For all those out there that have stumbled upon my blog and are considering jaw surgery.... here are a few things to know that I wish I could have prepared for going into surgery.
1. You will miss food more then you think you will.
I have not had food in 2 weeks. Yes I've had mashed potatoes and that is food but it starts to get really gross after 5 days of eating it. The first week you will be on a strict liquid only diet. And trust me it is as awful as you imagine it to be. You start to crave foods you've always hated. Prepare to lose weight and to be incredibly weak, nauseous and dizzy at all times. You are starving so your body will try to conserve it's energy by you sleeping 24/7. Doing simple things like showering and walking to the bathroom will feel like you just ran a mile. Take it easy. I am 2 weeks post op and I still have trouble walking and going places. You're just so weak that it's hard to move around.
2. The pain is intense.
Have you ever had those painful growing pains in your legs? The ones that kept you up all night? Well that is kind of how your jaw will feel when you wake up in the hospital. Its that deep bone ache. Try to stay above the pain as much as possible. Take your pain meds around the clock the first week. You will defiantly need it. Don't think that after the first week the pain will go away. I still have pain in my jaw, it has dimmed down a lot to the point where now its more of a bother than actual pain pain.
3. You cannot blow your nose for weeks.
I am sure this will not bother some of you like it has me, but not blowing my nose has been driving me crazy. It makes my ears all stuffy. I am still not allowed to blow it and its been 2 weeks. My surgeon said that if I were to blow my nose it would cause air to get into my sinuses and make my cheeks bigger. So I guess it's better safe than sorry.
4. Constipation is a thing.
I am not a fan of spreading my dirty laundry all over the internet but this is a serious issue that you need to be aware of. Because this surgery requires you to only eat liquids your bowls will shut down for a while, but when they start back up again prepare for intense pain and yes I mean REALLY intense pain. Prepare to be constipated for a few days. I was for 4 days and it was a extremely painful experience. You will have stomach aches and probably bloat, milk of magnesia may work. I just tried stool softeners and waited. Defiantly buy Pepto you will probably go through like 2 whole bottles of it.
5. It is hard to keep a positive outlook.
This is something I have suffered with this past week. It is hard to keep a positive outlook and to stay confident. All I want to do is to stop feeling sick and be able to get back to life, but my body is still not ready. It is hard to be patient and to remind yourself it is worth it, but I know it is. Surround yourself with people that can help you stay positive. It goes a long way.
6. You can't laugh or cry.
When getting top jaw or double jaw surgery your surgeon will most likely cut the muscle above your top lip. Because the muscle is so big they will have to use a big stitch to stitch it back together. This makes it impossible to laugh or cry. Through my experience crying with that muscle stitched is incredibly painful and laughing is even worse. Just be aware.
7. The Dreaded 4th day.
While considering this surgery you will hear a lot about the 4th day. It is suppose to be the worst. Your swelling and pain levels are suppose to peak on this day. The 4th day is no joke. Mine was spent in the bathroom throwing up and passing out. I am sure that is not very common but trust your surgeon when he says it will be the hardest day.
I am sure there are 1000 things I missed but honestly I am too tired to write anymore. This surgery is hard. The recovery is brutal. But it is worth it. If you are considering having this done just remember these points and also know that you will AT LEAST need to take 2 weeks off of work and/or school. And trust me 2 weeks does not seem like enough time.
No comments:
Post a Comment