Tuesday, May 6, 2008

No news is good news?

I had my weekly check up today, and nothing new to report. "All looks good, more waiting" seems to be the theme of these visits but heck I will take that over "that's not supposed to happen" or "what is that coming out of your face" know what I mean? I think you do.

I have another few weeks of this annoying thing that's wired into my jaw but the sharp pain is less and less and has been replaced by headaches. Since my lower jaw is jutted forward a bit it is hard since I cannot pull it back in...imagine clenching your teeth and then leaving it like that 24/7. No fun, but better than mind numbing pain I guess. I have found less talking = less pain so I am trying to follow that rule. On Sunday night we had two of our good friends over for a BBQ (I got to try to eat macaroni salad and thats about it) and I talked it up as I havent seen them in ages, so as a result yesterday was very very sore and I even had to take a vicodin to sleep last night. But today I feel fine again so I am trying not to push it like that too often. I admit I am getting worried about when they take this thing out, I dont know how they will get it unwired from my jaw, they mentioned something about cutting the wires and sliding it out but I cannot imagine that would be NOT painful since it is, after all, attached to the floor of my mouth via wires they poked into my face from the outside! Ugh. But I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

More Tagaderm (sp?) on my leg...its not ready to be left uncovered. I guess the rationale behind that is if it is left to air out so to speak it will form a large hard scab immediately which will be painful to heal from and making it difficult to walk, so they are letting it build up 'slowly' and keeping it covered is just making those cells generate slower I guess. I dont mind, so long as its not shooting pea soup everywhere or dripping on me when I sleep (sounds gross but it has happened before).

I have been feeling so much happier these days. These doctors have really given me another chance at life and I am so appreciative. I just dont know how I can ever let them know how grateful I am for all they have done for me. Just this simple surgery has changed me so much and how I feel inside. I can look in the mirror and not hate what I see, after 3 years of hating myself and refusing to look at my whole face (I got into the habit of looking at myself in the mirror from the nose up- very odd but that's part of how I dealt with it all). I am just feeling so happy all the time.

Of course I'll let you guys know if anything exciting happens, but so far I guess no news is good news right?!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You've made it so far - hang in there!! Don't feel guilty about taking the Vicodin and staying ahead of the pain... you *need* rest to heal, to be a Mom/wife/you!
Have you, uh, tried Lansinoh Lanolin creme when your lips get really chapped? Although it's marketed for, uh, sore/cracked/chapped nipples from breastfeeding, it's nice, thick lanolin that you don't have to wipe off your lips before kissing your loved ones :) We have most of a tube left over, and it comes in handy :) B