Day 5 Post Op Lefort

Had a better sleep last night than I had all week. Felt good to only wake up once during the night and not to wake up from the feeling of choking.

I am impressed with my bite it really is nice. I get funny like my foot is asleep in my nose, cheeks and lip.

Decided not to walk the dog today and have my dog walker come and do her thing. My mom left this afternoon. She was so very helpful. My girlfriend is going to spend the night. My 15 year old son is getting used to looking at me and is starting to talk to me more and more.

Despite the guide/guard , my speech is getting better. Can't wait for my OS appt tomorrow , he promised to remove it, I hope that is still the case as I would really like to be able to speak better.

I ate scrambled eggs, coffee in a mug, mushed carrots, macaroni and cheese and pumpkin pie without the crust. Funny combo , but better than a shake. I am already sick of shakes!

Day 4 - Post Op Lefort 1

Thank god for the person who invented Q-tips. When you are not allowed to blow your nose for weeks, this is one wonderful invention!!

Went for another walk with the dog today and I dont think I should have done it at all, it was too much. My nose kept bleeding and I wasnt feeling well. I sat on the couch and felt a little depressed today.

The only positive thing was that I cleaned up my lips and I was able to eat scrambled eggs and tomato soup, which was fabulous!!

My elastics broke, I had two on each side guiding my jaws. I called the doctor who said it was ok just to keep practicing the correct placement of my jaws.

Day 3 - Post Op Lefort 1

My entire focus is food as I am getting hungry now. Now is the time to whip out all the baby food, yogart , milk, protien shakes, and vitamin water.

Lots of drooling during this adventure. Switching over to heat instead of ice packs. I still feel like I should use ice, but I will listen to the doctors office.

Took my lab for a walk today as I was told a walk would do me some good to get the blood circulating. Perhaps I did it too soon as my nose kept bleeding for the rest of the day.

Day 2 - Post Op Lefort 1

I bought a squeeze bottle to help put protien shakes in my mouth without sucking. This is a device that needs mastering... Lots of over shooting and bad aiming causing shakes to end up in my ear and shirt..

The swelling is getting worse, my lips look like they were stretched beyond my ears during surgery and hurt . Blood continues to run down my nose , my mom is constantly telling me to wipe my nose. Kind of feeling like a child at this point.

My jaw joint hurts from being put in the correct position. My OS said it would take a while for the muscles in my jaw to get used to the new position.

Taking Percocets, antibiotic and ibuprophen. A little light headed , but glad to be home. I didnt get any kids trick or treaters... This was the first time I didn't need makeup and I didnt even get to show off with the live effects!

Day 1 post op Lefort 1

Barely slept all night. There was a lot of drama between all the vomiting, swelling, and nose bleeds. My nose, cheeks, lips, are all numb and swollen. Everytime I opened my eyes a new tray of liquid food would show up and I did not want any of it. The best I could keep down was water.

I had this wonderful device that would suck out the goo and blood making my mouth taste better. I need to get out of the hospital and stop by the surgeons office for a visit. The hospital would not let me go until I stopped getting sit. So I stayed still from 9am until 1pm and no episodes so I was released.

Brought a bin in case of sickness on the way home and kleenex for the constant nose bleeds and went to the surgeons office. They took x-rays and showed me how wonderfully the surgery worked and I saw a side by side comparision. It was pretty impressive. Off I went home.

My mom was home waiting for me and she was surprised that I looked so good. I told her this was calm before the storm as day 3,4,5 are typically really swollen...

Surgery for Lefort 1

Seemed like I just finished talking to the nurse and there I was about 4 hours later waking up in recovery. When I first woke up I felt as if I was choking on blood. I was there was a lot of blood going down my throat. There was a guide/guard that is wired to my top teeth so that I will know where my bottom jaw is supposed to meet with my top jaw.

Lots of ice , lots of attention, and lots of vomiting blood for the remainder of the day.

My OS took a look and said the surgery worked out beautifully and your bite is perfect and your going to be very happy!

Hard to imagine with my lips split and all the pain. But I have no choice. By 2PM I was wheeled up to my room. My dad came in to visit me and said that was a hell of a surgery! Then I got sick again.. This went on for hours.

Surgery for Lefort 1

My dad drove me to the hospital for 6:30AM and I met with a nurse who asked me to go for a blood test to be sure the blood I had stored, matched with the blood that they may potentially give me. Ran around got a little nervous, but felt better knowing everyone is being safe on my behalf.

Got my bloodpressure taken, pulse, and the anistesiologist met with me. She asked questions and I told her the last surgery I got really nauseous and asked for assistance with that and she accomodated. The nurse came in gave me some sinus spray and cleared my nasal passages as the breathing tubes go through the nose with jaw surgery.

My Oral Surgeon came in , he is the sweetest man very caring and great bedside manner. He took another look in my mouth and asked me if I was ready to do this, I told him absolutely! I kept teasing him saying that he was going to make me look like a movie star.. He smiled and said you will have a movie star smile when we are done!!

The nurse gave me some happy juice and my friend said " you go girl!" and off I went.
I was wheeled into the operating room to see a whole team of nurses about 7 of them in addition to the 2 surgeons and 2 assistants. Just before I was put to sleep I told them to take care of my neck as last surgery my vertebrae was moved and pinching my main artery. No worries I was told and the lights went out.

Day before surgery

I am really excited and happy to be getting this surgery behind me. Need to be in the hospital for 6:30AM for a 7:30AM surgery. It should take 3-4 hours for the actual surgery and I am as ready as I will ever be.

Closed up in my office. Got my team organized to operate for a week without me. I will be working from home after 1 week.

Last OS appt before surgery

Met with my Oral Surgeon and was surprised to see a model of my teeth in a the perfect position where my bite was actually closed! It was fabulous to see! The OS showed me that he will need to move my upper jaw 4 millimeters forward and 1 millimeter down. This will allow my teeth to touch and a little more teeth to show than it does now. I am really excited and anxious to get this over!

Oral Surgeon Appt Pre Op - Lefort

Saw the surgeon today and he was pleased with the hooks and noticed that they were now in correctly and wired in so that they can endure the impressions and surgery.

What a gooey mess that was.... Lots of impressions. The oral surgeon office was really great, they get a little stressed with the impressions as they do them all the time. The hooks don't like the casting material I had all kinds of material stuck in between the hooks and braces. The assistant was kind enough to help me pick it all off before I left.

The doctor took measurements of my face, took pictures, measured the distance between my eye and my nose. These measurements are used to put the impressions of my teeth in the model that they use to do the mock surgery.

They showed me the castings of another patient and described how the mock surgery measurements are taken to determine how much movement is needed to make my teeth touch... that will be great as only two teeth in the very back touch right now and there is a huge space in the front. I have to struggle with my lips to close my mouth.

I was given a book for recipes " how to eat from a straw without the straw" . Good book lots of ideas. Will need to start searching for soft foods.

Ortho Appt - Hook inspection

At my last ortho the doctor handling my case was new so the ortho that spoke with my surgeon wanted to inspect the hooks.

Well he did and what was the spear like rake hooks that caught my lips all week and made me bleed were placed incorrectly, they needed to be bent... boy what a relief that was! Now I can smile and eat and talk without spears scratching the inside of my lip!

Pre-Op Oral Surgeon visit

My surgeon wanted to inspect the surgical hooks and go over all the details of the surgery. He told me that the Laforte is a 3-4 hour surgery. The blood that I stored is a precaution.

They will be taking impressions with the hooks on to do a mock surgery and measurements as I imagined this is very precise surgery dealing with my face... And everything needs to be perfect.

He explained that the surgical hooks are necessary for the jaws to be closed with elastics. I will not be able to eat anything solid for 4-6 weeks. No sucking of straws either this causes air pockets and lots of pain.

I should be able to work from home after a week. He told me there will be alot of swelling much more than before to be prepared mentally for this.

Pre Op - Sugical HOOKS - Orthodontist

There was a change in orthodontists and my usual ortho left the practice causing a little confusion of what exactly needed to be done in preparation with my oral surgeon who insisted that I have the surgical hooks put on 3 weeks before surgery.

The new ortho took probably 2 1/2 hours to put the hooks on.. They are awful when I smile my lips get caught in the hooks. They don't look like hooks they look like square pointy rake like spears. Not so good times!

Pre-OP Primary Care

Saw my primary care physician today to have blood tests and an EKG. She gave me the ok and filled out all the paperwork.

Pre- Op Laforte - blood storage

Had to donate blood (blood storage) today for the upcoming surgery. One pint is all my surgeon wanted me to donate no more than 30 days before the surgery and no less than one week before. Took care of this today and the nurse thought it was a good idea just in case I loose a lot of blood, what better blood than my own..;o)

Approved for second surgery

I finally got the OK and solidified a date 10/29/09 for my surgery. The oral surgeon beleives that I will only need one jaw. Made all my appointments.

Insurance

Still waiting for approval from the insurance company , they approved one jaw the laforte but didnt approve the bottom jaw.

Laforte I - beginning the process for my next surgery

Had an appointment with my Oral Surgeon and talked about how the SARPE actually seemed to make my bite worse and he reminded me of our discussion back in July 2008 that this would happen.

Now that my top jaw is wide enough , we need the Laforte to correct the open bite. Now that I know what the surgery entails and that this one will be a bigger surgery I am a little apprehensive but know that I need to finish what I started.

The doctor took x-rays and stated that I might also need the lower jaw corrected as well , they are going to submit for both jaws. I wasnt happy to hear about both jaws , but the doctor said they will only do what is necessary.

Torture Device Removed !!!

Got the pallet extender removed today. I am so releived I can speak clearly again. I feel so much better having that metal plate removed, I feel like a new person.

Got the ok from the orthodontist to begin the process of getting approval from the insurance company for my next surgery called the Laforte.

4 weeks Post Op - looking like Letterman

Feeling good, food is getting easier. The orthodonist said I expanded enough , but I am horrified by the space in my teeth. The orthodontist almost ripped my lip off ( this is an exaggaration) but it felt like it.. My stitches have healed but I still am sensitive. I need braces now to close the gap.

Braces on and the closing of the gap is happening now. By the time I made it from the orthodontist to the office the gap was just about already closed. It was quick and painless due to the numbness in my top teeth.