11.08.2006
My new face
I went to the doctor this morning. Here are some pictures that they took during surgery before all the swelling. The first is me before. The second is my new chin. The third is an xray showing all the plates and screws (41 of them) that they put in my jaw. The surgery was the last one to fix my TMJ. Three years ago I had to wear a splint to reposition my jaw. Then for another 18 months they adjusted my bite with braces. Last year they fixed the hinge in my jaw. I recovered from that for a year, still wearing braces. This time they enlarged my upper jaw, leveled the lower jaw, and brought it forward. In addition he straightened my chin (it was pointing to the side due to the unevenness of the lower jaw) and the septum in my nose (which is connected to my upper jaw) and cleared my sinuses so that I can breathe better. He didn't know how I was breathing as well as I was before. However, because of all the swelling, I'm not doing so good right now. If I can just get through the next couple days and all this tightness and pain then I'll start feeling better about all this. At least for the most part everything is numb. Mostly I feel a lot of tightness and pain associated with the swelling. I'll be on a liquid and very soft foods diet for the next 3 months. (At least I'll not gain the holiday 15!)
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WE are praying for your speedy recovery. It was great to talk to you today even though it was hard for you. I feel so badly that I could not be there to help you. Hope it all goes well in the days that follow.
ReplyDeletebetsy what are you talking about, you don't look like the fat girl off of shallow hal, it does look some what painful though, hope you start to feel better soon
ReplyDeleteThe photo was the "immediately after" photo, before the swelling started. She looked great when she came out of the operating room.
ReplyDeleteIf you guys need any help once Vickie goes home (or even before,) let us know!
ReplyDeleteHope you start feeling better soon! Looking forward to our camping trip.
What are you talking about? Gwyneth Paltrow never looked that good! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the detailed explanation and the pictures! I didn't know you had those jaw struggles. Just amazing what they can do these days.
I really hope things go okay. Remember, smoothies are your friend (specially with coconut milk in them. Yummy!)
Really, you wouldn't even recognize me if you saw me right now. My face is so swollen and my skin so tight that I can't close my lips or even move them for that matter. Even swallowing is difficult, that is if I can get one of the baby spoons in. No straws either. SO i just dribble down my chin and hope some gets in. Thanks for all your concern everyone. I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteoh. so sad.
ReplyDeleteOUCH!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a speedy recovery.
I'm sure you'll be excited once you're all healed up.