Friday, June 03, 2005

By the waym, the name of the procedure is Le Fort II Osteotomy.


I suppose now is the best time to write a new entry. I was going to wait until I had recovered from this shit, but I feel compelled to type all I can, seeing as I cannot talk offline. Today is Friday, it is currently about 7:30. I got home from my wednesday surgery about 5-6 hours ago. The surgery I had was called something like Lefours II Osteonomy, I dunno, but regardless, it was jaw surgery. To explain, I have some fucked up teeth. Many have probably noticed my lack of chin? This was because my auxillory jaw (the top one) was so out of wack on angle that it was so far up that only the 12 yr molars in my teeth met. I've only had 4 teeth meeting for most of my life. I have gotten used to so many dentists saying "How the hell do you eat?" Well, wednesday we went in to fix it. I don't remember much, but I remember waking up and puking blood, and going back to sleep. They woke me up periodically to make me cough up blood or to spit something out, or to take deep braeths. It felt to me like 20 minutes, but apprently I was back in the surgery recovery room with my very own 24/7 nurse for 4 hours. why is this neccessary for a jaw surgery? There were complications. My right lung collapsed. I don't really remember why it collapsed, Dr. Hardison was explaining it. I believe it was due to the tube down my nose/throat, due to the blood filling my lungs, and due to not taking breaths when under the knife. I am finally wheeled out with an oxygen mask on, still pretty woosy. I remember seeing my little brother and I started to cry a little. He just looked so happy, and I was drugged up, so I cried a lil. That night wasnt that bad.. the leakage on my was still wet and I was still drugged. They set me in the CCU for the night.. which is a small step down from the ICU. the ICU is Intensive Care Unit, CCU is Critical Care Unit. I was plugged up to all sorts of monitors to watch over me, and I had to stay on an oxygen mask. Plus about every 2-3 hours someone would come in and give me a breating treatment. Note that this entire time, my jaws are wired shut. thats right -- I'm trying to spit liquids through a wired shut jaw. It was difficult. The second day/night was the worse. They tried to get me to drink liquids, but my throat wouldn't swallow.. I just wanted to get home. Everything went about the same, except I drank a little and walked a lot.. that night was horrible though, as my nose clogged up bad. I almost.. hell Im not going to lie, I did cry a little. Its a scary feeling not being able to breath, or walk on your own, or even piss on your own. I had to find my own way of breathing, and it was really frustrating. They finally let me out today at near 2ish. I drank enough and walked enough. So I've spent my day lazily at home just trying to be comfortable with my new environment. I had some pediolite and powerade to drink and my antibiotics went down well.. so I'm proud of myself. I just got done my 6th shower of the night.. they help more than any could know. The steam clears my airways, and the hot water slowly unnumbs my currently numb face muscles. the only thing I can't stand is not being able to control my saliva much. It's frustrating! I feel like a 4 year old.. I can't stop drooling. its a shame :-\ Plus my face is all bloated like a chipmunk.. its pretty discouraging. but.. I have a chin? ;)

It has been a better day today, hopefully tomorrow will be even better, and so on until I get this shit removed and my swelling goes down. Whichever first, I don't care.

Anyone can call me at (615) 556-3737 if you'd like, but do know that I wont be able to talk back. the most I can do is just groan.