I had my first doctors appointment with Dr. Wood six days post op. He said that everything looked great. He removed the terribly stained tape and gave me some new tape, a piece under my chin and a piece that stretches underneath my lower lip. He wants me to keep it on until Saturday and by the time I got home the tape under my lip was already coming off...and then by the time I ate my first dinner...LOL...it's amazing how much food one can get on ones self when their chin is numb as numb can be. I had to put a mirror in front of me and was amazed how much stuff slopped down my chin...sheeesh...how's a lady to eat properly with a numb chin, eh???? I ended up going to the pharmacy and this was the best tape I could find...it's not clear like the other but...oh well. :)
They removed the one stitch on each side of my lower jaw area where they inserted the three screws on each side and once the Dr. W removed the tape the assistant spent a 1/2 hour trying to get all the goo off from the sticky tape. She used alcohol soaked gauze pads and still wasn't able to get it all off. She thought maybe we could use "Goo-B-Gone"...LOL...but that we'd then be treating surface burns...I kindly declined her invitation...LOL!
They removed my rubber bands and said that everything was healing really well and that he wanted me to go into tighter bands and they showed me how to put them on in the "box shape" and I'm to wear them 23 hours a day. I can remove them when I eat and to brush my teeth and rinse...YAY!!! I couldn't stand not brushing the inside of my teeth so I'm a happy camper right now. I am more tightly banded now with all the rubber bands; I can't not even move my jaw at all. It's taking a little getting use to talking without moving my jaw...I bet I'll be a great ventriloquist by the end of all of this...wow...a new potential career!!!! :)
My diet is still no chew so everything is to be blended which I expected. I had blended chicken noodle soup and a yogurt for lunch and then I had Dinty Moore Beef stew blended...it doesn't look great but it sure tasted just like Dinty Moore Beef Stew. :) I followed it with a small dish of peanut butter cookie doe ice cream. This was the most I've eaten since my surgery.
I'll be making an appointment with my ortho, Dr. Kawakami next week so I can get an impression (not sure how that is going to work as I can't open my mouth very well) for a splint. The splint they had made didn't fit right so we're starting from scratch. Right now my back teeth are not touching and my front teeth are carrying all the weight and until those back teeth can be pulled down they need something in between them. I'm just doing what I'm told at this point!! :)
They removed the one stitch on each side of my lower jaw area where they inserted the three screws on each side and once the Dr. W removed the tape the assistant spent a 1/2 hour trying to get all the goo off from the sticky tape. She used alcohol soaked gauze pads and still wasn't able to get it all off. She thought maybe we could use "Goo-B-Gone"...LOL...but that we'd then be treating surface burns...I kindly declined her invitation...LOL!
They removed my rubber bands and said that everything was healing really well and that he wanted me to go into tighter bands and they showed me how to put them on in the "box shape" and I'm to wear them 23 hours a day. I can remove them when I eat and to brush my teeth and rinse...YAY!!! I couldn't stand not brushing the inside of my teeth so I'm a happy camper right now. I am more tightly banded now with all the rubber bands; I can't not even move my jaw at all. It's taking a little getting use to talking without moving my jaw...I bet I'll be a great ventriloquist by the end of all of this...wow...a new potential career!!!! :)
My diet is still no chew so everything is to be blended which I expected. I had blended chicken noodle soup and a yogurt for lunch and then I had Dinty Moore Beef stew blended...it doesn't look great but it sure tasted just like Dinty Moore Beef Stew. :) I followed it with a small dish of peanut butter cookie doe ice cream. This was the most I've eaten since my surgery.
I'll be making an appointment with my ortho, Dr. Kawakami next week so I can get an impression (not sure how that is going to work as I can't open my mouth very well) for a splint. The splint they had made didn't fit right so we're starting from scratch. Right now my back teeth are not touching and my front teeth are carrying all the weight and until those back teeth can be pulled down they need something in between them. I'm just doing what I'm told at this point!! :)
7 comments:
Your tape looks so Clean! Hope it holds up better than the Dr.'s did =)
Nail Polish remover works well, too, but might leave the same results as goo-b-gone, haha. Baby oil and a warm wet washcloth? Probably the most gentle option...
How exciting to get the insides of those teeth clean! Scuzzy mouth scares me a little, to be honest. Even when just battling the flu, there's something about a clean mouth that just makes you feel better,heehee.
You look beautiful, Clarissa and wow, your colour is looking normal! Where'd the rainbow go?! :)
You're looking better every day! How wonderful! You sound great, too. Did you have lower jaw forward and chin reduced? The doctor did a great job. Was it for sleep apnea?
Great that your doc is happy with your progress.
You're looking really good Clarissa!
Good luck with the splint!
Take care!
Hi Kate, Ya...I like my new tape, so clean and WHITE!! :) I like the idea of baby oil and smell is so much nicer than acetone. Sorry to hear you've been not feeling well I hope you're feeling better real soon, it's never fun being sick! I still have the rainbow, it's just lower than what looks like a double chin in this last post...LOL...sheeesh...if it's not one thing it's another, right?!?! Have a great day!!
How are you Elaine?? It was lower jaw advancement and chin reduction. No, I didn't have sleep apnea...just tmj and to get my bite where it needed to be wasn't going to happen with just orthodontics. It's not as bad as it sounds...but again it was only lower jaw surgery so I'm sure it's a bit more difficult when you're having both upper and lower.
Thanks KiwiKaren, I'm feeling really good too!!! I'm not sure if the "good luck with the splint" is GOOD LUCK...LOL...or "You poor thing, you're not going to like it at all...LOL!! Be blessed!!
Clarissa,
Wow - you are doing great!
I just wanted to check up to see if the auto problems are getting done? We pray you continue to keep healing quickly! Just email us (so you don't have to try talking) if you need something!
Denise
Post a Comment