Friday, 30 November 2012

Day 3 and Going Home after Orthognathic Surgery

I could not wait to go home the next day and be in the comfort of my own home. I really wanted to relax in a bath and I thought that might help my painful neck and back a lot. When medication time came, the nurses tried to give me the liquid Paracetamol and codeine to do myself through a syringe. I told them what the surgeon had said and refused to take pain relief until I had my Paracetamol drip. 2 hours later I was still waiting for them to get back to me. Any pain relief that was in my system had completely worn off and I was in agony. I remember thinking I wanted to die. The pain was unbelievable and I laughed at myself for thanking god when I woke up. The only thing that kept me going that night was the thought of Sophie and the pain and strength she had shown recently. Since my operation, Sophie’s mum and my mum had been messaging each other updates and telling me and Sophie what the updates were. I remember waddling to the toilet thinking in my head…. Keep it together, Sophie has been through more than this and she would not be thinking of giving up or moaning. She would be fighting and strong right now, so you do the same. As I was unable to do very much after my operation, including think, I would text her every day just to say “I love you” and I would do the same for my mum, my brother and my boyfriend. It was a really emotional time and I was just thankful I had these amazing people in my life. Despite it all, I was still here and so was Sophie so that had to mean something.


As the hours ticked by, at snail’s pace, I had to refrain from messaging my mum. I wanted her to sleep a little, but at the same time I wanted her back as soon as she could. She was up early and left the house to come back to the hospital. Because it was a Saturday, the transport links were poor and my boyfriend was too busy having a lie in to drive mum down to the hospital. She had to get two buses and a train to the hospital and it took her 2 hours to get back to me. I was so pleased to see her and could not wait to get home. Once the surgeon had given me the all clear to go home, I waited for my medication to be brought up from the pharmacy, the nurse had to take my lines out and then they had to write me out discharge form. I decided I was in too much pain and was too drained to get dressed. So instead I put on my jogging bottoms, my nightie I was already wearing and a thick cardigan.

Although it was hot outside, I felt cold and the suns heat through the glass felt lovely on my face. My eyes were almost closed with the pain and I did not like the feeling of the breeze on my face. It felt horrible. My face was numb but my bones and muscles were in pain. I remember my boyfriend asking if he could open the window of the car and I said please do not… so mum and him had to sweat… ekk.

On the journey home, I sat in the front and tucked the seat belt under my arm so it did not touch my face, the seat was upright and mum had given me tissues and a sick bowl. This was in case I was sick or needed to spit out blood or excess saliva. My boyfriend had to drive slowly because any little bump in the road would really hurt my face and if he broke too harshly it would put a lot of strain on my very painful neck and shoulders. We stopped off at the shops on the way home to pick up some frozen bags of peas for my face and some children’s Nurofen. The hospital sent me home with a bag full of medication to keep me going until the doctors opened on Monday. The only problem with that, was it was bank holiday and the doctors were not going to be open Monday L. They gave me liquid codeine, dissolvable Paracetamol, my liquid antibiotics and a minty antibacterial mouthwash. The mouthwash was actually like heaven after all the disgusting stuff I had to have in my mouth.

Day 3 in hospital

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

Day 3 at home after ice packs (as you can see they helped to reduce the swelling a lot)

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

orthognathic surgery blog 2013 recovery jaw surgery double jaw surgery corrective jaw surgery jaw pain swelling underbite to overbite braces risks complications with jaw surgery

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Steffie

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