Questions: appearance, lounge pillows, iPod

[Guest guest]

Now that I can focus on my surgery again instead of financial worries,

I have a few questions:

-How soon after lower jaw surgery will I be able to see what my face

is going to look like in the long run? Will I be swollen right after

surgery, or will there be some time before the swelling kicks in that

I can see the results? I'm so anxious to know what I'm going to look

like. I have a hard time envisioning it.

-How long will I be noticeably swollen and/or bruised?

-Several people have mentioned " lounge pillows, " or the kind of pillow

with armrest that allows you to set up in bed. Where have you bought

them/seen them for sale?

-Do you think it's a good idea, and would be acceptable by the

surgeon, to listen to music on my iPod as they put me out? I will ask

the surgeon, of course, but first I wanted to see what you guys

thought. I could make a nice relaxing mix ...

-How soon after general anesthesia can you drive?

Thanks!

Luna

[Guest guest]

In theory, once a cut has been made the body starts to try to repair the

damage immediately, on a cellular level... so you could start swelling soon

after or may take a couple hours for it to show. It's a gradual thing.

Some people don't bruise, so keep the fluids going and walk around the

house to get your lymphatic system going. Then you may not bruise, like moi.

What about a body pillow or two? You can make a " U " shape out of it by

putting it around your upper thorax, under your arms. Very comfy!

If you want to risk your iPod getting stolen, then by all means take it.

Hospitals

are full of a lot of busy people and sometimes things go missing. Besides, do

you think your surgeon really wants to babysit your iPod? I think (s)he will

have enough on their mind to fix your jaws. I didn't even take my watch with

me. I had people bring me stuff like that after I was awake enough to watch it

myself.

You won't be driving home. At least that much I know. You will tire easily

because your body is healing. That's why you ain't gonna drive home and

usually patients are advised not to do strenuous activity or exercise for a

certain amount of time.

It really sounds worse than it is. You'll be fine. Leave the valuables, besides

your body, at home. I'd even wear cheap earrings in, if allowed, rather than

my favourite expensive ones.

[Guest guest]

There's no one good answer to the " how long " questions, but almost

everyone asks them. It will just take as long as it takes, and that's

not a lot of consolation.

As for the music: I know that Fiddlesticks listened to

therapeutic tapes before, during and after the surgery, and she

swears by them.

I asked my surgeon if I could have my own music, and he cocked his

head at me and gave me a funny look: " You mean during the surgery? " I

told him no, that I'd let him make the choices there. But afterward,

could I take my cd player and earphones, to which he agreed. (That

also meant I had to talk the people who were prepping me for surgery

into letting me take it with me.) But it was a real help in the

recovery. I had truly weird morphine dreams, and I had a long,

repeating cd of Bach that sort of underlaid everything with that

wonderful orderly, harmonic sound and helped keep me sane.

Or at least as close as I get to sane.

I can't help about the lounge pillow. I think I have seen them in

catalogues, in department stores... and I believe someone

mentioned " Bed, Bath and Beyond, " if there's one of those in your

area... Or if they're on line.

Cammie

> Now that I can focus on my surgery again instead of financial

worries,

> I have a few questions:

>

> -How soon after lower jaw surgery will I be able to see what my face

> is going to look like in the long run? Will I be swollen right after

> surgery, or will there be some time before the swelling kicks in

that

> I can see the results? I'm so anxious to know what I'm going to look

> like. I have a hard time envisioning it.

>

> -How long will I be noticeably swollen and/or bruised?

>

> -Several people have mentioned " lounge pillows, " or the kind of

pillow

> with armrest that allows you to set up in bed. Where have you bought

> them/seen them for sale?

>

> -Do you think it's a good idea, and would be acceptable by the

> surgeon, to listen to music on my iPod as they put me out? I will

ask

> the surgeon, of course, but first I wanted to see what you guys

> thought. I could make a nice relaxing mix ...

>

> -How soon after general anesthesia can you drive?

>

> Thanks!

> Luna