Re: 12 Days Post Op Update & OS Visit Today

[Guest guest]

Hi Shirley,

I'm glad you're finally feeling better. Waking up from sleep like

you were and all the congestion must have been really scary. When I

had my lefort done two years ago my surgeon also removed part of my

turbinates so for the first time I could actually breathe

comfortably through my nose. I hope the rest of your recovery is

quick and uneventful.

> Hi All, Just an update & status on my 12 day post op OS visit.

> It's been a rough 12 days, but I think I have finally turned the

> corner and things are progressing better now. Last night was the

> first night I have not woke up gasping for air. It had become so

> frequent & disruptive that I was going to insist they do another

> sleep study when I went to the OS today.

>

> Last night though I woke up 4-5 times, but I could breath fine. I

> finally began on Sunday to figure out that the accumulations of

crud

> (mucous & blood) in my throat was a problem. It kept feeling like

> the right side of my throat was really tight especially at night,

> which added to the feeling I couldn't breath. A lot of this crud

> was probably a result of the intubation being left in for about 24

> hrs. Also until I got the blood transfusion last Friday, I think

my

> low hemoglobin added to that feeling of shortness of breath. On

> Sunday I started drinking pineapple juice. I remembered that

> pineapple juice loosens mucous. The pineapple juice allowed me to

> loosen the crud so that I could hack it up. (Sorry for graphic

> nature). I'm still at the stage where I'm sure there is

> plenty of drainage down the back of throat. At night it

accumulates

> in the throat. After I had a bad night on Sunday, Monday I again

> drank some pineapple juice to loosen up more. I slept on my side,

> too, which helped with the drainage problem. Last night I finally

> got at least 4 hours sleep probably more than I've gotten in the

> last week. I feel like finally I was over the hump!! Wahoo!!!!

>

> Though I'm still a little shaky, I feel pretty good. I had my

> husband drive to the OS as it is about an hour from here and then

an

> hour back. By end of this week or next I should feel up to

> driving. I am only taking Tylenol for pain or discomfort.

>

> I still have numbness on face from below eyes to upper lip. One

> side of the nose is still numb. On lower jaw, I have feeling on

> sides, but numbness of lower lip and below it. The nerves are

> regenerating and each day it all feels better, less tight, etc.

> Most of my brusing is gone except for one spot on left side of

chin

> and a spot on lower chest.

>

> My OS visit (I had many questions):

>

> He told me, your hygiene is great, keep up the good work. He said

> most people come in with crud all over the teeth and braces from

the

> tissue necrosis. I have been trying to keep them as clean as

> possible. I've been using the little baby toothbrush, but the

> rubber bands get in the way. He asked if I thought I could put

them

> on & off. I said yes (I only have two at the present and should

be

> able to reach them). So now I can take them off to clean my

teeth,

> but they stay on all the time otherwise.

>

> He gave me the ok to eat soft (very soft) scambled eggs, spaghetti

> with tomatoe sauce (no meat), cream corn - anything I can suck in,

> no chewing. Yeah!!!! I came home and scrambled some eggs, mushed

> them up with ketchup and sucked it in!! Yum….. I can live on

> those eggs!! Baby bites though as I can't suck in big amounts. I

> have some disposable baby spoons/forks that work real good. I'll

> try some some cooked spaghetti with sauce later. No bowtie pasta,

> etc.

>

> Still need the surgical hooks, though they're not being used at

> the moment, as he might need to use them later. (They rub on

lips,

> so have had to wax them pretty good).

>

> I asked him if I could do any damage by opening my jaw to far. He

> said no, but if I bit down too hard I could. I was calling to my

> husband to come get our cat (the cat can be a pain sometimes) and

I

> guess I opened my mouth too wide and the joint let me know it. He

> did say there is degeneration in the left joint, which I already

> knew as it would make noise. It's the joint that would lock on

> me when I was a teenager. So far the right joint is fine.

However,

> he said it might bother me later. He said he would be giving me

> some exercises later to do.

>

> Thank you to all of you for your support, and concern. It has

been

> a great!!

>

> Shirley

> (LeFort 1, BSSO, genio, turbinectomies on June 23, 2005)

[Guest guest]

shirley!!! all i can say is that i'm glad you're feeling better!!!

it's nice to hear a post about getting to the other side of the wall

) you sound like you're doing very well...and i'm so glad.

just a note...i also had a ton of mucous coming down my throat

post-op...but instead of waking up gasping i would wake up coughing

out of control. i wish i had put the two things together

sooner...maybe i could have commiserated...

i'm glad you're doing well now, though ) have you posted any pictures?

-becky

[Guest guest]

Becky, I will try to post some pictures tomorrow. Too tired tonight.

They wouldn't let my husband take any pictures in SICU, so these I just

took today.

Shirley

[Guest guest]

Hi , Thanks, I know what you mean about being able to breath

through the nose after turbinectomies. Even though there is still some

congestion I can already tell I can breath better through my nose -

something I haven't been able to do for years.

Sorry you had such a rough time with the joint pain. You would have

thought they could have figured out the infusion wasn't working right.

Hopefully now you're on the mend.

We're thinking of you. Take care and rest.

Shirley