Re: I'm on the other side of surgery now

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy and Welcome to the Other Side!

Let me start off by saying that things WILL get better. I too felt

like I'd been run over by a train post-op and that is to be

expected. It's not every day that you voluntarily give up your jaw

to be cut up and moved around, and in your case it would seem also

your uvula. Ouch, that part sounded really painful. At this point in

time I would say that the soreness in your throat is probably worse

than it usually is for people because they removed your uvula. My

throat was sore for the first couple of days because of all the

tubes they had down my nose and throat. Since you were in the ICU

for a long time maybe the tubes irritated your throat more than

usual. The important thing is that it will get better. I promise.

And yes, those liquid meds are NASTY!!! Nasty, nasty. I took to

grinding pills as well and felt that the stuff went down more

easily. The only med I couldn't gring was the antibiotics and it is

VERY important that you take these, no matter how grosse they taste.

Don't want any infection. What I would do to make the taste more

bearable is take a swig of the antibiotic and then chase down the

horrible flavor with either some apple juice or broth. You can also

try with Ensure. Personally I hated the ensure and boosts so I

didn't try that option.

The swelling will also go down a lot over the next few weeks. As you

start to feel better you will start moving around a little more and

the exericse will help release the swelling. If you've got some

arnica cream or gel try applying that. It especially helps with the

bruising in terms of reabsorbing it. As for the drooling, totally

normal! I'm sure we all have some embarassing story about drooling

out in public and not even realizing it. This too will come to pass.

For now keep on resting, eating and drinking and be easy on

yourself. And remember we're here for you!!

Sara

[Guest guest]

Welcome to other side Judy,

I will be thinking of you, and sending you best wishes for a speedy

recovery.

Cathy

[Guest guest]

Judy, congrats on making it through what sounds like a very painful

surgery. Yikes. I can't offer much advice other than hang in there! L

[Guest guest]

Judy - Congratulations on getting thru your surgery and onto the

recovery process. Sounds like you've been thru alot, but the best is

yet to come when the bruising and swelling subside and you get to

see the new you. Take care! ~~ Diane

> It's finally over for me! I went in for surgery on Monday (the

20th)

> and just got released from the hospital yesterday. It was a

lengthy

> hospital stay and I'm glad to be home. The doctor was so

aggressive

> and did so many 'things' during surgery that I was in ICU for two

> days. I feel like I've been run over by a train, but am really

glad

> the worst of it is behind me.

> I was in surgery over 5 hours. The doctor did five (yes five)

> procedures on me while I was under. He moved my upper and lower

jaw

> out, then did the genioplasty (moved my chin out), plus he fixed

my

> deviated septum, PLUS did some work on the rear portion of my soft

> palate and removed my uvula (that little hangy-thingy that moves

> around the back of your throat when you laugh).

> I had the surgery for sleep apnea basically, and the doctor was

> quite thorough (to say the least) about relieving that problem for

> me!

> I am really, really swollen, and very bruised. The bruising goes

> down to nearly my upper stomach.

> When I first looked at myself after surgery...I was horrified

> because I was so swollen I simply couldn't believe my eyes - I

> thought I looked like Shrek! Others didn't think so but that was

my

> impression anyway.

> The swelling is going away, but it's still pretty bad yet and the

> surgery was done Monday.....It's going down everyday, but this is

> still going to take a while I think.

> The hardest thing for me is taking the medicine. I tried liquid

> Vicodin and practically choked to death on that it was so nasty.

I'm

> now on liquid Motrin and alternate with liquid Tylenol. They are

> pretty hard to swallow too. It hurts my throat to swallow that

> stuff! It doesn't hurt too much to swallow the Boost or broth or

> juice anymore, but it did in the beginning.

> I've tried crushing pain pills and taking them that way, and

> although it's very bitter, I prefer that to the burning sensation

of

> the Vicodin, Motrin or Tylenol liquid stuff.

> Funny enough, I have to force myself to eat - or rather - drink.

> I'm never the slightest bit hungry, but force myself to try to

drink

> enough to heal up good. It sure is an effort!! It is an all day

> chore in itself to drink 'enough' fluids and get enough nutrition

> in, and then clean my mouth out afterwards. It takes forever.

> I'm still wearing my ice pack around my head most of the time and

> usually only take it off to 'eat'. I dribble so darn much because

I

> can't feel my chin. I hope that goes away at some point because

> it's humiliating.

> The pain after surgery was pretty bad. The recovery room

experience

> was rather scary too. I'd never been under anesthesia that long

> before, or had this extensive of work done in one surgery. It was

> an experience - and I'll leave it at that for now.

> I do feel like I've been run over by a train....just sore all

over -

> is that a typical feeling after this surgery? I have bruises in

> places you'd think I wouldn't have bruises from having this

surgery -

> so I don't know if it's how I was handled or what.

> That's my report for now.

> Judy

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

I am glad you are home and doing better at this point. I have had

facial surgery before, and I know what you mean about being swollen

beyond belief. Your face can be wider than it is long from the

swelling. Mine was! UGH! I really feel for you on that. The

ice packs feel better I am sure.

Take it easy and try not to worry about the drooling. I am sure

many of us will do that too. I do have one question about it

though, does it make your chin skin raw? I have really sensitive

skin, and am worried about this. The good news is that recovery is

on the downhill side I would think at this point. Thank you for a

wonderful post!

Hugs,

Fran

> It's finally over for me! I went in for surgery on Monday (the

20th)

> and just got released from the hospital yesterday. It was a

lengthy

> hospital stay and I'm glad to be home. The doctor was so

aggressive

> and did so many 'things' during surgery that I was in ICU for two

> days. I feel like I've been run over by a train, but am really

glad

> the worst of it is behind me.

> I was in surgery over 5 hours. The doctor did five (yes five)

> procedures on me while I was under. He moved my upper and lower

jaw

> out, then did the genioplasty (moved my chin out), plus he fixed

my

> deviated septum, PLUS did some work on the rear portion of my soft

> palate and removed my uvula (that little hangy-thingy that moves

> around the back of your throat when you laugh).

> I had the surgery for sleep apnea basically, and the doctor was

> quite thorough (to say the least) about relieving that problem for

> me!

> I am really, really swollen, and very bruised. The bruising goes

> down to nearly my upper stomach.

> When I first looked at myself after surgery...I was horrified

> because I was so swollen I simply couldn't believe my eyes - I

> thought I looked like Shrek! Others didn't think so but that was

my

> impression anyway.

> The swelling is going away, but it's still pretty bad yet and the

> surgery was done Monday.....It's going down everyday, but this is

> still going to take a while I think.

> The hardest thing for me is taking the medicine. I tried liquid

> Vicodin and practically choked to death on that it was so nasty.

I'm

> now on liquid Motrin and alternate with liquid Tylenol. They are

> pretty hard to swallow too. It hurts my throat to swallow that

> stuff! It doesn't hurt too much to swallow the Boost or broth or

> juice anymore, but it did in the beginning.

> I've tried crushing pain pills and taking them that way, and

> although it's very bitter, I prefer that to the burning sensation

of

> the Vicodin, Motrin or Tylenol liquid stuff.

> Funny enough, I have to force myself to eat - or rather - drink.

> I'm never the slightest bit hungry, but force myself to try to

drink

> enough to heal up good. It sure is an effort!! It is an all day

> chore in itself to drink 'enough' fluids and get enough nutrition

> in, and then clean my mouth out afterwards. It takes forever.

> I'm still wearing my ice pack around my head most of the time and

> usually only take it off to 'eat'. I dribble so darn much because

I

> can't feel my chin. I hope that goes away at some point because

> it's humiliating.

> The pain after surgery was pretty bad. The recovery room

experience

> was rather scary too. I'd never been under anesthesia that long

> before, or had this extensive of work done in one surgery. It was

> an experience - and I'll leave it at that for now.

> I do feel like I've been run over by a train....just sore all

over -

> is that a typical feeling after this surgery? I have bruises in

> places you'd think I wouldn't have bruises from having this

surgery -

> so I don't know if it's how I was handled or what.

> That's my report for now.

> Judy