3 Weeks and 3 Days (Day 24)

I'm so sorry folks! I must've hit "update" instead of "save draft," on this particular post.  I wasn't finished typing it up, or adding the pictures.  I just noticed.  Here is the finished post along with pictures. I've changed the title of the post to account for the extra day it took me to post (and because I made progress with sleeping on night #3 and thought you should know about it).

3 Days Into Week 3

Some quick highlights about week 3 so far:

• I can open wide enough to fit a real, adult spoon and fork into my mouth, and I've managed to use both just fine in the last 72 hours.  (I've used a baby spoon and/or sipped my meals out of  a dixie cup since day 1).
• I ate huevos rancheros for breakfast today!! At least, I ate the jaw surgery patient version of huevos rancheros.   My mom warmed a tortilla for me, then topped it with scrambled egg, refried beans, and salsa (sans chunks, she only really sprinkled the "juice" of the salsa over the beans so that I could get the flavor).  The tortilla was just for decoration, we knew I couldn't eat it.  HOWEVER, I was able to eat every other last bite of that meal WITH a fork, and in under 10 minutes.  I simply cut the scrambled egg into smaller pieces, then dipped them through the refried beans and salsa mixture, and "popped" them into my mouth with a fork.  I was able to mash most of it up against the roof of my mouth, but I was also pleasantly surprised to find that I could use my back teeth to chew even a little bit more than I could yesterday!  Again I didn't try to overdo it, I mostly just wanted to "test" the feeling out.  So far, it's really only difficult because my teeth are still pretty sensitive, but there is also some discomfort in pushing food back there because the back sides of my cheeks are still healing and bits of food find their way back there.  Normally, the instinct is to use your tongue to get at these bits, but my cheeks are  still sore, and rubbing my tongue back there hurts (and feels weird because I can actually feel some of the scar tissue!).  So, I kept the "chewing" to a minimum.  But this was an amazing MEAL, and I was really pleased with my progress in how far I can open my mouth, how easily I can use real utensils, and with how quickly I was able to get the food down. Success all around! 
• I've gotten really quick with removing and putting my bands back on to eat, brush, and exercise
• Exercising my jaws HURTS.  I like being able to take my bands off because it feels great, but actually trying to practice opening my jaws little by little a few times of day is quite painful.  I never imagined that muscles were capable of such stiffness, but my cheeks are so stiff they feel "broken."  I just can't believe how much it hurts to open wider than I can--- it borderline feels physically impossible to open any wider, but I suppose I am seeing some progress even in just the last 72 hours.
• My energy levels are almost completely back.  I was able to help my mom paint my kitchen, cook a delicious brunch (hence the huevos rancheros), and even enjoy a mimosa (or two), and I wasn't EXHAUSTED afterwards.  It was a busy day, so I was tired at the end of it, but I was happy to not feel like I needed a nap.  
• Sleeping gets easier every night in week 3.  During the first 2 nights, I couldn't get comfortable on my sides because I could literally feel whichever side of my face I was resting on begin to swell pretty quickly.  Last night (Night 23) I took a couple Tylenol to help with the minor discomfort while sleeping, and it worked pretty well.  I only woke up once because of the discomfort/pain of being in one position for too long (my right side).  
 

Finally, some pictures! I had completely forgotten that my mom took some quick pictures of me with her phone while at my 3 Week post-op doctor visit.  So, here you go folks... Week 3 Pics!  I think the swelling decrease is coming along nicely.  I can feel my face muscles beginning to really loosen up.  The most stubborn muscles are the ones above my upper lip, below my nose.  The kissing/lip exercises are really helping, so I'm able to smile wider and wider everyday.  My cheeks are starting to deflate a bit more quickly these days.  For the record, it FEELS like my right side is more swollen than the left about 70% of the time, but it's actually my left side that's usually more swollen.  This makes sense since this is the side that my implant was put in, and it's also the side where I had my cant (thus where I had more of my upper jaw removed to even out my smile).  As always, feel free to ask any questions you might have.  Thanks for following.  It's my hope you're finding all this info useful.

3 Weeks!

Yes, 3 whole weeks! And I'm feeling GREAT!  I had my 3 week post-op visit with my Doctor, and she thinks my healing is coming along splendidly!  As she checked on the stitches on the inside of my mouth she was stoked about how fast they were healing.  I chalked it up to the Vitamin C (it's a great vitamin for healing) that I've been taking, and my diet of liquid vegetables and fruit smoothies.  "Whatever it is, it's working" is what I got in response.

Also my swelling is looking MUCH better.  I kept feeling like it stalled or went really slowly week 2 in comparison to week 1, and I kinda thought maybe I'd reached the peak of my rate of decrease in swelling.  To be honest, though, I had gotten very bad at taking my anti-inflammatory supplements in week 2.  I was really distraught about my mid-lines, and being back in tight bands for another two weeks.  I was also in a lot of pain and discomfort because of the bands.  None of that made me look forward to having to grind my nasty tasting vitamins and forcing myself to drink them.  That gagging thing was real! EVERYTIME.  (Note: now I know it was the turmeric that was making everything taste so bad!  I eventually just decided to stop taking that one in week 2).  I think I only took them 3  or 4 times that week.

Some quick bullets on how the rest of the visit went:

• My mid-lines are straight again.  So, funny thing is, when the Doc initially took the bands off, everything was super in line.  After I was allowed to brush my teeth and practice opening and closing for a few minutes, I noticed they were slightly more off than just 5 minutes before.  The Doc showed me the molds of my teeth before surgery and explained that my mid-lines were always just a little bit off and that this would also be addressed with more bands and braces when I go back to the orthodontist.  Picture to come.   
• I now wear 2 rubber bands on only my right side.  I'm to take them off to eat, brush and "exercise" my jaw.  I can open wide enough to fit all my supplement and vitamin pills in though! Yay, no more grinding!
• I exercise my jaw by opening and closing my jaw and trying to slowly keeping pulling my jaws apart from one another. I am to exercise 10 minutes in the mornings and evenings.   
• I've lost 10lbs since surgery.  I know it's not lack of nutrition.  My energy levels were pretty high for week 2.  I was able to do get out of the house quite a bit to run day long errands with my mom.  I did feel exhausted by the time we got back home, but I had made it through the busy days.  I feel like I burned way more calories than what I was taking in.
• I can begin a "soft/mushy food" diet.  
• I no longer have to sleep propped up AND I can even sleep on my sides.  She let me know that I'll probably wake up a bit swollen in the mornings for a bit, but that it would go down quickly as I walked around.  This was great news.  The last 2 nights had been really hard on me.  I just couldn't get comfortable.  So I wasn't getting much sleep.  My body was aching to lie down, but I swear I could feel my face swelling up if I slept with my head turned for too long.  

After my visit with the Doc, I went to see my herbal Doc for my weekly acupuncture appointment.  The acupuncture has been wonderful for relaxing the muscles in my face.  If you're in pain from being in tight bands, ask your Doc about trying acupuncture.  I also got a refill on my herbal tea concoction for the swelling (I drink it 3x a day).

After that I took my mom out to lunch to one of my favorite L.A. fish taco joints (I watched).  And then we decided we needed some retail therapy and went shopping.  While I was trying on a dress that I was pulling up my body rather than over my head, it got stuck, so I pulled harder, when, all of a sudden--- BAM!  I pulled too hard on the dress, it slipped out of my fingers and the back of my hand (with that extra force) went straight into my jaw!  I. ALMOST. DIED.  I immediately broke out into a sweat, and even kinda screamed in the dressing room.  I couldn't decide if I was just more terrified by what I'd done, than I was in pain or the other way around.  I immediately cupped my poor jaw and frantically looked myself over in the mirror-- had I messed up my implant? Were my mid-lines okay? Could I have "moved" my jaw out of place?  I was damn near hysterical for about 2 minutes.  But, as I realized I was okay, and surprisingly not in TOO much pain, I calmed down.  I didn't even finish trying on the dress.  I just got dressed and went to tell my mom it was time to go.  The only pain I felt was very quick upon immediate impact.  I felt it shoot up through the right side of my lower jaw and into my right TMJ.  It was intense on impact, but then it only lingered lightly for another 10 minutes or so.

When it was time for bed, I didn't sleep propped up, but I did sleep with 3 pillows underneath my head.  It was NOT a fun night.  I still kept getting that "swelling" feeling in my face just from not being propped up, let alone being on my sides. I eventually put my airplane/donut shaped pillow back around my head, and that seemed to help a little.  But then I felt some pain coming back into my jaws and TMJ.  There was one moment in particular when I was turning my head, and I felt a sharp pain shoot through my TMJs.  I think, because when I was turning my head my jaw kinda opened wider than it should/could and the pain came as would be expected, but I can't be sure.  All in all, I really didn't get much sleep.

I'm currently at the end of Day 22 (the very next day after my 3 week Doc appointment).  I had another busy, but successful day.  I woke up late from not having slept much, but once I was up, I got dressed (nicely), did my hair and makeup, and had some VERY watery, but very delicious oatmeal for breakfast.  Then, I went out to the movies with my brother, his girlfriend, and my mom.  Afterwards, I indulged in some frozen yogurt (yes, I ate dairy-- haha!), and it was flipping DELICIOUS.  I was able to open wide enough to use the spoon, but not necessarily my top lip (it's still a little numb and my upper lip is still swollen).  For dinner my mom made some "Sopa de Fideo."

It's a traditional Mexican comfort-food dish, and we decided to see if I could get any of it IN my mouth and then down my throat comfortably.  First, I was excited I could use a REAL spoon (I've been using a baby spoon since the beginning).  This was mega cool to me.  Then, I found I was actually able to KINDA crush some of the noodles inbetween some (not all) of my back teeth (my left back molars, not my right).  I still ate most of the noodles whole, but I was pretty pleased with being able to crush down even a few. 

I can also now VERY carefully fit the whole baby toothbrush into my mouth.  I can now brush the insides of my teeth and even in between the top and bottom.  I stress, I do all this very carefully, letting my jaws VERY slowly pry apart from each other in order to allow the brush between them, and then some back and forth movement to brush.  This was my FIRST time being able to brush back there and although it kinda hurt, it was still awesome.  I'm looking forward to improving how much I can open my mouth every day!  All this progress has got me seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

Tonight will be my second attempt at sleeping in a semi-flat position.  I think I'll still keep my donut pillow and 2 standard pillows underneath my head to help.

I'm sorry, but no pictures in this post!  I honestly haven't taken one in the last few days or so, and I want the pic to be current.  I'll post one tomorrow!  Thanks folks!  

Something Is Not Right (Day 9, 10, 11)

Days 9 and 10: Uh-Oh Something is NOT right

The pain was still off/on on day 9.  I felt it both on both sides of my face.  It was honestly like my right and left cheek muscles were battling over which one wanted to be in worse pain.  I kept controlling the pain with the Children's Tylenol, and took the Hydrocodone on the evening of Day 9 to help me sleep.  At this point, I could feel that part of the pain in my cheeks had to be coming from the fact that I could only feel my back molars touching down on my left side NOT on my right side.  I worried, but I decide this might be one of those orthodontic issues that has to be fixed after surgery. 

On day 10, I was checking on my teeth in the mirror when I noticed that my mid-lines were no longer lining up!  This is how I knew something was DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT with my bite!  I immediately panicked and e-mailed my doctor (at this point, my doctor had actually shared her PERSONAL e-mail address with me in the event I needed to reach her immediately).  I sent her a picture of my teeth to show her my mid-lines, and I explained to her that the TMJ pain on my right side was still a intense, and that I couldn't feel my back molars touching on that side.  She emailed me back within 10 minutes, and asked me to come in the next day.

Mid-lines no longer matching up

On an emotional note, I did cry after noticing this thing with my mid lines.  It was my first real "big cry," and I'll try not to do this again as it aggravated my sinuses, gave me a headache (even worse than I already had), and worried my poor mother to tears too (she hates seeing me in such pain).  I cried out of fear that something had gone wrong with my surgery, and most especially, fear that I'd have to "redo" this surgery.  I just can't imagine going through this all over again.

Day 11:  Post-Op Visit Redux

The Doc didn't even let the nurse take the obligatory pre-Doctor visit vitals, she was so anxious to see me.  She had them wait until after she was done examining me.  Funny enough, her first comment was about how much more my swelling had gone down just in the 4 days since she'd last seen me.  At this point, my swelling was the last thing on my mind, I just wanted an explanation for the mid-lines and pain!

She apologized in advance for what she was about to do as she peered into my mouth, and then proceeded to gently, but definitely firmly, push my jaws into place.  This was automatically painful, but not intolerable.  Again, I was most afraid my jaws weren't ready to handle this kind of "touching," but as many of you have commented in your own recovery blogs, it's amazing to see how fast our bodies are want to recover from trauma.  I winced and wimpered as she pushed my lower and top jaws "into place" so that the mid-lines lined up and then she showed me with a hand mirror, how when she does this my teeth line up correctly.  She explained that what was happening was that my muscles are forcing my lower jaws back into an asymmetric position.  She said that this is common in recovery amongst asymmetric jaw patients.  My muscles need to create new muscle memory and the only way to encourage this is to put me back into tight bands that hold my teeth into the correct alignment.  When she did this, oddly enough my bite (even though it doesn't touch down on the right side) automatically felt "more right."  She even asked me if I felt better in the tighter bands, and when I said yes she said this was another solid signal to her that it was indeed my muscles fighting back.  As an added precaution she sent me for another X-ray, just to be sure that there wasn't a problem with the actual surgery and/or movement of any bones.  We got them back right away, and as she expected, everything looks beautiful.  She explained that I can't feel my back molars on my right side touching because this is an orthodontic issue.  Once I'm able to go back to my ortho Doc, he'll align my back right teeth into position.

Mid-lines correctly line up in tight bands. Notice my back right molars don't touch; very stress/painful on my cheek muscles on my right and left sides because of this.

I cannot explain the mixed emotions I felt coming out of that Doc's office well enough.  On the one hand I was more than ecstatic I wouldn't be needing surgery again, and that this was just a "muscle memory" thing.  On the other hand, I was getting put back into tight bands (and misery) for 2 more weeks (making it a total of 3 weeks of being TIGHTLY banded).  I had just gotten used to my loose bands and the ability to speak and not SLURP back saliva after every sentence.  I had been looking forward to practicing opening my mouth wider and wider every day to get on with this healing, and to move on to a mushy food diet (at least), but all of that was now going to have to wait another 2 weeks.  My mom was the one who had to remind me that I knew going into this that it wouldn't be easy, and that I would have good and bad days, and that to her, today was a good day.  She was right.  And with that, we headed off to the farmers market for fresh veggies that we could puree into soups--- my new diet.

Speaking of diet, at my Day 7 and Day 11 Doctor visits, I showed a total of 6lbs (2 kg) lost.  Doc was pleased with this, and said that it means I've kept up with my nutrition.  She asked what I've been eating, and I rattled off some of the various kinds of liquids I "eat."  At some point, I'd like to devote an entire post to some of the liquid diet items and recipes I've been eating for all of you to look into.  The first 3 days were the most "boring," but my mom and I have gotten REALLY creative, and have managed to make some incredibly yummy soup-meals.  I've kept up a vegan diet throughout this, so all of my smoothies and soups are made from fresh vegetables, fruits, and non-dairy milks.  I highly recommend investing (or maybe borrowing from a friend) in a VitaMix.  This thing is simply incredible, and so much more than a blender.  They're expensive, but honestly, if I had to do this surgery all over again, I'd throw down the $300-$400 bucks for this machine again in a heartbeat.

So far I've updated you to Day 11.  I'm currently on Day 17 and there have been improvements to my overall pain, energy, and comfort levels.  But I'll leave that for yet another blog entry to come.  Until then, be well fellow jaw surgery adventurers.

Day 11.  Back to tight bands, but making the most of it with some delicious soup.  See pic below.

 

Roasted Beet & Potato Soup.  I don't normally like root vegetables (like broccoli or beets), but this soup was AMAZING! I was so pleasantly surprised by how nicely the flavors blended together, garnished with just a bit of lemon zest. Yum!  Recipe to follow in subsequent post. PS: Beets are amazing food for healing.

1st Post-Op: OUCH! (Day 7 & 8)

Hello Everyone!

First, my apologies for the delay in updating! I know I left you guys on a bit of a cliff hanger on day 6, right before my first post-op appointment.  Honestly, at first the off/on pain I was experiencing this past week (week 2) really made it difficult for me to focus enough on updating the blog, but I tried to keep a (written) list of things I wanted to include once I felt more up to blogging.  So, for now let me backtrack a little to get you guys up to speed.  I'm going to split this VERY long update into separate posts in an effort to not make this blog a novel every time you read it.  :)  Thanks for all your support, cheers, and check-in's on me.  I haven't told any friends or family about this blog (except my Mom and Doctor), but I already feel like I have an extended family of friends in all of you out there.  I'm rooting for all of you too! 

Day 7: 1st Post-Op Doc Update

I was practically dying of anticipation to get to the Doc.  I wanted to know the details of how the surgery went, what she thought of my healing and swelling, but most especially I wanted her to cut my bands off and let my jaw open.  By late evening on day 6, I had noticed that my cheek muscles on both sides, but especially my right side were getting really sore.  It was like they were screaming at me to exercise, or move or something, anything to "stretch" them.  Imagine my surprise then, when the Doc cut the bands, and I immediately felt my whole body tense up in fear, anticipation of the worst, and, uh-oh, PAIN!  Immediate sharp pain in my right TMJ.  I also noticed that I instinctively (and comically) reached up to "support" by bottom jaw from "falling off" my face.  The minute I did that, I didn't know whether to laugh or keep taking deep fearful breaths because, of course, my jaw wasn't going to fall off!  I just got scared that without the bands holding my mouth tightly shut, my bottom jaw wouldn't know how to stay in place.  Even my mom kinda laughed when she saw me do this.  Even more distracting was that sudden pain though.  The Doc let me know my initial panic and pain was normal, and soothingly rubbed an ice pack (that she already had prepared before she cut the bands) over my forehead (I had actually broken out in a cold sweat).

This was before I saw the Doc.  I have swelling in my nose, cheeks and upper and lower lips. You can kinda see the yellow bruising on my neck too, but this was gone by Day 12 or so. 

Swelling is way more evident from the side, but check out that new chin! Also the red mark on my cheek is the stitch the Doc made on either side of my face. And the stuff on my chin is the glue from the chin guard thing I had to wear all week.

She took a look in my mouth and marveled at how fast everything was healing.  The stitches on my top jaw were already beginning to fall out (not so much on the bottom).  She was pleased with how "clean" I had kept my mouth (thank you water pik and baby tooth brush), and announced I could stop taking the antibiotic I had been prescribed.  On days 5, 6, and 7 I seemed to be taking my Hydrocodone only as needed, which happened to be at night, and very first thing in the mornings.  If I didn't take it at night, I usually woke up in AGONY (and I mean tears and everything) either in the middle of the night or very early in the morning.  Because of this the Doc gave me a refill for the next week, but was otherwise pleased with my healing thus far.  I reiterated to her that I was still feeling that sharp TMJ pain before I left, but she attributed this to having worked on my right side for longer than she did on my left.

She then said that I wouldn't be in tight bands anymore, but instead two "loose" bands on either side of my mouth, and encouraged me to do lip exercises to help my muscles loosen up around my lips.  This involves making kissy and smiley faces. 

It was GLORIOUS to be in looser bands and actually able to speak clearly.  I asked if I could try "mushy" foods now, as opposed to ONLY liquids, and she seemed to be okay with me trying, but not "overdoing" it. 

Day 8:  PAIN

After I got home from the previous day's post-op visit, I couldn't get any relief from that TMJ pain so I took Hydrocodone to help and slept until Day 8.  I woke up, still in pain, but this time it was a general pain (7/10) ALL OVER my face.  I really didn't want to take Hydrocodone all day long to control the pain, so instead I changed an appointment I had already set for the day with my herbal doctor (to get my herbs for the swelling) to also make it an acupuncture appointment (for the pain).

This was my very first acupuncture appointment, and I am pleased to report to you all that I felt IMMEDIATE relief afterward.  It wasn't 100% relief, but initially it was at least 50% better, and only got better throughout the day.  Don't know what they put in those needles, but I'm officially a believer. I managed to go the rest of the day and night without needing the Hydrocodone.  I took Children's Tylenol instead. 

Eating:  Uh, so I can't eat ANYTHING. I couldn't even get mashed potatoes into my mouth.  I'm back to liquids.  The only upside to being able to open my mouth even a little is that I can speak clearly, and that I can now VERY slowly and VERY gently push my vitamins/supplements into my mouth.  Crushing/Blending them into juice is SO DISGUSTING.  No, really. I'm not exaggerating.  I gagged every time.

Day 6: I can almost see my face again!

Hello Bloggers!


Just a quick update and photo with my progress on day 6.  I gotta say, I'm starting to feel pretty good about all the prep I've done in order to deal with the recovery of this surgery. 

I woke up ravenous today, and just about gulped down a protein smoothie the minute I woke up.  Again, this is a BAD idea for me.  I really must get better at being patient with the amount of fluids I chug down at a time, because about 1minute after drinking it, it just came right back up (if you must know, it didn't look any different than it did going down).  Oddly enough, I felt better after that anyway, and just rehydrated with coconut and watermelon water.  I ate some more more pureed and strained soups (I'm really liking the Tomato Bisque variety), and then the headaches started.

I'm almost certain that I'm getting headaches because of the pressure on my jaws to stay shut.  I won't really know till I can ask the Doc tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure that's it.  However,  I didn't think a headache warranted pain meds, so I took some Children's Tylenol.  I made up a dosage, since there doesn't seem to be a "big baby" dosage on the label.  :) But other than that, today is the first day I haven't needed to take pain meds, and I'm super happy about that. 

Also, at this point, my "bed buddy" is really coming in handy.  After freezing it for a couple of hours it feels better than wonderful to let it rest over my eyes and just fall asleep and let the coldness of it and the Tylenol work its magic.  I woke up feeling MUCH better, and immediately went for a 20 minute walk (my longest walk yet).  When I came back, I looked in the mirror and realized that I think my swelling has gone down even more today!  My mom absolutely agrees, and is beyond freaked out at how fast the swelling is going down.  We're both looking forward to seeing what the Doc has to say tomorrow. 

Thank you for your comments and questions!  Keep 'em coming!!  As I said before, I was happy to be your guinea pig, and now I'm happy to follow through to the end.  I'll be sure to update you guys after the doc appointment when I get a chance, but in the meantime, here are some photos for you guys to compare. PS: the tape on my chin is just barely hanging on at this point.  Hoping I won't need it anymore after tomorrow's appointment.

Day 1 (1st day after surgery)

Day 4

Day 6

Thanks again for all the support and commiseration, guys!  Wishing everyone else currently recovering a speedy and healthy one!

Day 5: The Up & Down Rollercoaster Ride Begins

Hello again Everyone. 

I would have created this post yesterday, as yesterday was my Day 5, but I just didn't have the energy, and so many weird things started to happen that I figured, I wanted to let the day play out to see what else I might experience, and then update on Day 6.   

Let me start with that constant "pressure feeling" we recent jaw surgery patients keep talking about.  Day 5 was the first day that I didn't have this feeling.  Well, I did, but in a different kind of way.  I woke up feeling fine. I had made it through another night semi-comfortably and having slept most of the night, with the exception of waking up  a couple times due to nightmares and night-sweats.  I kept dreaming I was falling or tripping over something, and then would wake up startled because my body would manifest the falling feeling by "jumping" in my sleep.  This was really annoying, but mostly because I found myself drowned in sweat when I would wake up.  When morning came, I took a long shower (w/o getting my head wet), and realized in the shower that I felt like my face had gotten smaller.  I was only feeling that pressure feeling in certain parts of my face: my nose, right under my nose, the corners of my mouth,  my chin, and a bit in my jowls.  I looked in the mirror, but I couldn't see much difference in my face between day 4 and day 5, even though my face actually felt different.  I kept icing on and off, and later realized the other major change, I could feel the inside of my teeth with my tongue.  I hadn't realized that I couldn't feel my teeth before.  So, feeling them all of a sudden was a (welcome) surprise.  I also realized that I couldn't feel the roof of my mouth so much.  I guess I hadn't realized that I couldn't feel that either in the earlier days.  I can feel my tongue run across it lightly, but not like before surgery.  Having this new feeling in my mouth, made me sensitive to very hot or very cold things toward the end of the evening. Up until this, I kept asking to be served water, and some of my protein meals as cold as possible, but I realized that the cold feeling in my mouth it really hurt my teeth.

Also, I realized I could move and "strectch" my lips a whole lot more than before.  I can now kinda smile.  I was able to look under my top lip, and saw that it's raw with callouses and cuts, I think from the hooks and wires rubbing against my lips while they were swollen.  I managed to brush lightly, and use my water pik very gently to help my mouth feel a bit cleaner. 

I ran out of pain meds, and was inbetween doses when I started to get really uncomfortable in the late afternoon.  I was uncomfortable because while the I could feel more of my face, I'm not sure I wanted to.  The pain was getting more real and not so much just "discomfort."  This may sound weird, but I started to feel the incision points, and the parts where I have screws in my face more and more as the day went on.  This was especially the case right below my nose because I have screws on each side that the Doc put in to help even out my top teeth/gums.  I could also feel the screws in my lower face start to tingle.  In fact, I think all that tingling from the days before was my face starting to feel all of the screws and hardware in my face (and of course the swelling going down).  I kept icing my face, this along with the pain meds, was the only thing that seemed to provide comfort. 

I also noticed some light bruising begin to show up particularly on the left side of my face (where she took my maxilla up 4mm to even out my cant).  I also noticed streaky yellow marks down my neck for the first time.

Also, right before bed, I started to get the urge to yawn.  I can't begin to describe how weird and uncomfortable this is.  I had feared the day when I would want to yawn (or sneeze),  and didn't expect it to come so soon.  I did my best to take deep breaths in through my nose and then just try to let it out through my nose, but this is so hard!! I could actually feel my lower jaw fighting against the bands to open my mouth to let out the yawn! And the more I held it in, the more the yawns kept trying to come.  Along with this, my left nostril decided it was time to get stuffy, so I reached for some Afrin (I think my 3rd or 4th time only) and inhaled only in that nostril.  I felt much better after a few minutes and then decided to take some pain meds and try to get some sleep.

Day 5 was definitely not my favorite day.  I was happy to "feel" improvement, but it was uncomfortable, and really made me think back to when other jaw surgery bloggers talk about good days and bad days.  While day 5 wasn't a really bad day, it definitely wasn't one my best days either.  Which is disappointing because I want to believe that this gets easier with each passing day, and not harder.  I guess it's more complicated than that.

Another blogger asked me about whether I felt much hunger as a result of the liquid only diet.  At the time, my hunger really wasn't that bad.  I managed to feel comfortably "full" from the liquids I was consuming, but on the evening of Day 5, my appetite seemed to come back with a vengeance. I was sooo hungry, and ate drank lots of pureed soup.  I also had my first bowel movement yesterday  (sorry if that's TMI for you, but when you go through this, your docs will tell you how important it is to get this going asap after surgery).

Here are some comparison pics.  I have an added bonus for you guys!  A day 3 photo.  :)  Turns out my sister actually took one of me while we were out on a daily walk, and I had forgotten about it.  She emailed it to me last night, and I figured I'd put the pics up together for your comparison.  I feel like like I look a bit more swollen on Day 5 than Day 4, but I THINK it's because I don't have as much "overall" swelling in the face anymore. The swelling seems to be focused on my jowls/cheeks, and under my nose.  I really can't wait to go see my surgeon tomorrow.  I want her to tell me that I'll be allowed to open my mouth more often now.  I'm sooo over this being banded shut thing.  Also:  I'm not sure I've ever looked more unattractive than in these shots.  I'm REALLY looking forward to when I can put up some "normal" recovery pics, in which I can at least have clean hair.

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

 

Days 2, 3, and 4 Post-Op

I figured I would combine days 2, 3, and 4 together, just to make it a bit easier on me.  Hope you don't mind.  :)

Day 2 saw some more swelling and pressure.  Definitely more swollen than day 1! Breathing was still okay.  Pain was mostly due to this constant pressure feeling.  I don't know how else to describe this pressure other than to say it feels like someone is trying to inflate my head the same way they would inflate a flat basketball.  Sometimes, I swear I can feel the pressure actively making my face bigger, but when I look in the mirror it's never as bad I actually FEEL it to be.  I slept through the night just fine with the exception of waking up once due to the pressure feeling again.

Day 3 I really expected to wake up to a balloon for a head, but I gotta say, I think the swelling was worse on day 2.  Let me take this moment to apologize to you guys because I actually don't have a day 3 photo.  Somehow, I completely forgot to take a pic of myself on day 3.  But, I'll post a pic from today (day 4) instead.

I got A LOT of tingling and itchiness all over of my face on day 3 too.  Which was really frustrating because I wanted to so badly to scratch my face or do something to help alleviate all the tingling, but I obviously couldn't.  At this point, I could still feel 100% of my face, so I'm wondering if all the tingling and itchiness was a result of some of the swelling subsiding? Another reason I thought the swelling was going down was because the straps of my jaw bra were able to get further around my head than before.  Even my chin bandages seemed to be "crinkling" up because the tape wasn't holding as much of my face back.

In order to help with the tingling/itchy feeling though, I decided to gently rub some Arnica cream on my face to see if it might help, and I found that after about 10 minutes, a lot of the itchiness/tingling went away.  Arnica is a very gentle natural remedy for swelling, and lots of athletes use arnica cream on sore muscles and bruises.  I also made sure to stay vigilant with the icing as it also seemed to help some of the tingling.

On the evening of Day 3, I overdid it with fluids again, and puked, AGAIN.  Only this time, it was really hard not to panic.  I went to bed feeling nauseous, and worried that I might've had too much tea, too much water, and too much of other liquids too.  I fell asleep, but woke up about an hour later gagging, and desperately trying to reach my puke bin so that I wouldn't make a mess of the bed.  Luckily my mom and sister both woke up when they heard me and were able to reach me just in the nick of time to save the bed.  I was so scared by the suddenness of this vomiting spell, as it didn't seem to to want to end.  The more I puked, the more I panicked, and the more I wanted to desperately to open my mouth.  After it was over, my jaws were in so much pain.  This was definitely the most pain I had felt up to that point.  I immediately took some pain meds, and a steamy shower to help relax me.  I rinsed my mouth the best I could with my alcohol free mouthwash, and was able to go back to sleep without any further problems.  My take-away?  Easy on the liquids.  Take breaks inbetween the different liquids you're consuming, so as not to upset your stomach.

Day 2

Day 4

Judging from these pictures, I think it's fair to say that I may have peaked in swelling on day 2.  Even I was a little surprised by how much better I look today--- Day 4.   The morning of day 4 was kinda rough though.  The puking from the night before really took a lot out of me, so I stayed in bed most of the morning.  I also had my sister go to Bed Bath & Beyond to pick up a "bed buddy" for my face.  The bed buddy is like a sinus/eye mask that you can heat or cool and apply to your face.  On day 4 the tingling and itchy feeling was even stronger than on day 3, and the only thing that I could think of that might help was ice, so I froze the bed buddy up and then slapped it over my eyes/sinuses (along with my jaw bra) and slept until noon.  I woke up feeling much better, and then took the picture above.  I also went for a longer walk (about 20 minutes), and was able to get around the house without needing much help from mom or sis.  I'm still feeling okay.  I haven't had much pain, just more of that pressure feeling, and this annoying tingling/itchy feeling.  My jaws, however, are starting to get pretty achy from being banded shut.  I really really really want to open my mouth, but I'm trying to not think about it (because it really does start to hurt if I focus on the frustration of not being able to open my mouth).  I have my first post-op appointment on Friday, day 7.  I know she'll loosen the bands, and I'm hoping that will bring some relief--- I'm starting to feel trapped by my own mouth!

Alright, blogger friends,  I hope the updates are helpful.  As always, please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about this jaw surgery and the recovery.  I'm looking forward to getting past this first week, as everyone says it's the toughest.  I guess I agree.  I'd be absolutely miserable if it's any worse than what I've felt so far, so I'm hopeful I'm almost through with the worst of it.

Until next time, friends!

Day 1: Hello Fat Monica!

 


Okay, so was I bummed that I was more swollen the next day?  Of course!  I would've loved to have kept it to a minimum like day zero.  But did I know I would get more swollen?  Of course I did.  It's gotta get worse before it gets better.   My sister, comic that she is, immediately pointed out that I didn't look so much swollen, as I did "fat."  Her exact words were, "You look like you if you were 100lbs heavier---- like Fat Monica, from friends."  Um, thanks?  But when I looked in the mirror, I thought her description was pretty accurate. 

I gotta be honest, I don't remember much of Day 1 because I spent most of it in and out of sleep.  I was feeling very uncomfortable with the swelling because it made me feel like there was so much pressure on my face, and I didn't know what to do about it.  I took pain meds to help relieve the pressure feeling, and that seemed to help.  I also kept up with my ice-packs.  I did my best to keep my jaw bra on for 15 minutes, and then 5 minutes off, rotating between frozen gel packs, and taking longer (20-30 minute) breaks without ice after about every 2 hours of constant 15 minute rotations.  During the night, I fell asleep with the jaw bra on, and either my mom or sister would change the gel packs every couple of hours depending on who woke up to my grunts about the pressure.

I had a constant dripping/runny nose of mostly blood, but this didn't impair my breathing too much.  It wasn't until late in the evening that I started to have trouble breathing, so I decided to take 1 dose of my Afrin spray to see if it helped, and it did!  I was breathing normally within minutes.

My eyes and sinuses were also achy on this day.  It's not like my sinuses necessarily "hurt," (more just sensitive) but if I put any pressure on my face near my sinuses it immediately made my eyes hurt, so I tried to keep my glasses off my face, since even the light weight of the frame was too much on my sinuses.  But, I must say, that I really think all the bromelain I took before the surgery really helped with my ability to breathe so comfortably out of my nose after surgery.  In case you haven't looked it up yet, bromelain is a miracle worker on the sinuses, and I'm here to tell you that I definitely think it made a difference for me.  I was able to sleep through the night fairly comfortably. Any discomfort I felt was really more from having to sleep upright, and from the pressure that I could begin to feel building again in my cheeks and lower jaws.  My sister and mom were good about giving me my antibiotics, pain meds (to alleviate the pressure), and re-icing me throughout the night, and I would fall back to sleep within minutes. 

I had plenty of water, coconut water, veggie broth, a couple of protein shake "meals," and my Chinese herbal tea-- which by the way, tastes pretty gross.  I also tried to go on a "long walk" with my dad.  I got about 20 minutes in when I started to feel really nauseous, so he helped get me home ASAP.  When I got home I made the mistake of taking in way too much water at once, and puked it all back up 5 minutes after drinking it.  This put me in a bad mood for the rest of day (vomiting with your teeth banded shut is the most frustrating thing), and I spent most of the rest of the day in bed/on the couch half asleep. 

Pain throughout the day was again mostly due to pressure, which I'm not sure constitutes pain as much as it does discomfort.  However, I did try to tough it out a couple of times by skipping pain med doses, and quickly learned that this is a BAD idea.  The pressure gets worse, and then I get unbearably uncomfortable, and can't sleep or sit still, so no more skipping doses.

I was happy to have day 1 be over, and to move onto the next few days to let the "worst of it" come, so I can start to feel normal again.   

Day Zero: Humpty Dumpty Day

Okay, fellow jaw surgery patients, I finally feel well enough to post another entry.  It has been hard for me to find the energy to start a post, but mostly because the back-light on my computer/phone/iPad really was bothering my eyes those first few days after surgery--- all I wanted to do was keep my eyes closed behind an eye mask.  In fact, it hurts even if I keep my glasses on too long.  The weight of my glasses on my face really adds to the balloon like pressure I feel in my face, so I take them off every hour or so to relax my eyes and face.


But for now, let's travel back in time to Friday, my day zero.  Here are some bullet points of what I think were the most notable parts of those 24 hours in the hospital.

Day 0

• Surgery was 5.5 hours long.  My surgeon was very pleased with the surgery, and the assistant Doctor assured me that she thought the surgeon had really outdone herself with my surgery.  I guess that means that the Doc was extra meticulous?  No nerves were cut, so I had 
• 100% feeling in my face immediately after surgery.  It was the first thing I tested for when I woke up.  I reached up to my face and realized I could feel my lips, my cheeks, my chin, everything!  This immediately made me feel better, as I had worried about losing feeling in my face (even temporarily).  
• I woke up to astonishing thirst.  I mean I was more than just parched--- it felt like I had just spent an entire day in the desert without water.  So I immediately grunted for water, and was happy to see that I could drink out of styrofoam cup with virtually no problem.  I dripped very little, and if I did, I could FEEL it, which was again, reassuring.  
• My jaws were obviously banded shut, but I felt no pain, just discomfort.
• My family came into my room about 20 minutes after I woke up, and all of them were super impressed with how little swelling I had.  I immediately reached for the hand mirror and realized they were right.  Here's what we saw:

• All was well, until I sat up a little more and then the floodgates in my nose opened up.  I could not stop the flow of blood coming out of my nostrils.  It wasn't exactly a steady stream, but I did have to hold tissues against my nose for most of the rest of the night.  Surprisingly though, inbetween nosebleeds,
• it wasn't very hard for me to breathe.  It was really (mostly) my right nostril that kept dripping blood, but I was still able to breathe out of the other nostril just fine.  Sometime in the middle of the night when I felt the bleeding had calmed down I took in some Ocean Nasal spray to help break up the blood clots in my nose so that I could continue breathing through my nose semi-comfortably.
• My thirst was hard to quench, so I kept drinking water and coconut water, until my stomach decided to revolt.  I puked up a lot of the water mixed in with some blood.  I didn't panic (as I kind've expected to throw up a little), but man was it weird to not be able to open your mouth to throw up.  
• I drank a lot of fluids, and the nurse kept coming in every few hours to see if I could pee, but I really couldn't.  I didn't even have the urge.  At around 4am the nurse took an ultrasound of my bladder and said that it was way too full.  She called the doctor, who then told her to put in a catheter to help me.  This was a particularly embarrassing situation as the nurse was having trouble getting the catheter in for some reason, and I was REALLY uncomfortable with how long she was taking down there, so I asked her to stop, and let me try to pee on my own again
• and voila!  It was like my brain finally woke my bladder up and said, "Pee!! Otherwise this nurse is going to keep trying to stick that tube in us!"  Sorry if that's TMI, guys, but apparently, the hospital won't release you until you can pee on your own, and so finally being able to go, meant I was one step closer to recovery. 
• The nurses were very attentive to my pain, and if I asked for more pain relief they simply asked me on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst) how bad my pain was, and then dispensed the appropriate amount of meds into my IV.  It was heaven when I felt it begin to work.
• I was released the next day, after the doc came in to check on me.  She was still so pleased (and looked it) with how the surgery had gone.  She took a quick peek in my mouth, and then after praising me for how much fluid I was taking in, said I was good to go home.  
• Once we left the hospital we stopped by my Chinese herbal Doctor's office to pick up my concoction of herbal teas (don't worry, none of which are blood thinners) to help manage the swelling that was sure to come and get worse.  He also let me know that it was important that I try to encourage a bowel movement ASAP, as the body needs to release toxins this way in order to move the recovery along.  Okay, Doc... I'll do what I can.  

And there you have it folks, my day zero.  Overall, I was pleased with my hospital experience.  The staff were all kind and attentive.  I had my own room that had an extra sofa-bed in it for my mom.  I'm so glad she stayed with me the whole night.  If you can, I would really encourage you to find someone to stay with you the whole night.  It's kind've a rough night of waking up and falling back to sleep every couple of hours, and having someone there to call the nurse or to quickly give you something to throw up in when you feel it coming suddenly is really helpful.  Not to mention, the words of encouragement and kisses on the head that really help... :)




Tune in for day's 1, 2, 3, and 4.  The saga continues....

1st Post Surgery Entry

Ok, guys---- I flippin' made it.  It was a 5.5 hour surgery. I woke up to surprisingly very little swelling. Docs and nurses were impressed.  I saw my "after x-ray," and I was just thrilled with what I saw. My top jaw is now sooo straight. No more cant! Also my left side of my face is more swollen than the right because the Doc put an implant in the lower left side of my face to help counter the asymmetry in my lower jaws/chin.

This is day two after surgery, and my swelling has definitely increased now. Everyone (the fam) says it's not that bad, and surprisingly low compared to what they expected, but I've seen the pics and I'm not sure I agree. I think I look like "fat Monica" from Friends. Though I will say that since late  yesterday afternoon I haven't seen too much more swelling. Though I don't expect this to last.  I expect that day 3 and 4 will probably be bad swelling days, but I did start retaking my vitamins/supplements again about an hour ago today, so maybe they'll help considering most of them are for inflammation? In order to take them, my mom crushes them down and mixes them into my protein shakes or juice. Otherwise they would be much too foul tasting to just mix with water.

I am also drinking my special herbal teas that my Chinese herbal doc gave me for swelling and a little pain management. I'm kinda wondering if this is why there wasnt much change in swelling between yesterday and today.

I'm also taking the pain killers the doc gave me because they really help me sleep during the day and at night. I don't think I'm in pain, just really frickin uncomfortable, which makes it hard to sleep, so I take the pain killers.

Also, so far I have not had too hard a time breathing through my nose. On day zero and one it was like I had a constant nosebleed, and I  expected the dry blood to make breathing difficult, but this has not been the case. I took one spray of Afrin late last night and haven't needed any more since. I also have used my humidifier almost non-stop since being home to help with the dry blood in the nose.

Additionally, considering that Bromelain is so good for swelling of the face, and for clearing sinuses, I'm almost positive that taking as much as I did before surgery has really made a difference in my ability to breathe comfortably. I only very occasionally get the urge to want to blow my nose (which we're all forbidden to do for a few weeks).

I took a 15 minute walk this morning with my dad around my neighborhood, but I must've overdone it because I was parched when I got home, downed some water too fast and then immediately threw up. I know it's super important to walk, so I'm going to attempt three 10 minute (slow) walks a day. Ill admit, though, all I really want to do is stay wrapped up in blankets and jaw bra on my couch and sleep all day.

In fact even finding energy to post this entry was hard. I would love to give you guys a day by day update starting with Day 0, but I think I'll have to attempt this tomorrow or whenever I feel a little more up to it.

There are pictures!  My sister has been taking them for me. I will post them in the next couple of posts-- too tired right now.

Sorry for the not so detailed update, but just wanted to let you all know what my immediate physical reactions have been since surgery, and of course to let you know I'm alive. :)

Finally, good luck to fellow jaw blogger, Esmeralda. I know you go in tomorrow for surgery. You'll be in my thoughts tomorrow! Sending good vibes your way.

Thanks again for all the support jaw surgery bloggers. I'll be in touch.again soon.

Hugs,
Adrienne

Supplies Lists

Alright, fellow jaw surgery patients!  I've got much less than 24 hours to go until I go under for double jaw surgery, and just like Santa, I'm making my lists and checking them twice. ;) 

The first list is of the basic supplies I've bought for at-home recovery.  The second list is for my one-night hospital stay. 

List #1: Basic Supplies for At-Home Recovery

1. Aquaphor lip balm (I've read on other blogs that this stuff is simply the best, so I bought two tubes of it)
2. Baby toothbrush (I'll also use my water-pik very gently starting around day 4/5 per my Doc's advice)
3. Sippy Cups (though I've been told I'll be given a big syringe, my doc encourages use of a sippy cup asap)
4. Coconut water for natural electrolytes and hydration
5. Baby booger suction thingy (I don't have kids, and unfortunately don't know the real name for this thing, but I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about) :)  
6. Probiotic's (the anti-biotics I'll be taking will wreak havoc on my stomach and kill off all the good bacteria my stomach needs. Probiotics will help bring back some of that good bacteria).  
7. Prune Juice (this tip I got from fellow blogger Post Grad Grin--thank you!).  It had totally slipped my mind that the pain killers, trauma, and antibiotics combo will probably leave me constipated, so prune juice it is).
8. Vegan protein powder.  I've found the best tasting to be the vanilla Sun Warrior brand.  Blended with a some almond milk, and then strained should make it a decent enough meal replacement, and easy enough to fit into the giant syringe the hospital gave me to squirt liquids into my mouth.
9. A mirror to help me find my mouth when I can't feel it and need to "eat."
10. Donut shaped airplane neck pillow 
11. Jaw bra with gel pack inserts for icing
12. One of those big bed pillows with arms for staying upright while sleeping
13. Baby spoons (for when I advance to the soft/mushy food phase)
14. Baby wet-wipes (for my face)
15. My vitamins and supplements that the Doc has given me the okay to take after surgery.  These include: Vitamin C w/rose hips, Calcium, Arnica (helps w/ bruising and swelling), Vitamin B complex (to promote nerve regeneration), Krill Oil (Same as fish oil.  I did not take this before surgery.  This and fish oils before surgery can cause excess bleeding.  AFTER surgery, however, krill and fish oils are wonder drugs for inflammation and pain, among other benefits), and I'll continue to take my Bromelain/Quercetin/Turmeric.
16. A pill crusher
17. Humidifier (hopefully it will help me breathe a little better)
18. Ocean Nasal Spray and Afrin (prescribed to me by my doctor).  I'm only to use the Afrin for a maximum of 3 days.

I think that's the most important stuff I've gotten so far.  I'll let you guys know which of it comes in handy the most once I get there.  Now for the hospital, here's what I've got packed:

1. Robe
2. Pajama pants, and my favorite zip up hoodie
3. Slippers (and socks)
4. Deoderant
5. Q-tips (for my nose)
6. Cell phone and charger 
7. iPad (for movies/games/internet access)
8. Pad and paper (maybe a mini dry erase board if I can find one before tomorrow) to communicate with after surgery
9. Aquaphor
10. Prescribed nasal sprays
11. Neck pillow
12. Jaw bra (in case the one the hospital gives me is uncomfortable)

I'll only be there for a night, with an early release in the morning (if all is well), so I don't want to take too much--- just the necessities.  I figure I'll be too out of it to want to keep myself occupied with a book or even the iPad, but if I don't use it I know my mom will, she's so addicted to that thing!

Anyway, this is the most important stuff I could think to pack and have ready at home.  Please feel to use the comments section to suggest other items you think I left off that might come in handy--- I truly appreciate any and all tips and suggestions. 

When I get to the weeks where I can transition into a more substantial diet I'll do my best to post a list of the soft food items I plan on attempting to eat, and let you guys know what works and what doesn't.  Well, for me anyway. 

Finally, for the sake of relaxing before surgery in order to stay calm, I'll be doing some yoga this evening and first thing in the morning with my yogi neighbor.  She has kindly offered to guide me through some relaxing flows and positions at 5am before I head off for surgery.  I do yoga regularly, and personally find it very calming. 

Which brings me to my final point.  I am so lucky and so grateful to have so many wonderful family and friends who have been so supportive and encouraging the whole way through this process.  My mom, dad, sister and brother will all be at the hospital with me tomorrow, and I couldn't ask for a better rock of support like my family. 

I'm scared, but only because this is my first surgery.  Other than that, I think I'm ready. 

Let's do this. 

Pre-Op Appointment

Hello Everyone!

Well, here we are.  Just a mere 2 days to get through until surgery day, and I just got out of my first (and only) pre-op appointment.  Although it was long (roughly 4 hours), it went absolutely splendidly.  My surgeon hugged me (I'm a hugger, this was reassuring) when she saw me, and introduced me to the other staff that would be attending to me during and after surgery.  She took meticulous measurements and molds of my mouth, and answered a lot of the questions that had been burning a hole in my brain lately!  Let me admit here that I had accidentally left my list of questions at home (I wrote them down instead of saving them in my phone like I should've done), and just about panicked when I realized this.   It was too late to go back home to get them, so I did my best to remember some of them, but then I had a flash of a memory of  Miss Esmeralda's list of questions posted on her blog, and I immediately used my phone to look them up! Luckily whatever I couldn't remember from my own list was on hers!  So, thank you, thank you, Esmeralda! 

In fact, thank you to everyone who has written a blog documenting their orthognathic surgery experience.  My surgeon was so impressed that I knew so much about the surgery!  She was thrilled that I had so many "interesting, good questions," and I even shared my blog with her so that she could see the before pictures I had taken of myself.  She asked me to email her copies of them to her to use along with the gazillion they took today for her reference as she preps for the surgery.  She was doubly impressed by my dedication to my diet and exercise regimen, and even the supplements I've been taking.  She admitted that after I asked about taking the turmeric, bromelain, and quercetin,  she did quite a bit of research on her own part, and was really looking forward to seeing if they help with the swelling/recovery.  If they do, she plans on trying this supplemental approach with other patients!

I also mentioned to her that I'd like to avoid drinking Ensure any kind of dairy while in the hospital, and she happily noted this, and said that the hospital had a vegan option as well.  I was so happy that she's 100% supportive of this approach to healing.  I know many doctors out there don't feel quite the same way, and I was prepared to do whatever my own doctor ordered, but I'm just so relieved she and I seem to be on the same page about all of my prep.  Phew!


So, now that I've given you the basic summary of how the visit went, let me also share with you some important little nuggets of info that she shared with me that some of you might find helpful for your own prep.  She, of course, gave me way more information than just these bullets, but since the rest of the information is pretty common to jaw surgery blogs,  I'll just bullet some of the less commonly seen info out there. 

• She prescribed an anti-nausea patch that I'm to stick behind my left ear 2 hours before surgery.  Hopefully this will prevent (too much) nausea/vomiting after surgery.
• Liquid diet for 1 week. Mushy/soft foods are okay after that
• Daily walks (for as long as I feel comfortable) will help with the swelling and healing
• I am to use Afrin the first 3 days after surgery to help keep my nostrils clear enough to breathe through, and to avoid the "normal" panic that most patients go through around day 3 or 4 because they can't breathe through their nose.  This one made me think of all the other bloggers out there who have shared their frustration over the stuffed up noses and inability to breathe.  I'm totally nervous about this, myself.
• After Afrin, I am allowed to use one of those baby booger suction things to help keep my nose clear from the residual blood and other clotting tissue. 
• No carbonated drinks (for the first week or so) as they can mess with my stitches and incisions
• Throwing up dark blood is normal, bright red blood is NOT normal, and I'm to come in immediately if I do see this.

Now, finally, for the technical stuff:

• I will have the left side of my upper jaw moved up 4mm, while the right side will move up 2mm.  This will address my cant issue (where my top teeth slant)
• The lower jaw movement is harder to describe. It's kind of a rotate and pull forward combo to address the asymmetry of my lower jaw/face.  For the life of me I cannot remember how many mm forward she was going to move my lower jaw because for a long time she talked about how a typical
•  genioplasty may not work so well on me because one side (left) of my lower jaw is "thinner or flatter" than the other.  After much more staring at my face, and measuring, and pictures, and hmm-ing, and huh-ing, she finally said that she thinks she'd rather do a chin implant with some customization added for that "thinner side" of my face.  Below is a pic I found that I think illustrates all of this:

This is also me trying to hide my cant by just not smiling "very big."  Notice how the left side of my lower jaw seems "thinner," or more flat than my right (your left) side?

 Thankfully, I won't need to wear a splint as I will not be having my upper jaw split into any pieces, but rather just moved up and forward (1mm? I forgot this too!  Gosh, I'm bad.  Forgive me folks, I was so overwhelmed. 4 hours is a looong appointment, and A LOT of information).  Either way, I was relieved to hear this, as I seem to see nothing but not-so-happy-camper-stories about splints. 

Finally, I had my hooks put on this morning before my pre-op appointment.  My orthodontist hugged me (yay, more hugs!) on the way out, when I suddenly remembered that I had one last really good question to ask him before I don't see him for 6-8 weeks:  How soon after surgery will I get my braces removed?  Answer? August/Septemberish. YES!

Almost done folks.  Almost!