There's not too much to update about, except the whole tongue debacle. I have relatively no pain, and I'm completely off of any pain medication, including ibuprofen. The muscle spasms are less frequent, but they are still happening. It still hurts my front teeth when my jaw spasms and tries to open or jolt forward, but it's not as bad as before. I think my teeth are starting to get used to it, and my jaw isn't as sore, and sensitive, as it used to be.
Besides that, and my mouth feeling crustier than it's ever been in my life, everything is all good.
Happy Healing
Friday, October 9, 2015
A huge WTF?! moment
I promised I would be completely honest with what it's like to have your jaw wired shut. This is definitely not something I found on other blogs. It's gross, but it's a possibility, or maybe it's common. I'm waiting to hear back from my doctor to find out. Whatever the case may be, I wish someone would've told me about this beforehand.
So, it was starting to feel like I had something stuck on the back of my tongue. I thought it was my medication, since I have to grind up the pills I was on before surgery. After the third day, it hit me. I haven't been able to brush my tongue in almost 2 1/2 weeks. I was immediately petrified of what might be on my tongue. I had bought those little brush things that you use to clean in between your teeth. I was unable to use them, because after having braces as a child, my teeth are close together, and it just wouldn't fit through. I was able to teach it right underneath my front tooth. It was enough to scrape the tip of my tongue. To my horror white fuzzy stuff came out, adn it was a lot of it. I went ballistic. I'm an avid teeth and tongue brusher, so not being able to do it has been driving me crazy, over everything else.
I don't know if it's thrush, or just a build of from the liquid diet, but I still don't want to drink anything. I spent 45 minutes in the bathroom swishing a hydrogen peroxide and water mix. It definitely worked. I was foaming out the mouth for over an hour, while I sat in bed, but my tongue felt clean, and I watched a lot of white stuff go down the drain. I scraped my tongue the best I could with the tooth brush thing I was talking about, and that helped.
I'm seriously thinking about going to the store today and buying those wire things you used as a kid to make arts and crafts. Pipe cleaners? And seeing if I can fit that in my mouth and scrape the sh*t out of my tongue, until I hear back from my doctor.
Lord help me! It took everything in me to not grab the wire cutters that my doctor gave me and cut my wires off, so that I could clean my mouth out. But I withheld. I'm going to keep swishing with the hydrogen peroxide until I can get my mouth open.
So there you go! An honest truth about what to expect when you have your jaw wired shut. Once I find out if it's "normal", but disgusting, build up, or thrush I will let you know.
So, it was starting to feel like I had something stuck on the back of my tongue. I thought it was my medication, since I have to grind up the pills I was on before surgery. After the third day, it hit me. I haven't been able to brush my tongue in almost 2 1/2 weeks. I was immediately petrified of what might be on my tongue. I had bought those little brush things that you use to clean in between your teeth. I was unable to use them, because after having braces as a child, my teeth are close together, and it just wouldn't fit through. I was able to teach it right underneath my front tooth. It was enough to scrape the tip of my tongue. To my horror white fuzzy stuff came out, adn it was a lot of it. I went ballistic. I'm an avid teeth and tongue brusher, so not being able to do it has been driving me crazy, over everything else.
I don't know if it's thrush, or just a build of from the liquid diet, but I still don't want to drink anything. I spent 45 minutes in the bathroom swishing a hydrogen peroxide and water mix. It definitely worked. I was foaming out the mouth for over an hour, while I sat in bed, but my tongue felt clean, and I watched a lot of white stuff go down the drain. I scraped my tongue the best I could with the tooth brush thing I was talking about, and that helped.
I'm seriously thinking about going to the store today and buying those wire things you used as a kid to make arts and crafts. Pipe cleaners? And seeing if I can fit that in my mouth and scrape the sh*t out of my tongue, until I hear back from my doctor.
Lord help me! It took everything in me to not grab the wire cutters that my doctor gave me and cut my wires off, so that I could clean my mouth out. But I withheld. I'm going to keep swishing with the hydrogen peroxide until I can get my mouth open.
So there you go! An honest truth about what to expect when you have your jaw wired shut. Once I find out if it's "normal", but disgusting, build up, or thrush I will let you know.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Day 14...2 weeks in the bag!
I had been feeling pretty great, but I woke up with pain on my right side. The pain is sending a shooting pain into my ear. My wires were starting to loosen up, so I think I might have been trying to grind my teeth at night, or something. Whatever the case may be, I had to make an emergency appointment to get my wires tightened. One of my wires broke while the doctor was tightening it, so I got it replaced. The wires feel a lot better, and I'm not able to move my jaw at all, so everything feels nice and stable. My next appointment is in 10 days, so hopefully I can make it that long without having to get my wires tightened again. My wires only lasted 5 days before having to get them tightened. I think it's partly due to the involuntary jaw movements I've been having.
There are a few things that I think might contribute to the loosening of the wires, and my discomfort.
Jaw Spasm
I wish my doctor would've told me about these spasms ahead of time, because I thought there was something wrong with me! My lower jaw would suddenly jolt forward, or at least try to. It is painful, mostly on my teeth, though. The wires obviously stop my jaw from making the movement. The best way I can explain it is, if you imagine a dog tied up to a post on a very very short chain. The dog sees a squirrel and instantly bolts after it..YANK! Not fun.
Yawning
I don't know what my body is trying to do to me, but I spent two days avidly trying to hold back yawns. I tried to not let the yawn progress, because instinctively your jaw tries to open, and then it's a struggle trying to stop the process before the tension on the teeth is too much. Then my jaw muscles start shaking. It's aggravating, and so uncomfortable.
Getting cold
Don't! Don't allow yourself to get cold. My jaw immediately starts quivering. It is really uncomfortable, and it sets off the spasms and jolts. So, in case your jaw muscles decide to act out like mine, do youre best to not get cold, even for a second.
As far as the sutures, I stand corrected. I'm still losing them. I have no idea where they are coming from lol, but they're still falling out.
Other than the new pain, everything is looking great. The swelling is still the same. It's more on the right side, but my face doesn't look unbalanced.
Two weeks down, two more to go, and then I'll get the bands put on.
There are a few things that I think might contribute to the loosening of the wires, and my discomfort.
Jaw Spasm
I wish my doctor would've told me about these spasms ahead of time, because I thought there was something wrong with me! My lower jaw would suddenly jolt forward, or at least try to. It is painful, mostly on my teeth, though. The wires obviously stop my jaw from making the movement. The best way I can explain it is, if you imagine a dog tied up to a post on a very very short chain. The dog sees a squirrel and instantly bolts after it..YANK! Not fun.
Yawning
I don't know what my body is trying to do to me, but I spent two days avidly trying to hold back yawns. I tried to not let the yawn progress, because instinctively your jaw tries to open, and then it's a struggle trying to stop the process before the tension on the teeth is too much. Then my jaw muscles start shaking. It's aggravating, and so uncomfortable.
Getting cold
Don't! Don't allow yourself to get cold. My jaw immediately starts quivering. It is really uncomfortable, and it sets off the spasms and jolts. So, in case your jaw muscles decide to act out like mine, do youre best to not get cold, even for a second.
As far as the sutures, I stand corrected. I'm still losing them. I have no idea where they are coming from lol, but they're still falling out.
Other than the new pain, everything is looking great. The swelling is still the same. It's more on the right side, but my face doesn't look unbalanced.
Two weeks down, two more to go, and then I'll get the bands put on.
Monday, October 5, 2015
These are a few of my favorite things..Blended
My favorite recipes
Red Velvet Cake Milkshake
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• Slice of red velvet cake
I also get the Red Velvet Cheese cake from H.E.B. It was one of my favorite cakes before surgery, so I absolutely had to find a way to enjoy it with my jaw wired shut!
Pumpkin Oreo Milkshake
• 3 to 4 pumpkin Oreos
• 1 ½ to 2 cups of Coconut milk
This recipe will work with any flavored Oreo, and probably any cookie that doesn’t include nuts or hard ingredients, but it’s the fall and I love Pumpkin flavored everything!
Cream of Wheat
• Follow the cooking instructions on the box, but add a tad more water than called for
• Add a few ice cubes to cool it down. It will also help to loosen up any thickness.
• Add butter, sugar, cinnamon
• Drink it!
I drank it from a cup, and I was full all morning.
Red Velvet Cake Milkshake
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• Slice of red velvet cake
I also get the Red Velvet Cheese cake from H.E.B. It was one of my favorite cakes before surgery, so I absolutely had to find a way to enjoy it with my jaw wired shut!
Pumpkin Oreo Milkshake
• 3 to 4 pumpkin Oreos
• 1 ½ to 2 cups of Coconut milk
This recipe will work with any flavored Oreo, and probably any cookie that doesn’t include nuts or hard ingredients, but it’s the fall and I love Pumpkin flavored everything!
Cream of Wheat
• Follow the cooking instructions on the box, but add a tad more water than called for
• Add a few ice cubes to cool it down. It will also help to loosen up any thickness.
• Add butter, sugar, cinnamon
• Drink it!
I drank it from a cup, and I was full all morning.
Day 8-13
Day 8-13
The swelling has gone down considerably. I can almost “spit”, so everything is a lot less messy. I’m, for the most part, back to do normal everyday things. I’m cooking and doing light cleaning. Going to the store, caused me some mild pain. I think it’s because I had to talk more since I was out in public. It makes my jaw feel sore and tired, which in turn, hurts.
By this point I don’t really need any kind of medication. Every day is different. I have my good days where I don’t need anything. Any kind of discomfort I feel is completely tolerable. Then I have days where ( usually the days when I’m more talkative and busy), and I might need something for the pain, mainly Ibuprofen. My weight went back up by 2 lbs, since I’ve been able to “eat” comfortably. I blend soups, drink Boost, Muscle Milk, and Cream of Wheat. I can take in yogurt, but it’s a nightmare to see, and a huge mess.
I’m still using warm compresses, at least once a day. It feels good, and I still have some swelling. I’m not self-conscious about going out in public anymore, because my lips and cheeks are fairly normal.
My sutures have fallen out by now. I "spit" one out, and I watched the other wash down the drain after swishing. Yuck!
The swelling has gone down considerably. I can almost “spit”, so everything is a lot less messy. I’m, for the most part, back to do normal everyday things. I’m cooking and doing light cleaning. Going to the store, caused me some mild pain. I think it’s because I had to talk more since I was out in public. It makes my jaw feel sore and tired, which in turn, hurts.
By this point I don’t really need any kind of medication. Every day is different. I have my good days where I don’t need anything. Any kind of discomfort I feel is completely tolerable. Then I have days where ( usually the days when I’m more talkative and busy), and I might need something for the pain, mainly Ibuprofen. My weight went back up by 2 lbs, since I’ve been able to “eat” comfortably. I blend soups, drink Boost, Muscle Milk, and Cream of Wheat. I can take in yogurt, but it’s a nightmare to see, and a huge mess.
Day 4-7
Day 4-7
These days went by pretty fast. I couldn’t believe I had hit the week mark. I was testing out recipes and finding things that I was able to drink through the trial and error method. I had lost 8 pounds by the 7th day.
Brushing my teeth with a small children’s toothbrush was easy. I was able to get to my back teeth. Using the mouthwash was also easier. I was able to blow a little when I was trying to “spit” out the mouth rinse, so it was a little less messy.
I felt good enough to start cooking again by the 7th day, and even do a tiny bit of light cleaning. Basically putting clothes away. I didn’t want to do anything that would require me to bend over, because of the pressure. By the 7th day, I barely needed any pain medication.
These days went by pretty fast. I couldn’t believe I had hit the week mark. I was testing out recipes and finding things that I was able to drink through the trial and error method. I had lost 8 pounds by the 7th day.
Brushing my teeth with a small children’s toothbrush was easy. I was able to get to my back teeth. Using the mouthwash was also easier. I was able to blow a little when I was trying to “spit” out the mouth rinse, so it was a little less messy.
I felt good enough to start cooking again by the 7th day, and even do a tiny bit of light cleaning. Basically putting clothes away. I didn’t want to do anything that would require me to bend over, because of the pressure. By the 7th day, I barely needed any pain medication.
Day 3
Day 3
The swelling on my lips had gone down enough that I could start using the syringe without the tube attachment. So, I was able to get in more fluids, and also take my medication faster. I just put the syringe in the front of my mouth and used it that way. My throat was fine by this day.
I was in love with the ice pack/head wrap they sent me home with. I wore it almost all day, every day.
I had my postop appointment this day. The doctor took an x-ray and I was able to see where my bones were severed. My doctor also tightened my wires. It was equivalent to having my wires tightened when I had braces. My hunger was starting to come back, and I was able to drink more water. I was also able to start drinking from thin rimmed cups, so it was easier. The Doctor OK'ed me to start alternating between ice and heat.
The swelling on my lips had gone down enough that I could start using the syringe without the tube attachment. So, I was able to get in more fluids, and also take my medication faster. I just put the syringe in the front of my mouth and used it that way. My throat was fine by this day.
I was in love with the ice pack/head wrap they sent me home with. I wore it almost all day, every day.
I had my postop appointment this day. The doctor took an x-ray and I was able to see where my bones were severed. My doctor also tightened my wires. It was equivalent to having my wires tightened when I had braces. My hunger was starting to come back, and I was able to drink more water. I was also able to start drinking from thin rimmed cups, so it was easier. The Doctor OK'ed me to start alternating between ice and heat.
Day 2
Day 2
I was able to take a shower. I felt a lot better than the day before. My throat was still sore, but not nearly as bad. I also brushed my teeth. I couldn’t get to my back teeth because of my cheeks, and it was extremely hard to swish and spit the prescribed mouth wash. It was honestly a mess. My best advice is to stay as far over the sink as possible. My lips were so swollen.
I learned that alternating the liquid hydrocodone and Liquid ibuprofen kept the pain at a tolerable level. I skipped a dose, because I fell asleep, and I was paying for it when I woke up. I took the hydrocodone, and then about 3 to 4 hours later took the ibuprofen, and then 2 to 3 hours later took the hydrocodone, again. The antibiotic still burned going down.
I was able to take a shower. I felt a lot better than the day before. My throat was still sore, but not nearly as bad. I also brushed my teeth. I couldn’t get to my back teeth because of my cheeks, and it was extremely hard to swish and spit the prescribed mouth wash. It was honestly a mess. My best advice is to stay as far over the sink as possible. My lips were so swollen.
I learned that alternating the liquid hydrocodone and Liquid ibuprofen kept the pain at a tolerable level. I skipped a dose, because I fell asleep, and I was paying for it when I woke up. I took the hydrocodone, and then about 3 to 4 hours later took the ibuprofen, and then 2 to 3 hours later took the hydrocodone, again. The antibiotic still burned going down.
Day 1
Day 1
I wasn't as nervous on surgery day, as I had been for the weeks leading up to it. My husband was with me, and he did a great job keeping me preoccupied. It’s always good to laugh and be of good spirits before something like this.
I’m the type of person that has to watch when I’m getting a shot, a piercing, a tattoo, having blood drawn; basically anything that requires needles. I hate them, and I need to watch while it’s going on! No Surprises. So, naturally, I was dreading getting the i.v inserted. To my horror, the nurse starting swabbing my hand while my doctor was talking to us about the procedure and release information. I looked at her like she was crazy. She then proceeded to give me a shot, that I’m not going to lie, hurt a fair amount for such a small shot. She told me she was numbing my hand. Why??!!! Because she was placing a large I.V. in my tiny tiny vein ( I have very thing small hands). I felt a little queasy feeling the pressure of i.v. go in. I didn’t hear a word of what my doctor said during that point. Once she was done, I was relieved. I said, “That’s the worst part to me, and it’s over.”
Side note: It’s been 13 days, and I still have the scab where the I.V. was inserted. It also hurt really bad when the nurse took it out after surgery, and it bled a good amount.
Not too long later the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me again. He then handed me a bottle of nose spray, and told me since I was going to have tubes in my nose that I needed to be clear. I HATE NOSE SPRAY! I never use it, because I hate it. It took me a good 5 minutes to get it done. I coughed and gagged. It was so embarrassing, but at least the anesthesiologist and my husband got a good laugh. He then gave me something in my I.V that “would make me more relaxed before he took me back to the surgery room.” Let’s just say, my husband has a nice video of me rambling about “cocktails and looking high” that I don’t remember at all.
The surgery went well. I had a hard time staying awake before being discharged. I could hear myself snoring every time I started dozing back off. The pain starting setting in about 5 minutes after they brought my husband to me. I was prepared for bad pain, but I wasn’t prepared for THIS pain. It was excruciating. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and I almost cried a few times. The nurse crushed up a pain pill and put it in apple juice. It was so hard to swallow and to get the tube attached to the syringe passed my swollen cheek. My throat is was hurt the most. It was extremely sore from the tubes that were down my throat. I couldn’t wait to get home and try to sleep.
The entire rest of the day was rough. I wanted to cry several times, but I was honestly afraid that crying would make it more painful. It was the worst thing. I’ve never experienced this level of pain. Maybe, it’s because it was my face and throat. I’ve been through childbirth three times, and that was more acceptable than this. I didn’t cry during labor and delivery!
As far as taking medication and drinking liquids, the antibiotic I was given burned like hell. I dreaded taking it. I am allergic to an assortment of antibiotics, so I could only take Clindamycin.
Of course, this is just my experience. I’m sure it wasn’t so bad for other people.
I wasn't as nervous on surgery day, as I had been for the weeks leading up to it. My husband was with me, and he did a great job keeping me preoccupied. It’s always good to laugh and be of good spirits before something like this.
I’m the type of person that has to watch when I’m getting a shot, a piercing, a tattoo, having blood drawn; basically anything that requires needles. I hate them, and I need to watch while it’s going on! No Surprises. So, naturally, I was dreading getting the i.v inserted. To my horror, the nurse starting swabbing my hand while my doctor was talking to us about the procedure and release information. I looked at her like she was crazy. She then proceeded to give me a shot, that I’m not going to lie, hurt a fair amount for such a small shot. She told me she was numbing my hand. Why??!!! Because she was placing a large I.V. in my tiny tiny vein ( I have very thing small hands). I felt a little queasy feeling the pressure of i.v. go in. I didn’t hear a word of what my doctor said during that point. Once she was done, I was relieved. I said, “That’s the worst part to me, and it’s over.”
Side note: It’s been 13 days, and I still have the scab where the I.V. was inserted. It also hurt really bad when the nurse took it out after surgery, and it bled a good amount.
Not too long later the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me again. He then handed me a bottle of nose spray, and told me since I was going to have tubes in my nose that I needed to be clear. I HATE NOSE SPRAY! I never use it, because I hate it. It took me a good 5 minutes to get it done. I coughed and gagged. It was so embarrassing, but at least the anesthesiologist and my husband got a good laugh. He then gave me something in my I.V that “would make me more relaxed before he took me back to the surgery room.” Let’s just say, my husband has a nice video of me rambling about “cocktails and looking high” that I don’t remember at all.
The surgery went well. I had a hard time staying awake before being discharged. I could hear myself snoring every time I started dozing back off. The pain starting setting in about 5 minutes after they brought my husband to me. I was prepared for bad pain, but I wasn’t prepared for THIS pain. It was excruciating. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and I almost cried a few times. The nurse crushed up a pain pill and put it in apple juice. It was so hard to swallow and to get the tube attached to the syringe passed my swollen cheek. My throat is was hurt the most. It was extremely sore from the tubes that were down my throat. I couldn’t wait to get home and try to sleep.
The entire rest of the day was rough. I wanted to cry several times, but I was honestly afraid that crying would make it more painful. It was the worst thing. I’ve never experienced this level of pain. Maybe, it’s because it was my face and throat. I’ve been through childbirth three times, and that was more acceptable than this. I didn’t cry during labor and delivery!
As far as taking medication and drinking liquids, the antibiotic I was given burned like hell. I dreaded taking it. I am allergic to an assortment of antibiotics, so I could only take Clindamycin.
Of course, this is just my experience. I’m sure it wasn’t so bad for other people.
Week One Down
I’m starting this blog a little late. A week late, to be exact. I had bilateral lower jaw surgery to fix TMJ, 7 days ago, and I will have my jaw wired shut for 4 weeks. The wires will then be replaced with bands for another 4 weeks.
My purpose for starting this blog is to document the healing process. While everyone’s journey is different, I find it very helpful to hear different stories, and get different ideas, and ways, to deal with it all. After continuously searching, I was kind of bummed to find a lack of blogs. The ones I did find were pretty informative, and detailed. So, I figured, Why not add to the tiny pond? Hopefully I can help someone out. What do I eat? What should I expect? How does it feel? There’s so many questions I had. Of course, the best way to have those questions answered is to find out firsthand, but for anyone who is like me and likes to know as much information as possible, reading other people’s experiences is helpful.
As I said before, everyone’s experiences are different, but why not compare stories, and get an idea of what to look forward to?? Here I will update my pain levels, swelling, “eating,” and new recipes aka concoctions I will be trying out. I will also keep track of weight loss or gain. I found the perfect way to turn cake into a milkshake, so I might be that small percent that gains weight lol. I’m going to tell you the truth; the good, the bad, the ugly, the gross.
Don’t worry, I’m going to back track and document from pre-op until now.
*~ Angela S.
My purpose for starting this blog is to document the healing process. While everyone’s journey is different, I find it very helpful to hear different stories, and get different ideas, and ways, to deal with it all. After continuously searching, I was kind of bummed to find a lack of blogs. The ones I did find were pretty informative, and detailed. So, I figured, Why not add to the tiny pond? Hopefully I can help someone out. What do I eat? What should I expect? How does it feel? There’s so many questions I had. Of course, the best way to have those questions answered is to find out firsthand, but for anyone who is like me and likes to know as much information as possible, reading other people’s experiences is helpful.
As I said before, everyone’s experiences are different, but why not compare stories, and get an idea of what to look forward to?? Here I will update my pain levels, swelling, “eating,” and new recipes aka concoctions I will be trying out. I will also keep track of weight loss or gain. I found the perfect way to turn cake into a milkshake, so I might be that small percent that gains weight lol. I’m going to tell you the truth; the good, the bad, the ugly, the gross.
Don’t worry, I’m going to back track and document from pre-op until now.
*~ Angela S.
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