HkyGrl's Journey Through Lower Jaw Surgery

Day 10 Post-Op: Appointment with the doc tomrrow...

2009-12-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to day 10. Day has gone pretty good. The only thing that is really going on is when I get up in the mornings I really cant function for an hour or two because of the severe pain my TMJ is giving me on the left side. It's getting worse and worse every day. Today, I'd say it hit an 8. Also when I swallow I am getting a sharp pain that runs just right of center on my lower jaw, into my lower teeth. It hurts.

So they called the doc for me today and his first response was, will you take Vicodin? No I'm not going to take any fucking Vicodin! I hate it when that is the first thing a doctor wants to do for you. No I don't want to be drugged up, I want you to find out what the hell is wrong with me, asshat. God bless America. So yeah, I am going in tomorrow morning to see if he can do anything for me cause I really cant get up in the mornings to sit around and wait for my skull to stop hurting.

Stay tuned til tomorrow. Maybe I can leave there with some good news. Haha, right. :)

Day 9 Post-Op: Can my TMJ stop hurting now, please?

2009-12-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Day 9 is here and i have less face. Its awesome. Also I discovered today that my jeans don't fit anymore. Gonna have to try and keep the weight off once I can eat again =p

My TMJ is still bothering me, and its bothering me more during the day now, not just in the morning. It starts when I get up in the morning and it hurts a lot. Not quite sure how getting up in the mornings and going to work is going to be since it hurts most in the morning when I get up. We'll see I guess.

Looking forward to tomorrow being the last day I have to take those nasty antibiotics. Woo Hoo. One step at a time. Haha.

Day 8 Post-Op: Date for unwiring now set...

2009-12-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day, other than my surgeon being no help at all when someone told him I was unable to eat any of the stuff they TOLD me to be eating. My TMJ has been killing me on my left side. Ibuprofen did not help it today either, I wish it would stop. And a have a molar band tearing up the left side of my tongue when I try to speak. But like I said, it was a good day. Hehe.

Went out into the outside world today. Was kinda scared at first, but then just told myself to deal with it, cause I need to get out. I went out picked up a couple of things for the White Elephant for the work Xmas Party coming up on Friday. Being out wasn't too bad, unless someone at a store kept on insisting on asking me questions, then it kind of got irritating. You can obviously see I cant speak well, and I really don't feel like talking to you, quit talking to me! Haha!

My orthodontist sent me flowers today. I'm paying them enough money, its the least they could do. LOL. And in the end, did I just end up sending myself some flowers? =p

So, I got my appointment today to be unwired. Monday at 3:30p is the big day. Though I'm kind of not looking forward to having to go to work on Monday and having to work wired up. I was kind of expecting a morning appointment and head to work afterwards, but no, apparently not. And I cant afford to take anymore time off work, so I'm just gonna go.

Here's today's pics. Less than a week to go, w00t!

By Popular Demand: The setup in my mouth

2009-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

They are 4 squares wired together in my mouth. And you can kinda see the clear bite plate between my upper and lower teeth. Enjoi.

Day 7 Post-Op: One week down...

2009-12-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

Its kind of hard to believe it's already been a week since I have had surgery. Time seems to go by fast yet slow. I guess it depends on how I'm feeling at the time. =p

I am finding that mornings are hard for some reason, it's kinda weird. I get up, I feel like crap emotionally, I cry, I get over it and carry on with the rest of my day. I really wish I wouldn't do that, but I have to I guess otherwise I wouldn't be doing it.

Grandma left a message on the phone system with the doc this morning, but they haven't called back yet >=/
I hope he calls back, cause I'd like to eat something more nutritious sometime in the near future.

Pain is pretty much non existent now which is super exciting. My TMJ area bothers me on the left side in the morning and I take a mushed up Ibuprofen for it. So far I have only needed that one Ibuprofen today. My face will start to feel tight every now and then and I'll just put an ice pack on and that will help. The two spots on my lower jaw are still tender of course, and I have a hard time not resting my head in those areas cause I'm one of those people that rests their head in their hands, a lot.

Here are today's pics. The face is still shrinking, w00t!

Day 6 Post-Op: Could've been better

2009-12-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today definitely could have been a better day for me. I had a hard time sleeping last night so I was a little tired when I got up today. I'm having a hard time getting my antibiotics down today. The disgusting-ness of them is starting to catch up big time, they smell and taste like garbage, really garbage. After 3 tries and some tears I got the first dose down. Still have 2 to go. Ugh.

Started taking Ibuprofen today. Couldn't find it in liquid form so I started smashing the Ibuprofen horse pills I have. Which actually didn't turn out bad, the are the first pills so far I have that don't taste like crap smashed up. I just have to make sure I get them smashed up all the way or they get stuck in my teeth just like everything else so far.

Looking a little more human now that I'm looking at the 6 pictures side by side, wee hoo!

Watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail for a laugh. Then slept for a few hours after that. Felt a little better when I got up.

Took the dog for a walk while it wasn't raining.

Hoping for some good news from the doc tomorrow, so if you're reading this send me your good joo joo, cross your fingers, pray, dance in the pale moonlight, or do whatever you may do. Cause I'm not sure I can handle 7 more days like this.

Here's to a better day tomorrow.

Day Five Post-Op: Can I get out now?

2009-12-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Hello day 5. Is it 14 yet?

Doing a little better today. My friend Nicole came by and kidnapped me last night and took me out to see the local Christmas lights and decorations. Had an awesome time. I laughed so much it made my face swell up, but it was worth it. Saw Santa's on bicycles, penny farthings, helicopters, airplanes, Harley's, in grass skirts, homemade Elmo's, Big Bird, ginormous reindeer that stretched across 4 or 5 peoples houses. It was fun. I think I'm starting to go stir crazy so it helped.

Can definitely see the swelling going down now, and you SURE CAN see the lovely bruise on my neck today. I think the muscles in my jaw are also starting to repair themselves now too. They are starting to spazz out every now and then which sucks cause they want to open my jaw, but they can't. And it kinda hurts.

My lip is still tingling off and on, and I think I'm starting to get feeling back in part of it. Hopefully it will clear up sooner than the 2-3 months they say it usually takes.

Still haven't figured out how to eat anything. Hoping to the doc will call to check on me and someone can tell him that I can't actually get any thing other than thin liquids in. Maybe he can put me in rubber bands early or something, who knows.

Looks like the sky is clearing up a bit, will have to go for a walk soon before it starts raining again. Watching Public Enemies right now. Getting my Johnny Depp fix. Haha.

Til tomorrow! New week, hoping for a better one than this last one! :)

Day Four Post-Op: Still Holding

2009-12-11T14:51:00.000-08:00

Day Four has come and I sure haven't felt like doing anything today. It's one of those days that I would just prefer to sleep through. I can't believe it's already Friday.

Though I did sleep most of the night last night which is a good thing. Just woke up sometime in the middle of the night to remove my melted ice pack and pass back out. Still trying to figure out how I should be eating and haven't come up with anything yet. Been drinking some homemade turkey stock that Grandma made today which is pretty good. But that isn't going to last too long cause there isn't too much of it. I think I might attempt to make a chocolate milkshake later, but I doubt I will be able to drink any of it.

I wish I would have weighed myself on the scale at home before I had the surgery. I know my scale at home doesn't match the one at the hospital. The hospital said I weighed 167 before the surgery and my scale says I weigh 157.5 now. I highly doubt I've lost 9.5 pounds in 3 and a half days.

I tried to make an attempt today to make myself look human again today but I only really half succeeded as you can see by the pics below.

Got out and went for a walk this morning before it started raining. I wish there were more interesting places to go walking around here than just around the block. Though I did get to see one of my neighbors twelfty kids dressed in a dog costume, with their daughter walking him on a leash! Haha! I think I might have to try walking more tomorrow even though it might be raining more. That's what an umbrella is for right? I need to get out.

Still have to bust out the xbox. Started playing Rayman on the Wii for a few mins yesterday before my mom stopped by. Those bunnies are hilarious. I think I need to find one of bunnies to put on my desk while I'm at work, the way they scream reminds me of how I feel about my job most of time. HAHA!

Took the Tylenol with the codeine again today, but only because the regular Tylenol. is turning out to be absolutely disgusting to get down and I have to take twice as much of it. My antibiotics are disgusting too, and I really would like to limit the stomach churning sensations of taking my meds.

I think the right side of my face is very slowly starting to go down in size, but the left side still looks just as swollen. And the bruising down my neck onto my chest is starting to become more apparent. I tried to get a pic of that today.

Pics below, check in back tomorrow, same bad time same bad channel. You know I'll be here, I ain't got no where else to go. =p

Day Three Post-Op: Trying to keep my spirits up

2009-12-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

Well, day 3 has arrived. I'm having some trouble staying positive today, everything is starting to catch up to me I guess. That's what happens when you bring some unresolved issues into a situation like this. Discovered crying while like this is pretty hard, so I stopped.

This is from yesterday, but this is what happens when your grandparents finally learn how to use your camera without your help. Me taking a nap with my cat:

I'm getting really frustrated not being able to speak and no one being able to understand me. I don't really want to be writing notes anymore, I want to start being able to talk, but I'm not sure I'm even going to be able to speak intelligibly while this junk is in my mouth. It's going to be a long 11 more days. Looks like the front of my neck is starting to bruise too. Trying to keep arnica gel on my face and neck to try and keep the bruising down. Just switched to taking plain liquid Tylenol, hopefully it works just fine cause I don't want to take the other stuff anymore.

I think the swelling has stopped, but that's my opinion, what do you think? That's all for now, not really in the right frame of mind to post much right now. Be back tomorrow.

Just decided to do a quick side by side to throw in real quick too:

Day Two Post-Op: As the face swells

2009-12-09T14:23:00.001-08:00

Day two is here and my face has gotten bigger. Hoping it doesn't get much more swollen than this cause I'm not sure my lower lip can handle it! =p

I've been trying to keep ice packs on as much as I can. Took a walk around the block this morning, it was nice to get out for a little bit. Been trying to speak some today and move my face around a bit. It really frustrating that no one can understand what I'm trying to say. While I was on my walk and when I was in the shower I kept repeating "How now brown cow." Gotta find some other ways to work on my speech, so if anyone has any suggestions, let me know. :)

Didn't really sleep any better last night, I tried sleeping in the recliner at first but the dog was snoring so loud I couldn't handle it anymore and went to my bedroom. The back of my neck is starting to kill me since I normally don't sleep reclined and on my back. What I wouldn't give to be able to curl up in the fetal position right now and get some good sleep. I'd even take that over some real food right now! Haha.

My lower chin and my lip has started to tingle off and on. At first I thought I had something on my face but there would never be anything there, so I'm hoping its a good sign that my face is already trying to repair itself.

I'm gonna get some plain old liquid Tylenol or Ibuprofen and start taking that instead of the stuff with the codeine in it. I don't like taking meds I don't think I need for too long. So I think just the regular stuff will do me just fine.

Its really hard to get thicker liquids like soup into my mouth right now cause the stuff doesn't want to get through my teeth and the bite plate that is in there. This bite plate sucks. I think its also another reason I cant speak very well.

Well here's today's pics. I think its time for a short nap after this, maybe some video games after that since I haven't busted them out yet :) Til next time everyone!

Day One Post-Op: A little better than what I expected

2009-12-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

It's official, I'm on the other side.

Getting into the Operating Room was an adventure all in itself. I was told to show up yesterday at 12:30p and that I would be headed into the OR about and hour to an hour and a half after that. Well, I was told after sitting in the check in area for about an hour and a half, that the first case of the day went WAAAAAAYYYYY too long, they still have another case in front of me, and then I would be after that. So they ended up checking me into a room so I could at least watch some TV while I waited, and waited, annnnd waited.

Here is my before pic all smiles and not realizing what I'm going to look like in a few hours. Hehe.
Finally at 6pm the nurse came in and hooked up my IV. Then a half hour after that my OR nurse, then after that the Anesthesiologist. The ball started rolling. So by 7:30p I was walking into the OR and probably about 7:45p was going night night.

I was told that the surgery would take about 45 mins to 1 1/2 hours. I guess the surgery took 2 hours but all went well. Woke up on the operating table after what seemed like about 20 mins of sleep to some loud music, I really wish I could recall what cause I though it was funny, and was then rolled into the recovery room. Its kind of strange when they are asking you all sorts of questions but you are unable to speak the answers. But I was trying to speak as well as I could. They told me I was doing such a great job so quickly that I should be able to handle the rest just fine. I started to nod off a couple of time though and would kinda stop breathing, but that only happened like twice. What could I say, I was tired. Haha! Finally they got me dressed and out to the car and I got home at about 1am this morning.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep well. I will probably be sleeping in the recliner in the living room for a few nights. I napped in my own bed this afternoon and that was kind of nice. Eating and drinking has been intersting to learn to do, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. It doesn't help though that my lower lip is 95% numb along with the tip of my tongue. My face is also starting to bruise, I was hoping I wouldn't bruise that bad, but I guess I didn't get my wish. =p Here are today's pics. I will be trying to post them daily so keep checking in for my progress. :)