Today my surgical packet arrived in the mail! In 4 months I'll be arriving at the hospital at 6:00 am for a 9 hour surgery.
Procedures listed on my packet: Bilateral total joint replacement, TMJ fat grafts, maxillary osteotomy, mandibular osteotomy, and nasal turbinectomies. Who's terrified?!?
Some key points to point out about my post-op care:
-I will be in the hospital 3-4 days at least.
-I cannot be discharged until I can walk twice in the morning, afternoon, and night and able to take in adequate fluids.
-jaw will not be wired shut but held together with elastics.
-Will see Dr 2-3 times a week for the 1st two weeks.
-I get to eat from a syringe for the first few weeks so I will be drinking a lot of protein shakes.
-I can only shower neck down and while sitting.
-I can't brush my teeth for 2-3 days and then may only use a baby toothbrush.
-After 6 weeks chewing can begin to go back to normal.
-I cannot blow my nose until the Dr says as there may be a lot of nasal bleeding for a while.
-Numbness of the lower lip and chin is common, which may or may not be permanent.
-I cannot lift anything for 2 weeks. I cannot lift more than 20 lbs or bend for a month. (That's gonna be hard with a toddler!)
It's starting to sink in but I'm anxious for surgery day...just dreading when I wake up! I've got a long road ahead of me. I spoke to several other women who underwent this surgery and some who had my same surgeon. Most said it takes over a year to feel back to normal but all had relief from jaw pain and migraines, which is encouraging. Several had to be in the ICU for a day or so.
Some recommended purchases were a good blender, a wedge pillow and neck pillow that keeps you from rolling onto your jaw in the night, a baby toothbrush, and a waterpik.
All said they would do it all again!
Procedures listed on my packet: Bilateral total joint replacement, TMJ fat grafts, maxillary osteotomy, mandibular osteotomy, and nasal turbinectomies. Who's terrified?!?
Some key points to point out about my post-op care:
-I will be in the hospital 3-4 days at least.
-I cannot be discharged until I can walk twice in the morning, afternoon, and night and able to take in adequate fluids.
-jaw will not be wired shut but held together with elastics.
-Will see Dr 2-3 times a week for the 1st two weeks.
-I get to eat from a syringe for the first few weeks so I will be drinking a lot of protein shakes.
-I can only shower neck down and while sitting.
-I can't brush my teeth for 2-3 days and then may only use a baby toothbrush.
-After 6 weeks chewing can begin to go back to normal.
-I cannot blow my nose until the Dr says as there may be a lot of nasal bleeding for a while.
-Numbness of the lower lip and chin is common, which may or may not be permanent.
-I cannot lift anything for 2 weeks. I cannot lift more than 20 lbs or bend for a month. (That's gonna be hard with a toddler!)
It's starting to sink in but I'm anxious for surgery day...just dreading when I wake up! I've got a long road ahead of me. I spoke to several other women who underwent this surgery and some who had my same surgeon. Most said it takes over a year to feel back to normal but all had relief from jaw pain and migraines, which is encouraging. Several had to be in the ICU for a day or so.
Some recommended purchases were a good blender, a wedge pillow and neck pillow that keeps you from rolling onto your jaw in the night, a baby toothbrush, and a waterpik.
All said they would do it all again!
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