Happy Halloween!!!

My favorite liquid snack.

This is it. This are my favorite drinks packed with nummy goodness. Booster Juice has been great during these post-op days.On the left is the Mango Hurricane. It is mangos, peaches, strawberries, passion fruit, guava and sorbet mixed to perfection. On the right is the Green Hornet. Spinach, parsley, celery and carrots juiced into this green wonder. Try one today...does that sound like a booster juice add or what.

5 weeks and 3 days post-op

I am caught up. It really is 5 weeks and 3 days since my surgery. I am feeling great. I went back to work 3 days ago. I was working evenings which worked out well with my sleeping in habits. It was great to be back at work, everyone seemed amazed with how I look. Next week I am on days...we will see how my body reacts to getting up at 6am and being on call all night.

I am still a little puffy. I am still wearing the elastics and I am still on a soft chew diet.

I was off today and (besides spending my entire day blogging) Finnie and I played some good frisbee in the back yard.

More pictures.

This next one is for Ry. I can almost make kissy lips.

4 weeks post-op and 4 cheese pasta

During my last week in Vancouver Ry and I met some friends and went out for supper. I was feeling really good. We went to a pasta restaurant and I mushed mine a little and ate a bit. I had been craving shrimp and tried to eat a baby shrimp off Ry's plate. I wasn't able to chew or swallow it. One of our friends looked up at me and said "you have to spit it out don't you", I agreed. He said not to worry, we are all friends here. Friends are great. Once I was home I threw my pasta in the magic bullet and had mashed 4 cheese pasta...it was so good.

3 weeks and 3 days post-op...posted almost 6 weeks post op

I am (really was because of my procratinated blogging) in Vancouver

I left for Vancouver on October 4th. i was a little nervous about the flight and the pressure in my head. All was well. My OS had advised me to take a decongestant before flying. I did and had absolutely no problems. I even had an Iced Cap while waiting in the Calgary airport.

I was so happy to see Ry and I think he was pretty impressed with my new not so balloony face.

The first weekend I was there we went to The Weakerthans show which was so good. I think it was good for me to get out and do some head bopping...get that lymphatic system pumping. Before the concert we went for sushi...well Ry had sushi, I had miso soup....sad times.

My sleeping habits were still a little off. I was usually not able to fall asleep very easily...i was still sleeping propped up. I don't think I have mentioned this before now...I am sleeping on an incline. For the first week I was sleeping in the recliner and then after that in my bed with what has been termed the "pillow ladder" by some other post-op'ers. Sleeping with your head elevated helps decrease the swelling. Anyway, back to my sleeping habits or lack there of. I usually would fall asleep around 2 or 3 am and then sleep in until 11am...it was fabulous.

The pictures were taken on October 11. 3 weeks and 2 days post-op.

Pictures from Oct 2nd and 3rd...just over 2 weeks post-op

Look at me....

2 weeks post-op....written almost 6 weeks post-op

2 weeks post-op marked a big day for me. A trip to the Orthodontist and to the Oral Surgeon. The Orthodontist was mainly concerned with how I was feeling mentally/emotionally. There is this term called "hitting the wall" that I have read about from other post-op'ers. You get to a point where you break down and are frustrated and annoyed and want everything to go back to normal. I think this is what my Orthodontist was referring to. I felt good. My recovery was going well...minus the coughing. He took a bit of a look in my mouth and seemed happy with what he could see. I was still wired shut at this point.....but not for long.

The next stop was the Oral Surgeon. See ya later wires. This was a bizarre feeling. I wasn't sure what to expect. My OS had warned me that people tend to get light headed when the wires come out. The tech said that it is because your teeth are held so tightly together that when they are released blood rushes to the site and way from your brain. So I was ready to feel light headed...I didn't.

I was a little unsure while she was doing it. There were instruments in my mouth and scissors and wire cutters...it was all a little much. But soon enough it was over. I was able to brush the outside of my teeth which was a glorious feeling. I was now unwired and into elastics. I did attempt to take a picture of the elastics...Note to self...what the heck is that picture all about?? I actually took this picture hoping that I would be able to see the elastic placement so I could use it when I had to change the elastics. I drew a trusty picture instead. I had a elastic box on each side and one in the middle front at night.

Another positive from this visit was that I was cleared to fly...in an air plane. I am going to Vancouver!!

1 week since surgery...written 5 and a half weeks since surgery.

The first week was awful. I had read that and was expecting bad...and it was. However, I got through it. I had tons of support which I think is key when going through something like this.

At this point I was getting a little skinny. I had lost about 12lbs....now the goal was calories.

My moma was so good to me. She frequently went and picked up Booster Juice for me. It was usually a bit thick to make it through the Zip-n-Squeeze and clenched teeth so we usually added some water. I had a mit and a glove that a wore because my hand would get so cold.

I also frequented a towl as a bib. With lack of feeling in my lips, I drooled...a lot. Swelling has gone down, eating (when I say eating I mean drinking everything) was getting easier. I was on my way to being a happy camper....if only this dang cough would go away. Thank goodness for Tussionex.

Day 4 and 5....written on day 38

Day 4:

meds....same as day 3, except used Dilaudid twice.

Day 5:

meds...also same as day 3, used Dilaudid twice again....not really for pain just discomfort.

Day 5 also marked the day that I reached my limit with the coughing. I went to a medi-clinic and got some Tussionex (hydrocodone)....it is a narcotic pain reliever and cough suppressant...doesn't get much better than that. Who doesn't enjoy a little narcotic while suppressing a painful, scary cough??

My Papa was taking care of Finnie while I was in hospital and kept her until day 4. She was so excited to see everyone...so excited that the next day we made my dad take her back to the farm.

Day 5 was a sad day for me. Ry had to head back to Vancouver. He had missed a week of school to come be with me. I was so sad...he was my rock (as he always is). I was trying so hard to stay composed but as he was saying bye I broke down and started to cry. Crying was one of the things that hurt so I tried to avoid it but when saying good bye to my love and best friends it was unavoidable.

Day 3 Sept 21...written on day 38

Day 3: at home in my recliner.

Meds:

Dilaudid taken for pain as needed, taken once that day.

Antibiotics - Amoxicillin taken 3 times per day via syringe.

Anti-inflammatory - Naprosyn (Naproxen) 10ml 4 times a day via syringe.

Nasal sprays: Flunisolide 2 squirts per nostril 3 times per day. Balminil 1 squirt per nostril if needed.

Also: Arnica gel applied through out the day. Manual lymphatic drainage done via the masterful hands of Ryan ex-massage therapist. Lots of Ice and nice long soaks in the hot tub. Breath-right nasal strips usually on.

As you can see, there was a list of meds and it became hard to keep track of what was due when so Ry made up a handy-dandy little chart so we could keep track of when every drop was taken.

I still wasn't having much pain. The uncomfortableness had gotten worse due to the swelling. I had also started to develop a cough which was very scary. Trying to cough with your jaw wired was difficult. My cough was so ineffective which made these mini coughing fits last longer than they would have had you been able to open your mouth and hack.

I was so thankful to have my mom and Ry around for this week. I was a handful. If it wasn't meds it was needing to drink or take in calories. My dad was at the farm during this time (lucky him...for not having to deal with my demands...I guess unlucky him because the weather was so crappy that today, 35 days later, he is still not finished combining).

I spent my time showering, sitting in the hot tub, watching TV and movies, drinking, being a demanding brat and trying to sleep.

Day 2 Sept 20...written on day 38.

In hind site it wasn't so bad....however if you had asked me on day 2 I would have thought differently.

Day 2: Still in hospital on a surgical ward. Waiting for OS to come to write a discharge order and check my pumpkin face out.

I was so tired at this point. The morphine was discontinued and I was given Dilaudid for at home. Not much pain at this point. Still just totally uncomfortable. I was still feeling so stuffy, I was breathing through my mouth as well as I could and my mouth was continuously dry.

My OS came and said that things were looking good and I was able to head home. I had a shower before heading home hoping the steam would help with the crud in my nose. it really did, hot showers were now my buddy.

The hour and a bit drive home was fantastic. I slept.
Once at home we got all set up in my recliner. My good friend stopped by with a nebulizer and suction system...just in case. She made me giggle as she always does and was amazed at how bright my eyes looked.


hahaha...eyes not looking so bright in these mug shots.
Another product that is a must have is the Cool Jaw Wrap also from www.zip-n-squeeze.com/
It comes with its own little ice packs that slip into pockets. It was perfect. I did a ton of icing for the first week. It felt great as well as helped with my pumpkin head.

Day 1 Sept 19, 2007 written on day 38

Day 1: Sept 19. Still in hospital. Transferred from ICU to a general surgical ward.

In the first pic you can see the bulletin board that housed the weird religious picture, I think that bluish paper in the bottom middle is it, I had Ry flip it over. A little swollen and pooped out at this point. I was up, had a little sponge bath, wrote some notes with my nurses, my mom and Ry.

I was then transferred to a surgical ward...which I was sad and happy about. Happy because it meant that I was going to escape the weird religious picture and be able to go home soon. Sad because the care in ICU and on a surgical ward is much much different.

I got settled into my new ward bed, I was in a shared room. I was closest to the bathroom...woohoo. Speaking of bathrooms, I did have a catheter. It was removed before my transfer. It wasn't so bad, I couldn't really feel it. Don't fear the catheter.

This is the point where I started to feel crappy. I was pretty swollen, my nose was so stuffy and I was having trouble breathing. I was given some nasal sprays and I attempted to get some of the crud out of my nose with q-tips. I actually tried the breath-right nasal strips and as a non-believer my mind was quickly changed. I understand that this surgery is like one big kick ass breath right nasal strip but it really made breathing easier.

My family was around taking care of me all day which was beyond fabulous. I tried to drink my eats as much as I could, at first I used the syringe method and then Ry brought in the Zip-n-Squeeze that I had ordered ahead of time. I heart Zip-n-Squeeze. This product really makes getting fluids easier. The night of day 1 was not so much fun. My mom stayed at the hospital with me until 3am. I couldn't sleep again and was just uncomfortable. I eventually told my mom to go get some sleep. I tried to sleep but I just could not. I asked for some gravel thinking that might help...it didn't. I felt like I was going to have a little bit of a break down so I asked the nurse if she could call my Ry to come and be with me. The nurse asked if there was anything that she could do instead of calling him in...but it was anything specific that I needed. I just wanted some loved ones near by. Ry came in. I was thinking it had to be just about 6 or 7...it was 4am. I made it an hour by myself...

Rewind....Surgery Day.

I have been a terrible blogger. It is now October 26, over 5 weeks since the day I spent in the OR having my face rearranged.

I will go back to surgery day and work my way up to date.

I had to be at the hospital at 0630 on Sept 18. I live just over an hour away from the hospital so my Fiance and I went down the day before just to be sure. After years of waiting for this to come there was going to be nothing to stop it. We arrived at the hospital nice and early and got registered.

Then I was off to the pre-op waiting area. I changed into a fancy hospital gown and slippers and then waited and waited and waited.... my surgery was scheduled for 10:30. I was pretty nervous a this point which made me feel sick to my stomach, I took some gravel with a drop of water which really helped my belly. My fiance and my mom were both with me keeping me calm... thank you Mom and Ry. Soon enough I was off to the OR. I met my Anesthetist and Oral Surgeon in a waiting area. They asked a few questions, I answered. I asked, they answered. Then I was taken to the OR. The nurses were great. The anesthetist came in and started an IV and before I knew it I was out.

I woke up in recovery... sorta. I think I was in and out for a while. I could hear what was going on around me but didn't really care. I do remember my eyes shot open when I was surrounded by nurses and a physician talking about my heart rate. I was tachycardic (increased heart rate). I asked the nurse if I could write. My first question was how high, followed by is it a sinus rhythm, how much blood did I lose and have you hung the blood products yet. They understood that I was one of "those" patients, a patient that works in the field. The nurse was very sweet and answered all of my questions. My heart rate was 120-160, coming down. I was in a sinus tach. I had lost a lot of blood, estimated at 1 Liter. The blood that I donated for my self was already hung and running.

At this point I had no pain however my throat was sore and my mouth was so dry. I asked for a cold neb (cold humidity) about a dozen times... every time they looked at me like I was silly. I asked if they could at least turn down my oxygen flow (I had an oxygen mask on at about a million liters/minute). They did turn it down but I was on a cold neb kick so I persisted.... and never got it.

I spent a few hours in recovery and then I was off to ICU.

These pics are 3 hours post-op...I am feeling ok. No pain, just a tad uncomfortable. I spent the first night in ICU. Morphine was my best friend. I could not sleep. I layed there uncomfotable, high on morphine (just kidding...kinda) staring at this weird religious picture on the bulliten board in my room. I am not a religious person at all...more on this sometime in the future, so having this bizarre picture eyeing me was a little creepy. My nurse did come in at one point and ask if I wanted some Benadryl to see if it would help me sleep. Why not I thought. It didn't help, just made the religious picture a little more creepy.