2 weeks!

Holy Crap!

Well, its time for my infamous 2 week update! I can't believe that only 2 weeks ago I was just getting released from the hospital. It hasn't flown, and it hasn't been easy, but I am in awe of the progress I've made. Most people don't even notice anything wrong with my face anymore, well except for the fact that I can't talk. :)

I went back to the doc again today, and unfortunately I still have to leave my bands in almost all the time. That really frustrates me, because he doesn't want to see me before I leave to see Cameron, which means that I'm going to have my bands in basically all the time for our first week together. Lameee! I see him again on the 24th, and I think he'll let me take them out then- or at least thats what he alluded to. Absolutely nothing new to report- he just gave me new cinnamon mouthwash which is epic- i love it. Its supposed to help "deflate" the tissue on the sides of my face inside my mouth, so I think that if i use it like a mad-woman over the next few days my swelling will go down even more! Hooray!

My new task on my mind is how the hell am I going to take a giant liter of salt water, this big thing of mouth wash, and all of my other "mouth care" stuff with me to Mississippi? I was planning on traveling only with carry-ons again, but I just don't know if thats possible with all of my mouth washes. I know I can just make salt water there, but I have no idea how i'm going to finagle my way into getting my new stuff onto a plane. Oh well, its just something else to occupy my mind with, i suppose!! Maybe it will make time go by faster.

I leave MONDAY. Eek! I am so excited. I got a letter from Cameron today, saying that he's officially an Infantryman. I'm so proud of him :) This time next week he will be graduated and by my side! Woo! Its been such a long journey, but its been worth it.

Now I just have to find a way to pack for school and everything in the next 72 hours! And my best friend is back in town so I'm spending all day tomorrow with her... yikes! Its a good thing i'll be busy i guess- i'm going crazy counting down the days!!

Here's some photos I took last night. As promised, a smile one too!! :)

Have a great weekend!!

:)

Day 11

Well, I went back to the doctor's today, no good news to report. He actually added a third rubber band to my mouth, going across my front teeth- it hurts like a bitch. He wants to try to straighten out my bite a little bit more, since my midline is still a little off on the bottom. Ugh! Haha, I was really hoping to get un-banded today. But maybe, just maybe, friday will be the day. I just really don't want to go down to get Cameron and not be able to talk. Although, maybe thats a good thing because I won't be able to shut up once he's home :)

Doc did take out most of my stitches inside my mouth though!!

What a relief that was! I can smile and laugh now without a lot of pain :) its awesome! So, i guess there is good news there.

I went out for milkshakes tonight with some of my friends, its so great to be able to get out and about again- i basically look normal! I got to take off my bands and show off my new teeth to everyone, and i could sing in the car!! I forgot how much I love singing.

Not much new to report... Although, one of my friends, Shawn- his brother had jaw surgery last year, and he looked at me and said "now, I don't know when you had your surgery, but based off of how my brother looked when he had it, I'm going to say you're almost 4 weeks out". That made my night! Haha, he was really surprised when I said that it was only day 11 :)

One thing that I swear by is Arnica root. I don't know if you've heard of it or not, but it is an extract from the daisy flower, and it is used to relieve both bruising and swelling. It comes in (as far as i know) both a topical cream and little tablets that you dissolve under your tongue, and it works wonders! I started taking it the day after surgery, and I am convinced its helped a lot with my recovery. You can buy it at most vitamin stores, as far as i know. If you're about to have surgery, I'd really recommend it. Start taking it maybe a week or so before surgery, and keep using it afterwards :)

Here's some update pictures :) not much new to report, just the swelling is going down slowly and surely. Maybe i'll post a smile picture in a few days. I hope my smile looks more normal soon- one of my best friends is coming home from Utah in a few days and I haven't seen her since school, so I'll be smiling plenty!! She comes home on thursday, and then I'm leaving a week from today (monday) to go to see Cameron's family, so i'm going to try really hard to make my face function normally by then!

I'll write again soon!

Day 8

wow. i suck at this. but honestly, the every other day (or few days) updates really show the progress i've been making :)

Today was honestly the first day i've been in a bad mood from my surgery. I was just in a bad mood in general because Cameron has been gone for so long (thats honestly the real reason i was grumpy), but just the general discomfort i've been in from the surgery put me over the edge. I've calmed down now, but i was pretty pissy for most of the evening. Sorry parents :(

I've made a LOT of progress in my swelling and bruising- I am so excited for it to go all the way down! I know it will be a while before that happens, but a girl can dream, right? I'm expecting the swelling to slow down and start to take longer to go away soon though. Also the stitches in my mouth have been driving me nuts! I really hope this means that they're healing. They're starting to pop out of the skin and they make talking and smiling really extra-uncomfortable. I can't wait until they're gone. Both sides of my mouth have become raw from having my braces dig into them too. My mouth is just a really sad place right now- maybe its a good thing its kept shut most of the day.

I went to Dr L's on thursday, and unfortunately wasn't given the good news i've been wa

iting for. Oh well- maybe that will come next week, since i'm seeing him again monday and friday. However, i did get the stitches in my face out, and they didn't hurt at all. That was nice. Also he told me i could sleep in my own bed!! So, last night i slept on my stomach and loved every minute of it :)

Overall he said everything looks great. I can eat anything i can mash up with a spoon, too! The problem area around the stitches in the right side of my mouth cleared up and looks fine now, but i have developed a yeast infection in my mouth. That sounds so disgusting, doesn't it?! He said it happens sometimes, because of the antibiotics i've been taking. I'm glad he caught it though, because I sure wouldn't have! Basically the only sign that you have it (or the only sign i showed) was my tongue had a lot of white stuff on it. I thought it was normal because i'm not brushing my teeth as well as i used to (because i have to be careful), can't brush my tongue, and my mouth doesn't get a lot of air anymore, but really it's yeast on my tongue. Yuck! He gave me yet another prescription, which consists of 5 tablets a day that dissolve on my tongue, for 2 weeks. I can't wait until its over, because that 2 weeks ends exactly on the day that I get to see cameron Turn Blue :)

Overall its been a good past few days. I've been getting out of the house a lot, going for walks, and seeing my friends- i feel human again!! Now i just need the bands to come off :) Haha

Here's some update pictures for you. They were taken this morning, and i think the swelling has even gone down since the day's gone on. I'm convinced being on your feet helps a lot.

Profile:

Front :)

On a completely un-related note, I just wanted to tell the world that currently my incredible soldier is making his way to the top of Honor Hill to become an official Infantryman. I could't be prouder of him. :)

Au demain,

Fayth

Day 6...oops.

Hello world. I promise i didn't die in the OR. I've just been a space cadet lately.

I got my surgery last Thursday the 29th, at 2 PM. It went great. I went to the hospital with my entourage (hah) about an hour before, met with all of the doctors, nurses, and murses, and went on with the procedure! I don't know if i've specified, but I just got surgery on my lower jaw- a mandibular osteotomy to be exact. Now that i'm thinking about it, i don't know the measurements that they moved my jaw- i'll have to ask next time i see Dr. L. All i know is that they moved it back and straightene

d it out.

They ran my IV (through my hand! nobody told me that- i almost passed out, haha), and walked me into the OR- to which i promptly made a dumb comment about how it felt like I walked onto Grey's Anatomy. I climbed onto the table, and was OUT like a light. I woke up to them removing a tube from my nose- NOT PLEASENT at all. It was so weird to feel my bottom teeth behind my front- I had never felt that before, and honestly wasn't expecting it for some reason. It still weirds me out sometimes, actually!

We wanted to get out of the hospital early the next morning, but I unfortunately kept getting sick all night. I was really hoping I would be one of the lucky ones who goes through the entire process without getting sick, but alas- I forgot I'm not lucky this summer. We ended up leaving the hospital right around 1, so a good 24 hours after I got there- and went straight to Dr. L's. Everyone there is so incredibly nice- they even gave me flowers! Gerber dasies- one of my favorites :)

He literally looked in my mouth for 3 minutes, haha. I was expecting a very thurough check-up, but oh well! He told me that I could take my bands out for up to 5 hours a day, which I wasn't expecting but was so happy to hear!! He gave me all of my perscriptions and rinses and toothpastes and sent us home!

I'll just break down my days so far for y'all, since i've been horrible and not updated.

Day 1 (friday)- felt alright after I stopped getting sick. Swelling was pretty bad, but not awful. No bruising, and no nausea after I got home. Minimal pain as well- just stuck to liquid iubprophin and was alright. I think I stuck to ensures that day for food.

Day 2 (saturday)- blew up like a balooooon (i'll post pictures below) and was in a little more pain. I think I took my liquid vicadin once that day. Graduated to eating applesauce and pudding with a baby spoon, and I started to bruise.

Day 3 (sunday)- swelling started to go back down and I had mashed potatoes for dinner!! Hardly any pain except for achiness when I woke up, and no more nausea. Kept taking the liquid iubprophin though just in case. More bruising started to show though :(

Day 4 (monday)- had an appointment with Dr. L. The stitches on my right side were bleeding a little when he poked around, and are a little more sore than the left, so he was a little worried about the hygeine there (i've upped my saltwater rinses from 4 to 8 a day, i don't want an infection!), but otherwise he said everything looked fine. They took x-rays and I got to see my screws- woah! I was hoping for good news on my bands (it hurts to have my mouth closed for so long!) but no such luck. So, i went shopping with my mom. Not going to lie- i never thought i'd be ballsy enough to go to the mall 4 days after major jaw surgery- but honestly people can stare all they want, it doesn't bother me. I just look awkwardly yellow on my face, and quite puffy :) no big. My bruising reached its peak that day I think- its all down the sides of my neck and chin- really attractive, let me tell ya! Swelling went down a lot though!

Day 5 (tuesday)- swelling went a little more down, but the burising is sticking around. nothing really big happened, although i did eat scrambled eggs! woooo!

Day 6 (today)- swelling is exactly the same- i think i've hit a plateau. I'm a little down about it, not going to lie. Bruising is exactly the same too- nothing's changed really.

I've started to take tylenol pm at night because i just can't sleep in this crazy recliner! ahhh! I can't wait until i can sleep on my stomach with my face buried in my pillow.

Alright, here's a few pictures from the past week. I go back to Dr. L tomorrow for another appointment. Keep your fingers crossed for good news on food or bands!