I had my splint taken out on Monday. It went a lot smoother than I thought. My OS made a few snips and the splint came out in a few pieces. No pain whatsoever... I was waiting for the "smell" but there really wasn't anything...? My teeth felt a little "fuzzy" but there was no food or anything stuck to them. He did say that my mouth was really clean...
Right now I'm back to wearing my bands 24/7. I had some spaces in the back of my mouth on Monday and they are already closing up by today. My bite looks so incredible. I have to post some pictures. It's just so weird having my teeth "fit" so well into each other. I always had my top teeth sitting on my bottom teeth. They never went together.
Maybe now I can finally bite into a piece of bread and not use my tongue to tear it off! :-)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Day 40- Stretch, Stretch, Stretch!!!
I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I guess I've been getting caught up in post-op life... I know I say this a lot, but time is really flying by. I can't believe I was under the knife 40! days ago already. I remember sitting in the waiting room like it was yesterday. I'm pretty much back to normal as far as talking goes. I still have a little lisp, but that will go away after the splint comes out. Oh yeah! I almost forgot; I'm getting my splint out this week! I was supposed to get it out last week, but I purposely called in and missed my appointment so that I could get an extra week of healing in. I know my OS knows what he's doing, but I really just wanted to make sure that everything was healed enough to prevent any sort of relapse.
I've been stretching about 10 times a day, for about 10 minutes every time. I have noticed a little improvement, but only in mm. I need to get at least another 1/2" and it's going to really hurt. I know every day now it will get harder and harder to stretch, but I just don't have the nerve to force it open... I'm trying the slow and steady method. If there is improvement, I think that's all that matters, not how fast I can do it.
One thing that has been bothering me is my "mushy" pallate. Every time I make a suction (straw) or pretty much whenever I'm eating, I can feel my pallate flex and bend. It's not a fun feeling at all! It kind of reminds me of a baby's head after they're born (soft spot). I'm sure that the bone hasn't filled in the space left by the expansion and the bone that IS there isn't very strong yet. I'm sure with time it will get harder and more rigid. I really hope that my teeth don't start moving around after my splint comes off!
I've been stretching about 10 times a day, for about 10 minutes every time. I have noticed a little improvement, but only in mm. I need to get at least another 1/2" and it's going to really hurt. I know every day now it will get harder and harder to stretch, but I just don't have the nerve to force it open... I'm trying the slow and steady method. If there is improvement, I think that's all that matters, not how fast I can do it.
One thing that has been bothering me is my "mushy" pallate. Every time I make a suction (straw) or pretty much whenever I'm eating, I can feel my pallate flex and bend. It's not a fun feeling at all! It kind of reminds me of a baby's head after they're born (soft spot). I'm sure that the bone hasn't filled in the space left by the expansion and the bone that IS there isn't very strong yet. I'm sure with time it will get harder and more rigid. I really hope that my teeth don't start moving around after my splint comes off!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Day 31- PAIN!!!!
Today, I had the worst appointment ever. Last week I was told to stretch my jaw and move it side to side. I thought I was doing a good job. I didn't know, however, that he wanted me to really STRETCH the muscles. I saw him today and I thought things would go smoothly. He told me to open and I did willingly. If I would have known what was coming I would have kept my mouth shut. Without warning, Dr. K started torquing on my jaw, saying, "It's necessary!" Out of pure reflex, I grabbed his arm and squeezed his wrist with super-human strength. It felt like my jaw muscles were tearing and it felt as if my bottom jaw would just snap right off my face. I mean, I had more pain today than I had during this whole experience and I've been through a lot. After my startled surgeon let go of me, he said that I needed to stretch more and more everyday, otherwise my muscles could "scar" and my mouth might never open as far as it should. I wish he would have told me about that last week!! I would have concentrated a lot harder if I would have known that... I felt pretty bad for what I did to him after he told me that, but I wish he would have told me that he was going to pry my tender mouth wide open. It totally caught me off guard. I told him I was sorry and he said that this stuff happens all the time and left the room while rubbing his squashed wrist.
For the rest of the day, I've had a queasy stomach and I felt like throwing up a few times. I told Dr. K that I would work on stretching my jaw myself, but now every time I touch it I feel sick. I still have a week to prove that I can accomplish my goal, but I'm really going to have to work hard at this. I haven't heard of anyone else going through this- Am I the only one facing this challenge?!
For the rest of the day, I've had a queasy stomach and I felt like throwing up a few times. I told Dr. K that I would work on stretching my jaw myself, but now every time I touch it I feel sick. I still have a week to prove that I can accomplish my goal, but I'm really going to have to work hard at this. I haven't heard of anyone else going through this- Am I the only one facing this challenge?!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Day 28- Jobs..
I was surprised to see that it's been 4 weeks already. Time is really flying for me right now. I'm starting to really get moving on my job situation. I have 3 places now that are accepting me, I just have to weigh the good with the bad in order to choose the right one. I am really hoping to get a position that is close to home. I have an interview/weld test on Thursday, so I'll see how that goes and work from there.
I'm having a hard time stretching my jaw. It feels so tight that it's almost impossible to open any farther than what I'm accomplishing already. If I really force it, I get a jolt of pain by my ear and it really hurts. I guess I can only hope that everyday it gets a tiny bit better. Also, I like Mr. splint for what he has done for me, but he makes talking really difficult! I feel like I can talk just fine in my head, but when I actually try to talk, it comes out all slurred and lisp-y. Also, I've noticed that I've been burning my palate with hot foods because I have no feeling there. This happens especially with oatmeal, because no matter how much I stir it, there's always a really hot spot that manages to make it's way into my mouth. My palate will get puffy for a day and then go away... At least I can't feel it!
I'm having a hard time stretching my jaw. It feels so tight that it's almost impossible to open any farther than what I'm accomplishing already. If I really force it, I get a jolt of pain by my ear and it really hurts. I guess I can only hope that everyday it gets a tiny bit better. Also, I like Mr. splint for what he has done for me, but he makes talking really difficult! I feel like I can talk just fine in my head, but when I actually try to talk, it comes out all slurred and lisp-y. Also, I've noticed that I've been burning my palate with hot foods because I have no feeling there. This happens especially with oatmeal, because no matter how much I stir it, there's always a really hot spot that manages to make it's way into my mouth. My palate will get puffy for a day and then go away... At least I can't feel it!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Day 26- Life Moves On...
I've been so busy this week that I haven't had much time to go on the internet. I'm starting to apply for jobs now and I'm also going to school 5 days a week. I'm beginning to fall back into my old lifestyle. No more fun and games!
My jaw is getting better, but so slowly! I can open my mouth a little more and I'm moving it side to side. I'm still eating pureed foods because with my numb gums, I really can't chew (it feels so weird!) I can't wait to start doing some serious exercising because I want to put the protein powder I'm eating to good use! I think right now the powder is just maintaining my muscle mass... I gained a few pounds this week; I'm up to 187 pounds. I'm still getting aching pains in my jaw muscles, but with my regular dose of Tylenol/ibuprofen it keeps the pain at bay. The one thing that annoys me is the swelling in my face. I still feel really puffy and it's almost 4 weeks post-op!
I went to my OS on Friday and he said my bite looks amazing. The 4 rubber bands at the front of my mouth did their job and all gaps are closed. He left two bands towards the front and put 2 in back, I guess to just keep everything in place? I asked him about the splint and he said either next week or the week after that. I told him that I wasn't in a hurry to get it off and he agreed that it was a good idea to leave it on as long as possible. I'm thinking 6-7 weeks just to make sure :-)
On a side note- It's so weird finding all the little things that have changed on my "new" jaw. For one, I can't stick my tongue through the gap that I once had. I also can't breath out of my mouth anymore unless I open it! The teeth are so perfectly tight that it really restricts the airflow :-) Finally, I'm noticed the roof of my mouth has dropped dramatically. I used to have a pretty deep palate and now my tongue feels claustrophobic it's so low! I love the fact that I breath entirely out of my nose now, because before I was more of a mouth breather. Maybe my deep palate had something to do with that?
My jaw is getting better, but so slowly! I can open my mouth a little more and I'm moving it side to side. I'm still eating pureed foods because with my numb gums, I really can't chew (it feels so weird!) I can't wait to start doing some serious exercising because I want to put the protein powder I'm eating to good use! I think right now the powder is just maintaining my muscle mass... I gained a few pounds this week; I'm up to 187 pounds. I'm still getting aching pains in my jaw muscles, but with my regular dose of Tylenol/ibuprofen it keeps the pain at bay. The one thing that annoys me is the swelling in my face. I still feel really puffy and it's almost 4 weeks post-op!
I went to my OS on Friday and he said my bite looks amazing. The 4 rubber bands at the front of my mouth did their job and all gaps are closed. He left two bands towards the front and put 2 in back, I guess to just keep everything in place? I asked him about the splint and he said either next week or the week after that. I told him that I wasn't in a hurry to get it off and he agreed that it was a good idea to leave it on as long as possible. I'm thinking 6-7 weeks just to make sure :-)
On a side note- It's so weird finding all the little things that have changed on my "new" jaw. For one, I can't stick my tongue through the gap that I once had. I also can't breath out of my mouth anymore unless I open it! The teeth are so perfectly tight that it really restricts the airflow :-) Finally, I'm noticed the roof of my mouth has dropped dramatically. I used to have a pretty deep palate and now my tongue feels claustrophobic it's so low! I love the fact that I breath entirely out of my nose now, because before I was more of a mouth breather. Maybe my deep palate had something to do with that?
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
3 Weeks- Aches and Pains
I have to say I'm glad to have made it to week 3 already and I'm glad everything is coming together. It's just that lately I've been having a lot of aches and pains around my muscles in my jaw. I know it's because I'm over-using it. I'm trying to step up to soft foods, like hot cereals and soft pastas, but every time I take my bands off to eat, I end up opening my mouth up just a little too far and then the pain sets in. It really is a hard pain to describe, because it's not anywhere on my jaw. It kind of feels like it's right behind my ears... The good news is, I'm not losing any more weight and that's good (never thought I'd say that!)
School was a joke once again, because my teacher said," No labs today because it's your first day (in that course) so you can go home early". So once again I drove 30 miles for 30 minutes of class. I'm hoping this is the last day this is going to happen! Maybe this is all happening so I have more of a chance to heal? LOL
School was a joke once again, because my teacher said," No labs today because it's your first day (in that course) so you can go home early". So once again I drove 30 miles for 30 minutes of class. I'm hoping this is the last day this is going to happen! Maybe this is all happening so I have more of a chance to heal? LOL
Monday, September 3, 2007
Day 20- Labor Day
Today was the first day I slept in my own bed since my surgery. Until last night, I was sleeping in my chair and waking up every 30 minutes or so because I wasn't all that comfortable. I thought I might still have trouble sleeping completely horizontal, because it seems like the blood rushes to my head a lot more ever since my surgery. Well, I propped my head up on 2 pillows and slept soundly for 10 hours. I think I'm past that stage now...
My mom decided to have a party at the house today, so we had 12 people over and had a great time visiting. The food was very tempting and I just went into my room until dinner was over with. I could of made a fool out of myself trying to slurp down some ground up food at the table, but I prefer to do that in the privacy of my own room. No matter how hard I try, I always manage to drop some food on my shirt or pants.
My face feels a little better today. My throat isn't bothering me as much and my front teeth don't feel as if they are being ripped out by the rubber bands. My face did swell up a little this morning because of sleeping in my bed. I think because I'm laying down more, there is more pressure on my face, no matter how soft my pillows are.
My mom decided to have a party at the house today, so we had 12 people over and had a great time visiting. The food was very tempting and I just went into my room until dinner was over with. I could of made a fool out of myself trying to slurp down some ground up food at the table, but I prefer to do that in the privacy of my own room. No matter how hard I try, I always manage to drop some food on my shirt or pants.
My face feels a little better today. My throat isn't bothering me as much and my front teeth don't feel as if they are being ripped out by the rubber bands. My face did swell up a little this morning because of sleeping in my bed. I think because I'm laying down more, there is more pressure on my face, no matter how soft my pillows are.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Day 19- It's All Starting to Hit Me
I spent the night at my grandparent's house and awoke to the smell of eggs, sausages, coffee and buttered toast. UUGGHHH!! How I wish I could of eaten that delicious food! Instead I beer-battered my bass, fried it up and put it in the blender. I have to say, I love fish but drinking your catch really isn't all that appealing...:-) I spent the rest of the morning sleeping since I was still tired from the night before.
At around 2:30, my other aunt and uncle came over with their speedboat. This whole weekend I was planning on doing some water skiing just because I thought I was good enough to not fall down on my face. After thinking about it though, I decided to back out because I really didn't want to wreck my face. Even if I'm pretty good at skiing, there is always a chance that I could hit a big wave and throw my jaw out of alignment or something. Instead I just took a long boat ride and watched my brothers have all the fun. Although I didn't get to go in the water, I know there's always next year and I still had a good time just getting out there.
Now that I'm home, I got to thinking about this journey that I've been through. I still can't believe that I got this done. I feel so lucky because I doubted so much that anything could be done just a few years ago. It seems like such a while since I sat down and talked about surgery and braces. Now I'm already 3 weeks post-op and for some reason, I can't really remember all the hardships I've faced during these last 2 years. I think you forget all of the adjustments and pain when you start to see the "real" you!!
At around 2:30, my other aunt and uncle came over with their speedboat. This whole weekend I was planning on doing some water skiing just because I thought I was good enough to not fall down on my face. After thinking about it though, I decided to back out because I really didn't want to wreck my face. Even if I'm pretty good at skiing, there is always a chance that I could hit a big wave and throw my jaw out of alignment or something. Instead I just took a long boat ride and watched my brothers have all the fun. Although I didn't get to go in the water, I know there's always next year and I still had a good time just getting out there.
Now that I'm home, I got to thinking about this journey that I've been through. I still can't believe that I got this done. I feel so lucky because I doubted so much that anything could be done just a few years ago. It seems like such a while since I sat down and talked about surgery and braces. Now I'm already 3 weeks post-op and for some reason, I can't really remember all the hardships I've faced during these last 2 years. I think you forget all of the adjustments and pain when you start to see the "real" you!!
Day 18- Wasting Away
The weekend is finally here. Today I woke up early because of an aching pain somewhere in my head. I can't say it was in my upper/lower jaw, but more like in the back of my throat. I took some Tylenol but couldn't fall asleep. This was the start of a long, tiring weekend. All day I felt exhausted, hungry and this was accompanied by the aching pain in my throat. I think the pain is from me trying to open my mouth to eat, but what can I do? I keep losing weight and I can't survive on shakes anymore. I'm trying to eat oatmeal, but that involves opening my mouth just wide enough to make it hurt. I guess I'm going to have to endure the pain if I want to keep my weight up.
I went to my grandparents today to visit and do a little fishing. I took the boat out which was the first time post-op. I caught a nice, fat 16" bass. It felt good to do some of the things that I love to do again... I'm not one to watch tv all day, so these last 3 weeks or so have been really boring and testing to my spirit.
I went to my grandparents today to visit and do a little fishing. I took the boat out which was the first time post-op. I caught a nice, fat 16" bass. It felt good to do some of the things that I love to do again... I'm not one to watch tv all day, so these last 3 weeks or so have been really boring and testing to my spirit.
Day 17- GOLF
So I got up today at 6:00am, got ready and rushed to school. My first class started at 7:30am and I was tired! I managed to make it in on time and was jolted from my sleep into learning. To my amazement, my teacher cut class short by 2.5 hours!! We were told that it was Labor day weekend and we should enjoy our time off. I was actually pretty pi$$ed off, because I just got up extremely early (for me) and drove 15 miles expecting to go to class. To be let go after only 30 minutes made me kind of mad to say the least. Any other day and I might of been happy, but not when it's that early...
I went to my aunt and uncle's house later in the day to visit. I actually started playing golf again which was great. I thought that I wouldn't have the range of motion to play, but it turned out that it wasn't a problem. I got a few pointers from my uncle, who is an aficionado of golf to say the least. He was the one who turned me on to golf only a few months ago and I kind of fell in love with the sport. Let me tell you, it's a lot harder than it looks!
I went to my aunt and uncle's house later in the day to visit. I actually started playing golf again which was great. I thought that I wouldn't have the range of motion to play, but it turned out that it wasn't a problem. I got a few pointers from my uncle, who is an aficionado of golf to say the least. He was the one who turned me on to golf only a few months ago and I kind of fell in love with the sport. Let me tell you, it's a lot harder than it looks!
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