Because nothing of real interest happened today, I thought I'd offer a few tips if you are reading this and happened to be getting the surgery in the future! My surgeon briefed me on the logistics of surgery, but little else. The only reason I felt reasonably well-equipped to handle this was by reading tips posted on other blogs.
So here's what I have learned from my experience so far:
1. Be prepared.
This is a huge process, don't go into it cold! Essentials for me were:
- Syringes: I'm in fixation for much longer than I expected to be. Because of this, the only way of feeding myself is through the small spaces behind my teeth. The syringe alone doesn't reach so far, so my dad brought home rubber attachments such as these which make it much easier to get food back there. I bought NutriSqueeze bottles as well, but because the nozzles are plastic, they are more difficult to maneuver.
- Blender: Essential for the horrible liquid diet! We happened to have a VitaMix blender in the house which works really well. Some people I've talked to simply pulverized all their meals during recovery, from turkey dinners to fish and burgers. From my first liquidized muffin, I knew this route wasn't for me. Liquid versions of solid foods contain the taste, but the texture leaves much to be desired. So far I've stuck to:
- Liquid foods: Getting all your calories in during the liquid diet is essential! My refrigerator is stocked with Ensure Plus, Naked Juice smoothies, and GoGo Squeezes among other similar products. These usually hold me for breakfast and lunch, and I cycle through a variety of hearty soups for dinner(the soups require blending- little bits of anything get stuck so easily and are very difficult to remove!). The liquid diet slowly becomes one of the toughest parts of surgery. The best way to handle it is reminding yourself that it's not permanent- solid foods are in your future!
- Hygiene products: As I stated in another blog post, I have been using Peridex as a means of cleaning my mouth. In the first few days after surgery, I couldn't move my lips much, so I just blasted my teeth with a NutriSqueeze bottle. Now I have been syringing the stuff into my mouth and swishing it around- it's the only way to try and clean that damn splint. Ask your dentist for baby toothbrushes- my mouth has been too sore to use these much yet, but they'll come in handy soon.
- Entertainment: Is there a movie you've always wanted to see? A book you've wanted to read but never had the time? Then the post-surgery life is for you! The recovery period is just satiated with large amounts of absolutely nothing. This is your chance to do what you've always told yourself there's no time for! Stock up on the things you like, cause you'll have lots of time to enjoy them. Also, bring an iPod and cell phone to the hospital for the overnight: the music gets you through the night and the phone is useful for typing out messages.
- Meds: The hospital will probably recommend these for you, but I had Tylenol with codeine every four hours for the first few days(which makes you very sleepy!) in conjunction with children's Motrin. There isn't much pain from surgery, you're mostly numb. The first few days are mostly just a barrage of horrible inconveniences. One of which: CONGESTION. My nose bled like crazy the first week, get Afrin, Flonase, or some other type of decongestant. Get lots of tissues as well, you're gonna need a bunch!
- Dental wax: Ask your orthodontist for lots of this before surgery. Prepare to be poked! You aren't going to worry about this at first because there is so much more to occupy your time, but eventually you will realize that your cheeks are getting torn up from all that extra metal!
- Ice: ICE ICE ICE ICE ICE. From the overnight in the hospital to the following few days, CONSTANTLY ICE YOUR FACE. It relieves the pain and tingling, keeps the swelling at a minimum, feels awesome, and is pretty good for your skin too. The first two or three days I almost never didn't have icepacks on my face. Even all through the night. To see what I did for ice the first night in the hospital, refer to this post.
2. Expect the unexpected.
If your surgeon's anything like mine, he gave you very vague estimates of how long fixation will be, when the splint will come out, et cetera. Some things the surgeon just doesn't know until he starts poking around in your skull. For me, the issue was that I happened to have very thin facial bones. Because of this, I am in fixation for an excruciating six weeks, having been previously told it would only be two.
3. Silence sucks.
With the large plastic splint and my jaws totally shut, I am completely unable to talk. I didn't expect this to be such a major issue that persists for so long, but it really takes a toll. The inability to express oneself is one of the most frustrating situations to be in. Constantly have something on hand in which you can write/type out messages so you don't feel so inadequate.
UPDATE: iPhone users-- try the app
"Speak It" for converting text into speech- I talk more about it in
this post.
4. Hospitals aren't perfect.
Naively, I assumed that the hospital would cater to my every need in the night of suffering after surgery. This was not the case. The last time I had surgery, it was in a children's hospital, where someone is attending the patient constantly. For my night in the hospital, I relied on my parents much more than the nurses. I talk about this more
here- but in short, the staff didn't quite know what to do with me. Hopefully this won't happen to you, but a word of caution: be ready to do some stuff on your own, no matter how miserable you are after surgery! Definitely have someone stay with you overnight if possible.
5. Get ready to get emotional.
This is a tough, tough process to go through. Although I can't describe exactly what you'll be feeling, you will probably encounter a whirlwind of emotions. It's extremely important to garner some kind of support system: your friends, family, or people on the internet.
6. Be patient.
This surgery is a huge waiting game. There's a lot of healing to be done, so all you can do is try and occupy your time. Look at this as an opportunity to do what you never had time to before, learn new things, read, relax!
7. BLOG!
Blogging has proved to be a fun and therapeutic activity during this process. Reading others' stories lets you know what to expect from surgery and sharing your own helps you sort out your emotions, pass the time, and proudly create something that may help others. There is a surprisingly large community of people here in the blogosphere who have had the same surgery. Know that you aren't alone in this, you can reach out to people who know exactly what you're going through!
I will probably add to this list in the future - right now I can't think of anything else. But final thoughts: look at this surgery as a chance to improve yourself, you deserve the most out of life! It's a long and arduous process, but with the right perspective, it can become a learning and growing opportunity that you will be glad to have weathered in the end. Good luck! :)
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