22 days post op!

Sorry I missed getting everyone caught up from my drs visit last week.

I visited Dr Taub last Friday..and after hima don the resident did their inspection cleaning etc ..I said ok doc..how long am I going to be wired..he chuckled a little and said I think we will be able to take the wires off in 2 weeks and switch to band! Oh happy day..now I am not that sure how much of a difference bands will make but it has to be a little better right?  I think I will get Ben a little movement..whereas right now there is absolutely none...

That visit on feb 3rd will put me at a little over 4 weeks wired..I can't wait...

I am getting a little bores..I do a few Rosetta Stone Spanish lessons each day..in preparation for my trip to Spain in July....a few camera tutorials to learn to use my new camera ..and I am also taking a mindfullness class through UDEMY... plus I try to do a little project around the house each day..I have gone back to the gym and taken yin yoga classes..I don't quite think I am ready for vinyasa yet..

I am still pretty swollen so I have started to ensure I am drinking lots of water each day and getting out and walking some more.

All for now!

Cheeseburger soup!

Yes cheeseburger soup does exist and it was delicious... I found a soup place close by and they have some great soups..I had been looking at a cheeseburger soup recipe last week and I just happened to check their soups yesterday and it was the soup of the day.

So soup is my new best friend..I have to stay away from soup with potatoes as it make it like a paste...

So things are going well..the pain at this point is manageable with ibuprofen ...and I am pretty much sleeping a full night at this point .

I go back to the surgeon for a visit tomorrow..we will see how he things I am healing.

I have made it back to the gym but just a few yin yoga classes..which are as I tell wayne sleepy yoga..

I will post a current pic tomorrow once I have my hair done and I am presentable...lol

Post visit notes...

I had my visit with the surgeon on Friday.  Met with the resident first who was very nice and very familiar with my case.  Immediately aid how good I look and that my swelling had gone down a lot.

He asked about the pain, my eating and my weight.  We talked about my pain meds Andrea decided I could go down to just ibuprofen every 4 hours..and the oxy as needed.  I haven't needed it yet since I came home and made the switch so I think I can manage with just the ibuprofen.

He got in and flushed out my teeth with peril you and rinse.  Dr Tunjay came in and took a look and decided I needed a little more brushing to help me out..so yes my surgeon was brushing my teeth,,he did laugh and say..you know I don't do this for everyone..it just beds cause you are so nice..this is definitely under my pay grade..I said I know don't you have residents to do this...he mentioned that he wished he had more pleasant patients like me..

We then did a new char so we could see all the hardware...here is the X-ray..

I have a plate on either side with 6 screws each..then an xplate on my chin..you can see the fracture across my chin that will eventually heal and fill in..I also have lots of l brackets around my upper jaw and you can see the fracture there too.

#bionicwoman

Follow up with the surgeon today

I am getting ready to head off  to the Dr for my one week ( 9 day) follow up..so I have done my hair and look pretty presentable...lol.

So here   are the promised pics.    
                                

Here are the before from a year ago before we started anything in the process

1-week post op

Good morning everyone!

Well from reading all my my chat group friends post about their recovery I expect today or tomorrow to be the day there is a big turn...still waiting...

The pain still come in waves so I am still on pain medication...I also get little spasms in my jaw which are not pleasant...I am still really swollen..I can't really feel my chin at all.

Yesterday I did not eat as much as I could or should have...more soup is on its way and maybe try a milkshake today for more calories...

Not ready to post a pic yet..maybe tomorrow when I actually do my hair and make myself presentable.  Tomorrow I am off to the Dr for my one week follow up.

Day 6 post op- chin dressing removed

I was told I could take my chin dressing off at 5 days so today was the day to see what my new chin looks like.

It took my mom about an hour of slowly peeling off the dressing to get it all off.  Then a while more to get all the sticky stuff from the tape off.  I can't say I am really sure yet what my chin looks like because I am still so swollen. I do have one small stitch on either side .  I had asked prior to surgery about an external stitches and Dr Taub said it was a possibility to put a few of the plates in.   I cannot really feel my chin or bottom lip at all.  They said the chin would take the longest to come back and could be up to a year to get complete feeling back.

Andrea stopped by with some chicken stew she made for me.  She had it all blended up and strained for me and it was delicious!  It was so nice to have something with some flavor other than chocolate protein drinks.  I had a little more soup in the evening.  I still don't think I am hitting my calories at all but eating soups will definitely help.  I am very lucky to have such a good friend!

I don't really have a picture today since the dressing was removed and I really need to clean my face up underneath but I will definitely have one tomorrow.

Day 5

I am now 5 days post op....I am still waiting to get over the hurdle of the worst part of recovery...I hear it should be coming soon.

It has been a very uneventful few days so not really much to report.  Wayne says the swelling is definitely going down every day.  I do still need the pain meds and even wake up when I am sleeping because of the pain...it is not excruciating..but the pain. Is still there...

I did manage to get down 2 whole protein shakes yesterday , which amounted to about 500 calories...definitely not enough but getting more every day.  Today I will try to see if I can get a smoothies down...I dont't really have much of an appetite either... although I know I need to eat..

Wayne went to work today and my friend Andrea will cone spend the day with me..and my mom will be here later for a few days....nothing like mom taking care of you...

Here are a few pics...the first is last Nov right before my first surgery and the last from today...

Th chin dressing can probably come off today or tomorrow..they said 5 days and that it would probably com off in the shower. Excited  To see what yew chin looks like!

Two days post op..I get to go home!

This morning all the residents came to see me and check me out and give me some instructions.  They got my discharge papers all ready to go..wayne arrived about nine so were were all ready to go.

I had the house pretty much set up and ready to go..humidifier was ready and I just needed to organize my meds..I feel like I am pretty much taking meds all day long..I have pain meds, sudafed, and an antibiotic..plus a mouth rinse which has been unsuccessful so far..I haven't quite figured out how to swish around yet...especially since I can't really close my mouth..it is quite messy..

The first thing I wanted to do was take a hot steamy shower..it felt great and helped to clear my nose out...

So I will not give too many details..but I have to add that I do have the best husband..part of me having a hard time breathing is because my nose is so clogged up..and yes he has been charged with the task of keeping it nice and clean...not a job too many others would volunteer for...

I am still getting random nose bleeds which they says can last a few days.  I had one last night and it kind of ended up blocking my airway so aging gasping for air in the middle of the night...this time it was Wayne's job to calm me down..

So I have already lost a bit of weight so I need to get on track with getting some calories today..the first two days I only had water..and yesterday managed to almost finish an ensure...today I have started with a protein drink and I have been able to move to drinking out of a paper cup instead of using the string so that has been a big help...

Ok time for some rest..swelling is definitely going down..and even since the first day the residents and Dr Taub mentioned how good I looked for all the work they did...  today should be the peak of the swelling them I hope each day gets better...

One Day post op..

The first night I don't think I slept at all...I kept getting really thirsty and tried my best to drink some water through the syringe..but I am definitely not drinking as much water as I needed...and the nurse came to see me about every hour for vitals..so that kind of also made sleeping hard.

My mom arrived about 1230 for a visit...she gave me a nice little face cleaning which also helped me to relax...I have to work very hard at relaxing my jaw and keep it from being so tense which is causing I think the most pain..

Wayne arrived about 3pm.  I am glad they were both there when Dr Taub and Dr Sumner came to fill me in on the surgery.

I first asked Dr Sumner how long I would be wired and he really did not want to commit...then when I asked Dr Taub he was evasive as well.  I think it will just be based on how I am healing...so I will do all I can to make sure that is moving along.

So the reason I ended up being wired...my surgery from last year when my pallette  was expanded still had some spaces in the bone that were not fully closed up ...Dr Taub did not feel as though it was strong enough and he did not want to put the pressure on that top jaw so that led him to decide to wire me shut...he did mention that a few of my brace brackets had come off so I think there was an extra plate or screws or something put there.

Mom stayed until about 500 and wayne until about 600..then it was another sleepless night in the hospital...a little rougher than the first night...because my throats is so swollen and my nose is so stuffed..I feel like I am constantly gasping for air..which kind of freaks me out a bit..I called the nurse about 2 am in tears and just said I just need you to calm me down..I fell like I can't breathe...just getting that sentence out in my state was a chore in it self..l finally called down and she checked me out and all was ok..so I tried again to sleep a little...

I think you can see some swelling going down already...

surgery day..Wednesday January 4th

So I think I finally have enough strength to update my blog..

Surgery was on Wednesday..we arrived at Jefferson at 745 am..Dr Sumner who was the resident assistant came to see me and when Dr Taub arrived he came to see me..he talked me through the surgery and showed me the digital prints of when he had planned..he said he spent over an hour moving things around to be sure everything was perfect.   I guess one of the challenge I presented was that my upper jaw was very slanted..so he wanted to get that straightneed out as well..I guess slanted is kind of hard to explain...

Surgery began about 1100 and they kept Wayne up to date on when they were starting...I remember entering the room ..getting into position and that is about all.. next think I remember is that it is about 830 pm and I am starting to wake up with the realization that I am wired shut...even though I tried to be prepared for this possibility I was not..

Wayne came to recovery about 900 when I was a little more awake and the first think I tried to tell him is that I was wired...communication was pretty much non-existent at this point so frustration set in pretty quickly...I think I was in and out of  it for a while...they said I was taking a long time to wake up from the anesthesia...

I moved to my room..not exactly sure what time that was..it was a private room which was nice..no one to bother me..Wayne stayed a little longer and left around 1130... the kittens were definitely starving by that time...lol

Day two...