Re: General Recovery Questions (Survey) - tiffany

[Guest guest]

Hi tiffany. Heres to answering your questions from my experiencce.

* How long before you could talk?

I could talk straight out of surgery though i didnt make much sense

as i had a splint and was banded tightly shut. I still kept on

nagging though hehe. everyone is different and alot will depend on

how ur jaws are set when you come out of surgery. i had my splint

taken out on day 4 so that helped! I still spoke with an almost

lisp though with the swelling etc.

* How long before you could move about normally?

a couple of days. i was in hospitsal for the first five days and

had a cathater (cannot spell that lol) for the first 2 days. I did

get up and have short walks on the ward just to keep my blood

flowing properly etc. I did have a nurse with me when going to the

bathroom etc just incase. When i got home i was generally ok though

i found i got tired quickly. I had help at first climbing the

stairs. I lived near the beach so when i felt a bit better i used

to take short strolls down there and the fresh air really helped

clear my sinuses.

* How long before you went back to work/school?

I had my surgery on august 1st 2002 so it was in the summer

holidays. i was advised by my ortho and surgeon to take 6 weeks off

school/work. though i was feeling much better when term started at

4 weeks post op so i went back. Though i took the extra two weeks

off work! I worked with tescos and on the checkouts so i needed the

time to resat my mouth etc. i went back to work in stock so i had

time to adjust to being back without being in contact with the

customers.

* How much do you depend on others' help during recovery? (At home)

at home the first weeks (2/3) are quite slow in terms of recovery

and i did get an infection in week two which set me back. My meals

were made for me, but i pretty much did everything else for myself,

including keeping up with the meds.

i too get very bored if my minds not occupied. I spent alot of time

reading out in the garden soaking up the sun. Movies were great and

so was being here on the board. I also after say the first 2/3

weeks invited friends round for a chat. i found it easier than

going out somewhere with them as with the food constrictions,

drooling, bloody nose and i found i got tired taking things too

far. Having friends over keeps you occupied and they cant stay for

longer as you are in some way resting if not your mouth. Tho i did

sometimes in the early stages forget and talk too much and my moouth

would ache after they had gone! but it passes the time!

If you plan your day it does goes quick, suprisingly quick. and

once you start feeling better its scary how quick your recovery

progresses.

you will find or alot of people find the first few weeks the worst

and then things gradually get better. It does tyake time tho and

over doing it can set you back in your recovery so you have to

remember to pace yourself. jsut take one day at a time. its good

that you have pleanty of people willing to help out. let them do

the worryng and helping you out, while you relax and concentrate on

getting better!!!!

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

Kat_uk

UPPER/LOWER/RPE and SINUS work. (to correct a severe class III

underbite). Surgery 1st august 2002 aged 17.

> Just curious about the experiences everyone had with the following

> recovery situations:

>

> * How long before you could talk?

>

> * How long before you could move about normally?

>

> * How long before you went back to work/school?

>

> * How much do you depend on others' help during recovery? (At

home)

>

> I'm wondering because I tend to get very bored if not occupied,

and I

> didn't know if I might be able to do some things around the house

> during recovery or not. Nothing major, but maybe sit and look

through

> some boxes, light cleaning, etc. I'm sure I'll watch a lot of tv

and

> read if possible, but how many days of that I can edure, I'm not

sure.

>

> I assumed there'd be part of my recovery phase where I'm not

feeling

> as bad as I'm looking bad, but I may be wrong.

>

> I have a lot of family and friends who have offered to help out,

but

> I'm not sure how much I'll be needing them (or if my husband will

need

> their help.) I figured it'd mostly be rest and healing time, but

my

> family is all mega worried about this...much more than I am, hehe.

>

> Thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Kat,

Thanks for answering my questions! I appreciate having a span of

different responses to see how different everyone's recovery is.

I lived in England as a child, and you mentioning Tesco's brought back

a flood of memories and made me smile! I do miss it terribly, and

really hope to make it back someday for a good, long visit.

I think it might take a while to get used to the new position of my

jaw, so I imagine a lisp in the future for me as well. It has been

difficult adjusting to the moving of my teeth alone, and I've fought a

lisp for the past 8 months with that, hehe.

I will try to remember not to talk too much though, and not to push

myself. I have moments of self-pity, but in general I am not one who

likes to lean on people for normal, everyday life, so I can see myself

trying to do everything and maybe overdoing it. Must remember to

relax!

Thanks again for your reply!