Post Surgery

Well its been almost 2 weeks since the surgery, just havent felt like typing much. The surgery went well. Didn't take as long as expected. Only took 2 hours. The hospital I was in Was Edward White in St. Pete fl. I have to honestly say that although it was my first hospital experience, it was def a good one. Everyone was so nice. It almost felt like a hotel, not a hospital room. It wasnt even freezing in there! I was very scared when we got there at 5:15am on Dec 1st. They took me into a room where i put on a very unattractive greenish hospital gound and i had to give blood (which hurt: worst part of the whole stay) than pee in a cup to make sure i wasnt pregnant... thank god:)... than the nurse put the IV in my hand. This was the scariest part for me... I hate needles!! AH! But the wonderful nurse numbed my hand first with a ver small needle that i could hardly feel, so it wasnt bad at all. Than they took a history to make sure they had all of my information correct. Next they let my parents and boyfriend in with me to wait before they took me back. The nurse and the anisteisologist (sp?) came and introduced themselves and my doctor came. Than i had to mouth wash and they started pumpu=ing numerous drugs into my iv. Steroids and something to make me loopy.... well i remember feeling funny. like kind if giggly, than it was time to go. I said bye to my parents and bf and they wheeled me to the OR. We got in there and all remember is 6 or so people standing around me while they were trying to get me to move from the warm hospital bed to a small cold operating table and i was trying to move but my body felt kind of limp and it was hard to move, I was trying not to show my privates while i was moving, and i was out... dont even remember having to count down or anything. I woke up in ICU. My eyes had some kind of goo in them like vasalene or something. I thought i was still in the OR. I was trying tomake out what time it was... 9:10...
He said the surgery would take 4 hours... cant be done already.... but i was. everything must of went so smoothly that it was so quick. They took me to my hospital room and every room on that floor was only one patient to a room, so it was nice.That pic was taken as soon as my family walked in to my room. You can see the goop in my eyes. That is an oxygen mask on ky face. It was a big help. I had that most of the day. I stayed the nite at the hospital and was discharged by noon on wednesday. It wasnt until 2 days after being home that i was pretty swollen...The pain wasnt terrible, just uncomfortable. It is so miserable being wired shut!!!!!!

picture of hooks and wires

I didnt get to post a pic of the hooks and wires, so here they are:

Wires And Hooks

Hey there, I went on Tuesday the 24th to see my orthadontist to get my wires and hooks put on for the surgery. I am sad to say that my teeth were KILLING me and I have no pretty colors, only metal mouth... no fun. I went on the 25th to see the suregon for the whole pre-surgery check up. It went well, I guess. It was a pretty quick appointment. They checked my blood pressure, and my heart rate. Listened to my lungs and checked my reflexes... It was very cold in the office. Basically they just double checked my medical history, and gave me 3 perscriptions to have filled b4 the big day. I also had to sign release forms to allow the suregon to do the surgery. I am getting so nervous. It is something that I have been waiting for, for soooooo long, and here I am with 3 days to go and i just cant beleive it is actually happening. Like really happening. I am hoping that my friends and family(especially my bf) can handle me while i am miserable and needy. I dont know how I will be able to handle not eating any solid foods for 6 whole weeks. I am very scared. I have read so many other peoples experiences and it does ease my nerves slightly, but I am still scared to death. 3 days and it will be reality... Guess ill just have to jump right in and deal with it... Ill write more when I get home from the hospital!

Yay! I got the Date for my Surgery!

So, I have had my braces for 5 months now and at my last ortho appt my dentist said it shouldnt be too much longer. :) Originaly I was told that i'd have to wear the braces for a whole year before the surgery, so I was super excitd to hear that. I met with the suregon on Oct 6th and he said as soon as my dentist said it was ok, we could do it. Well I was told I am getting my surgical wires and hooks put on on NOV 4. That will be 6 months of me having the braces. Today, I got the date, December 1st! I am so excited and nervous and cant wait! I have an appointment to get molds made on Nov 5th, and than an apointment on the 25th that I believe is a pre surgical analysis. Im assuming that they will take my blood and make sure Im physically ready for the surgery. Than on the 1st at 730am i will receive my first surgery ever... I am sooo scared. I have never even had an IV in, or been in the hospital ever. My suregon said we will do the surgery where my mouth will be wired shut for 6 weeks.... ugh... Im starving already!!!!! I have so many emtions going through my head, but mostly I am super excited! I cant believe it is happenng already... 7 more weeks!

5 months into my braces...

Hey there. Just wanted to check in and say that im almost 5 months into my braces, patiently waiting to get my surgery. I meet with the surgeon on Oct 6th for something. I wish i could make time pass quicker :) I hate having braces soo much, but I am dealing with it pretty well I guess. I have been getting fun colors to make them more interesting. They dont hurt so bad anymore, and my teeth are getting pretty straight. Im secretly hoping that when I meet with the surgeon again I can convince him to do it sooner :)... I doubt it, but its a nice thought. I am so uncomfortable talking with people with these stupid braces and every day i tell myself that I am one day closer. I always wonder if other people feel the same way... Ill try to check back in after I meet with him next week.

Ill start from the beginning...

My name is Paula and I am 21. I am a manager of a hair salon, i work at a pizza place and i am also a full time student. I live in Flordia. I have an underbite and I am going through the process to get it fixed. I googled Jaw Surgery and saw a few blogs from people like me going through similar situations and it inspired me to share my story too :)

I guess I was born with it, but started to really notice it when i was about 12. I was always VERY self conscious and shy to even talk about it. Now i realize talking about my insecurities makes it a little easier to deal with. Although I still feel very uncomfortable I know after my journey is over I will feel 100% better about myself. So if you look at me, I guess i look pretty normal but i dont feel normal. When i am in crowds i feel really insecure and feel like people are staring at me. When i am in a classroom or any type of room i always try to sit in a corner to elinimate the number of people able to see my profile. I know, its bad, but noone really understands. My friends all say they dont even notice, or they like me the way i am, and i dont need surgery. My parents think i am crazy for putting myself through this, but hey what parent wants their baby to get surgery. My boyfriend seems ok, he says i am beautiful and dont need it but to truely feel good about myself i HAVE to do it. FOR Me. not for anyone else. So first i got insurance in Nov 2007, but there is a year waiting period for it to cover anything major, so i was just waiting. I went to the dentist and had to have some fill-ins, extractions cleanings and all that good stuff, that took about a year because the dentist is not cheap!(about3grand!) haha. It is now May 2009 and I finally got all my dental work done that i had to do before i could get braces put on.I met with a surgeon on monday and I got my braces two days ago.. OUCH! OMG> it is so painful, i was walking around in such a bad mood! Today is day 3 with my braces and they dont hurt that bad 2 day, but i go back monday for them to be tightened or something. So braces arent cheap, but i have to wear them for about a year before they will do the surgery. Great, so not only am i self conscious, but now i have metal mouth, and i feel like my underbite is SOOOO much more noticeable :( so depressing.

So i think I typed enough for now, i should be doing my homework anyway. Ill type more on monday when i get my braces tightned and ill include some more pics.