So today was the day I was finally unwired. It was all I imagined it to be and more. I can tell it is only going to get better from this day forward. I know there will be ups and downs, but being able to talk and communicate is a major plus. My surgeon was impressed with how I was healing and was super surprised at how much my swelling had decreased. He has not seen me since the day of surgery, but he was sure I would get really swollen due to the fact he ended up moving things a little more than he had originally had planned. He moved my top jaw up and out, and my lower jaw was moved out /forward and up, as well as adding some chin (aka genioplasty). He said my incisions looked good, and were healing nicely. I was just relieved to hear all was well. I was so freaked after sneezing on Saturday, so this really calmed all my worst fears.
He was optimistic that I would get 100% of my feeling back, as I was already starting to have some tingling on the one area (my bottom lip and below that) that has no feeling.
He also gave me bands that I have to wear for the next 4-6 weeks to keep my jaw healing in the correct position, and showed me how to put them on.
Unwiring experience. Not so scary, just a few snips here and there and you are done. He then let me brush, and rinse my mouth, and that felt so great! However, it also felt so strange to be unwired. It felt as though my jaw was going to fall off. Trying to talk felt super unnatural. I wanted to keep my teeth together. Opening my jaw farther is definitely something I am going to need to work on, and push myself a little every day. I did sing the entire way home. I still got it. Okay, it's not quite the same yet as I can not open very far. The picture below shows where I am as far as opening, which is not much.
We went to Dickey's BBQ on the way home and got twice baked potato casserole. It was interesting trying to fit even a baby spoon in and get the food off. I put the potatoes on my spoon, and then flipped the spoon upside down and used my tongue to get the potatoes off. That seemed to work best. A strange experience. I feel like a baby learning how to eat.
Well here are some pictures of today, plus a side by side comparison of my before and after x-rays. Sorry they are not the same size. Had some issues trying to scale the after down, and gave up.
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| Before/After |
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| Smiling still feels and looks unnatural to me. |
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Hi Heather--Thanks so much for writing this blog! I am scheduled for double jaw surgery with genioplasty on August 8th. Your blog has been very helpful to me because I was also a music major in college. I currently teach over 500 elementary students and have been very concerned about singing and talking so soon after the surgery! So, thank you for writing about your experiences...I've been following it daily and it is helping to calm some of my nerves! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Traci, I am so glad that this is helping calm those nerves. I found someone's blog who also sang and had the surgery, and it helped calm my nerves. There were so many questions the Dr. couldn't answer as far is "if the surgery would change my tone, and if I would be able to get back to work again within a month, and if I would be able to sing with the voice I know and love..." He said he couldn't guarantee anything. I will say yesterday being the first day unwired my fears are gone, I feel like once I gain full range of movement back I will be better than before! I have 3 more weeks off before I start teaching my private lessons, which is about 35 hours a week, and then per the Doctor I had to give another 2 weeks before I start teaching my show choirs, where I and they sing and dance. He said no jumping, running, dancing ect for 6 weeks after surgery...I will keep you posted! I wish you the best with your surgery, and a smooth recovery! I will check in and see how you are doing!! : )
DeleteOh god trying to fit babyspoons and teaspoons in to a mouth that refuses to budge anymore than a cm is crazy! I have spilt so much food down ym face as I miss judged it and it didnt fit...
ReplyDeleteYou are looking amazing - it's such a difference!
How you doing with the elastics? I've got mine for a few weeks too, some ones that stay in all day, then some extra tight ones that I have to put in at night - I only lasted till 5 am the first night as they were so painful but it's like a breeze now. It's amazing how all these things become seconds nature to us.
Hope you keep on recovering well! x
haha. I hear that Sophie. Just this morning trying to eat eggs, half the eggs kept ending up back on the plate or all over myself. So frustrating. So I had to mash them into the fork to flatten them. This is why I don't feel like eating in public yet!
DeleteThank you! It's crazy how much has changed in the past 2 1/2 weeks!
I hate them. So annoying. I am supposed to keep them in 24/7 only to remove for eating, but I find it such a pain on one side to put back in. I am getting better at it, but it sure takes the joy out of eating. I go to the orthodontist on Monday, my surgeon mentioned that the Ortho will probably change where the elastic bands go or add more. I hope I don't get the ones you mentioned that you only wear at night. Those sound painful!
Thank you! You too! Just read your blog. You look amazing! So glad you've had such a smooth recovery! I hope it continues to be smooth! : )