surprised that I was so upset. When I woke up I had trouble

> > breathing and don't remember being in recovery much. When in my

> > room I was told by my surgeon that I was wired shut. I had upper

> > and lower and wasn't supposed to be wired or splinted but he said

> he

> > has never seen an upper jaw so thin. He said when he cut it it

> was

> > like an eggshell and he could see through it and it started

> > crumbling (just what I wanted to hear) so now I have larger

> plates,

> > more screws and am not wired shut with a splint (I think I'll be

> > wired for 2 weeks, god I hope not longer). I had a nasogastric

> tube

> > which didnt' help with the vomiting b/c I vomited for hours and

> they

> > had to call the dr. to come see me and they had to remove the

> tube.

> > The vomiting was a nightmare, my husband I was told had to walk

> down

> > the hall away from me b/c he couldn't handle it. Once I finally

> > stopped I was so dizzy, couldn't keep my eyes open till the next

> > afternoon. Had to go down for xrays the next morning in the

> > wheelchair and that was horrible, felt so sick, and could barely

> > stand up for the xrays. Started trying to use the syringe and

> drink

> > Tues. afternoon and then felt a little better. It was very hard

> to

> > breathe and I kept pressing the nurse call button. By Wed. I was

> a

> > little better and they sent me home. Of course we had snow in

> D.C.

> > this day and a 30 minute ride home took 4 hours so I was not

happy

> > about sitting in the car this long. So have been mainly

resting,

> > watching tv. Can't really sleep at all and I'm exhausted. I

have

> > been trying to eat but it is so hard and tiring. Was taking me 2

> > days to finish one can of Ensure or Boost. I am getting a little

> > better now as I am hungry and I can see my ribs sticking out now

> so

> > this scares me that I am losing too much weight. I now like a

> > package of the instant breakfast, 1 cup of milk, scoop of ice

> cream

> > and half a banana blended up. The swelling has gone down some,

> I

> > was sooooooooo swollen. I am now a greenish yellowish color on

> most

> > of my face and neck. I can't talk at all with being wired. I am

> > trying to keep my teeth/mouth clean but not sure if I am doing it

> > right. I can kind of lift up my lips a little to brush some of

> the

> > front teeth and then use the syringe to squirt in saltwater and

> the

> > rinse the dr. gave me. Can't see anything else. I now have a

> chin

> > which is nice, he slided my bone forward, no implant. It is

> swollen

> > but I can see the chin. My nose looks different, my hump seems

to

> > be gone and my nose looks smaller (had a jewish nose). My nose

is

> > crooked though which I assume is from the swelling (I can most of

> > the time breathe out of the right nostril but not the left). My

> > face seems to not be as long too. I am numb but I think I am

> > getting alot of feeling back. The pain medicine (tyleonol

> codeine)

> > doesn't help much). Didn't want anything stronger since I was so

> > sick in the hospital. I feel alot of tingles, twinges, can feel

> > when I touch my face, thought I felt some tooth pain yesterday,

> can

> > feel my tongue which feels beat up. I go to see my surgeon

> > tomorrow. I am looking forward to it (guess to make sure things

> are

> > ok and to ask him some more questions). I worry alot.

> > God I can't wait to be normal again, it is hard to relax. I

freak

> > out about breathing and swallowing, sometimes start coughing b/c

> > guess didn't swallow right then find it hard to stop and breathe

> and

> > it scares me alot. I hate being wired shut. I keep thinking why

> > did I do this to myself I must be nuts to have done this

surgery.

> > Guess someday it will seem worth it but definitely not right

now.

> > My kids who are 6 and 7 asked my mom if I will ever look like

> their

> > mom again. How sad.