This morning I had my pre-hospital visit with my oral surgeon to discuss the procedure and what I can expect during my recovery. I was a little nervous going into this appointment because I had some fears about having my first surgery and fears regarding what to expect. Thankfully my doctor has put many of my baseless fears at ease.
- What if I am that rare percentage that doesn't fall asleep under general anesthesia? No fear, they have a way to track conscious levels. Phew!
- How long will surgery last? Surgery is estimated to be about 3 hours. I will go in first thing in the morning and be out around 11:00AM.
- Will I be going home after surgery? Not right away. I will be observed for the next 23 hours at the hospital. That means I will have my first hospital stay. I hope the food is good ... oh wait, nevermind. :)
- Am I going to be in a lot of pain after surgery? No. The swelling will help to dull the nerve messages sent to my brain. The swelling will act as a road block. Sweet!
- Can I talk? Yes! I should continue to try and talk and exaggerate my expressions. This is a form of exercise that will get my muscles moving and back to normal.
- So how long will my jaw be wired shut? 8 weeks. WHAT? I thought you said 6 weeks? It turns out that based on my dramatic shift in my jaw that we will want to keep me wired a little longer. The good news, more time in the wires means less time wearing elastic bands after the wires are cut. The bad news, both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals will be consumed in liquid form. No fun!
- When can we expect to be 'done' with all of this? Estimated completion date with braces off is looking like 6-8 months from now. Perfect! Bring on the summer sun!
With that behind me, we were able to discuss the process and procedure. It really is quite interesting and I can't do it justice to explain it. I will tell you that my lower jaw will be moved 8mm forward from its current resting position. I will also have some movement from my chin that will help to naturally close my lips when they are rested. With that movement, and with the liquid diet helping to drop 30+ pounds of weight, I should look realitively similar to the way that I did back in high school. Well, maybe less hair, but we are talking about my jaw. See below:
Anyone ever watch the TV show The Swan? Ok ok, its pretty tragic. However, I am feeling like this change is going to be pretty dramatic. This is quite an exciting process for me. It is looking like the 2011 will hopefully bring a new look, a new me, and a better year!
