In capable hands! (maxillofacial)

Very quick check-up today when I eventually got in.

They were running a bit late with the appointments.

Mr O said he was happy and they basically checked how my bite is, how wide I can open my mouth and where I had sensation.

He asked if Mr S was happy, I said yes, he said we'll leave you in his capable hands then and see you in 6 months!
(They always say if Mr S is happy, that's good as he's fussy and likes things proper!)

He said he'll see me earlier if anything changes but that hopefully it wont.

Wires cut! (maxillofacial)

I was nervous going today as I had weird dreams about having my wires cut and not being able to shut my mouth as my jaw hung open, eek..

Mr O cut my wires today. There were 2 people observing, he showed them my teeth before in the fixed position then got wire cutters and had difficulty cutting the wires open then pulling them out.

It was a bit scary as he was going in with the cutters and I was opening my lips as wide as I could.

After the wires were cut and removed, he asked me to open and close. I could open and close my mouth a small amount. He said the stiffness will go away eventually.

He told me to clean my teeth before seeing Mr S as I have a build up of some gunk on my teeth.

I asked about my vein, telling him that Mr S said I should ask about it as the vein looks like it has a clot and he said it's nothing to worry about.

He said he'll see me again in 6 weeks.

As I came home I was thinking I need to remember my teeth are no longer wired up as I could feel I was still talking with my teeth shut.

I cleaned my teeth the best I could when I got home with a small brush I had. I couldn't clean my teeth very well though as my mouth is quite stiff so I couldn't clean the inside of my teeth. Oh well it all takes time!

Healing well.. (maxillofacial)

At the Maxillofacial department today I got a quick check up to see how I am doing.

Mr O wasn't there today, I got introduced to a new guy today on the team. He had a look inside my mouth and said everything's fine and the stitches in my mouth are healing well.

They also asked to have a look at my hip, he said I don't need the dressings on and that it is healing up fine.

My Dad also told them that I fell down the stairs last week when I fainted after having a shower and they didn't seem worried.

I think my Dad wants someone to show concern as when I went to the doctor last week as an emergency, he said I was fine and just asked me to get some blood tests booked so they could check my cholesterol, blood sugar and whether i'm anaemic etc.

Wires will be cut in 2 weeks!

Checkups galore and hip stitches taken out (maxillofacial)

Busy day today. Had to go for two appointments in different hospitals.

I had my orthodontic appointment in the morning with Mr S.
I went with my boyfriend to this app.

Mr S had a look around my mouth again and was generally pleased.
He said he won't go to cut the stitches near the back of my mouth as it would be a bit uncomfortable for me as my lips would be pulled around.

He asked me about the whole experience so far and said he'd like it if I wrote down all the good and bad things that have happened to me throughout my operation and stay in hospital. He said this will help future patients as the sheet they gave me are all from previous patients suggestions.

He then asked if I preferred having my lower jaw done in this way (ie cut, no plates used and wired shut for 6 weeks) compared to the other method.

I said I prefer this way as I was told the other way has a higher risk of losing feeling to lip, tongue, chin etc even though I wouldn't be wired up.

He said it's interesting as all the patients he has asked have preferred being wired-up.

I told him my hip stitches were coming out this afternoon.
He wants to see me again after his holiday, so they said two weeks, although the appointment I got is actually in three weeks!

So in the afternoon I went to see Mr O with my Dad.
I was nervous about this app because of my stitches being taken out even though I've been told by lots of people not to worry. I'm a worrier!

We got there and waited a while then got called in by the guy on the surgical team (whose name I really need to find out!)

Mr O asked how I was and had a look inside my mouth. He said the top of my mouth has healed up well where it was cut.

He then asked if it was okay for a young student dentist to have a look, I said sure and they showed the student how my teeth are all wired up and explained what they did.

Mr O then went out of the room and the guy from the surgical team and a nurse told me they were going to remove my stitches.

He put some alcohol on the dressing first to remove that without pulling my skin too much. Then cut the bead higher on my hip and pulled the rest out from the lower end. I made a face and the nurse asked if I was okay. I said "Yeah, I just thought it would hurt". It didn't hurt at all!

The guy told me he's not removing the lil dressing strips on my scar and said they'll come off when I have a shower etc.

Mr O then came back into the room and said my swelling was going down well but my upper swelling would take it's time.

My Dad commented on how we have been taking photos every day to see the swelling progress. Mr O said he'd like to see the progress from our photos, hehe.

I asked him about a lighter mark on the corner of my lip, he had a look and said it looks like pigmentation. I said some skin came off from there after the operation. He said it should go away, I also asked about a raised vein caused by the drip and he said that should go too.

Next app is in two weeks.

No more painkillers! (maxillofacial)

I went to see Mr O my surgeon.

He was pleased with my progress and had a quick look inside my mouth.
He said the stitches on my hip can come out next week. I made a face and my Dad commented that I've been very worried as I thought the stitches were coming out today.

Mr O said "It won't hurt, it'll be like a tickle, they'll just cut one bead and pull the rest through, even you can pull it if you like"
I was thinking, no thanks, lol.

He asked about my numbness and whether I've been having any feeling, I said now and again I get itches on my upper lip and pins and needles sometimes. He said that's good as it means I'm starting to get some feeling back.

The sooner, the better I say.. I'm finding it annoying as my nose still leaks and I can't feel it. I have to always have a tissue with me, hehe.

We asked for some new dressings for my hip as everytime I shower I need to change it as it gets wet. Next app is for next week.

NB: I have now stopped taking painkillers as I'm no longer in so much pain.

Day 2 - more drips

I didn't really sleep very well the first night as I still kept having to use the sucker to get rid of blood/spit build-up in my mouth.

At about 6am, the nurse came to administer meds through my new drip. This one hurt a lot like the old one and the nurse said this one would also need removing too. She didn't finish giving me the meds because of the pain.

She came back and removed the drip a few mins later.

Later a doctor came and looked for new veins on my arms, he got me to pump my arms and open and close my hands to raise veins up. He tried one spot at the back of my right hand. This didn't go in properly so he took it out again. He then tried one lower on my right arm, this also wasn't any good so it was removed again.
He then asked to look at my left arm and tried one on my lower arm. This also didn't work so he gave up.

At this point, I have 5 points drips have tried to inserted!

Later in the morning, two doctors came to see how I was getting on and said they were going to remove the tubes from my nose.
I wasn't looking forward to that!
First they removed the smaller tube, then they went to remove the longer tube which one of the doctors said would be uncomfortable as it was in the stomach. It turned out not to be too bad.
They told me I'll still be leaking blood and plasma from my nose as my sinuses are full of blood.

Once they had gone, a nurse came and cleaned up my nose as it had lots of dried blood in and around the nostrils. She then applied a bolster (sterile dressing under my nose) for the leakage and got me to sit in the chair. She tidied up the bed.

The nurse later a jug of iced water.

My Dad turned up at half 10 to see me and my boyfriend came at eleven. They both said I looked better now I no longer had the tubes.

To be honest I felt better too as most of the blood in my stomach had gone, so I no longer felt ill and it was mainly saliva I had now sucking from my mouth.

Later the nurse came with my painkillers to take by syringe and told my Dad and my boyfriend that I had to go to the clinic for a checkup and that a porter would take me but they could accompany me.

Now when I wanted a wee I was expected to walk to the toilet. I was limping because of my hip but managed to walk to the loo with my Dad with much determination.

The light in the first toilet wasn't working, so a nurse showed me a different one.

When I went back to my room, I started to slowly take my medicine.
The soluble paracetamol was the worst tasting.
he anti-biotics tasted like banana and the stronger painkiller tasted like orange.

When it was nearly time to go the the clinic, the nurse said that a porter wasn't coming and gave a wheelchair for them to take me down to the Maxillofacial clinic in.
When I sat on the wheelchair, the nurse put a blanket over my legs to cover me up more snugly. I still had my dressing gown on.

I felt self-conscious as my boyfriend pushed my wheelchair and my Dad led the way. I felt like people were looking at me.

When we got to the Maxillofacial, we were taken to a room called the "recovery room" to wait. There were lots of people waiting and they looked at me, swollen face and all as I was wheeled past.

We waited for a while and a lady came and asked me to walk next door to be x-rayed. I slowly limped next door and then the lady asked if I had any jewelery on etc. For the first x-ray (front view of teeth), she asked me to keep my mouth closed for the x-ray which I found funny as I couldn't move it.
For the next x-ray (side view of teeth), she asked me to keep my back teeth closed, (again wondering how they think I can actually move my teeth!).

After that was done, I limped back to wait with my Dad and boyfriend again.
We were then called and got seen by Mr O my surgeon who asked me how I was feeling etc. He had the x-ray photo up and it showed I have 4 metal plates on my top jaw.
He asked if my lower lip was numb, I said no, I could just about talk. I said my top lip is numb. He was pleased with this as usually when lower jaw surgery is performed, there is numbness in the lower jaw, but I don't have any. He told me the nerve was stretched in my upper jaw and so it could take a while for it to recover.
He said the swelling will go down gradually.

We then went back up to the ward where I had some water and later some milkshake.
I wasn't really hungry or thirsty. A food selection list had been left in my room for me to choose food for Wed and Thurs. I looked at the list and there was nothing suitable for someone who's wired up.

Later my Dad left to go and get my Mum.
My Mum and Dad came back later and kept me company until they left at 9.30pm.

The nurse came in at about 10pm and asked when my boyfriend would be leaving, he said in a few mins, she said he can stay for a lil longer, but not too long. She asked me how much water etc I'd been having, she wasn't pleased when she realised I hadn't been drinking much, once she had gone, my boyfriend said we'll keep a log of how much water I have tomorrow and try and increase it.

Later my boyfriend went and the nurse came in a while later with more meds.
I had the meds and went to sleep.