6 months post op and everythings great :)

[Guest guest]

right, well, i had my maxilla impacted - my top jaw moved up 11mms

and back a bit too, shall put my photos up asap...anyways, i had

braces when i was about 12 or 13, but my jaw didnt seem to move, and

all they were trying to do was move my bottom jaw forward to meet my

top, which wasnt really the problem as it was my top jaw that was

too far out.

so my orthodontist gave me the option of surgery....having being

bullied at school and having no confidence in the way i looked

completely made up my mind for me... so when i was 17 i had fixed

braces to move my teeth into the correct place for after my surgery,

and on april 4th this year i was admitted to st barts in london.

i had never stayed in hospital before and found the idea of it so

scary, but luckily my mum and boyfriend stayed with family in london

and were able to visit me every day. the morning after i was

admitted i was given steroids via a drip to prevent some swelling,

and at 12.30 i was taken down to surgery....i was so emotional, i

didnt know how to prepare myself for what i would be like after, and

was so worried i wouldnt like how i looked or something would go

wrong in the surgery.

my mum and bf were told the surgery would take 2 and a half hours,

but it wasnt until 6 and a half hours later i was out of surgery. i

remember feeling an immense pressure on my face, but no pain, just

discomfort. not long after waking up i started throwing up blood,

which although unpleasant made me feel alot better. unfortunately by

the time i woke up visiting hours were finishing so my mum and bf

had to leave, but i managed the night by leaning my face on rubber

gloves filled with ice cubes which got replaced through the night. i

also had a catheter placed during the surgery as it took longer than

anticipated due to 'complications'....i dont know what they were but

i didnt really want to know at the time....i also had my lips quite

badly burnt during surgery as the appliances they used to hold my

lips open were metal and got hot under the lighting......

the next day i didnt really eat, although i was still brought meals,

and attempted some jelly and mash (not together though!) and

because of this my iron count was low. ooh and i also had a drip in

my foot for fluids, they said it was so it wouldnt be in their way

whilst operating. i was in hospital for 5 days altogether, admitted

on a monday, operated on tuesday and out on friday, though i had to

eat before i left so my iron count would go up or they wouldnt let

me out....so i ate a wrap my mum bought me, and was out in no time!

i had alot of tablets to take, 2 sets of antibiotics, co-codamal,

diclofenac and iron tablets, but within a week of leaving the

hospital i was off of them. i was also very numb pretty much from

the eyes down, but this came back much quicker than i thought, and 2

weeks after i left hospital i had started a new job with just a numb

top lip and gums. at first i wasnt sure if i liked my new face, i

thought i looked weird, but i guess it was the swelling i didnt

like, its taken a good few months to go down completely, though i

was looking normal enough when i started work. but now i am so happy

with how i look, and feel so much more confident, and able to let

the real me out, without being worried about being ridiculed.

i dont know if this has helped anyone, but it has definately helped

me to type it all out, alot of people i know have just seen me

before the op and after, all healed up, without understanding what i

went through inbetween, but its something to be proud of, ive proved

to myself that i can be strong, and im so glad i chose to have the

surgery,

claire Xx