My update at 4 weeks post op

[Guest guest]

I haven't been online much this last week and have fallen far behind

in reading the posts here. I started to read some, like recent ones

from Sara and re: pep-talks and crying, etc.

Boy, all I can say about the crying is that I've been doing a bit of

that myself lately. Honestly, I think I was almost too exhausted

from the surgery and initial recovery period to cry too much;

because I think I've saved most of my crying times for this past

week. I think what brought it on was my post-op visit with my OS

last Tuesday. I went in with high hopes of hearing that these awful,

awful wires would be taken out of my mouth at about 6 weeks post op.

I guess the jokes on me, because that's highly unlikely!

The visit didn't go particularly well for me. The first irritating

thing was that I had to wait TWO hours before even finding out if I

would be able to see my OS! He had been called away from the office

due to an emergency case (someone was in a car accident, wasn't

wearing a seat belt, went through the windshield and pretty much

busted up their entire face - thus this person needed the services

of my doctor). I'd been waiting an hour and a half by the time I was

even told about why there was a delay; and then given the option of

rescheduling (I live an hour away from my OS office at the Mayo

clinic), seeing an intern about any questions or concerns I

currently had (which I had many and didn't want to ask anyone other

than the person who had operated on me!), or continuing to wait for

my doctor - with the forewarning that I may not even get to see him

if that emergency case took longer than 'normal'. Ugh, I had my

husband with me and it was at that point that the tears started to

flow. I really, and I mean really wanted to see MY doctor.

We decided to take our chances and wait for my doctor to come back,

30 minutes later his office got a call from him saying he would be

back in the office within an hour, so we finally did get to see him.

I was the first patient that he saw, so even though I got to see him

the visit was rushed of course, because there were 10 other patients

waiting to see him after I did.

He looked in my mouth - which by the way hurt like heck when he

touched my lips to look in there; my lips are still pretty sore from

the surgery. He said 'looks good', changed my rubber bands - which

feel like they are tighter than the last set, and so my mouth has

been more sore due to that the past week. I asked if the wires could

come out at 6 weeks post op, and he said that would be too soon, and

they need to be in at least 7-12 weeks! The tears began to flow

again and he said, " I told you this was a big surgery and it

wouldn't be easy. " I said I know that, but you didn't tell me I'd

need to be wired shut for up to 12 weeks!!! That's twice as long as

the time he initially quoted me! I could be patient for a total of 6

weeks; that would leave me with only two weeks left to deal with

these torturous wires, but to think I may need them on for possibly

up to another 8 weeks, well...the thought just highly depresses me.

My husband said to just try to look at things week by week and not

the entire time frame, but I can't seem to be able to do that. We

have SO much going on in the next few couple and thinking of having

to do it all while being wired shut is really bringing me down. I

can't even talk for any length of time without my jaw/face becoming

really sore due to the wires holding everything so tightly.

I won't see my OS again until August 3rd (also my birthday), and at

that point I'll be exactly 6 weeks and two days post-op.

I still had (and still have) plenty of swelling in some parts of my

face, and I was not only concerned about the amount that was/is

left, but I was becoming impatient over the discomfort and

inconvenience of it all to boot.

It feels as though I have blocked sinuses - like a sinus infection

sort of. I have pressure under/behind my eyes, which after reading

or watching TV, or driving for any length of time - they become

quite sore and painful. I also have a lot of pressure in and around

my ears...this feels like an ear infection and also is quite sore

and painful. I cannot hear well since the surgery - and normally my

hearing is perfect. People have to talk to me loudly for me to be

able to hear what they're saying, it's like I'm under water trying

to hear things, and after four weeks and one day post-op I'm getting

rather tired of having to say " What did you say? What did you say? "

all the time.

I called my OS yesterday and left a message for him telling the

nurse that I'm still having considerable difficulty/discomfort with

these issues, and what should I do now? I said I don't feel as

though there have been any improvements for me in well over a week,

and I am starting to panic a bit. The nurse called me back this

morning and said the doctor would like me to wait 3-4 more days and

if I still have the same issues at that point that I should THEN go

see an ear, nose and throat specialist to 'see' if I need to have

fluid drained out of my ears! Ughhh.

I've avoided coming onto the website, because I was afraid I would

vent like I currently am and didn't want to scare any people who

have surgeries coming up.

The temptation to touch base and read messages today was too

overwhelming so - here I am.

Sorry for the downer of a post everyone....

Judy