My pre-op

So, my preop was 2 days ago. It took 1 1/2 hours! Final photo's, final molds, final freak out moment. Ok - I'll still have a few more of those I'm sure. So, he's going to put my molds into this skull and then actually spend 6-8 hours performing the surgery (on the molds) so he is aware of every cut he'll be making before actually doing it on me. This way - it only take 1 1/2 hours for the surgery, and the less time he's in there - the less swollen/congested I'll be.

He was telling me the things I can blame the anethisiologist for - if I feel nausea upon awakenig - and for a bloody/swollen/congested nose and sore throat due to the air tube (the size of a pinky) being put through my nostril and down into my trachea. With my luck, they won't be able to get it down the first side and will have to mess up both!

I will most likely spend 1 night in the hospital, with oxygen (YAY!) and a suction tube (doube YAY!). That way, if I throw up (with my teeth wired closed) I can just use the suction tube. I think I may want to take it home with me!

The medications I'll be on several times each day are (all in liquid form - yuck):
Advil
Demorol
Antibiotic
Anti-nausea
Decongestant
Antibacterial Mouthwash

The GOOD news - there is a 50% chance I will NOT have a split (think mouthguard, wired to my teeth). If he has to widen my top palette 5 mm or more, I will have that for between 3 days and 5 weeks depending upon how I'm healing. More good news - I will only be completely wired shut, 24/7 for the first 8 days. At my post-op appt. the following Tuesday, they will teach me how to take off and on those dang rubber bands, and for the following week I can take them off 3 times a day, for 1 hour each time - presumably at meals time. As long as I'm not chewing (and can fit the food into a non-maleable jaw) I can have applesauce, potatoes, pudding, ect. The second week I can take the bands off 3 times a day for 2 hours each time - and so forth. At the end of 6 weeks, I can crunch a Dorito. Ok, well actually I'm not supposed to do that til the braces come off - but I have big plans.

My top jaw and bottom jaw will each be broken into 3 pieces (6 pieces total) and moved around as neccessary. My top jaw will then have 4 titanium plates that screw it to my skull. My bottom jaw will have 4 screws. Supposedly, I will not raise alarm through security at an airport - phew!

The scariest part - is that when the 4 bottom screws go in - they will be compressing nerves, and there is a possibility that it'll take some time for the feeling to return to my bottom lip and surrounding areas. Maybe 4 months. Maybe 1 1/2 years. Maybe never.

Still worth it.