Day 53: Filling in the Blanks #1

Considering that things are starting to plateau now in my recovery, there are continually larger gaps between appointments and therefore between blog updates. Although, I know there is so much more to tell you all! This is why I have decide to start a slightly different sort of entry, not an update but a "fill in". These posts will be to inform you of rather important things that I somehow forgot to mention, so feel free to suggest any topic you're curious about! As the first fill in, this is about something so basic that I simply looked it over: what did they DO during my surgery?

As I've said before, I was initially scheduled for a double jaw surgery, but then was subjected to only single upper. How the surgeon and his team actually got to my jaw is through the gum line. They made incisions from virtually one side to the other, and then they proceeded to cut the bone. It's a little hard for a visual learner like myself to explain this next step, so I've included a diagram at the bottom for the other visual people out there (and just incase I don't describe it clearly). What the surgeons did after cutting the bone is move the jaw upward. After that, the lower jaw then sort of slid up in to place as well. To keep the upper jaw connected the surgical team used plates and screws to hold it all together cozily, like little metal blankets for bones. The hardware is titanium because it is a mental that isn't commonly allergenic, and all together I had three plates and 16 screws put in. Following that they took the steps to close my gum line by using stitches, then banded my mouth shut as seen in earlier posts. Tah dah! You now know the quick and easy version of what happens during upper jaw surgery (in my case).

If you're hungry for more information, there are actually videos of live operations on YouTube, just search 'orthognathic surgery' and there should be a fair amount of results. Keep in mind, these videos aren't for the squeamish. I've seen a few, and even though I like some slasher films, the surgeries are way too gruesome for my tastes. So, if you need a visual and want to skip the gore don't forget about the aforementioned diagram below the day 53 photo.

Day -1: The Last Supper

Well, it's finally (almost) here. Tomorrow is my surgery date and I get to wake up bright and early to go get my jaw cracked, 5:30 to be exact. I won't go into the operating room until approximately 7:30, and the early arrival is to leave plenty of time to get the anesthesia and other prep work done. Luckily we are within walking distance of the hospital and I'll get a chance to move around a bit before lying down for what will seem like forever.

My surgeon was happy to report that my model surgery, which is done with the molds made from the impressions mentioned in "As long as I don't come out looking like Penelope..."  , went very well. He also realized through the model that double jaw surgery really is the only way to go for me to come out with the best results. Surgery is set to take about four hours and end around 12 o'clock, however, it could realistically take six hours. After that I will be in the hospital overnight, and possibly for a second day, depending on how well the operation goes. I realize that in earlier posts I said I would post daily after surgery, but I have no idea how I will feel tomorrow or the day after, so don't go crazy and get all up in my grill or assume that I died if I don't start blogging as soon as I'm out of the O.R. I promise I will catch all of you up once I am fit to type.

Aside from all of the official business of tomorrow morning, I'm set to go! Even though surgery is looming, I still don't feel all that worried and the biggest qualm I have at the moment is that I might wake up starving. I can't eat or drink anything after midnight, so I've been feasting for the past few days; I'm pretty sure I ate close to a whole cake over the weekend. Don't judge. As for my "last supper", I was in bacon cheeseburger heaven.