7th week post-op

Well, another week has gone by and not too many changes have occurred. I haven't tried that many more new foods cuz it is just work! Oh, I did cut up a sausage patti the other day and had it and that was really good.
I have had aches and shocks here and there. It's weird! Little jolts in my mouth where my nerves are telling me their healing. It only lasts a minute at most, so it is nothing I can't handle. The pain is more of aches and I have been using Tylenol and sometimes Ibprofren for that and that seems to help.
I went to my orthodontist today and I got my first power chain. I read other peoples blogs but didn't really know what they were. I have developed some spaces in between my top teeth and this is suppose to help with this. Also, I only have to wear two bands now! I was shocked. I had been wearing 7-8...now only two? But I am sure my od knows what he is doing.
It was funny while I was there, there was another patient that just got braces on and is going to have surgery in December. He was asking me questions. You could tell he was hesitant and worried. Been there! I referred him to the blogs since I wish I had done that before my surgery. I just love that we all can share our stories and not feel so alone in this crazy world of jaw surgery.
FYI: posted more pics and I put some on from when I just came out of surgery. My husband had taken them I didn't even know...stinker!

Freedom! 6th week post op

I went in to see my os yesterday. I was actually pretty relaxed for the impending splint removal. My mom came with me since I wasn't sure about the laughing gas effects. So when I went into the room, they immediately put me on the laughing gas. Wow! Within minutes I was high. It felt like I was really drunk. At first it felt like that drunk when you get nauseous. My mom got the PA back in the room because I wasn't sure if they knew I was a light weight and just a little would put me out. I was definitely in la, la land. So she turned it down a little. But within minutes I was back to myself. The doctor walks in. I was like turn on the gas. I want to be back to la, la land for this. Health care workers make the worst patients. I think it's all the knowledge of what is being done and what could go wrong. So he cranked it up. He numbed the area multiple times and he kept asking. "how ya feeling?" I responded, "I m wasted." "Good, that's what we want." It went by real quick and the splint was out. The top of my mouth felt gigantic! So much room up there. As my tongue rubbed up against the top I could feel rough edges and areas of soreness. My mom was asked back in the room. She was flabbergasted on how quick it took. She barely had enough time to read a paragraph in her book. I sat in the chair a while because I was a little dizzy. Which by the way, I have been having a lot of since the surgery. whenever I go from sitting to standing. Watch out...head rush.
They told me I could start eating whatever I wanted. My mom and I went to Starbucks after. We got our coffees and started to chat. But I felt so tired and had difficulty concentrating at first. I must have had a little reminisce of gas left on board.I tried a little pice of pumpkin bread but it felt rough on the roof of my mouth. I will take it slow from now on. Overall, I highly recommend the laughing gas! You're aware of what's going on but don't care. The best part is, you don't have a hangover later; like most anesthesia.
FYI: I posted pics of me this week including one of me with the laughing gas on.HEE. HEE!

5th week post-op

Where's Megan? I still look at myself in the mirror and I don't recognize myself. I catch myself looking in the mirror alot in hopes that my old self will suddenly appear. Iam still taking pictures of myself as well, to see if there is any little hint of difference. People I haven't seen in a week or two say that some of the swelling has gone down. As for my husband and I, we don't see it. The other morning he greeted me with, "hello, swollen." Yup, I know. I posted some pics for this week. The picture doesn't do justice but if you look at the right side of my face in the pic it is more swollen. That is where the doctor cut into this week.

Clenching....does anybody else feel themselves clenching their jaw for no particular reason at all? I can be driving or watching tv and there I am clenching away. I don't even know why I am doing it and have to actually think of my bite to even know that I am doing it. Weird!

Food....same ole same ole. my diet still consists of smoothies, ice cream, soup, yogurt, and lots of starbucks! Man I am on a kick! I can't get enough of starbucks sugarfree mocha frapps. Yummy! I usually make some oatmeal in the am and grab one of those on the way to work. I think I am keeping them in business. I know where there is a Starbucks where ever I go. You name an area, I'll know where one is located. New foods...I ventured into having tuna,peas, and some really soft pasta. Even those things I have to work a little in mushing it up on the top of my mouth. It's funny...at first I really missed a big juicy burger. Now if someone is eating one, I just think if all the work my jaw would have to do to eat it and I am instantly turned off.

My splint...it comes out next week! It's really kinda weird. my splint felt like a part of me at first. Now I can tell it's ready to come out. At times it feels as though its seperating from the roof of my mouth. I guess that's a good thing. It means my bone is healed. So I am a little anxious for the removal. I keep falling asleep or not falling asleep, wondering how it is going to feel while he's trying to yank it out. My jaw is still hurting from earlier in the week when he was jabbing into my cheek to get the infection out. He has given me the option of putting in an IV to sedate me a little. I am still weighing that option. Last I talked to him, we had decided to just do a local and laughing gas. Is that going to relax me enough? I've never had it. Even when he was doing an I and D (incision & drainage) on my cheek, it made me nervous. The cutting, pushing and pulling...eeew! Will the laughing gas make me so I am not as aware of what he is doing? I mean come on! He has to take the thick wires that are on one side of my gum and unscrew them to take them out on the other side. Then there is the yanking! Ok it is a week away and I am freaked. It is probably all in my head.

Infection and Healing

I went in to see my doctor today. He cut into my cheek and drained some of the infection. Like I thought, some of it was encapsulated. So he had to dig alot in there to losen it up. The numbness is starting to wear off so I am having alot of pain now and I have alot to do today. I see my OS next Monday to recheck my infection. Then I see him again next Thursday for splint removal! Yeah! The plan is to numb me up and give me some laughing gas. Hmmm...I never had laughing gas. This should be interesting. As for the rest of the day I think advil and tylenol are going to be my friend. Oh, and nice cold smoothies!

The lump

I went and saw my doctor today. I requested xrays to be done so I could see what was going on. On xray it looks like infection and my doctor says he thinks that's what it is as well. Im thinking it's incapsulated since it's hard and I don't have all the other signs and symptoms. So I start on antibiotics today and then I will go back in on wednesday. At that time he is going to stick a needle in it and try to get stuff out. Hopefully, it will soften up a little. I would hate to have him stick a needle in and then get nothing in the syringe when he pulls back.
As for everything else...it's the same. swelling is the same, pain is the same, and eating is the same. I hope I can recognize myself soon!

Still up for rocking!

Last night I went to the Bonjovi concert. I couldn't eat and it hurt to sing along with the songs but it was worth it! Daughtry opened and they rocked as well. I thought for sure my jaw would kill me today since I talked alot last night and was singing(well, lipsinking). But not to bad.
On a different note I have been feeling this small lump under my skin at the jaw line, on the left side. it was pea size a week ago but now it is half the size of a golf ball. Its hard to the touch but doesn't really hurt. It feels like if you have a bruise. But there is no discoloration, warmth, or streaking. Very strange! It makes me worried....will they have to go in again? I called my doctor and thank goodness he was on-call. He said he thought it might be an abcess. As nurse praactitioner, my opinion is, that it isn't. At least from all the findings from above. My teeth in that area don't hurt either. Weird! Could it be a bony spur? Although spurs usually grow over a very long period of time. It seems to also be where I imagine my plate or screw to be. I iced it but that didn't help. Next, I am going to try heat. My doctor wants to see me on Monday. Iam thinking he will take xrays to see if you can see a pocket or growth. He was going to call in antibiotics but I don't think I need them. we'll see if it progresses. My husband says he can tell that it is larger on the one side. Hmmmmm!
I added some pics from last night. Did I mention we had 4th row seats!

Bummer!

Today I woke up swollen. Not any different than anyother morning. However, today it didn't go away! Boo! Yesterday, I thought the swelling was going down. one step forward and then one step backward. I included a photo.