[Super Duper Fantastic] ISFP/INFP. 4w5. World Explorer. Super Hero. Rose-colored Glasses.

Being on a liquid diet means I’m trying to make up for the quality of the meals with the quantity of the meals. I am constantly thinking about what I will be drinking next. There isn’t really all that much else going on. I’m just trying to stay warm, healthy, and healing.

Jen sent me these recovery friends. They’re super cute, but I seriously wish they’d start talking to me. I feel like I’ve got cabin fever, even though I’m technically not cooped up inside all day long. I’m out and about, but I’m only exposed to my family, RV, and a few random strangers who I’m not even able to communicate with.

It’s a Thursday night. Normally, I’d be out with friends. I miss them. :(

It’s been a week since surgery. I met with the surgeon today for my follow-up, and things are looking good. I’m healing as I should be. He extended the antibiotics though because I managed to have some blood coming from one of the incisions. He cleaned it out today, and it’s still closed up, so that’s a good sign. Anyway, more antibiotics and rinsing. I have a follow-up appointment next week. I’m hoping he releases me from these bands sooner than later. I’m excited to have even a bite of soft food!

In the last few days, I’ve realized that there are certain items that I must have within reaching distance while recovering from jaw surgery. I’ve titled this post as #1 in case I find other essentials along the way.

Q-Tips or any other cotton swabs – These were most essential during the first few days of recovery. Rather than stick your finger up your nose, you squirt the saline solution up your nose or onto a cotton swab and then wipe away the blood/snot/boogers. For the first few days, it’s mostly blood. NASTY. Then, the Q-Tips are handy for other times your nose is stuffed up since having the upper jaw worked on means no blowing of the nose for at least the first ten days post-surgery.

Saline nasal spray – I’ve never been a fan of nasal sprays, so it was hard to get me to use this spray. However, it’s the best way to clean out the nose. Plus, I ended up dabbing the saline solution onto the Q-tip rather than squirting directly into the nose.

Syringe for food/medicine – While they continually emphasize that one should try to sip from a cup as soon as possible, the syringe has been essential. Whenever I sipped while my lips were numb, the food would end up on my clothing rather than in my mouth. NOT FUN. For taking medicine, the syringe is the perfect way to get it all in there without wanting to spit it all back out. The medicine doesn’t taste good, so I’ve had to dilute it with warm water.

Kleenex – Get the softest kind you find because you will be wiping your nose, mouth, face all the time! It’s essential unless you want blood, drool, or both running down your swollen face.

Saline mouth rinse + prescription rinse – As disgusting as the prescribed mouth rinse tastes, it makes your mouth feel so much better after having eaten. There’s really no way to brush inside the mouth [only the teeth and gums], so it is actually pretty refreshing. The one I have right now is licorice flavor, not so tasty, but I’ve gotten used to it. The saline rinse is essential after all meals. Despite the difficulty of swishing and spitting everything out, rinsing has actually been relief more than anything else.

I’m thankful for all these during the recovery process. More later!

It is absolutely frustrating not being able to communicate.

I know what words I want to use, but then they come out all mumbled and unrecognizable. I feel myself mouthing the words, but the sounds come out differently. Having a white board around helps, but I’m not patient enough to use it all the time. I can only communicate my frustration with glares, tears, and angry sounds.

My lips are noticeably less swollen than when I first returned home. The face is also not as swollen, but the bruising is getting worse. The pain’s kicking in as well, so I’m starting to take the Vicodin-equivalent in its prescribed dosage [was taking less before] and at regular increments. I want my body to focus on the healing, rather than on the pain.

Going to the acupuncturist tomorrow, so hopefully that’ll help speed things along!

RV and I celebrated New Year’s Eve sitting across from each other at the couch, watching a rerun episode of David Letterman. Nothing too exciting, but after 31.5 hours at the hospital, it was probably the best way to spend the evening. Every hour that you’re in the hospital, they check your vitals, so I didn’t get much sleep. The sodium IV solution also kept me hydrated enough to want to use the restroom almost every hour. It’s tough to recover at the hospital, but having to not worry about what meds to take makes it worth it.

So how’d it all go down?

At 6:30am, RV brought me to the hospital. I was in the pre-op area for quite some time, changed into a gown and hooked up to the IV. At around 8:30 [as scheduled], I was brought into the operating room. Seven hours later, I was in the recovery area, which looked like the pre-op area. I remember coming to and seeing the family and RV. Apparently, I’d been given steroids, so I wasn’t at the top of my swollen goodness. My nostrils were just ridiculously huge because of the tube they had to stick down there. I’m so glad I was not awake for that!

Around 7:00 or 8:00, I was brought up to the room that I’d end up spending the night in. It wasn’t the most comfy of nights, but at least it’s over now. I remember throwing up blood once, and every time I got up to use the restroom, my nose would start bleeding. It wasn’t as bad as some of the other patients the nurse had seen for similar surgeries, so I can be thankful for that. From what the resident says, I’m also less swollen and more healed up than other patients. *phew*

I am also ever so thankful to have RV in my life. Excluding actual surgery time, he was there at the hospital with me the entire time. He slept on the uncomfy fold-out, and he made sure I was attended to. He kept me entertained, even when I was really frustrated that I couldn’t communicate [thank goodness for dry erase boards!]. I was discharged after lunch around 2:00, and the first night home was super uncomfortable. My face would go to and from being severely swollen. Breathing was difficult throughout the night. I was super congested. Still am!

I’m hoping that the next few days will ease up. It’s not like I can go back and undo everything. Eating will be an arduous task until the bands come off. I can’t even feel half of my lips, so eating without a syringe leads to me losing over half the meal in my lap. I’m sticking to the syringe for now. It’s slow, so tough. My appetite’s already back, so that makes it extra tough.

So far, I’m describing myself as: A Wallace and Gromit character with bruises and a dirty face…

Hope everyone’s having a great new year!