Surgery Update

[ZenFrost]

I could go dredge up the original thread that is long dead, but that doesn't seem like it'd be helpful so here's what's up.

Last April I underwent double jaw surgery, my jaws were wired shut for several months and even now, I'm still not supposed to be eating some foods (nothing hard). There were a few relatively minor complications with the operation: a severed nerve and associated damage which I have not yet recovered from, a couple trips to the emergency room during the first week after surgery, and sharp bits of metal sticking out of my bone, through the roof of my mouth and gums which had to be removed.

I spent the past few days in California seeing my surgeon for a follow up appointment, as I'd missed the last few. He checked out my progress, took some X-rays, answered my questions, and all in all it went well. So here's the update:

My jaw hurts, a lot, and all the time. It hurts to eat, talk, yawn, brush my teeth, open my mouth... so that's annoying. He put me back on a prescription that's supposed to reduce some of the inflammation that's causing all this pain. I seem to be healing properly though for the most part, but the nerve damage is looking to be permanent. And there's still swelling in parts of my face that has yet to go down but will in another half a year. The great news is that I'm getting my braces off January 3rd (and getting two retainers the next day).

Over the past ten years, I've had orthodontia. I've had 16 teeth pulled, braces twice, splints, guards, expanders, retainers, elastics, separators, and and endless array of other stuff in addition to the surgery and I am so SO sick of this all, I'm just dying for this to be over. Hopefully, the end is near.

[Tamara Croft]

Awww so sorry you are going through this still

[CaptLex]

Dude, you've been through so much. Glad to hear it's coming to an end - though not as quick as you'd like, I'm sure. So, what long-term problems might you have because of the nerve damage? Sounds scary.

[Tristan]

Sounds like a rough time. I can't imagine, mouth pain is the worst too. Sorry, buddy, you've had endure so much. I hope the end of it is near for you.

[dancinginthedark]

Sending positive vibes your direction Zen and hoping complete healing takes place in the months ahead so that you can be happy, healthy and pain free at last.

Do you mediate a lot? That's the only I could think of that would make this even bearable for that length of time.

[Devon James]

Damn, what a hell. I really hope the end is near. Mouth-pain is terrible, when i had braces I thought the pain would never stop. Going to the dentist is hell anyway, with that disease I can't lay flat (immidiate attack follows).

I guess I missed out a part of your story, what happened to your jaws did you have an accident? I hope this doesn't sound silly to ask.

I also hope you can find something for the nerve-damage

[Felix]

Hey Zen thinkin about ya bud and may the Gods bring ya peace Hun xx Felix

[Taylor105]

Hey Zen,

I'm sorry you are still having probs. Nerve severing and all. It must be horribly painful to have pieces of sharp metal come up through you skin so they can be removed like they are nothing more than a splinter. lol But the pain you are going through must be terrible. I'm here for you brother, Taylor

[ZenFrost]

So, what long-term problems might you have because of the nerve damage? Sounds scary.

It's more of an annoyance than anything else really. There's three things in my case: loss of sensation, reduced sensation, and altered sensation. Right now, most of my lower lip and chin are numb. It's like I got a shot of Novocain that wont fade. The rest of my lower lip and chin, I can feel, but barely. And the area surrounding the damage registers any feeling as pain (heat is pain, cold is pain, touch is pain, etc.). So looking at me, no one can tell that anything is wrong. I can still move the muscles and everything, things just don't feel right.

I was hesitant to start shaving my face (and still don't do it much) because it's so easy to cut myself without realizing it, and from what little I can feel in some areas, even a light tough hurts.

Do you mediate a lot? That's the only I could think of that would make this even bearable for that length of time.

In the first few weeks after surgery it was very, very painful and I couldn't take any sort of pain medication due to some bad reactions. When my body needed it most, I was completely unable to sleep at all so I used meditation to rest as best as I could and it helped immensely. I do meditate a lot anyway, and it does help me get through this recovery.

I guess I missed out a part of your story, what happened to your jaws did you have an accident? I hope this doesn't sound silly to ask.

No accident, I guess they didn't line up right and couldn't be fixed with orthodontia alone.

It must be horribly painful to have pieces of sharp metal come up through you skin so they can be removed like they are nothing more than a splinter.

There was a screw and a hook that were to help keep my jaw wired shut. The screw went through the roof of my mouth and poked out very painfully and so it was removed after a few weeks (a few weeks too many I think). The hook came through the bottom of my mouth and since the screw had been removed early it just sat there doing nothing but hurt for several months until it could get removed.

[SirTrey]

Wow, Zen....you've been through a LOT with this...Glad to hear you're coming to the end of the road with it....Can't say I blame you for getting pretty disgusted with it all....but it sounds like you handled it remarkably well.....I'm proud of you....**Trey**

[Shelly Preston]

Wow Zen

You have really had a tough time of it

I just you manage to make full revovery form all those problems

[Siobhan Marie]

[SIZE="3"]Hey Zen, I'm so sorry to hear that you've been goin through a time of late, hopefully these'll help,

Siobhán x[/SIZE]

[Holly]

Zen, I'm so sorry that you have had to go through all this. As a few others have said, pain in the mouth is about as bad as it gets. I'm glad things seem to be moving in the right direction and hopefully all will be better soon.

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

Oh wow Zen... that sounds rough! Sorry you've had to put up with this for so long, and I hope it ends soon. Good luck and I'll be sending you good thoughts.

[Wendy me]

Wow Zen omg wow sorry that your going through this fingers crossed that it all turns out good........