Post-op appointment #1
Today was post-op appointment #1. I was pretty leary about leaving the house as I knew it would take a lot of my energy to do it. Thankfully my aunt came down and drove my mom and I to the office. I was defintely shaky and took the panorex sitting on a small stool. You can see all the plates and screws that entail my new oral decore. The vertical alignment of my molars clearly shows the improvement.
Dr T used some mouthwash goo to clean my mouth and then have a look around. He said everything looks great. Then to my dismay, as if I didn't know it was coming, he set me up with the latest fad in elastic technology and promptly boxed me back in. So I now have an elastic on both sides in a box shape across two hooks on top and two on the bottom. I am allowed to take them off for eating but that's it. I haven't tried to do that yet but from what I've read from many of you it is definitely at least a 20 minute ordeal to get those buggers on. Of course Dr T has a nice little tool to make it easy for him but sadly I do not. I must rely on old world technology, fingers and possibly a rubber tip.
I have what feels like a hard lump under my chin and on my left lower side. Dr T said it was just dried blood or a hematoma and would go away. Applying heat should help speed it along.
So I am back to being a mute for another week. We'll see how things go next Tuesday when hopefully my swelling is low enough that he can remove the splint.
posted by Graham @ 6:30 PM
15 comments
15 Comments:
Oh, and it looks like the midlines may not be matching in the xray. I'm not sure if I was holding my mouth crooked or what. Maybe Dr W can fix that later if they aren't.
Hang in there Graham. It does get better. And the elastics are obnoxious but you will start getting much more efficient with them. The things do an excellent job though, I have to admit.
I wouldn't worry too much about the midlines. That's something that really bugged me. I got really freaked out about it. Then 10 hours after one adjustment and a new rubberband configuration, they were lining up! With this most recent adjustment (last Monday) I noticed that once again they're not quite lined up, but this time I'm trying not to stress. I hate how my front teeth are coming together right now. I want complete overlap! I don't have it. It gets better, then it gets worse. I have to remind myself to trust my orthodontist. Right now he's focused on the back teeth but I'm so antsy about the fronts.
Hang in there. You're doing great!It's not an easy thing to go through by any means.
Graham,
Why does it look like you have a big hole in there? Where are the roots to your teeth on that side? Is it just the pic that makes them look invisible?
Brandy
Yeah, for some reason it didn't come out right in the photo. It looked better on the actual x-ray display screen. Don't worry, I still have a full face! :o)
Phew! Well that is good news! I was worried for a second there, I was thinking OMG, how the heck is that going to fill in? and how are those teeth staying in there? Glad it was just a false alarm!
Don't you love those pano x-rays? I still love to look at mine. It still amazes me that I have all that metal in my face! I'm hoping my ortho takes another one when I go on the 29th so I can see how things look now that they have filled in more.
Everything looks great, your screws are so straight! Looks cool to see how your splint is wired in there too! Probably not so cool to you,but I think its cool!
Glad things are coming along so well! You are doing so well! Can't wait to see how things look once your swelling comes down.
Happy Healing!
Brandy
hey Graham looks like you are doing great, and getting to change elastics already, wow, i didnt get a bag of elastics til the splint cam out day 19, so hopefully you will get to eat sooner, well mushy food...and dont worry the elastics get easier, i can do it without a mirror, now that takes tallent! Ur looking great, but man did you bruise...BATTLE WOUNDS!!!!
Hey Graham,
Way to hang in there dude. You keep on and we'll all be through this in no time.
Cool x-rays! Glad to hear all is well. My ortho gave me a little plastic tool to get my rubberbands on and off easily. Looked much like this one I found online - http://www.jj-dental.com/upload/elastic%20applicator.jpg
Thought that might be helpful.
Hi Graham,
Look at how straight your teeth are! Wowee! I had rubber bands all over the bathroom when those little things wouldn't get on the hooks and just went flying. Doesn't it feel good though to be able to have that freedom a bit to take them off to eat and brush. Lucky you to get your splint out next week - fingers crossed for you.
Amy
Dude! Your bruises! AWESOME! You should go out with your girlfriend, and tell her to put on her best really menacing and intimidating look, and then you, you just kinda look all skittish, you know? And then check out the look on people's faces. TUH-HUH! People are so funny. No, but seriously, I was SO psyched when I got really hideous bruises because I felt like such a STUD-ette! I was all, pulling on my collar, "Have YOOOOU? Had coloring like this? You know how many pieces my face was in to get these bruises?" You know? YESS! Oh, but thank GOD you can eat now, I mean even getting more than 5ml of blended food in at a time. Wah-HOO! I was so relieved to not have wires. I was eating everything. Oh, and I was thinking, too, I wish I'd not worried so much about exercising my jaw and getting it to open more, more, more, and worried it wasn't enough, and beating myself up about not doing my stretching exercises. BAH! It'll get there. Just relax and enjoy this time. It's so exciting, and it's over before you know it.
Everyone going through surgery should get a t-shirt made that says, "You shoulda seen the other guy!" I think it's hilarious. :) Unfortunately I didn't think of it until after I was on my way to healing. Maybe it would have made people less sad to look at me (because I think they probably assumed domestic abuse).
My bruising healed super fast, and I was bruised really bad. I hope yours does too!
Hey - found you through other blogs. Good luck with this. Eat up as much as you can!
Just checking in to see how your appt. went yesterday. I hope all is well.
Keep resting and enjoying that liquid diet! It's funny, I drank smoothies all of the time after my SARPE and I still make myself one everyday for breakfast. I love them. I probably won't be saying that when that's all I can eat!
heyyy i just found u through other blogs i just got my surgey done too on the 3rd by Dr.Tocchio is it possible for me to e-mail u with some questions i have... i cant talk yet and i had using this damn syringe when can i use straws and stuff??
Hi Sonia... Sure, email to gstephen at hotmail dot com.
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