Well as most of you know I was scheduled to have jaw surgery this summer. I got my braces on back in February and surgery was going to be late July. Well of course as we all know insurance does nothing at a quick pace. I'm not sure how hard it is to look at a few codes, plug into your system to know either yes or no, to coverage. But obviously they must build a new machine each time, that must be why it takes as long as it does. Because my oral surgeon submitted the request back in April and we didn't get the approval until the second to last week of July and then they have to go through another separate process before surgery can be scheduled. And then my doctor left for vacation soon after. So finally when they called they said the earliest they could fit me in was Mid August. You can only imagine how that conversation went then. :) So after many phone calls and persistence they were able to fit me in on Wednesday August 3rd.
So I had both my upper and lower jaw broken and the lower jaw was pulled forward and the upper pushed up and widened. That first day of surgery wasn't to bad, but I was on some great drugs. I had to spend one night in the hospital and had some great nurses who were very attentive and so sweet. I was released the next evening to go home. They put me on some good pain meds and antiobiotics. The pain meds tasted awful, but worked great. However they gave me some of the craziest dreams and even a few pretty scary ones. This was an every time I napped event. The third day was suppose to be the worst but I would say day 5 was the worst for me in pain. Throughout this healing process I have experienced awful pain, more so with the nerve spasms in my chin. That pain will knock you over and make you ball your eyes out. Well as we all know when you cry you normally get runny, yucky nose and normally you grab a tissue blot your eyes and blow your nose. Well imagine you can't blow your nose and every time you cry more pain happens within your jaw. Oh yea fun times!!! I also couldn't laugh because every time I laughed the muscle right below your nose hurt like no other, which then would cause me to cry and thus the same process as above. You really do learn what muscles you use that you never thought you used when you have surgery. So finally my doctor gave me another pain med (which also tastes disgusting) but it worked wonders!!! No more pain in my chin and I'm able to laugh now. As far as food I had to only eat liquids and it had to be out of a syringe. I had syringes all over the place. Mom joked that I looked like a druggy. ha ha! Liquids were fine for the first few days but then I had had enough. But when you don't have any options you end up just giving in. I also had to learn how to use a straw again and the first time really stunk because I have a plate in my upper palate and I rubbed my tongue raw which then caused EVERYTHING I drank to burn. However, now I am doing great with a straw as long as I put it in my left or right side of my mouth. I still haven't figured out how to do it like a normal person. I can get my lips around the straw but just can't manage to suck anything up it. I went to the doctor this past Monday and they put thinner bands in which I can take in and out. However this process hurts me because the corners of my mouth are raw. No matter how much chap stick I have put on lips and corners of mouth, I still am chapped there. I also had to sleep in a sitting position for the past week and a half and finally this past Monday my doctor said I can sleep normal. So last night was my first night to sleep like a normal person, it was so nice!!! Now I just need to master these rubber bands and talking in them. I'm getting better at talking but still pretty hard to understand what I'm saying. Hopefully this improves quickly. The one good thing about all this is so far I've lost 10 pounds! :)
I was fortunate enough to have my wonderful mother by my side. She slept at the hospital with me and took such good care of me for the next week and a half. I really don't know what I would have done without her here. There's nothing like a mothers love and the way a mother cares for her children. Something nobody can beat.Thanks mom again for all you did for me. I love you so much!
I've also got some amazing friends! A meal service was developed by a sweet friend Ashley McRay and between the police wives and my lovely coworkers I have had several soups brought to me for the past week and a half. It's been such a blessing because it has given me other options than chicken/beef/vegetable broth and V8. The variety has surely gotten me through this week without going nuts on this liquid diet. My neighbor was also a blessing because she went out and got me my craving........ice cream. She found me the flavor I was wanting plus several others. I want to thank all these dear people for being so caring enough to take time out of their schedules to care for me. They are all blessings!
My husband has also been so great. He has really tried and makes sure I have my medicine and waits on me. He helped my mom out while she was here.
So as of today I am working hard towards full recovery which will take 6 weeks - 6 months. I'm hoping to return to work on a part time basis starting this Thursday and hopefully will be full time next week. I get tired quickly when I do go out to run errands with mom or Dave so my energy level isn't back yet to where it use to be. I'm still in pain but not nearly as much as usual. My chin is always icy cold but supposedly this means that the nerves are coming back which is great news. So I guess I will have to deal with a freezing chin. My doctor no says I can have mushy foods but I find it still a tad difficult, he did mention mashed potatoes but not sure I can handle that yet because I can't open my mouth but maybe a few inches. Over the past 2 weeks I have come a long way so look forward to the progress I will make in the next two! :) I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers! They are definitely working!
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