Firstly, apologies to those of you who have been sat watching this blog frantically pressing "refresh". I know it has been a while but other things have been taking priority recently.
11 weeks have passed since my operation and if I'm being honest, things haven't exactly gone as I'd anticipated. Yes I knew it would be a slow process and I knew that it would be uncomfortable for a while. I knew I would be struggling to eat certain things for a while and I knew that psychologically, this was going to be a fairly tough journey. I didn't anticipate such a prolonged infection though which has really hampered progress both mentally and physically. In total I have been on seven courses of antibiotics (some of them simultaneously) and none of them have worked.
Since I first raised my concerns about the apparent hole in the back of my gum, I have seen a number of different consultants including my surgeon who have all alluded to the same problem but not actually been able to resolve it. About 2-3 weeks ago, I pulled out a piece of bone about 8mm square which had obviously been left in my gum as part of the operation. This had started working it's way to and through the surface of my gum until I was able to pull it out. (Felt like a kid pulling out a wobbly tooth!) When I took the piece of bone to the dental hospital, they were quite dismissive of it and just threw it away. I was hoping to keep it as a souvenir. I thought that this may have been the cause of the infection but, alas, here I am, still with infection.
At one point they were intending on replacing the titanium plate on the left side which they thought was the most obvious source of the infection. However, they have decided to wait until the 3 month milestone for the jaw bone to heal fully and as such, I am now on a waiting list for a second operation to remove the plate and screws on that side completely. I'm told that this is likely to be sometime after Christmas which is a bit shite if you ask me. Oh and any hope I harboured of the braces being removed before Christmas has evaporated as well as I still have an open bite at the back which requires continued use of the tight elastic bands to pull the teeth together.
In terms of how all this looks... internally you can see that the gum has receded from my lower back left molar and has exposed the root of the tooth and some of the jawbone. As part of the second operation, they will chisel off the exposed (now dead) jaw bone and reseal the gum as far up as possible. Externally there is obvious swelling on my left hand side which I'm assuming will remain until such time that the plate is removed. I just hope that all this is resolved sooner rather than later as it is quite uncomfortable and the asymmetry of my face is just...well... frustrating. I can also still feel the swelling on either side of my nose and along the right side of my jaw although it is hardly noticeable now and I assume that this will gradually disappear over the coming months. My chin and lower lip are still numb although the feeling is returning to the left side and I am just living in hope that this improvement will work its way round to the right hand side over time.
That's about it really. Not much progress but at least I'm on the waiting list. After all the antibiotics I am now able to enjoy a beer or (and) a glass of wine and I have now contained the dribbling to pre-operation levels. ;-) I am eating pretty much anything now, except steak and other thickly cut meats although chewing is still a chore and doesn't feel natural. My speech has improved but with the bands in place, it is quite tiring to talk for any length of time. I can't say that I'm glad I had this done at the moment... apart from the discomfort, I still think that I look more like a chipmunk than a Chippendale! Time will tell I suppose. Regardless, I am one of the luckiest blokes alive and I'm not as manic a depressive as this post might suggest. I just wanted to be honest for the benefit of anybody reading this who has had or is having the same operation.
Cheers for now...
Thoughts to two little babies who are having to go through more than they should at their age. Love to Reuben (my son) and Izzy (my friend's little girl).
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
8 weeks and counting
This infection is really annoying me. None of the antibiotics have worked and it is now giving me a fair bit of grief. It's not painful but it aches a bit and has just slowed the whole healing process right down. I thought I would be through the worst of it by now, instead, I get a warning from the consultant last Wednesday saying it is likely I'll need a further operation to replace the titanium plates on my left side.
I'm hoping that it's not a major deal but it will require a general anaesthetic and further recovery time. The consultant I spoke to seemed fairly confident it was straightforward which is reassuring but I see the guy who performed my op on Friday and he will make the final call as to what needs to happen.
The orthdontist had the all clear to carry on with her work though and so they changed the wire at the top to a more flexible one. They are trying to bring the top teeth down a bit as I still have a bit of an open bite at the back. With that in mind, I am still heavily banded up which is a bloody nuisance when trying to talk and eat. The open bite thing is nothing that they cannot sort out through the orthodontics though.
I am getting some feeling back in my chin and lower lip. At the moment it is a tingling and intense itching feeling on the left hand side. Nothing on the right hand side yet and so I'm not counting my chickens quite yet that it will all revert to normal.
None of this is a priority at the moment... all thoughts to my little man and his progress.
I'm hoping that it's not a major deal but it will require a general anaesthetic and further recovery time. The consultant I spoke to seemed fairly confident it was straightforward which is reassuring but I see the guy who performed my op on Friday and he will make the final call as to what needs to happen.
The orthdontist had the all clear to carry on with her work though and so they changed the wire at the top to a more flexible one. They are trying to bring the top teeth down a bit as I still have a bit of an open bite at the back. With that in mind, I am still heavily banded up which is a bloody nuisance when trying to talk and eat. The open bite thing is nothing that they cannot sort out through the orthodontics though.
I am getting some feeling back in my chin and lower lip. At the moment it is a tingling and intense itching feeling on the left hand side. Nothing on the right hand side yet and so I'm not counting my chickens quite yet that it will all revert to normal.
None of this is a priority at the moment... all thoughts to my little man and his progress.
Monday, September 19, 2011
7 weeks on
Another week on and still struggling with infection on the left side. It has been pretty uncomfortable and the lack of any visual progress has been a bit demoralising. I finished my course of antibiotics just over a week ago and over the past weekend I felt as though it was starting to flare up again... so I took a look as to what might be causing the infection. (By the way, holding a torch, a dental mirror and a pick whilst trying to get a view of the back of your mouth is not easy!). I was a little bit freaked out when I saw what appeared to be a hole at the back of my gum on the outer 7th molar on my bottom jaw. On even closer inspection, I could see the root of the molar and I'm fairly sure I could even see a small part of the jaw bone.
So today I managed to get an appointment at the dental hospital so that they could check it out. One of the MaxFacs (maxillofacial) team was there along with my regular consultant orthodontist and they had a good root around but I'm not convinced they rooted round enough to see what I was seeing. They were concerned about the infection enough to send me for some immediate post op xrays which looked amazing! Aside from the teeth and jaws being all in the right places, I was impressed with the number of plates and screws holding my face together! From the xrays, they seemed confident that the infection was not due to an infected plate (which would have meant another op to remove it!) but I'm not sure any root cause (excuse the pun) was established, they just said the lack of gum and soft tissue in that area was due to the infection. So, they have given me another 5 day course of antibiotics, an official post op review appointment for 2 days time and a further ortho appointment to change the wires on the brace. Gotta be grateful that they are doing all they can I suppose.
So having sorted the appointments I put my hand in my jacket pocket to get the car park ticket and guess what.... no car park ticket. Shite. That feeling when you know you are going to have to pay for a full days parking to get your car back, is not a nice feeling. A better feeling is when you find out that somebody has handed your ticket in to the receptionist. Maybe things are starting to look up a bit after all.
So today I managed to get an appointment at the dental hospital so that they could check it out. One of the MaxFacs (maxillofacial) team was there along with my regular consultant orthodontist and they had a good root around but I'm not convinced they rooted round enough to see what I was seeing. They were concerned about the infection enough to send me for some immediate post op xrays which looked amazing! Aside from the teeth and jaws being all in the right places, I was impressed with the number of plates and screws holding my face together! From the xrays, they seemed confident that the infection was not due to an infected plate (which would have meant another op to remove it!) but I'm not sure any root cause (excuse the pun) was established, they just said the lack of gum and soft tissue in that area was due to the infection. So, they have given me another 5 day course of antibiotics, an official post op review appointment for 2 days time and a further ortho appointment to change the wires on the brace. Gotta be grateful that they are doing all they can I suppose.
So having sorted the appointments I put my hand in my jacket pocket to get the car park ticket and guess what.... no car park ticket. Shite. That feeling when you know you are going to have to pay for a full days parking to get your car back, is not a nice feeling. A better feeling is when you find out that somebody has handed your ticket in to the receptionist. Maybe things are starting to look up a bit after all.
Monday, September 12, 2011
6wks
So here I am, 6 weeks down the road of recovery. I was just having my anaesthetic this time 6 weeks ago, time seems to have passed quite quickly. I'm starting to feel a bit more human now and the gimp mask like pressure around my face is starting to fade a little. I have spent the past week on a course of strong antibiotics in a bid to shake off an infection on my left side. It is certainly better than i was but remains significantly more swollen than the right side. This swelling thing is hard to take, I have to say that it is the hardest part of the whole process, purely because progress is ridiculously slow. There are days when I wake up and it is twice as bad as the day before and it feels as though it is never going to end.
I am still numb in my bottom lip and chin... however... over the past couple of days I have had itching and burning sensations in my chin and now, when I press the left side of my chin, I get a deep tingling feeling. I think that's a good sign!
Had a visit to the dental hospital on Friday and everything is looking positive. I had removed the front elastic bands myself last week (they were in place to correct the mid-line of my front teeth) as they seemed to have done the job. I think the orthodontist was glad that I had done that or it may have moved too far. Anyway, I still have elastics in on the sides and my bite is now perfectly central. I just hope it stays like that! They will change the wires next time in a bid to do some more of the tweaking to get my molar teeth to rest together exactly how they should. In fact, my back teeth are already starting to meet well - it is the strangest feeling but I'm really pleased. The best bit of news they gave was that all the braces, bands and other contraptions might be off (emphasis on the word "might") by Christmas. That is sooner than I expected and would be the best present ever... well with the exception of an Aston Martin DB9, a crate of stella and a kebab. Man... I ooze class.
I am still numb in my bottom lip and chin... however... over the past couple of days I have had itching and burning sensations in my chin and now, when I press the left side of my chin, I get a deep tingling feeling. I think that's a good sign!
Had a visit to the dental hospital on Friday and everything is looking positive. I had removed the front elastic bands myself last week (they were in place to correct the mid-line of my front teeth) as they seemed to have done the job. I think the orthodontist was glad that I had done that or it may have moved too far. Anyway, I still have elastics in on the sides and my bite is now perfectly central. I just hope it stays like that! They will change the wires next time in a bid to do some more of the tweaking to get my molar teeth to rest together exactly how they should. In fact, my back teeth are already starting to meet well - it is the strangest feeling but I'm really pleased. The best bit of news they gave was that all the braces, bands and other contraptions might be off (emphasis on the word "might") by Christmas. That is sooner than I expected and would be the best present ever... well with the exception of an Aston Martin DB9, a crate of stella and a kebab. Man... I ooze class.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
5w 1d
I was loitering around a couple of jaw surgery forums a couple of days ago ("loitering" around websites sounds a bit wrong really but that's pretty much what I was doing) when I read a really sad story about some 18 year old guy who had gone for the same surgery as I had in June of this year. He had started a blog (what is it with people wanting to share surgical stories with the world?) and had posted some videos on YouTube prior to his surgery. Unfortunately this guy passed away as a result of complications that developed during his operation. God only knows what his family must be going through. RIP fella.
Serves as a bit of a reality check when I'm still concerned about a bit of swelling and soreness. Infection has well and truly taken hold of the left side of my face and has caused quite a hard swelling along my jaw line. The surrounding area is softer but is also swollen. I also have this very strange sensation in that I can hear the fluid in the swelling really loudly in my left ear, but nobody else can hear it! Visited the docs yesterday and now on a week long course of antibiotics. Bloody typical. England v Wales tonight and no Stella. I can live without a kebab, but football with no beer? That's like one of my blog posts without the moaning!
The mid-line between my front upper and lower teeth seems to have improved and is now pretty much lined up. I'm hoping that when I go back to the dental hospital on Friday, they say I no longer have to wear the elastic band which runs diagonally across the front of my teeth. I think the other bands will probably have to stay for a while longer though.
I have spent most of this morning playing "shops" with my little girl. Spending time with the family is one of the positive things that has kept me going through the recovery period. You can't get too down in the dumps when you are spending hours buying miniature jars of Branston pickle at £250.00 a time from a really bossy shop assistant.
Just a word of thanks to those of you who have been so supportive, it is greatly appreciated and your many words of encouragement has been a real help.
Serves as a bit of a reality check when I'm still concerned about a bit of swelling and soreness. Infection has well and truly taken hold of the left side of my face and has caused quite a hard swelling along my jaw line. The surrounding area is softer but is also swollen. I also have this very strange sensation in that I can hear the fluid in the swelling really loudly in my left ear, but nobody else can hear it! Visited the docs yesterday and now on a week long course of antibiotics. Bloody typical. England v Wales tonight and no Stella. I can live without a kebab, but football with no beer? That's like one of my blog posts without the moaning!
The mid-line between my front upper and lower teeth seems to have improved and is now pretty much lined up. I'm hoping that when I go back to the dental hospital on Friday, they say I no longer have to wear the elastic band which runs diagonally across the front of my teeth. I think the other bands will probably have to stay for a while longer though.
I have spent most of this morning playing "shops" with my little girl. Spending time with the family is one of the positive things that has kept me going through the recovery period. You can't get too down in the dumps when you are spending hours buying miniature jars of Branston pickle at £250.00 a time from a really bossy shop assistant.
Just a word of thanks to those of you who have been so supportive, it is greatly appreciated and your many words of encouragement has been a real help.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Day 31
Been a month since my operation and a bit of a milestone really. It's hard to explain how I feel about the op and more importantly the results. On one hand I am fed right up of not knowing what the final results will look like (impatient I know!) and not being able to eat properly. On the other hand I'm glad that the worst is over with and that in theory it is improvement all the way from here.
Cheeks are slightly (and I mean slightly) less swollen now although I am still finding that I morph into the churchill dog whenever I spend too long in front of the mirror. "Ohhhh yes yes yes". The numbness is still there too, can't feel anything in my bottom lip or chin. Still banded up as well, so talking and eating are still, well, an experience. (For some reason, it seems lately that everybody is so keen to tell me what they've had to eat or what they are planning to eat. Just for the record in case anybody wishes to make gastronomical conversation with me....DON'T!! Unless it involves an offer to take me out for a meal once it has healed fully, then of course feel free).
I do feel a lot better in myself lately. I am trying to get a bit more fresh air and also need to step up at the gym a bit I think. Sorry for such a boring update, things are moving very slowly at the moment so there is not much change to report!
Cheeks are slightly (and I mean slightly) less swollen now although I am still finding that I morph into the churchill dog whenever I spend too long in front of the mirror. "Ohhhh yes yes yes". The numbness is still there too, can't feel anything in my bottom lip or chin. Still banded up as well, so talking and eating are still, well, an experience. (For some reason, it seems lately that everybody is so keen to tell me what they've had to eat or what they are planning to eat. Just for the record in case anybody wishes to make gastronomical conversation with me....DON'T!! Unless it involves an offer to take me out for a meal once it has healed fully, then of course feel free).
I do feel a lot better in myself lately. I am trying to get a bit more fresh air and also need to step up at the gym a bit I think. Sorry for such a boring update, things are moving very slowly at the moment so there is not much change to report!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Day 26
3 weeks and 5 days post op. I am so bored. Having been patient enough to sit through X Factor, I am now being forced to watch A Night with Will Young. Fabulous Darling. Waiting for Match of the Day.
Back to the whole flawed jaws thing.. today has been horrendous. I visited the dental hospital yesterday and they said I needed to persist with the elastic bands as the centre line of my front teeth still requires a bit of tweaking for it to be perfect. It's probably only about 1mm out but I suppose that having gone through everything I've gone through, we may as well get this thing done properly. I also asked the orthodontist to take out the dissolvable stitches out as they hadn't dissolved and they felt quite uncomfortable. I have to say that it was bloody painful. I had read up on this beforehand and most people say they just felt a slight pulling. I was prepared for that. What I was less prepared for was feeling as though they were slicing open my gums and my upper labial frenum (that little piece of stringy tissue that connects your lip to your gum - I Googled that by the way) with a blunt stanley knife. It was so sore. Nevertheless, I was a good little soldier and didn't utter one swear word whilst they went about their snipping and pulling. I think that's why today is horrendous, it just feels really aggravated. They left a small bit of suture (stitch) in that really sore part of the inside of my upper lip. I saw it today and proceeded to pull it out myself without causing any real discomfort.
I also found out that the left side (lower) was actually infected which is why it is more swollen than my right side. I thought it was as it feels a lot more swollen and I sometimes get that metallic taste. So for the last few days I have been gargling with hot salt water. They haven't prescribed any antibiotics. I also went to see my Doctor on Thursday. He suggested I go back to the gym now starting with low intensity cardio work. It was music to my ears as I have really missed the whole gym thing. So, I went back on Friday morning and did some fairly slow pace treadmill and bike work. Loved it. The doc also signed me off of work until the end of September.
The fact that the swelling keeps going up and down is frustrating. Just when you think you are making progress, BANG, Errol the Hamster makes an appearance in the bathroom mirror whilst I'm shaving. It's not just the look of it, I feel as though I have a gimp mask on (complete with snooker ball gag) Just for the record, I have never worn a gimp mask nor do I wish to ever wear one.
Time for bed I think, I am shattered. Good night all.
Back to the whole flawed jaws thing.. today has been horrendous. I visited the dental hospital yesterday and they said I needed to persist with the elastic bands as the centre line of my front teeth still requires a bit of tweaking for it to be perfect. It's probably only about 1mm out but I suppose that having gone through everything I've gone through, we may as well get this thing done properly. I also asked the orthodontist to take out the dissolvable stitches out as they hadn't dissolved and they felt quite uncomfortable. I have to say that it was bloody painful. I had read up on this beforehand and most people say they just felt a slight pulling. I was prepared for that. What I was less prepared for was feeling as though they were slicing open my gums and my upper labial frenum (that little piece of stringy tissue that connects your lip to your gum - I Googled that by the way) with a blunt stanley knife. It was so sore. Nevertheless, I was a good little soldier and didn't utter one swear word whilst they went about their snipping and pulling. I think that's why today is horrendous, it just feels really aggravated. They left a small bit of suture (stitch) in that really sore part of the inside of my upper lip. I saw it today and proceeded to pull it out myself without causing any real discomfort.
I also found out that the left side (lower) was actually infected which is why it is more swollen than my right side. I thought it was as it feels a lot more swollen and I sometimes get that metallic taste. So for the last few days I have been gargling with hot salt water. They haven't prescribed any antibiotics. I also went to see my Doctor on Thursday. He suggested I go back to the gym now starting with low intensity cardio work. It was music to my ears as I have really missed the whole gym thing. So, I went back on Friday morning and did some fairly slow pace treadmill and bike work. Loved it. The doc also signed me off of work until the end of September.
The fact that the swelling keeps going up and down is frustrating. Just when you think you are making progress, BANG, Errol the Hamster makes an appearance in the bathroom mirror whilst I'm shaving. It's not just the look of it, I feel as though I have a gimp mask on (complete with snooker ball gag) Just for the record, I have never worn a gimp mask nor do I wish to ever wear one.
Time for bed I think, I am shattered. Good night all.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Day 22
So just over 3 weeks post op and I'm starting to have more 'up' days than 'down'. Credit to the England Test Cricket side who have helped enormously! It's still odd looking at my new face in the mirror. I find myself scrutinising every last detail and wondering whether that's how the final result will look or whether the swelling is still affecting it. I'm pretty sure that I'm nowhere near the final result though, the swelling is still quite bad although it is improving. My left side is definitely more swollen than my right and I'm not sure why but I'm told that this is fairly normal.
I'm starting to be a bit more adventurous with my food now. I'm still not allowed to chew and my mouth is still invaded by tight elastic bands which prevent me opening my mouth too wide. You can't keep a greedy man down though and so I recently tucked into a Singapore Fried rice (drowned in 3 pots of curry sauce to make it easier to swallow). There were strips of meat in there as well which I just cut up a little and then swallowed straight down. Don't forget that I couldn't really chew properly before the op (hence the surgery) so to me, swallowing food without chewing it properly is standard practice. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed it even if it did take me a whole episode of "The Borgias" to get through it!! I'm still eating in front of a mirror too because the numbness in my lower lip and chin means that I don't know when I'm getting food all down my face!
The numbness either side of my nose has reduced significantly but lower lip and chin are still completely dead. Not too worried at the moment as it is very early days in that regard but it makes it difficult to drink and kissing the wife and kids is a strange sensation. (Always been that way with the Mrs though ha ha - just kidding honey!). I am still getting strange tightening, spasms and pins and needles in my face though which I presume is the nerve endings regenerating.
My speech has improved a bit but it is still very tiring to talk, probably because the muscles need exercising although I can't do that until the bands come out and allow me to open my mouth properly. Laughing is still painful and sneezing is even worse!! I find that excessive talking aggravates the swelling anyway so it's best I continue to keep quiet.... off fishing on my own it is then.
The elastic bands appear to be doing their job and the mid-line (the line between the centre top two and bottom two is almost perfectly aligned). Hoping I can get these elastics off soon though, they are not nice.
Back in to see the orthodontist this Friday - I'll try and do another update then.
I'm starting to be a bit more adventurous with my food now. I'm still not allowed to chew and my mouth is still invaded by tight elastic bands which prevent me opening my mouth too wide. You can't keep a greedy man down though and so I recently tucked into a Singapore Fried rice (drowned in 3 pots of curry sauce to make it easier to swallow). There were strips of meat in there as well which I just cut up a little and then swallowed straight down. Don't forget that I couldn't really chew properly before the op (hence the surgery) so to me, swallowing food without chewing it properly is standard practice. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed it even if it did take me a whole episode of "The Borgias" to get through it!! I'm still eating in front of a mirror too because the numbness in my lower lip and chin means that I don't know when I'm getting food all down my face!
The numbness either side of my nose has reduced significantly but lower lip and chin are still completely dead. Not too worried at the moment as it is very early days in that regard but it makes it difficult to drink and kissing the wife and kids is a strange sensation. (Always been that way with the Mrs though ha ha - just kidding honey!). I am still getting strange tightening, spasms and pins and needles in my face though which I presume is the nerve endings regenerating.
My speech has improved a bit but it is still very tiring to talk, probably because the muscles need exercising although I can't do that until the bands come out and allow me to open my mouth properly. Laughing is still painful and sneezing is even worse!! I find that excessive talking aggravates the swelling anyway so it's best I continue to keep quiet.... off fishing on my own it is then.
The elastic bands appear to be doing their job and the mid-line (the line between the centre top two and bottom two is almost perfectly aligned). Hoping I can get these elastics off soon though, they are not nice.
Back in to see the orthodontist this Friday - I'll try and do another update then.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Day 18
Hi this is Jodie, Wayne's better half. I thought I'd post an entry on his blog as he's left himself logged in. Besides, his blog is starting to become pretty boring so I thought I'd give you my view on how things are going.
Let me just get this off my chest to start with. I have not stopped running around after him. His constant groaning and demanding, not to mention that bloody door bell he keeps ringing. He calls on me for everything, tissues, soup, drinks, straws, tablets. I think he forgets that I am also single handedly looking after a 2 year old and a 4 month old. I know he's in recovery but I am absolutely shattered! I don't begrudge it really, that's what love is about. Plus I am keeping track of every last thing I'm doing for him - he is gonna owe me big time. I mean fancy restaurants, flowers, doing all the housework - you name it.
Anyway I should really give you a bit of an update as to how he is progressing. His swelling has gone down quite a bit but he still looks like Popeye with an abscess. It is starting to take shape now though and you can sort of see how the final results may look (Wayne insists he can't see hardly any progress at all though). I don't think he is in much pain although I do think that things must still be pretty uncomfortable as he often gets intense pins and needles in his face. He still complains about the elastic bands that he has to wear. They do look tight but they do a good job in keeping his mouth shut. It's the only thing that keeps his whinging to a manageable level. He still can't eat or chew and I think that he is missing his favourite foods. In fairness though, over the last couple of days he has been a bit more upbeat and positive and I hope that continues - for both our sakes. Still can't bring myself to kiss that big fat face of his though, it doesn't matter, even if I did he wouldn't be able to feel it.
Confession time... I suspect that most of the people reading this who know Wayne have realised that that everything written above was actually written by me... Wayne. I just thought I'd try and write the blog from Jodie's perspective albeit a bit tongue in cheek. I don't think she is resentful (as I might have made out above), Jodie isn't that sort of person. She has been so supportive and exactly what I've needed. Thanks Mojo, I love you. I'm signing off now, it's taking me long enough to drink this bottle of wine through a straw as it is, without trying to type at the same time.
Let me just get this off my chest to start with. I have not stopped running around after him. His constant groaning and demanding, not to mention that bloody door bell he keeps ringing. He calls on me for everything, tissues, soup, drinks, straws, tablets. I think he forgets that I am also single handedly looking after a 2 year old and a 4 month old. I know he's in recovery but I am absolutely shattered! I don't begrudge it really, that's what love is about. Plus I am keeping track of every last thing I'm doing for him - he is gonna owe me big time. I mean fancy restaurants, flowers, doing all the housework - you name it.
Anyway I should really give you a bit of an update as to how he is progressing. His swelling has gone down quite a bit but he still looks like Popeye with an abscess. It is starting to take shape now though and you can sort of see how the final results may look (Wayne insists he can't see hardly any progress at all though). I don't think he is in much pain although I do think that things must still be pretty uncomfortable as he often gets intense pins and needles in his face. He still complains about the elastic bands that he has to wear. They do look tight but they do a good job in keeping his mouth shut. It's the only thing that keeps his whinging to a manageable level. He still can't eat or chew and I think that he is missing his favourite foods. In fairness though, over the last couple of days he has been a bit more upbeat and positive and I hope that continues - for both our sakes. Still can't bring myself to kiss that big fat face of his though, it doesn't matter, even if I did he wouldn't be able to feel it.
Confession time... I suspect that most of the people reading this who know Wayne have realised that that everything written above was actually written by me... Wayne. I just thought I'd try and write the blog from Jodie's perspective albeit a bit tongue in cheek. I don't think she is resentful (as I might have made out above), Jodie isn't that sort of person. She has been so supportive and exactly what I've needed. Thanks Mojo, I love you. I'm signing off now, it's taking me long enough to drink this bottle of wine through a straw as it is, without trying to type at the same time.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Day 15
Day 15 and I am feeling right fed up. I shouldn't moan because according to the orthodontist all is going well and according to family and friends, I am looking better each day. I just can't see it. I'm still checking mirrors, reflections etc but can only see a very minor improvement. I can't even blame the painkillers for my moods anymore because I stopped taking them... well besides the fact that they tasted disgusting, they stopped nature taking its course and that was more painful than my face! Sorry, too much info again? I'm still swollen, in fact I think I look like one of those old cartoon characters whose face has been blown up with a bicycle pump.
Here are a few of the things I am still unable to do:
I promise to try and make the next post a bit more positive.
Here are a few of the things I am still unable to do:
- Chew
- Smile
- Say more than a sentence or two without getting face ache
- Go a whole day without falling asleep about 5 times (perhaps that's just my laziness gene).
- Feel my cheeks, chin(s), bottom lip.
- Play football (although I couldn't play before either)
- Brushed my teeth - well sort of. Even though I could only reach about 25% of the surface area of my teeth it still felt like heaven.
- Drank from a cup - well sort of. I dribbled most of it. It's hard when you can't feel your bottom lip!
- Did some work up the allotment - well sort of. I held the carrier bags whilst my brother filled them up with the fruits of our (my) labour.
- Spent some quality time with my wife and kids up the park - well sort of. I went to the park about 3 minutes walk away from my house, sat on a bench pretty much the whole time (20 mins) and then came home and fell asleep.
I promise to try and make the next post a bit more positive.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Day 10
I'd thought I'd post a message tonight... mainly because I feel I have a duty to the millions of you who read this inspirational account of one man's emotional journey to maxillofacial perfection. Ok ok so there's no way to make this shit exciting but I suppose it offers a break from the rioting and economic meltdown news stories.
I am so fed up with all of this now. Before I went through with this, I did loads of reading up on what it would feel like post op, both mentally and physically. I read endless accounts of people measuring their ever reducing swelling, millimetre by millimetre. Everyone jumping into bed with each other on internet chat message boards sharing their stories along the lines of "hey don't worry, it's normal to feel down at about day 10, keep going, you can do it" and "wow you look so like amaaaazing in your post op photos". I thought it was ridiculous. All these people are just after a tiny crumb of comfort or ego-boost from somebody who might live thousands of miles away and may have had a similar sort of operation... why?
So that wasn't going to happen to me. I have the support of a very loving family and this is something I've wanted all my life. I was in the hands of a good surgeon and was fit and healthy. For me the main issue was going to be the lack of food and drink.... except that it's not. I have become that person who is now checking for signs of swelling going down every couple of hours. Examining every minor contour of my face wondering whether that is how it is going to stay or whether it is just swelling. I even signed up to this jaw surgery forum online! (Although I haven't written anything on there....yet). I feel more nervous now than I did 11 days ago, wondering what the final results will look like. Will I have cheeks like Droopy Dog for the rest of my life? Will I have lips like Leslie Ash after a botox overdose? Will I ever get any feeling back in my lower face? I don't know the answer to any of these questions at the moment although those who have visited have promised me that things are improving rapidly. Bless em.
Tonight, I have had the most intense tingling in my face since the op. It's not painful but it is a very uncomfortable sensation, throbbing and pins and needles type thing with an occasional electric shock thrown in. It makes my whole body cringe. My understanding (based on the weirdos experiences on the internet forums) that this is a good sign, in that it signals the nerves regenerating. Whether that is true or not I don't know, but it is a damn sight more comforting than thinking that it may be relapse and that my face is gonna fall off within the next 10 minutes.
Back to the dental hospital tomorrow. I suspect that means one thing. Elastic bands. Lots of them. All pulling in different directions to help the "tweaking". Ah well, its the home straight I suppose. Six months and then it should be braces off and smiles all round. For now, it's back to the soup, mashed potato and trifle all washed down with fizzy cocodamol. Yum. I'll let you all get back to your riot updates.
I am so fed up with all of this now. Before I went through with this, I did loads of reading up on what it would feel like post op, both mentally and physically. I read endless accounts of people measuring their ever reducing swelling, millimetre by millimetre. Everyone jumping into bed with each other on internet chat message boards sharing their stories along the lines of "hey don't worry, it's normal to feel down at about day 10, keep going, you can do it" and "wow you look so like amaaaazing in your post op photos". I thought it was ridiculous. All these people are just after a tiny crumb of comfort or ego-boost from somebody who might live thousands of miles away and may have had a similar sort of operation... why?
So that wasn't going to happen to me. I have the support of a very loving family and this is something I've wanted all my life. I was in the hands of a good surgeon and was fit and healthy. For me the main issue was going to be the lack of food and drink.... except that it's not. I have become that person who is now checking for signs of swelling going down every couple of hours. Examining every minor contour of my face wondering whether that is how it is going to stay or whether it is just swelling. I even signed up to this jaw surgery forum online! (Although I haven't written anything on there....yet). I feel more nervous now than I did 11 days ago, wondering what the final results will look like. Will I have cheeks like Droopy Dog for the rest of my life? Will I have lips like Leslie Ash after a botox overdose? Will I ever get any feeling back in my lower face? I don't know the answer to any of these questions at the moment although those who have visited have promised me that things are improving rapidly. Bless em.
Tonight, I have had the most intense tingling in my face since the op. It's not painful but it is a very uncomfortable sensation, throbbing and pins and needles type thing with an occasional electric shock thrown in. It makes my whole body cringe. My understanding (based on the weirdos experiences on the internet forums) that this is a good sign, in that it signals the nerves regenerating. Whether that is true or not I don't know, but it is a damn sight more comforting than thinking that it may be relapse and that my face is gonna fall off within the next 10 minutes.
Back to the dental hospital tomorrow. I suspect that means one thing. Elastic bands. Lots of them. All pulling in different directions to help the "tweaking". Ah well, its the home straight I suppose. Six months and then it should be braces off and smiles all round. For now, it's back to the soup, mashed potato and trifle all washed down with fizzy cocodamol. Yum. I'll let you all get back to your riot updates.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Day 7
It has now been one week since the surgery and, believe it or not, that time has passed seemingly quickly. In terms of progress I am eating slightly more now (today I've had weetabix, yoghurts and a tuna mayo sandwich) although it's a struggle. Part of the struggle is that I still don't have any real appetite. I know! Me! With no appetite??!?! Perhaps it's the painkillers. The other part of the struggle is the whole ritual I have to engage in every time I do eat. Remove bands, press bell chime to order food (just kidding), take smaller mouthfuls than a weaning baby, try and suck food through middle of mouth to avoid food sticking in bands. That in itself takes ages. Then I embark on the cleaning part. Mix mouthwash with water and carefully syringe into my mouth making sure every remaining crumb is removed. Actually that isn't as easy as it sounds when your mouth is numb! I can't get a toothbrush in there yet. Then I have to put the elastics back on. I am fed right up with it.
The swelling is going down a fair bit although at the moment it would be hard to tell me and the Churchill dog apart. In fairness, although I'm having a bit of a whinge in this post, I don't feel too bad considering it is only a week since the op. I'm fairly optimistic about the results but its hard to be 100% positive when you're not 100% sure about how your face will look once the swelling has gone. I should stop thinking about it really, apparently the residual swelling can take 4-6 months to disappear completely.
I have been making the effort to get up, showered and shaved but the tiredness is still there. I fell asleep watching TV this afternoon and woke up drenched in dribble. I might go out for a short walk in a bit, not because I feel particularly energetic, more because the wife doesn't want me dribbling around the house! I'll keep the blogs to every couple of days or so for a while... unless people are finding this a particularly useful sleeping aid??
I know I can't eat grapes etc but please feel free to make donations to my nominated charity - the SSAC foundation.
SSAC is the Stella, Steak and Chips foundation. All donations will be used to purchase said items to the value of monies received as and when I am able to stuff my face again.
The swelling is going down a fair bit although at the moment it would be hard to tell me and the Churchill dog apart. In fairness, although I'm having a bit of a whinge in this post, I don't feel too bad considering it is only a week since the op. I'm fairly optimistic about the results but its hard to be 100% positive when you're not 100% sure about how your face will look once the swelling has gone. I should stop thinking about it really, apparently the residual swelling can take 4-6 months to disappear completely.
I have been making the effort to get up, showered and shaved but the tiredness is still there. I fell asleep watching TV this afternoon and woke up drenched in dribble. I might go out for a short walk in a bit, not because I feel particularly energetic, more because the wife doesn't want me dribbling around the house! I'll keep the blogs to every couple of days or so for a while... unless people are finding this a particularly useful sleeping aid??
I know I can't eat grapes etc but please feel free to make donations to my nominated charity - the SSAC foundation.
SSAC is the Stella, Steak and Chips foundation. All donations will be used to purchase said items to the value of monies received as and when I am able to stuff my face again.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Day 4
Had a fairly good nights sleep and feel a bit better for it. Swelling has gone down a bit more although strangely it feels much tighter around the front of my face today. Nausea still there but nowhere near as bad as it has been. I dread taking the painkillers. They are soluble but they taste horrible and trying to drink them back quickly through a straw is not easy. I'm still prone to dribbling a lot too. The problem being that I am still completely numb around my mouth and chin so my bottom lip just tends to fall open! It's really quite attractive ha ha.
Had to go back to the dental hospital for a check on the elastics they had fitted previously. They were fine although they thought it would be nice to add an extra one in which runs diagonally from my top right canine to bottom left canine. I have to take this out when I try to eat which is bloody awkward.
Have managed a couple of weetabix today and some milkshake but got on the scales and have already lost 10lb since going in to hospital. Really need to force some more food down me as I am feeling quite weak now.
Overall I'm fairly upbeat about things and how it's all panning out. I do get times during the day where I just feel miserable but I tend to use these times to have a sleep. I think it's just a case of getting through each day for the time being and not expecting too much too soon. Been nice to have some visitors as well, helps break it up a bit. Apologies if I've dribbled on anyone.
Had to go back to the dental hospital for a check on the elastics they had fitted previously. They were fine although they thought it would be nice to add an extra one in which runs diagonally from my top right canine to bottom left canine. I have to take this out when I try to eat which is bloody awkward.
Have managed a couple of weetabix today and some milkshake but got on the scales and have already lost 10lb since going in to hospital. Really need to force some more food down me as I am feeling quite weak now.
Overall I'm fairly upbeat about things and how it's all panning out. I do get times during the day where I just feel miserable but I tend to use these times to have a sleep. I think it's just a case of getting through each day for the time being and not expecting too much too soon. Been nice to have some visitors as well, helps break it up a bit. Apologies if I've dribbled on anyone.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Day 3
The quietness I was anticipating failed to materialise as the poor old guy next to me gargled and choked his way through til sunrise and the horrendous nausea I felt yesterday continued through the night and into this morning. I put it down to the drugs and the practice nurse tended to agree with me. The antibiotic syrup tasted disgusting on the way down but when you then have to cough it back up through a mostly closed mouth, trust me it's not good. Apparently it was that antibiotic and the Tramadol causing the intense nausea, so we agreed to stop it. Settled for a much simpler routine of cocodemol every four hours. I was actually wondering whether they'd let me home given that I hadn't really eaten anything since Sunday. So I forced down another yoghurt in an attempt to convince them that I was "fine".
I was told the swelling was already starting to go down a bit which was reassuring, although I couldn't help wondering what the final result would feel and look like and whether it would have all been worth it.
I had to have a meeting with the dietician before I left although I didn't get much from her that I didn't already know. I knew I had to eat, I knew I had to build up my calorie intake and I knew that I probably wouldn't be tucking into a T-Bone steak for a while yet. "Start off with soft foods" she said..... no shit sherlock!! Anyway I sat there and nodded for a few minutes before she toddled off.
I was picked up at 1pm and got home shortly after. I was nervous about my daughter's reaction. My boy is too young to know though. I was right to be nervous. As I walked up the garden path her face was one of shock, she sort of knew who I was but looked scared stiff as I got closer. I tried to mumble a lively "hello" to reassure her but it didn't really work. I didn't push it as I didn't want to scare her even more so I walked upstairs and just broke down in tears. That was probably the toughest part of this whole ordeal so far.
She did start to come round slowly and it wasn't long before she was reaching for her Doctor's case in a bid to make me feel better. Bless her. It was good to be home and the familiar sound of family life made me feel much more relaxed. Nice to get back in my own bed as well!
I was told the swelling was already starting to go down a bit which was reassuring, although I couldn't help wondering what the final result would feel and look like and whether it would have all been worth it.
I had to have a meeting with the dietician before I left although I didn't get much from her that I didn't already know. I knew I had to eat, I knew I had to build up my calorie intake and I knew that I probably wouldn't be tucking into a T-Bone steak for a while yet. "Start off with soft foods" she said..... no shit sherlock!! Anyway I sat there and nodded for a few minutes before she toddled off.
I was picked up at 1pm and got home shortly after. I was nervous about my daughter's reaction. My boy is too young to know though. I was right to be nervous. As I walked up the garden path her face was one of shock, she sort of knew who I was but looked scared stiff as I got closer. I tried to mumble a lively "hello" to reassure her but it didn't really work. I didn't push it as I didn't want to scare her even more so I walked upstairs and just broke down in tears. That was probably the toughest part of this whole ordeal so far.
She did start to come round slowly and it wasn't long before she was reaching for her Doctor's case in a bid to make me feel better. Bless her. It was good to be home and the familiar sound of family life made me feel much more relaxed. Nice to get back in my own bed as well!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day 2
Not a good day today. Felt awful, not just physically but also mentally. I keep urging myself to be positive as I know that will help my recovery. I just haven't got the energy, all I want to do is close my eyes.
The nausea isn't helping. I'm not sure whether it's down to the heat or the drugs or both but I feel so sick, even the thought of the ice cream that tasted so good yesterday just turns my stomach. They are playing about with the drugs a fair bit today, intravenous, soluble, broken up tablets, suppositories (sorry) and it has taken its toll. On top of this I had to go to the dental hospital where I was fitted with some very 'snug' elastic bands just to help guide everything into its final position. The orthodontist was very nice about it though!
So back onto the ward and Jodie, who had come with me to the dental hospital, stuck around a bit longer for more photographs and a chat. What an absolute angel and I miss her and the kids like mad.
I was then moved to a completely different part of the hospital ahead of my planned discharge tomorrow. If I'm honest, I don't feel well enough to go. At least this ward is a bit quieter.
The nausea isn't helping. I'm not sure whether it's down to the heat or the drugs or both but I feel so sick, even the thought of the ice cream that tasted so good yesterday just turns my stomach. They are playing about with the drugs a fair bit today, intravenous, soluble, broken up tablets, suppositories (sorry) and it has taken its toll. On top of this I had to go to the dental hospital where I was fitted with some very 'snug' elastic bands just to help guide everything into its final position. The orthodontist was very nice about it though!
So back onto the ward and Jodie, who had come with me to the dental hospital, stuck around a bit longer for more photographs and a chat. What an absolute angel and I miss her and the kids like mad.
I was then moved to a completely different part of the hospital ahead of my planned discharge tomorrow. If I'm honest, I don't feel well enough to go. At least this ward is a bit quieter.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Day 1
Still on the morphine. Patient Controlled Analgesia or "PCA" (is there no getting away from the work related acronyms?). This means I can dose myself up as much as I like - well within a prescribed limit anyway - at the press of a button. So that's exactly what I do. All day.
Was feeling a bit down this morning, not sure why. Perhaps it had something to do with the massive face and that every time I sat up or leaned forward I oozed a mixture of blood and saliva from my mouth and nose. An improvement on last night though when I filled a whole bowl of vomited blood (graphic enough for you yet?)
As the day progressed though I started to feel a bit better. Jodie came to visit at 2pm and I was literally counting down the minutes until she arrived. Out came the camera for the mug shots and for this visit I stayed awake for the whole hour! By tea time was sipping through a straw (a 50/50 mix with air anyway, which gave me nightmare hiccups) and even ate 2 tubs of vanilla ice cream. Nothing keeps me off of food for that long.
It's 10.55pm now and the nutter next to me has finally stopped banging on about having a sleeping pill. Moaning and groaning about the pain he was in - he doesn't know what pain is..... imagine not knowing when you'll be able to eat your next extra large kebab and chips!
Was feeling a bit down this morning, not sure why. Perhaps it had something to do with the massive face and that every time I sat up or leaned forward I oozed a mixture of blood and saliva from my mouth and nose. An improvement on last night though when I filled a whole bowl of vomited blood (graphic enough for you yet?)
As the day progressed though I started to feel a bit better. Jodie came to visit at 2pm and I was literally counting down the minutes until she arrived. Out came the camera for the mug shots and for this visit I stayed awake for the whole hour! By tea time was sipping through a straw (a 50/50 mix with air anyway, which gave me nightmare hiccups) and even ate 2 tubs of vanilla ice cream. Nothing keeps me off of food for that long.
It's 10.55pm now and the nutter next to me has finally stopped banging on about having a sleeping pill. Moaning and groaning about the pain he was in - he doesn't know what pain is..... imagine not knowing when you'll be able to eat your next extra large kebab and chips!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Day 0 - Day of surgery
Pre op: Didn't get much sleep, beginning to wonder whether I've been put onto a psychiatric ward with all of these strange people around me! It's 7.30am and I'm first on the list so go in to have my operation in about an hour. Feeling a mixture of emotions from excitement to nervousness to plain old fear. All the staff are excellent though. This is the first time I've ever been to hospital and the work that people do there is nothing short of amazing. Anyway, going in shortly so just time for a few last minute phone calls and texts...
Post op: Well any fear I had about the general anaesthetic were completely unfounded. It was exactly as I was told it would be - straight to sleep and then awake in what seemed like an instant. It wasn't an instant though, apparently I was in surgery for 4 hours and in recovery for another 3.
It was a bit of a blur coming round from the GA but I recall feeling very relaxed and relieved to be awake! Stayed drowsy for the rest of the day, even when Jo came in I was drifting in and out of sleep. I knew she'd be upset when she saw my face, mind you, I looked hideous! I was very swollen and bloody but exactly as expected. The first thing I noticed was my complementary nose job. Where the upper jaw had been brought forward, it had lifted the tip of my nose which was drooping more and more with age!! Then I saw the teeth. My top teeth were actually biting over my bottom teeth - result! Plus I hadn't yet had elastics fitted so I could open and close enough to get a sense of how the final result may look.
All in all... wow... what a day. Glad it's over though.
Post op: Well any fear I had about the general anaesthetic were completely unfounded. It was exactly as I was told it would be - straight to sleep and then awake in what seemed like an instant. It wasn't an instant though, apparently I was in surgery for 4 hours and in recovery for another 3.
It was a bit of a blur coming round from the GA but I recall feeling very relaxed and relieved to be awake! Stayed drowsy for the rest of the day, even when Jo came in I was drifting in and out of sleep. I knew she'd be upset when she saw my face, mind you, I looked hideous! I was very swollen and bloody but exactly as expected. The first thing I noticed was my complementary nose job. Where the upper jaw had been brought forward, it had lifted the tip of my nose which was drooping more and more with age!! Then I saw the teeth. My top teeth were actually biting over my bottom teeth - result! Plus I hadn't yet had elastics fitted so I could open and close enough to get a sense of how the final result may look.
All in all... wow... what a day. Glad it's over though.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Day minus 1 - Sunday 31st July
Surreal old day. Kids and cricket kept me occupied for most of it and got the call at about 2pm from the hospital telling me to get there for 6pm. I felt quite guilty when my wife started crying just before I left and found myself asking why I would put those closest to me through this. After all it's quite a big deal for them as well as me! Managed to keep a stiff upper lip and do the 'bloke' thing though.
It was tough saying goodbye to the children, especially my daughter who is that much older and might not even recognise me next time I see her. Gave myself a bit of a dressing down at that point. There are thousands of men and women going to serve in places like Afghanistan who say cheerio to their families not sure whether they'll see them again at all. Think I'm building this jaw surgery up to be more than it actually is.
Well I'm here now, in hospital, listening to some of the others on my ward discuss their various ailments over a soup which smells quite vile! I think I'll just keep myself to myself. Nil by mouth from midnight I'm told... thank f*** for that!
Trying to forget about tomorrow...
It was tough saying goodbye to the children, especially my daughter who is that much older and might not even recognise me next time I see her. Gave myself a bit of a dressing down at that point. There are thousands of men and women going to serve in places like Afghanistan who say cheerio to their families not sure whether they'll see them again at all. Think I'm building this jaw surgery up to be more than it actually is.
Well I'm here now, in hospital, listening to some of the others on my ward discuss their various ailments over a soup which smells quite vile! I think I'll just keep myself to myself. Nil by mouth from midnight I'm told... thank f*** for that!
Trying to forget about tomorrow...
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day minus 2
Hmmm starting to feel ever so slightly apprehensive now. Not so much about the operation but more that the results will be worth it. Should be admitted to hospital tomorrow...
It's been a good day today and taking my 2 yr old daughter to her first Bristol City match was a proud moment for me and certainly took my mind off of things. But, having spent the day trying to distract myself, I now find myself sat here trying to figure out exactly how I'm feeling about prospect of going into hospital tomorrow and the operation itself just so that I can update this blog!! The truth is I'm not feeling too bad about it but it is definitely creeping into my thoughts a lot more.
I could do with the wife being here really. She is deservedly spending the weekend on a pre-arranged spa break with my sister-in-law. I didn't want her to cancel... it means I don't have to feel as guilty when I'm in recovery at home and calling on her every 5 minutes. I have even bought a wireless doorbell so that I can keep the button at the side of my bed and ring the bell to summons her. I don't think she is impressed. But yeah, I need her here really because I now need to order a takeaway for 2 people just so that I qualify for delivery as I can't leave the kids. Besides, the house could do with a tidy and I could do with another beer. (Love ya really babe!).
Now where did I put that menu...
It's been a good day today and taking my 2 yr old daughter to her first Bristol City match was a proud moment for me and certainly took my mind off of things. But, having spent the day trying to distract myself, I now find myself sat here trying to figure out exactly how I'm feeling about prospect of going into hospital tomorrow and the operation itself just so that I can update this blog!! The truth is I'm not feeling too bad about it but it is definitely creeping into my thoughts a lot more.
I could do with the wife being here really. She is deservedly spending the weekend on a pre-arranged spa break with my sister-in-law. I didn't want her to cancel... it means I don't have to feel as guilty when I'm in recovery at home and calling on her every 5 minutes. I have even bought a wireless doorbell so that I can keep the button at the side of my bed and ring the bell to summons her. I don't think she is impressed. But yeah, I need her here really because I now need to order a takeaway for 2 people just so that I qualify for delivery as I can't leave the kids. Besides, the house could do with a tidy and I could do with another beer. (Love ya really babe!).
Now where did I put that menu...
Friday, July 29, 2011
Day minus 3
Well, I have reached the end of the day without a call from the hospital saying my operation has been delayed (I really hope I'm not tempting fate!), so that's pretty good news. That means that in two days I should be admitted.
Lets rewind a bit... My name is Wayne (aka Dave) and for the past 4 years I have been having orthodontic treatment in preparation for orthognathic surgery. I didn't expect it to take this long, in fact I thought the whole process would have been done and dusted within 2 and a half years. Although, I have been blessed with two gorgeous children since my treatment began and time seems to have passed pretty quickly.
So why did I choose to go through all of this? Well there are lots of reasons but here are the main ones. Eating. Anyone who knows me knows I love eating. I could eat for England. Trouble is for the last 30 odd years, I have had to eat like a caveman. Tearing at my food because my teeth don't bite together properly at the front and chewing behind my hands as I'm conscious that I look like Les Dawson chewing a fruit gum. Besides which my molar teeth only meet on one side which can't be a good thing long term. Because of the chewing difficulty and the paranoia, I have always swallowed my food as soon as physically possible which can't have done my digestive system much good either.
Smiling. If I'm honest I'm not such a fan of smiling as I am of eating. Perhaps that's because I've never been able to do it properly. Believe me, I have tried but photographs are the worst. Especially when the person with the camera is either a perfectionist or incompetent. You know the ones, where you are holding a grin which becomes more and more strained with every passing second. Well I can't be arsed with that. I nearly always end up with a straight face in photographs just to avoid a permanent reminder of my unwanted ability to gurn at every joyous occasion.
Anyway, I could go on but I won't. It's time for the kids to go to bed and I need to indulge in my favourite hobby - eating. My last curry before I go under the knife (or saw). I wonder how they'll taste when they're put through the smoothie machine. For those of you not bored to tears by all of this, I'll try and keep this blog regularly updated and eventually put some photos up. I'll be as honest as I can be and possibly quite graphic in places but I'll try and keep the bad language to a minimum.
Cheers
Lets rewind a bit... My name is Wayne (aka Dave) and for the past 4 years I have been having orthodontic treatment in preparation for orthognathic surgery. I didn't expect it to take this long, in fact I thought the whole process would have been done and dusted within 2 and a half years. Although, I have been blessed with two gorgeous children since my treatment began and time seems to have passed pretty quickly.
So why did I choose to go through all of this? Well there are lots of reasons but here are the main ones. Eating. Anyone who knows me knows I love eating. I could eat for England. Trouble is for the last 30 odd years, I have had to eat like a caveman. Tearing at my food because my teeth don't bite together properly at the front and chewing behind my hands as I'm conscious that I look like Les Dawson chewing a fruit gum. Besides which my molar teeth only meet on one side which can't be a good thing long term. Because of the chewing difficulty and the paranoia, I have always swallowed my food as soon as physically possible which can't have done my digestive system much good either.
Smiling. If I'm honest I'm not such a fan of smiling as I am of eating. Perhaps that's because I've never been able to do it properly. Believe me, I have tried but photographs are the worst. Especially when the person with the camera is either a perfectionist or incompetent. You know the ones, where you are holding a grin which becomes more and more strained with every passing second. Well I can't be arsed with that. I nearly always end up with a straight face in photographs just to avoid a permanent reminder of my unwanted ability to gurn at every joyous occasion.
Anyway, I could go on but I won't. It's time for the kids to go to bed and I need to indulge in my favourite hobby - eating. My last curry before I go under the knife (or saw). I wonder how they'll taste when they're put through the smoothie machine. For those of you not bored to tears by all of this, I'll try and keep this blog regularly updated and eventually put some photos up. I'll be as honest as I can be and possibly quite graphic in places but I'll try and keep the bad language to a minimum.
Cheers
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