Update--The Comeback Kid is back from the orthodontist!

Message

#1 Post by **phil** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:31 pm

Well, it's official. We're going to schedule a second surgery. I had an appointment with my surgeon today to discuss my delayed union, and he agrees that I have made no progress. Combined with my relapse (which is caused by the delayed union), it makes for a pretty messy situation in my mouth.

My OD has a CT scan machine, so we're going to see about getting me a CT scan sometime in the next week. Once my surgeon has a chance to look at it, he can determine the game plan, but it's probably going to look something like this:

Surgery sometime in the next 2-3 months

Removal of plates and wires, complete mobilization of maxilla, cleaning out all fibrous tissue

Bone grafts from my hip (ouch!) to fill in any holes

Additional rigid fixation (four plates instead of two)

And...(may I have a drum roll, please)...being WIRED SHUT for 10-14 days!!! This will be to prevent my clenching habit from causing any trauma during the most crucial healing time.

The bottom line is that I will agree to anything that resolves this issue. Life has been H-E-double hockey sticks for the last couple of months.

That's all for now. Onward and upward!

#2 Post by **HighandLo** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:43 pm

Hi Phil,

I bet it feels good to be doing SOMETHING to resolve your problem. You are brave to face this with such a positive atitude, too. I certainly do wish you the best with the new surgery and healing

.

Lo

#3 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:12 pm

Oh Phil, this is truly a mixed blessing I'm sure! In one regard you are getting things fixed hopefully once and for all, but OMG! that so sucks that it must be so involved and require you to be wired shut. I felt pain for you as soon as I read your post! While my surgery was relatively uneventful, I most assuredly would not want to have to go through surgery again. You poor thing! Guess you won't be doing any singing for a little while huh? LOL...

Gotta look on the brite side I know, but hey I think its important to also acknowledge and validate the feelings you must be experiencing at this point. I certainly can't know what this must be like for you, but man.....I do feel truly sad that you must go through this again. I would not wish that on anyone. Once is more then enough, but twice....that is just wrong!

Hope this time around things heal like a dream and you can move forward with all this oral drama. Be sure and let us know the actual date when you get it. I think if we all send some good healing energy vibes your way that it might help this time! Good luck!

Brandy

#4 Post by **phil** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:17 pm

Lo, Meryaten and Brandy,

Thanks for your well wishes. I really wish I could avoid this, but I really don't think there's any other way at this point. It would be great if my OD could take that CT scan this Thursday at my appointment! Then we can get the ball rolling.

I promise to keep you all posted as soon as I have news. I know I haven't posted for quite a while, but things have pretty much been at a standstill for the last month, so I figured I didn't have any news to share.

Onward and upward!

#5 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:13 pm

Hey Phil,

I hope everything goes PERFECTLY with surgery round two!!

Being wired shut for 10-14 days is not so bad... you will be fine. The hardest thing is blending your food thin enough to eat, but still getting enough calories.

I also had bone grafts from my hip, and I had no problems with that. It didn't hurt! And I had no activity restrictions except for no swimming until the incision heals.

I'm wishing you all the best!

#6 Post by **phil** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:14 pm

ohmyjaw,

Your response was just what I needed! I was hoping that someone who's had the bone graft from the hip would respond and let me know how it was. I'm glad to hear that it's not too bad. Anyone else who's experienced this and would like to share, feel free to chime in!

When I was tightly banded the first time around, I did extremely thin purees in a syringe. I think this time I'm going to purchase protein drinks from the health food store to make sure I get enough calories and nutrition. I'm just thinking how GOOD it's going to feel to have those wires clipped after two weeks! The funny thing is, when they took my tight bands off after a week last time, I felt really strange and unprotected, and really had no desire to open my mouth at all. So, maybe I won't mind being wired shut for a couple of weeks after all.

I'm looking forward to having this resolved so that I can get on with life!

#7 Post by **Delag** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:06 pm

You must be so relieved to finally have some answers and a plan of attack. I am more sorry that you can know that someone as nice as you has to go through this again. I posted a few suggestions that were recomendd to me by a naturopath who is also an MD....I think the heading was 'vitamins'. There are a couple of things to add to shakes that may be of use to you. I hope that you get a quick surgery date so you can put all of this behind you.

#8 Post by **smile2006** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:46 am

As others have said, that stinks having to do it again but I would think it would be a releif to have the "waiting to see what happens" phase of all this over. Hopefully they will get it right this time and you can go down in the history books

#9 Post by **dubnobass** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:30 am

How annoying for you that it's come to this - but on the bright side, at least it's being resolved now, and having been through it all once, you will have a much better idea of what to expect the second time round.

I woild guess you are feeling irritated relief right now

#10 Post by **phil** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:54 am

Delag, Smile2006 and dubnobass,

Thank you for your replies and support.

And thank you to everyone on AW who has followed my story from the beginning, and offered me support and encouragement. I wouldn't make it without you!

Delag, I will look for the post about the vitamins. I'm definitely going to need them!

Smile2006, if I make it into SOMEBODY'S book, I would be thrilled. As Andy Warhol said, everyone has their 15 minutes of fame, and this very well may be mine. Unfortunately, I think I'm probably going to slip into the eternal circular file of orthognathic history when all's said and done.

dubnobass, relief, yes. I'm not terribly irritated, just anxious to see this through. Not that life has been on hold, but certain aspects of my life have. I'm tired of not chewing for four months straight, for instance. I was really hoping to have eaten a good steak by my birthday (which was a couple of weeks ago). I guess my new goal will be some roast lamb at Easter, although it's going to have to be pretty tender!

Happy Halloween to everyone, by the way. I don't plan on scaring anyone but myself today, as I have been home from work with a bad cold/laryngitis. Thank God my sinuses are fine, but as is typical for this professional singer, it always hits me in the larynx. Yesterday I could barely phonate. I'm still staying home today. Even though Mom always taught us to share, I am not going to share my germs with the children!

#11 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:42 am

Hey Phil,
Hope your cold and laryngitis pass quickly. My dh, son, and I all got this crud about two weeks ago. They were both over it in about 5 days, however, mine needed antibiotics (which I'm still on.) The sinuses are fine, but my voice has been messed up for over a week now. It is getting better but certainly taking its sweet time. It is nasty stuff! Get well soon!

Brandy

#12 Post by **pokergirl** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:52 pm

Phil,

You have been through so much. I hope everything works out the second time around.

#13 Post by **phil** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:40 pm

Things creep along for what seems like eternity, and then, BAM! WARP SPEED!

I had my OD appointment today, and he said, "so I understand that you have a date!" I said, "that's news to me, but I'll take it!" Evidently my OS and OD have been talking with each other. DECEMBER 11th!

We set up all my appointments for records, hooks, etc., and I already have the upper surgical wire in. I also got a CT scan today, and saw some of the preliminary 3-D digital images. Amazing!

I can't believe that things are moving as quickly as they are, but low and behold, my surgery will be here before I know it. Better go eat!!!

#14 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:04 pm

That's fantastic.

Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:16 pm

I felt glad when I read that you would be wired for two weeks--yes, I know it's a punishing experience, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, least of all myself, it's just that it felt a relief to know that, well, at least this surgery is likely to bullet-proof, so to speak.