Metal Mouth Message Board

OK, next to last minute questions. Wednesday is fast approaching and the nerves are starting to settle in. I know I've said this before but I am seriously so greatful to have all of you guys to, um, "talk" with about this. They told me I needed to do this 10 years ago and I'm glad I waited until now because y'all are just so smart and helpful and nice and you wouldn't have been here back then! Neither would this place, come to think of it, I guess.

OK, anyway. First question. I'm getting the surgical hooks tomorrow and then have plans to go out to lunch with friends. Is that feasible? Or are they too awkward or pokey?

Second question is more of a project. Please ask your significant others or people who helped take care of you post-op what advice they would give to anyone taking on the daunting task of caring for a post jaw surgery patient and let me know what they say!

Thanks guys.

My surgical hooks were actually gold and bonded to the archwires. After the archwires were put into place the hooks were bent in toward my gums. I didn't find them painful at all, my mouth simply felt larger. I did not have wire hooks though. Lunch would be very doable.

For your significant other....let them know there will be lots of up and downs. I have had pain highs and lows and energy highs and low like you wouldn't believe. He planned on going to work on Monday and I woke up in a bad state. He was able to work from my house so he stayed with me for the day. Also, in the hospital (I stayed 2 nights) the food was horrible. I was so hungry and liquid diet they prescribed meant broth, jello cubes (couldn't eat) and a popsicicle (couldn't eat) for every meal. So my boyfriend smuggled in a milkshake the day after surgery and some COFFEE each morning. He loaded up the syringe and these two items were like heaven...(-:

Where is your surgery....?

Wow, Meryaten, thank you for that. I'll have my hubby read it when he gets back from dropping our son off at my mom's . And, to answer your question regarding having my surgery done on an outpatient basis, I've been keeping on the down low with that because that post was received so badly! I am going to have it as scheduled tomorrow and then go home afterwards. I trust the surgeon and his judgement, he has 30 years of experience with this, and I have two of the best nurses I know coming over afterwards to help. I will also have nurse friends here the next day and afternoon. My husband's work is very flexible so he's going to be home as long as I need him to be.

Smile2006: My surgery is going to be right here in Charleston.

That is exactly what they have done with mine Smile2006, although I'm still waiting for the surgery.

If you look at my story (with pics) in the story section, you can see the two gold hooks on the top wire, which appear to be 'soldered' to it. I remember my OD using a dental drill to do something with the top wire before he fitted it, so whether he was smoothing the joins between the hooks and the wire I don't know.

Once the wire was in, he carefully bent the 'appendages' round to form hook shapes, leaving them in the state they are in the photo. It was at this point that he informed me that this could be the last wire he fits before surgery, and that my next appointment would be wax-bite measurement, and further impressions. The results of these would then decide whether or not surgery will be performed this side of Christmas. I just hope it doesn't get in the way of skiing in January!

ALSO, Has anyone ever had any trouble ordering from Zip-n-Squeeze? I ordered my stuff on July 6th thinking it would have plenty of time to get here, but I haven't gotten anything. I emailed and got no response, and the number on the website has been disconnected. I don't want to eat with that syringe!

Thanks for the info, Meryaten, I called and it worked and I left a message. We'll see!

So I got my surgical hooks today and then had an awesome lunch. But my orthodontist told me I have a tooth that has a root resorption going on. Anyone have any experience with that? I still need to do some research.

Nobody else has any post op advice? I suppose it's all been said before.

It's your turn anabel! One more sleep.. Just wanted to wish you lots of luck and a quick recovery. I look forward to hearing how you're doing. =)

Yep, my turn allright. Went to a movie with hubby, had a final normal dinner out, now to bed.

Thank you for the well wishes! See you on the other side!

P.S. the ZNS people got right back to me and my stuff will be here tomorrow.

Best wishes to you Anabel! See you on the other side.

My post-op advice for you regarding your sweetie, is that you may need to kick him out to go do something he likes for an hour or so while you rest. Just as you need a feeling of a return to normalcy, so will he. Send him on an errand or something...just to give him a breather. That would be my advice. I would take my pain meds and then knowing that I was going to pass out for a couple of hours, would tell my husband to go take a walk or work on one of his projects or something. It helped me not feel so guilty at being rather dependent on him, and it gave him something to take his mind off of me for awhile so that he could come back to me refreshed. I think because they don't really what we are going through, they imagine that it is worse than it is and feel powerless to make it better. Giving them a break helps.