Week 1. Feb 12-18.

Feb. 14th - I just can't figure out why I didn't have a date on this Valentine's Day...

February 15th with my "Linus" blankie.  Mom left the next day and I had to become an adult ...again (sigh).

Feb 14th again. This is what discomfort looks like.

Feb 18th ... Yellow & Purple is "the new black".  

What a hot mess.

These are photos of me taken in the first week.  Thoughts this week?  So many...

• I can't breathe right.  This sucks.
• I feel like crap.
• I need more ice in this head-wrap-thing.  
• This is like having a really bad cold...aaaaaand a broken face.
• I need my shades...sunlight is way too bright all of a sudden.
• Where is the Otrivin?  And why is it not working? 
• I would pay a gajillion dollars to blow my nose right now.
• I'm supposed to sleep sitting up?  No problem....I'm so tired.
• I don't need food anymore.  I'm "above" it now.  I'm so zen. 
• I love T.V.
• I love this la-z-boy.  LOVE it.  I shall live here for awhile.  Leave me be.
• Why is everyone talking to me and expecting me to answer?  PASS THE PEN & PAPER, FOLKS...LOOK ALIVE.
• Neat, I drool now.  
• I have to take this towel with me everywhere.  I feel like Linus from "Peanuts". 
• Neat, my face feels like there's a big pile of rocks glued on top of it.  
• Where's the codeine?  Has it been 4 hours yet?
• Where's the cherry decongestant?  Why are you trying to kill me with Buckleys, mom?  (true story - I thought I was going to die of menthol fumes).
• Can you fill up the humidifier again please?
• Look at that, my nose bled all over my pillow while I slept.  
• Thanks for cleaning that up, mom.
• Thanks for getting me that mom - and that - and that - and that too.  I appreciate that.
• I'm so glad my mom is here.
• Why is my cat totally ignoring me?
• I like Ensure...I really like it.
• This syringe sucks.  Ha ha ha.
• I couldn't even read right now if I had to, that's how tired I am.
• This can't possibly ever get better.  This is just brutal.  No way is this getting better.
• Why is every day the same as the last one?  Why isn't it getting better?  
• I have a sneaking suspicion that people who had one jaw done are recovering much faster than me...
• I am SO glad I made sure to ask Surgery man if I could use my waterpic on the lowest setting.  It's awesome. 

Just after surgery...I'm ready for my close-up...

Yes Yes Y'All

This is what I looked like about 4 hours after my surgery.  Surgery lasted only about 2.5 hours for top & bottom + sliding genioplasty.  At this point, I'm finally out of recovery room #1 (having never made it to recovery room #2... I was having some trouble breathing right so they monitored me closely in the first one...I stayed until closing). 

I had top and bottom jaw surgery.  Just before surgery, I signed a consent and noticed there was also "sliding genioplasty" written down on the form of "to-do's" for the day.  This was news to me, so I made a quick decision to go ahead and have that done as well.  I knew my chin was not going to be made worse should it be a little more prominent than before (see post #1 for photographic evidence suggesting that this was in fact, a wise choice).  

Leading thoughts @ this point: 

• "I'm so glad I can sort of breathe now"
• "I'm so glad they finally removed that bandage that was impeding my breathing...what took them so long?"  
  
• "I'm so glad I'm alive" 
  
• "I must look really bad...Oh well"
  
•  "Yay...I didn't throw up!" 
  
• "Evidently, 80's bangs are back!"

The "Before" Photo. Surgery day. February 12, 2009.

Oog.

Age: 32

Sex: Yes please...

The Situation: TMJ & degenerative bone disease (aka arthritis) - mostly in the left jaw joint, but also in the right a bit. Overbite. Recessed and non-genetically blessed chin (courtesy of my dad). Braces on since May 2007. Already had one surgery (arthrocentesis) in July of 2007 to "flush" the disc in the left jaw joint back into place after my jaw locked semi-shut.

The Surgeon: Dr. Claudio Tocchio (North York Gen).

Mental Status: Pretty freaked out! Looking chill on the surface though (or I like to think).

Location: Toronto, Ontario - Canada

Time: About 10:30 am.

Last meal: Indian yumminess over 12 hours ago.

Oh, and this is a pic from a few years ago in all my toothy gummy glory (pre surgery). I hardly ever smiled like this, and I'm going go ahead and venture a guess that you probably know why...

See how I don't lie? Now enjoy

this blog and trust me from now on.