The Worst Behind Me ?

So it's two weeks since my corrective jaw surgery and my employers have asked me to drop them a line to let them know how it's going. Since documenting this whole procedure was the motivating reason for starting to Blip nearly two years ago I thought I would sum up here and send them a link/copy. So a longer than usual entry today.

Five years ago I was offered the chance to have a procedure that would correct my jaw from it's state of only meeting at the back of my mouth - my front teeth have never met. On top of that it is was not straight either. The answer is to completely sever the top jaw and lower it to the right. At the same time breaking the bottom jaw in two and lifting up the front a bit and to the left. All in all closing a gap of four millimetres diagonally speaking.

I said "Why not".

I heard nothing for 3 years and had kind of put it out of my mind. Then I got a letter from the state hospital saying the process would begin next week.

Sign up for Blip.

Starting with a brace on my lower teeth I progressed to a double gob job. Getting tighter and stronger with every visit, I ended up with what feels like an iron bar across both sets of teeth.

Then the Op'.

To detach the upper jaw you have to cut through the sinuses and damage the major nerve for the face. This presents some problems post op' such as; I am not allowed to sneeze (effin' hay fever) or even blow my nose. Slightly more inconvenient is the lack of feeling in my cheeks and lower lip(which should return .....eventually). It is just like the strongest local anaesthetic ever....still. Drinking and eating are still a problem (and just a bit messy). Then, to keep my mouth together while it gets better, they have given me a bag of elastic bands that I must hook around the four phillips screws that are screwed into to my upper and lower jaw bones, ......every day, .....for three months. Which is nice.

The worst of the swelling is gone now (just check my last 4 SPs over the last couple of weeks) and the pain is dimming. Tuesday I have the stitches inside my mouth out and a review of things so far. It's going to be another 2 weeks before I can think about work again but I look forward to being fit enough (if not willing enough) to go back.