Re: 5 Weeks Post-op - Update

[Guest guest]

Tarryn,

It's so nice to hear from you! I'm doing the 5 weeks thing, to. I

see my Surgeon next Wednesday and then am supposed to be unwired on

the 29 and have the Skeletal Wires taken out 2 weeks later.

I REALLY appreciate your detailed and honest account of the SW

removal. My Surgeon said I would have gas and injections before they

were removed. So, hopefully ... I can be a brave gal like you - and

make it through! I'll be sure and let you know how it goes.

You didn't mention your diet. How's that going these days?

It's late ... so I won't ramble on as much as I'd like to. I'm just

glad you're doing okay ... and that you posted.

Take care,

Carol

> Hello everyone

> Well, tomorrow I am 5-weeks post-op, and as I haven't posted in a

> while I thought I would sum it all up nicely.

> First. I went back to work last week - I waitress at a little

> restaurant down the road, so it's not an all-day, every-day thing,

but

> it gets quite tireing at times. I had to work the Sunday evening

> shift, and I was quite worried about it because that's the busiest

> night of the week for us, but it turned out ok; there were four of

us

> working and it wasn't even that busy anyway. But everyone was so

sweet

> to me: even though they all really wanted to leave early, they

decided

> among themselves that I could be the one to go home first. I

thought

> that was very nice of them.

> Then: I had the Skeletal Wires removed on Wednesday. (Just for you,

> Carol! How you doing?) First the surgeon numbed the area with some

> bitter tasting funny stuff on little bits of cotton wool. Then he

cut

> the wires and started pulling gently. Sadly, I could still feel

> everything, and it was quite painful, so I had to have

> injections. " It's actually a good sign that you can feel this, " he

> says cheerfully, digging a 3-inch needle into my flesh. I know, but

> still! Then he pulled them out, the bottom first. It hurt a bit,

but

> not as much as I'd feared. Basically it just felt like someone

yanking

> wires out of your gums. Then, because my bottom lip was totally

> numb, I was once again reduced to walking around with a tissue

clamped

> to my mouth to catch all the drool! That was gross. But within an

hour

> I was feeling absolutely fine.

> And: the chin situation. To recap: last week when I went to the

ortho,

> she was not happy with my profile. She thought the surgeon should

have

> done the genio. She took some photos and went to speak to him about

it

> last Friday.

> This week, when we phoned to hear what had been decided, she told

us

> that she thinks I should have the genio done, and before I leave

the

> country (in August). I was horrified. But the next day, when I was

> having the wires removed, we were looking at the x-rays with the

> surgeon. He told us that during surgery, when he was deciding

whether

> or not to do the genio, my upper lip began swelling excessively and

> very quickly, and he didn't want to do the genio in case I ended up

> with too strong a chin. So he didn't do it. On the x-rays he showed

us

> the improvement already, and it is quite a lot. He says we should

wait

> until the 6 month mark, and then make a decision about the genio.

> Unfortunately, I'll be overseas in November! I guess I'll just have

to

> send him a photo

> So. That's me at the moment.

> Sara, glad you made it to the other side, and that you're having

such

> a good recovery! Keep it up!

> To the person who posted about having elastics, no splint: My ortho

> thought I would have a splint, but I ended up not needing one

because

> my bite was perfect. I was only given elastics 6 days post-op: 4 of

> them, by the surgeon, and then the ortho changed it to 2.

> To everyone who's surgeries are coming up (I know there's a lot of

> you!) - best of luck! I'll be thinking of you all.

> Tarryn

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I also had a nightmare about surgery - I dreamt I was awake, first

of all, and that they couldn't find a vein in my arm for the IV, so

they stuck it in my leg instead. Then I tried to run away. It was

very odd!

You're seeing your surgeon tomorrow hey? And isn't it only 2 wired

weeks left for you?!?

I'm eating pretty much anything that can be broken into little

pieces and swallowed. I've tried gingerely chewing once or twice,

but no steaks yet

My stitches are falling out! It's really fascinating in a grossly

weird way. They all seem to be connected, so there's this bright

blue surgical thread floating around in my mouth (it's still

attached to me on the ends). Very...interesting.

Look after yourself!

Tarryn

> > Hello everyone

> > Well, tomorrow I am 5-weeks post-op, and as I haven't posted in

a

> > while I thought I would sum it all up nicely.

> > First. I went back to work last week - I waitress at a little

> > restaurant down the road, so it's not an all-day, every-day

thing,

> but

> > it gets quite tireing at times. I had to work the Sunday evening

> > shift, and I was quite worried about it because that's the

busiest

> > night of the week for us, but it turned out ok; there were four

of

> us

> > working and it wasn't even that busy anyway. But everyone was so

> sweet

> > to me: even though they all really wanted to leave early, they

> decided

> > among themselves that I could be the one to go home first. I

> thought

> > that was very nice of them.

> > Then: I had the Skeletal Wires removed on Wednesday. (Just for

you,

> > Carol! How you doing?) First the surgeon numbed the area with

some

> > bitter tasting funny stuff on little bits of cotton wool. Then

he

> cut

> > the wires and started pulling gently. Sadly, I could still feel

> > everything, and it was quite painful, so I had to have

> > injections. " It's actually a good sign that you can feel this, "

he

> > says cheerfully, digging a 3-inch needle into my flesh. I know,

but

> > still! Then he pulled them out, the bottom first. It hurt a bit,

> but

> > not as much as I'd feared. Basically it just felt like someone

> yanking

> > wires out of your gums. Then, because my bottom lip was

totally

> > numb, I was once again reduced to walking around with a tissue

> clamped

> > to my mouth to catch all the drool! That was gross. But within

an

> hour

> > I was feeling absolutely fine.

> > And: the chin situation. To recap: last week when I went to the

> ortho,

> > she was not happy with my profile. She thought the surgeon

should

> have

> > done the genio. She took some photos and went to speak to him

about

> it

> > last Friday.

> > This week, when we phoned to hear what had been decided, she

told

> us

> > that she thinks I should have the genio done, and before I leave

> the

> > country (in August). I was horrified. But the next day, when I

was

> > having the wires removed, we were looking at the x-rays with the

> > surgeon. He told us that during surgery, when he was deciding

> whether

> > or not to do the genio, my upper lip began swelling excessively

and

> > very quickly, and he didn't want to do the genio in case I ended

up

> > with too strong a chin. So he didn't do it. On the x-rays he

showed

> us

> > the improvement already, and it is quite a lot. He says we

should

> wait

> > until the 6 month mark, and then make a decision about the

genio.

> > Unfortunately, I'll be overseas in November! I guess I'll just

have

> to

> > send him a photo

> > So. That's me at the moment.

> > Sara, glad you made it to the other side, and that you're having

> such

> > a good recovery! Keep it up!

> > To the person who posted about having elastics, no splint: My

ortho

> > thought I would have a splint, but I ended up not needing one

> because

> > my bite was perfect. I was only given elastics 6 days post-op: 4

of

> > them, by the surgeon, and then the ortho changed it to 2.

> > To everyone who's surgeries are coming up (I know there's a lot

of

> > you!) - best of luck! I'll be thinking of you all.

> > Tarryn

[Guest guest]

Tarryn,

Well then, it seems that many of us have had post surgery

nightmares. Perhaps its linked to the anethesia? I don't know. I'm

just calmed by the fact that my situation isn't unique. It sounds

like you are starting to enjoy eating again. That's GREAT! I saw my

Surgeon today and we are still on for hte 29th: unwired and probably

unsplinted, too. I'm excited ... and pleased to be 3/4 of the way

through this torture! It's been hard ... but I think I may see a

light at the end of the tunnel.

Yeah, I asked my Surgeon about my stitches today 'cause I hadn't seen

them falling out. He says mine are some " new " kind and the way they

dissolve they don't look like string. ( I remember the blue string

from my last jaw surgey ... way strange, right?! )

Keep getting better!

Carol

> > > Hello everyone

> > > Well, tomorrow I am 5-weeks post-op, and as I haven't posted in

> a

> > > while I thought I would sum it all up nicely.

> > > First. I went back to work last week - I waitress at a little

> > > restaurant down the road, so it's not an all-day, every-day

> thing,

> > but

> > > it gets quite tireing at times. I had to work the Sunday

evening

> > > shift, and I was quite worried about it because that's the

> busiest

> > > night of the week for us, but it turned out ok; there were four

> of

> > us

> > > working and it wasn't even that busy anyway. But everyone was

so

> > sweet

> > > to me: even though they all really wanted to leave early, they

> > decided

> > > among themselves that I could be the one to go home first. I

> > thought

> > > that was very nice of them.

> > > Then: I had the Skeletal Wires removed on Wednesday. (Just for

> you,

> > > Carol! How you doing?) First the surgeon numbed the area with

> some

> > > bitter tasting funny stuff on little bits of cotton wool. Then

> he

> > cut

> > > the wires and started pulling gently. Sadly, I could still feel

> > > everything, and it was quite painful, so I had to have

> > > injections. " It's actually a good sign that you can feel

this, "

> he

> > > says cheerfully, digging a 3-inch needle into my flesh. I know,

> but

> > > still! Then he pulled them out, the bottom first. It hurt a

bit,

> > but

> > > not as much as I'd feared. Basically it just felt like someone

> > yanking

> > > wires out of your gums. Then, because my bottom lip was

> totally

> > > numb, I was once again reduced to walking around with a tissue

> > clamped

> > > to my mouth to catch all the drool! That was gross. But within

> an

> > hour

> > > I was feeling absolutely fine.

> > > And: the chin situation. To recap: last week when I went to the

> > ortho,

> > > she was not happy with my profile. She thought the surgeon

> should

> > have

> > > done the genio. She took some photos and went to speak to him

> about

> > it

> > > last Friday.

> > > This week, when we phoned to hear what had been decided, she

> told

> > us

> > > that she thinks I should have the genio done, and before I

leave

> > the

> > > country (in August). I was horrified. But the next day, when I

> was

> > > having the wires removed, we were looking at the x-rays with

the

> > > surgeon. He told us that during surgery, when he was deciding

> > whether

> > > or not to do the genio, my upper lip began swelling excessively

> and

> > > very quickly, and he didn't want to do the genio in case I

ended

> up

> > > with too strong a chin. So he didn't do it. On the x-rays he

> showed

> > us

> > > the improvement already, and it is quite a lot. He says we

> should

> > wait

> > > until the 6 month mark, and then make a decision about the

> genio.

> > > Unfortunately, I'll be overseas in November! I guess I'll just

> have

> > to

> > > send him a photo

> > > So. That's me at the moment.

> > > Sara, glad you made it to the other side, and that you're

having

> > such

> > > a good recovery! Keep it up!

> > > To the person who posted about having elastics, no splint: My

> ortho

> > > thought I would have a splint, but I ended up not needing one

> > because

> > > my bite was perfect. I was only given elastics 6 days post-op:

4

> of

> > > them, by the surgeon, and then the ortho changed it to 2.

> > > To everyone who's surgeries are coming up (I know there's a lot

> of

> > > you!) - best of luck! I'll be thinking of you all.

> > > Tarryn