Ask Bella: Sleeping after jaw surgery

Q: I have a question for you that I don't recall any mention of in your blog - How exactly did you manage to sleep through the first few weeks of recovery? I'm reading a lot of comments from people about the necessity of sleeping in an almost upright position. I've been on the hunt for some kind of reclining chair, but I would hate to buy something I'll never use again. What did you do to manage? Any suggestions/tips?

A: Thanks for the question! You're right - I don't think I've talked about that at all on this blog.

In the hospital, they'll have the upper part of your bed elevated. At home, you can do the same thing by putting a stack of pillows behind your head/shoulders. No need for a special chair at all, or to sleep in an upright position - just propped up. I think some people get carried away with getting all kinds of accessories for this surgery!

I bought a pillow with arms on it, which is sometimes called a "Bed Rest Pillow." It works really well at keeping your upper body elevated without being completely upright. It looks like this:

Image via www.smarter.com

It was inexpensive - something like $30 - and should be available in department stores. It makes more sense than buying a special chair for just a few weeks. Plus, I'd rather sleep in my own bed than in a chair, wouldn't you?

I slept propped up for a month or so after surgery. I found that I got used to it, and that after I started sleeping without the bed rest pillow, it was strange to get used to the "normal" way again.

Good luck and sweet dreams!

*To ask Bella a question about her jaw surgery, email her at smilingbella at gmail dot com or leave a comment on this post. Go ahead: ask away!!

Don't count your brackets before they've been removed

Remember when I said my braces were supposed to come off on August 8?

Well, scratch that. One of my brackets came loose before my last appointment and a gap opened up big enough that food was getting impacted in it every time I ate. Fun!! Also, there are some other gaps that need to be closed as well. When I asked if my braces will come off at my next appointment, I was told with a laugh, "Oh, no. It will be longer than that."

I may not make corn on the cob season this year. Oh well, I may have to head down to the Farmer's Market, buy a bunch of corn, and freeze it until I'm brace-free. I am determined to have corn on the cob, and I will have corn on the cob, damnit!!

In other (good) news, I went to the Folk Festival again this year and had a pleasant surprise. Last year, I had to leave once Michael Franti took the stage, as the heavy bass in his music vibrated the screws in my jaw and gave me a raging headache. I was less than impressed, as Michael Franti was rocking it. Not fair!

This year, I was weary of the same thing happening, but when k-os played, with just as heavy bass, if not more, I was fine! So, no more worries about loud, rock concerts with generous amounts of rumbly bass - my jaw and I are good to go!

Wooo hooo! Bring it on!

One month?

I went to my orthodontist yesterday and got some good news: the braces will come off on August 8!

I'm a bit paranoid about getting them off, as last time they were removed (July 2008), large spaces opened up within a few months, and I had to get them put back on in October. Even though I was wearing my retainers. Religiously.

So, we'll see what happens. I'm willing to put aside my paranoia in exchange for eating a bushel or two of corn on the cob this summer!

Yay!

Mind the gaps

We're slowly inching toward the day when my braces will come off (again). My orthodontist sent me to a dentist to see if the gaps in between my teeth can be filled, as he is unable to close them this time around.

The dentist said that because my teeth seem to be moving around and that the retainer was unable to hold them in place last time around, that he will probably bond a permanent retainer (light wire) behind my upper teeth to keep them anchored.

He's going to talk to my orthodontist over the next while to come up with a plan. So, we'll see what happens.

I am starting to get tired of the train tracks, not because they get in my way, but because I like smiling with my teeth in pictures, and when I do that now, it looks awful!

Cross your arch wires for me...

Calling all jaw surgery bloggers

I've been updating my links and have realized that many of the people I link to have now gone through the surgery, are moving on with their lives and have stopped blogging.

I would like to keep my blogroll as up-to-date as possible, so if you're reading this and you have a blog about your jaw surgery journey (pre- or post-op) that is not already on my list, please leave your URL in the comments so I can link to you.

Thanks!

Ask Bella: Numbness and nerve damage

Q: During my meeting with the surgeon last week, he warned me about the small possibility of damaging the nerves. I kind of knew the risks that exist with these types of surgeries, but as I sat there listening to him, I really had this overwhelming fear that I will lose feeling on some parts of my face. So then I started really to research more about it. Given that, I wanted to ask you the following questions:

1. Did you have huge concerns over nerve damage?
   
   A: I was concerned, but I did a lot of research, read people's stories on the Internet and talked to people who had the procedure done. I also looked into alternative health practices that would help with nerve repair, such as acupuncture, supplements, and homeopathic remedies. You can see my list of homeopathic/supplements that I took before and after surgery here. Also, all my posts that deal specifically with numbness can be found here.
   
   
   
2. What did your surgeon tell you about the risks involved and how likely it is that something will go "wrong"?
   
   A: My surgeon told me that there was a risk for permanent numbness in the chin/lower lip and that risk went up with age. So, at 32 years old, I had a 32 per cent chance of having permanent numbness. However, this guy had been doing this surgery for longer than I have been alive, so I had faith in his abilities to minimize damage and risk.
   
   
   
3. Did you hesitate about going through the surgery? If so, why did you decide to go ahead?
   
   A: No hesitation. Once I did all my research and felt comfortable with the surgery, I moved forward and never looked back. I did this surgery because I was having a lot of TMJ pain as a result of my overbite and knew that it would get worse if I didn't do something.
   
   
   
4. Do you regret having gone through the surgery because of nerve issues?
   
   A: No regrets. And no major nerve problems because of the surgery.
   
   
   
5. Has all the feeling gone back to your chin/jaw/lip areas?
   
   A: A year after surgery, I have almost full feeling in my lower lip and chin. It is more than 99 per cent there and improves everyday. I don't notice it unless I touch the area very, very lightly. If I use a regular touch, it feels like the rest of my face, and I can't tell the difference. The majority of the feeling in my chin/lip came back very quickly (within a month of surgery) and then slowed down, but improved on an ongoing basis. I have faith I'll have full feeling return, but even if I don't, I can live with the way it is - it's not weird at all.
   
   
   
6. Would you have done something differently?
   
   A: I would have taken iron supplements post-surgery. It was the only thing I didn't think about doing and I became anemic as a result. Of course, this isn't the case for everyone, but it was for me. I also would not have let my orthodontist take off my braces when he did - it was too soon and gaps opened up between my teeth and I had to have the braces put back on a few months later. Otherwise, no "what ifs". I was very prepared.
   
   
   
7. Knowing what you know now, will you do the surgery all over again?
   
   A: Absolutely. No regrets. I'm happy with the results, and I am looking forward to a pain-free life with a winning smile.

Of course, this is my situation and experience and everyone is different.

Thanks for your questions, and good luck!

*To ask Bella a question about her jaw surgery, email her at smilingbella at gmail dot com or leave a comment on this post. Go ahead: ask away!!

Free at last...kinda

I went to The Big City to see my surgeon for my one-year post-surgery appointment the other week and he said that my bite looks great and I don't have to go back to him anymore!

Yay!!

The only reason I would have to go see him is if the screws in my jaw get infected and have to be taken out, which he says is quite rare.

Double yay!!

Another exciting development is that when I go see my orthodontist today, I will not have to pull out my credit card to make my monthly payment. Because, last month, I made the FINAL one. After three years of monthly payments, I am done, baby!!

Triple yay!!

I did a little dance around the reception desk with my credit card, singing, "This is my final payment, this is my final payment" while the ladies laughed at me. My orthodontist didn't seem phased at all. Maybe he sees this a lot?

The only area where I am not free is in the upper braces department. But hey, after all I've been through, what's a bit longer?

Happy Jawiversary

February 12 marked my 12 month jawiversary, one full year after my face was sawed open and screwed and wired together. Wow. It's hard to believe. It feels both like forever ago and like it was just yesterday.

Things have finally started settling down for me. I still have the braces on my top teeth (put back on in October after three months of being off) and the gaps are closing nicely.

A month or two ago, I started developing some problems with my right joint - crackling and clicking and pain upon opening and chewing. Fortunately, a physiotherapy session helped resolve that. I am confident that once the braces are off again, the joint will settle into place, because I don't recall having problems with that joint when the braces were off last time.

My opening is at about 44 mm and my jaw swings slightly to the right when I open to my full range of motion. Again, some physiotherapy exercises are helping to correct that, and also build some more strength in the jaw. Though I am told that it will take months of these exercises before I will be opening straight. It's a marathon for this kind of thing, not a sprint.

I have my one-year checkup with my surgeon next week, so we'll see what he thinks. I have a feeling he'll be happy with how things are going. One thing I noticed over the past few weeks is that there's a spot on the left side of my jaw that's a bit tender. It seems like the location of where the screws are, so I'll have to ask him about that.

There is still a slight, slight amount of numbness in my chin. I only notice it when I run my finger very lightly across it. When I touch my face normally, it feels fine. I notice minute improvements still, so I know it continues to get better, even though it's at a slower pace than at the very beginning. I am hoping that full feeling will return eventually, though I can live with the amount that I have now without any discomfort, so I'm not too worried about it.

As for the depression I have been dealing with since after my surgery, it seems to be lifting with the proper drugs and treatment. I've had to accept that this will likely be a life-long struggle for me, as it runs in my family, but I am sure that I can fight it and come out on top.

I always come out on top.

I thought you might like to see some pictures of what I look like now:

Medical claims

So, last year was quite the year for medical expenses for me. Fortunately, I do live in Canada, where my surgery and hospital stay were completely covered by our health care system.

But that doesn't mean that there weren't major costs associated with this surgery for me. The surgical splint was $500 and wasn't covered under any of my benefit plans. Also, I had my surgery in another city, which meant lots of travelling back and forth to see my surgeon. And then there was a lengthy recovery, which included extra insurance, medications, physiotherapy, massage therapy (including lymph drainage massage), acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy, orthodontics and dentistry.

I avoided totalling it all up until now. And the damage: more than $4,700.

Wow. That's a lot. And the above is just the amount my benefits didn't cover. If it were the full amount, it would be another few thousand for sure (not to mention the shortfall in my gross pay because of all the work I missed due to related illnesses over the past year.)

Then again, being able to chew like a normal person and replace frequent migraines with a winning smile?

Priceless.

And hey, at least I get a good tax return this year.

Ask Bella: Bite post-surgery

Q: Hi Bella. I'm having the exact same surgery in a month or so and your blog has helped me so much to prepare myself. Thank you so much for sharing your procedure! I've got a couple of questions (if you don't mind answering).

Immediately after surgery, do you have a normal bite? - Do your back molars touch?

My orthodontist will have me slide my lower jaw forward to give me (and him) an idea on how it will look after the surgery. When doing this, of course there is a strain and it's not comfortable. After surgery (and healing), does the moving of the jaw forward feel normal and comfortable/relaxed? - Does it feel like you're jutting your jaw forward all the time?

A: I do believe I had a normal bite after surgery. I was wired shut for two weeks, but from what I can remember, my molars did touch at the back.

As for your other question, it sounds like your orthodontist was trying to give you an idea of the aesthetics of your face post-surgery - the changes to your chin/jaw line and what you look like. That uncomfortable strain you were feeling isn't reflective of what it's going to feel like post-surgery because that's not what's going to be happening to your jaw.

You jutting your jaw forward pre-surgery means moving the lower jaw forward in its joint, which is not what the surgery does. The surgery cuts into the bones on the sides of the jaw and lengthens them, making your jaw bone longer. This way, your joint stays put and you're able to use your jaw the way "normal" people do - without jutting it forward to be able to have that function and aesthetic.

Does that make sense?

After the surgery, your joint and muscles will have to make some accommodations to get used to your new jaw length/position, but it won't be the same feeling as jutting it forward. I don't know how much advancement you're having (mine was 4 mm) but I imagine there is more of a difference in feeling with larger advancements because your muscles have to stretch/change their orientation to connect with a longer jaw. Also, don't forget that you will also have some numbness in your chin, which will affect your feeling of what's "normal."

Good luck!


*To ask Bella a question about her jaw surgery, email her at smilingbella at gmail dot com or leave a comment on this post. Go ahead: ask away!!