Hi Diane

[Guest guest]

Wow! I don't have as much detail as you but I too went for my second

adjustment yesterday. I totally agree with you that I feel like my

bite is changing constantly. I have a bite block as well, it's like

a retainer that fits over my top back teeth so my front teeth don't

touch. It's such a pain but my OD said I only have to wear it for a

few months until my bite starts to shift more. I met with my OS

before my braces, my husband and mom went for my initial consultation

then just me when he sat down with my molds and xrays and went over

the plan - lower jaw surgery. It would be nice to find out next year

that my OD overestimated and my surgery could be a bit sooner then

Nov/Dec but I'm not gonna bank on it. I feel like everyone is used

to my braces by now but I'm still getting used to looking in the

mirror and seeing them. I know how you feel, just wanting to know

the exact game plan, the unknown can really get to you. -Lori

> > > > Hi all,

> > > >

> > > > It is so nice to be home and sitting up in my bed right now!

> > > >

> > > > My surgery on Monday went as well as I could expect. This

> website,

> > > > especially seeing everyone's pictures and hearing all the

> stories

> > > really put

> > > > my experience in perspective. I'd have to say, aside from a

few

> > > little

> > > > blips, there was nothing unexpected, which was wonderful!

> > > >

> > > > I am finally feeling a little better and have some energy, so

I

> > > guess I will

> > > > post my short surgery story...

> > > >

> > > > Not sure if anyone remembers, as it was a while ago, but I

had

> > > posted that I

> > > > was petrified of the IV, sincei I have never had one, and

have

> > > serious

> > > > needle phobias. That was really the scariest part going in

for

> me.

> > > > Everything went well surgery day, and they wheeled me back

into

> > the

> > > > operating room, and then layed me on the operating table, and

> > > started

> > > > putting my IV in. I told them beforehand that I was afraid I

> was

> > > going to

> > > > have a panic attack, and sitting rigid on the operating table

> > with

> > > bright

> > > > lights and people running around, the situation just hit me

> hard

> > > and I

> > > > started to get very upset. I think normal people would not

> freak

> > > out, but

> > > > alas, I did. But as soon as I started to calm down... the

next

> > > thing I knew,

> > > > I was awake and it was done!

> > > >

> > > > I woke up in the recovery room, and ALL I even vaguely

remember

> > is

> > > turning

> > > > over, throwing up blood, and that was it. That sounds bad,

but

> it

> > > really

> > > > wasn't, as this is the only hazy experience I had in the

> recovery

> > > room. Next

> > > > thing I knew, I was being wheeled up to a regular hospital

> room,

> > > and my real

> > > > first conscious experience was waking up to see my parents

> right

> > > in front of

> > > > me :)

> > > >

> > > > I actually had a ton of energy as soon as I woke up and was

in

> no

> > > pain at

> > > > all! My face felt swollen, but I didnt know how swollen, and

I

> > > couldnt talk

> > > > because my throat was sore, but I was feeling great!

> > > >

> > > > I had a roommate that was clearly in a lot of pain through

the

> > > night, so I

> > > > didnt get much sleep at all. My nurses through the day were

> > > fabulous, but I

> > > > wish I could say the same for my nurse through the night. I

> wasnt

> > > able to

> > > > get up on my own, and it took her a long time to help me up

to

> go

> > > to the

> > > > bathroom, and she didnt even notice that my IV fluids were

> > > dripping all over

> > > > the floor. I couldnt talk, and she was ignoring my attempts

to

> > > point them

> > > > out, so I had to walk right through it! Then, when I came out

> of

> > > the

> > > > bathroom, she had left, so I had to plug everything back in

> > myself

> > > and get

> > > > myself back into bed. Of course by that point, I was too

> > exhausted

> > > to be

> > > > upset, and just passed out!

> > > >

> > > > The next day went well. I was supposed to be discharged at

> 10am,

> > > but because

> > > > x-rays got pushed back, I wasnt discharged until about 6pm.

The

> > > tough part

> > > > of that turned out to be that my nurse disconnected my IV and

> > > morphine pump

> > > > at 10, thinking I would be discharged asap. I was not even

> > hitting

> > > the

> > > > morphine that much, but a few hours later, at about 12, I

> started

> > > feeling

> > > > intense pressure and a huge migrane coming on. My nurse gave

me

> > > tylenol...

> > > > but tylenol/morphine? Big difference I found out. They had to

> > wait

> > > a while

> > > > to give me percocet, but it was a long few hours!

> > > >

> > > > All and all, I am so so glad to be home! My experience, like

I

> > > sad, besides

> > > > a few little blips (which happens to everyone I'm sure) went

> just

> > > as I

> > > > planned. As long as I am good about taking my pain meds, I am

> > > feeling great!

> > > > I took some pictures and will post them on the site maybe

> > tomorrow.

> > > >

> > > > Hope this story didnt scare anyone, and it shouldnt!

Everything

> > > went great.

> > > > I am swollen, yes, but looking forward to it going down. Glad

> to

> > > be on the

> > > > other side!

> > > >

> > > > Hope the other Early October/Late Sept. Surgeries went well,

> and

> > > I'd like to

> > > > hear from anyone what to expect w/in the next few days. Most

> > posts

> > > on here

> > > > are about lower jaw surgeries, and I had upper and wisdom

teeth

> > > taken out.

> > > > Thanks again to everyone, and sorry this turned into a long

> > email,

> > > I am

> > > > clearly just excited to be be done!

> > > >

> > > > Clare (!)

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >