Re: Carol thank you so much!

[Guest guest]

Sara,

I'm so glad that the thought really *does* count! <really big smile>

I'm sorry to hear about your jaw joint. Keep up the ice - on for 20

off for 40. In two or three days you can ask about heat. Are you

taking any pain medication?

I'm doing okay. I'm frustrated ... ready to eat and talk and sing

and play the clarinet! (well, okay ... i don't really know *how* to

play the clarinet - but you get my meaning!) Yes, today makes it

officially 3 weeks until my unwiring appointment. I just hope that

it actually happens then. I'm worried that all of a sudden it's

going to need to stay on longer. Paranoid much?! Sheesh!

Anyway ... rest, drink lots of liquids, take your medicine ... and

most importantly ... keep positive! (and write when you can)

All the best,

Carol

> > > Hi all, this is my first post post-op. Well I survived surgery

> amd

> > made

> > > it back home in record time! Surgery started at 1pm yesterday

and

> > ended

> > > at 6:30pm and I was back home today by 2:30pm. Thank god

because

> I

> > had

> > > to spend the whole night in the recovering unit as there were

no

> > beds

> > > left in LIJ hospital. What's more they put me in the mens

section

> > in

> > > the recovering unit which wouldn't have been so bad if the guy

> next

> > > door to me hadn't insisted on telling jokes all night, ones

that

> I

> > did

> > > not find amusing:-( On the plus side it meant that I had a

nurse

> > > checking in one me pretty much every hour which was reassuring.

> > >

> > > Surgery details: I had an upper leforte 1. My palet was

dissected

> > into

> > > three pieces and expanded. I can feel a little cut in the

middle

> of

> > my

> > > palet from where they cut it but it has already started healing

> > which

> > > is good news. They removed only my two upper bicuspids and not

my

> > three

> > > wisdom teeth as my doctors claimed I would have been in major

> pain

> > > today. My upper jaw was moved up and they removed a piece of

bone

> > above

> > > my gum line to allow for this. My lower jaw swung right into

> place

> > > perfectly. My mouth is now banded shut with only two VERY tight

> > elastic

> > > bands which actually feel like four bands because they are

> wrapped

> > > around my hooks in a box shape. I have a splint which by the

> looks

> > of

> > > it is not that big but boy does it feel clunky. Eating, or

rather

> > > getting liquids in, as well as talking is proving a nightmare

but

> I

> > am

> > > confident I will get there eventually.

> > >

> > > When I woke up post-surgery I still had the nasal gastric tube

in

> > my

> > > nose. Let me tell all you pre-oppers this. This tube is your

> friend

> > > even if it looks grosse! I had a lot of blood in my stomach and

> > thanks

> > > to this tube I was able to get all the blood out of my stomach

> and

> > not

> > > vomit once. It also helped me breathe very well. Surprisingly

> when

> > I

> > > woke up I was breathing totally from my nose without

struggling.

> A

> > > first for me as I am a mouth breather. When they removed the

tube

> > it

> > > hurt a little but nothing major. Unfortunately my sinuses are

> very

> > sore

> > > right now. I am using ice packs to desensitize them and it

seems

> to

> > be

> > > working. What else. Ah yes, the catherer. Well I had two. One

in

> my

> > arm

> > > and one for down there, you know where. The 'toilet' catherer I

> was

> > > very thankful for because there is no way I would have been

able

> to

> > get

> > > up to go to the bathroom until this morning. I was already

asleep

> > when

> > > they put the catherer in so no embarassment there. When they

took

> > out

> > > the catherer it took less than 3 seconds and didn't hurt at

all.

> It

> > > also did not hurt after to go the the bathroom. Sorry about the

> > details.

> > >

> > > The catherer in my arm on the other hand hurt like hell.

> > Unfortunately

> > > this catherer is essential because this is where they

> administered

> > my

> > > IV. I know from previous operations that this catherer has

always

> > hurt

> > > me at times but today it really hurt bad! Unfortunately it was

> the

> > > first time my mother left me on my own for 30 mins post-

surgery.

> > She

> > > left me in the recovering unit under the supposed watchful eye

of

> > the

> > > nurses. The problem was that suddenly the catherer and IV

started

> > to

> > > really hurt. SO much so that I started crying. A first

throughout

> > the

> > > whole surgery procedure. NO ONE NOTICED or they chose to ignore

> me

> > > which got me even more frustrated and I suspect worsened the

pain

> > in my

> > > mind. I had to start waving my other arm and bang the side of

the

> > bed

> > > with my wipe-board to get someones attention. Eventually a

nurse

> > came

> > > over and said, " there's no reason it should be hurting you, "

and

> > > promptly went back to her desk to gossip with her colleague.

Such

> > was

> > > my first encounter with not being able to talk back clearly and

> > tell

> > > someone to shove it up you know where. Eventually my nurse

showed

> > up

> > > and blocked the IV.

> > >

> > > That I have to say was my only bad surgery experience. I was up

> and

> > > walking as of this morning at 8am. I had my last morphine shot

at

> > 5am

> > > this morning. The next pain killer dose I took was this evening

> at

> > 6pm

> > > once I was at home. This was tylenol and codene which put me

> nicely

> > to

> > > sleep. I've not in major pain. More than anything it's my

sinuses

> > and

> > > my joints feel really stiff, as if they are being forced into

> their

> > new

> > > position which is exactly what's happening. As soon as I woke

up

> > this

> > > mroning I remembered to do my breathing exercises and to cough

as

> > much

> > > as possible. I had quite a bit of phlem built up in my lungs

from

> > the

> > > anesthesia but nothing to worry about. I have to say, taking

deep

> > > breaths and walking around the ward, as well as going to the

> > bathroom

> > > did a lot for me not just physically in terms of getting the

> > anethesia

> > > out of my system but also in terms of my mental state. I felt

> > better

> > > and positive about my recovery.

> > >

> > > Doctor Scwartz came in to see me this morning at 8am and

removed

> my

> > > bandages that were wrapped around my head. He was amazed by how

> > little

> > > swelling I had. In fact, Dr Sachs who came in to see right

before

> I

> > was

> > > discharged at 1:30pm and all the nurses kept on saying that I

> > looked

> > > amazing for someone who just had a leforte. I put it down to

the

> > arnica

> > > pills I took on Sunday night and the MLD massage I had. I still

> > think I

> > > look swollen and I'm sure it will get worse over the next 48

> hours

> > but

> > > at least I haven't bruised badly immediately. I'll post a post-

op

> > 24

> > > hour picture for all of you.

> > >

> > > The weirdest part has been getting used to the new me. First of

> all

> > I

> > > hav a chin, which is really weird. My lips are wider and my

nose

> is

> > > also slightly wider. I'm still not sure I like what I see but

> I've

> > > decided not to make any final judgements for at least 3 weeks.

> > >

> > > Well, that's enough of my rambling for now. Throughout the

whole

> > > procedure I kept on saying to myself, oh I need to tell the

group

> > about

> > > this. It was a huge comfort. And I can honestly say now from

the

> > other

> > > side that while not one of the most enjoyable activities I have

> > ever

> > > been through, the surgery is not that bad. The best part was

> > getting it

> > > over with. Now I'm going to go through the other posts to see

how

> > > Shiloh and Jae did and to see how Jen and Becky are getting

along

> > in

> > > preparing for their surgery.

> > >

> > > It's good to be back.

> > >

> > > Sara