Re: tips for the first week post-op

[Guest guest]

Things to make sure you have after surgery:

- cutips (help clean the gunk out of your nose as you won't be

allowed to blow your nose for a while)

- tissues (you'll be sniffing a lot and maybe even drooling so you'll

want the tissues

- a couple of bags of frozen peas (excellent as an alternative to

your standard ice pack and can be reused as often as you like to ice

your face post-op)

- some face wash cloths (good to just wet and wipe your face with and

also to put under hot water and use as hot packs on your face - but

ask ur doctor first for approval to be applying heat to your face!!!)

- beef/vegetable stock cubes for soup broth

- a humidifier

- plastic cups to drink out of (they're softer than ceramic cups and

easier)

- a medicine measuring spoon for measuring the doses for all those

yummy antibiotics and painkillers they give you after (most

pharmacies sell them)

- pineapple juice (good for helping to reduce the swelling)

- arnica cream (available at most homeopaths and good for reducing

bruising)

- some good music to listen to and a few movies lined up for you to

watch in peace

I wasn't wired shut post-op but flew from NYC to Italy after 3 and

half weeks so I think you should be alright going to take care of

your friend. I would first check with your doctor though if he's ok

with you flying. Some doctors aren't. I think you'll be the perfect

companion for your friend to have during her first week post-op

because no one else will be able to understand better than you!

Good luck! For me the surgery turned out to be a lot less scary and

difficult that I expected and I am super pleased with the results!

Sara

Surgery June 6th, 2005

>

> To be honest, I've been deluding myself and I've stopped reading

the posts from this group because I'm terrified of surgery. But now

it's coming up on November 30th and I have to face reality and get

myself prepared. As I read through the last few weeks, you guys are

amazing! and I feel much better knowing that someone else is

successfully surviving this ordeal.

>

> I'm having upper and lower surgery and will be wired shut for 6

weeks. I've purchased the zip and squeeze bags, a very good blender,

and have scheduled my support base for the first week post-op.

>

> Is there anything that anyone recommends getting for the first week

post-op? or any week post-op? =)

>

> As a side note, my friend is having surgery 3 weeks after me. Is it

realistic that I'll be able to fly across country and take care of

her for 4-5 days?

>

> hugs everyone!

> Sophia

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sophia,

I am nine weeks post-op from upper and lower advancement. Most

everything is well with me now, but honestly the first week sucked

hard for me. As long as you stay positive and don't expect much from

yourself, you can get through it. Here's a few things I figured out

for myself:

1. Everything is tender and fragile. Liquid diet. I had this tiny

syringe to try to consume liquids between my teeth. It was

ridiculous. Do yourself a favor and get a large syringe. At least 1.5

oz capacity. You need to drink tons of water. Tons! These are

available in a surgical supply store.

2. It's really awkward trying to be comfortable and use the syringe.

It's amazing how numb you will probably be. My tongue was the only

thing I felt for a few days. Lips were useless and I had to keep them

moist. i used an anti-bacterial ointment on my lips. it took about 4

days for me to figure out that I was swallowing some of that ointment

and it was making me really queasy. Swicthed to vaseline and that

helped.

3. I was on liquid percocet and an anti-biotic. The narcotic gave

me the shakes/ chills and I just felt like crap. I was swollen big-

time and the percocet helped me feel good for a few hours. As I said,

I was feeling queasy, so I ditched the liquids and started swallowing

percocet by pill around day 4. I was also taking Ibuprofen by pill

too. This was accomplished because I was rubber-banded shut. I was

instructed to take the rubber bands out for an hour a few times a

day. During that time, I could open my jaw about 5mm and get a pill

in and fill my mouth with water then swallow.

4. After about 5 days, I realized that I hadn't pooped since the

surgery. Here's one they didn't tell me: Taking opiate based

narcotics makes you severely constipated. I was feeling worse and

worse by day 7, I just knew I had to quit taking all of the meds and

just feel healthy. I drank a half gallon of water in about ten

minutes because I realized i needed to hydrate myself. About ten

minutes later, I could feel my bowels starting to function and my

body proceeded to purge the toxins.

5. I hadn't been on anything for a day, so I drove to the store and

bought some applesauce, which I was able to spoon in and swallow. I

drank more water and took a nap. When I woke up, I finally felt like

I had turned a corner. I decided that I couldn't handle the liquid

diet anymore. I violated doctors orders and started spooning mushy

foods in. Honestly, it was the right thing for me. It had been a full

week on liquid, and I felt like crap until I started eating better

and drinking lots of water.

6. I had to sleep upright in my La-Z boy chair for about three weeks

because the nose was very congested and my head throbbed when it

wasn't elevated. I continued to take the percocet as needed for a

total of three weeks.

7. Blood and oozing is normal as is swelling. It gets worse before

it gets better. By day 5, your symptoms will slowly ease. I called my

doctor a half dozen times the first two weeks to verify if one of my

symptoms was normal. He calmed me down, and I made it through.

As far as flying across country to take care of your friend, these

are my thoughts: By about the end of three weeks, I was feeling

pretty OK, but was greatful not to have to be at work. You will still

be healing and may be weak. This assumes you don't have

complications, which is not guaranteed. You still won't be talking

well since your teeth will be clenched shut. ly, I was too busy

taking care of myself and the various hassles that come from wearing

a splint to be able to deal with anyone else. Communicating is

difficult. I would discourage you from trying to take care of your

friend. Email them regularly. It will help to share the experience

that way.

I stayed overnight in the hospital after my surgery, then had a

friend drive me home and my brother spent the second night with me.

By then, I was able to get around and get stuff for myself, and

frankly, wanted to be alone and get the helpful meddlers out of my

space. But, I am a fiercely independent person. I would suggest your

friend get somebody locally for a maximum of two to three days of

assistance. And that's mainly to make sure they don't have

complications from surgery or the anesthesia. If you make it to day

three without any issues, you're probably over the worst of it.

sorry for the long-winded response. This surgery and it's recovery

has consumed my thoughts for nine weeks and I have a lot to say. The

upside for me is that I now have a very strong jawline and have

feeling back in about 80% of my lips. My gums are coming back this

week and the splint is out. I'm eating moderately solid foods. I'm

not sure but I think my sleep apnea may be gone?

On the down side, the surgeon took too much bone away above my upper

back molars so my bite is open in the back this time and both jaws

are one or two degrees off horizontal axis now. I'm actually really

bothered by that. If he would have done it right, I would look

excellent. Both he and the orthodontist claim that's easily fixed

with braces, so I have to be patient some more. We'll see.

One word of caution: since you are getting both jaws done, you will

look different. People said my change was extreme - for the better.

My profile is definitely more attractive, but I kind of miss my

toothy smile. Be sure your surgeon knows the features you want to

preserve if possible. I wish I would have discussed that with mine

and maybe he wouldn't have overdone the correction.

The splint's been out for two weeks, and that was a huge improvement.

Just to be able to talk normally again! The tightness of the muscles

and swelling have diminished greatly.

This was a huge challenge for me. Deciding to go through with it,

surrendering control to the surgeon, and recovering. Would I do it

all over again? I'm not sure yet. If my nerves and natural movement

comes back, and the ortho can correct the surgeon's screw-up, I'd say

I would do it all over.

Good luck with your surgery. I hope my novel was helpful.

Tarzan

>

> To be honest, I've been deluding myself and I've stopped reading

the posts from this group because I'm terrified of surgery. But now

it's coming up on November 30th and I have to face reality and get

myself prepared. As I read through the last few weeks, you guys are

amazing! and I feel much better knowing that someone else is

successfully surviving this ordeal.

>

> I'm having upper and lower surgery and will be wired shut for 6

weeks. I've purchased the zip and squeeze bags, a very good blender,

and have scheduled my support base for the first week post-op.

>

> Is there anything that anyone recommends getting for the first week

post-op? or any week post-op? =)

>

> As a side note, my friend is having surgery 3 weeks after me. Is it

realistic that I'll be able to fly across country and take care of

her for 4-5 days?

>

> hugs everyone!

> Sophia

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tarzan,

good note...I was noticing the part about your jaw being open in the

back and mine is as well (I'm 8 weeks post-op) - but my surgeon said

he does this for everyone, I think to allow for any possible

relapse, and then it is fixed by the orthodontist. So...I don't

know if your surgeon said this was a mistake but if he didn't you

should ask him about it and whether he did it on purpose or not. I

thought it would make you feel better to know you're not alone on

the open-bite thing.

> >

> > To be honest, I've been deluding myself and I've stopped reading

> the posts from this group because I'm terrified of surgery. But

now

> it's coming up on November 30th and I have to face reality and get

> myself prepared. As I read through the last few weeks, you guys

are

> amazing! and I feel much better knowing that someone else is

> successfully surviving this ordeal.

> >

> > I'm having upper and lower surgery and will be wired shut for 6

> weeks. I've purchased the zip and squeeze bags, a very good

blender,

> and have scheduled my support base for the first week post-op.

> >

> > Is there anything that anyone recommends getting for the first

week

> post-op? or any week post-op? =)

> >

> > As a side note, my friend is having surgery 3 weeks after me. Is

it

> realistic that I'll be able to fly across country and take care of

> her for 4-5 days?

> >

> > hugs everyone!

> > Sophia

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Tarzan,

Thanks for your info post-surgery, as I am having sx next month. The

comment about your back teeth not touching. My surgeon told me that

he does that with every patient so that everything will fit

correctly, and the bands and the ortho's work will complete the final

touches. Not sure if your surgeon mentioned anything about that. My

mine said that was normal

Thanks,

Krystal

> >

> > To be honest, I've been deluding myself and I've stopped reading

> the posts from this group because I'm terrified of surgery. But now

> it's coming up on November 30th and I have to face reality and get

> myself prepared. As I read through the last few weeks, you guys are

> amazing! and I feel much better knowing that someone else is

> successfully surviving this ordeal.

> >

> > I'm having upper and lower surgery and will be wired shut for 6

> weeks. I've purchased the zip and squeeze bags, a very good

blender,

> and have scheduled my support base for the first week post-op.

> >

> > Is there anything that anyone recommends getting for the first

week

> post-op? or any week post-op? =)

> >

> > As a side note, my friend is having surgery 3 weeks after me. Is

it

> realistic that I'll be able to fly across country and take care of

> her for 4-5 days?

> >

> > hugs everyone!

> > Sophia

> >

> >

> >