Laurel-in-CA Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 She's having her upper jaw cut apart and re-set with metal plates today - a 3-4 hour surgery. She'll be wired shut for 2 weeks, 3 months recovery total. All this to correct her bite so that she can chew properly. She's travelled to the big city hospital for this and I am going in with a friend to pick her up tomorrow, assuming the weather is no worse than currently projected. Praying she can come home as planned and that the surgery goes well. Lots of allergies, including to standard painkillers so all she'll have when she comes home are ibuprofen and tylenol in liquid form. 4 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 I certainly do send her healing wishes. That’s tough. I used to work with a woman who had a severe underbite. This is the surgery her orthodontist recommended but she was wigged out by the procedure. I lost touch with her; I don’t know if she eventually went through with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 All the best for her surgery. Tomorrow we are supposedly getting a dry day so should be an uneventful ride to and from your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 Sending many good wishes for your daughter's surgery and recovery, @Laurel-in-CA. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 Praying that the surgery goes well and that she has a good recovery! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 sending positive thoughts for a successful surgery and that her recovery goes well. Two of my sons need this surgery due to bite issues but have been putting it off. My friends' dd had it done a couple of years ago and the first few days were pretty rough but she had fabulous results and is so happy she had it done. Wishing your dd all the best. It's a tough surgery for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 My dd had jaw surgery, both upper & lower, to correct an underbite and crossbite. It was almost 8 hrs in the OR but it was a huge success and such a relief that she could chew and swallow properly once she recovered. I’m praying for her recovery. The liquid diet was the hardest part, 12 weeks, followed by a soft diet for another month. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 55 minutes ago, Laurel-in-CA said: She's having her upper jaw cut apart and re-set with metal plates today - a 3-4 hour surgery. She'll be wired shut for 2 weeks, 3 months recovery total. All this to correct her bite so that she can chew properly. She's travelled to the big city hospital for this and I am going in with a friend to pick her up tomorrow, assuming the weather is no worse than currently projected. Praying she can come home as planned and that the surgery goes well. Lots of allergies, including to standard painkillers so all she'll have when she comes home are ibuprofen and tylenol in liquid form. Just as an encouragement...DS was given serious painkillers for only a few days after scoliosis surgery (rods, screws, manipulation of most of his spine, and an incision the entire length of his back). He was not allowed ibuprofen for healing reasons. He was on regular tylenol a week out and some muscle relaxers, and he was okay. There are also quite a few studies on ibuprofen and tylenol being as effective as opioids in many instances. I don't have links--that's DH's department, but he's told me about them. Also, my grandmother has had multiple surgeries with only tylenol for recovery. I assume that your DD will receive both meds in adequate dosages for her age/size even though liquid is usually dosed for little ones. Be sure you know if ice/heat are appropriate. I would guess she might have a stiff neck from the immobilization of surgery--if she can take magnesium or have an epsom salt bath, that might help with any pain from something like that. Distraction is also really important. Hugs and best wishes! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 Definitely praying. Poor girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 4 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said: She's having her upper jaw cut apart and re-set with metal plates today - a 3-4 hour surgery. She'll be wired shut for 2 weeks, 3 months recovery total. All this to correct her bite so that she can chew properly. She's travelled to the big city hospital for this and I am going in with a friend to pick her up tomorrow, assuming the weather is no worse than currently projected. Praying she can come home as planned and that the surgery goes well. Lots of allergies, including to standard painkillers so all she'll have when she comes home are ibuprofen and tylenol in liquid form. How did your dd’s surgery go? I forgot to add previously that my dd’s pain was much, much less than I was preparing myself to help her through- does that make sense? She didn’t need any pain relief after the first week or so. But, It was exhausting to keep up with her various medications/treatments & feedings/nutrition but it was doable. She decided to take one photo a day of her recovery to help give her encouragement when she was down. Weeks 3-5 were tough just because she wasn’t getting enough nourishment. We tracked calories, and that helped but it was exhausting. Pills weren’t hard to swallow once she got used to it. She was in the hospital for three days so recovery was well underway before she was released. And, she received bone graft & tissue from a donor so I was able to write to the donor family to thank them. I hadn’t expected that. My dd also had set backs, so watch for that. Her incision became infected and looked like a rather large hole inside her cheek. Dr prescribed medication and extra mouth rinse- she healed up well after that. She had check ups every week for the first 6 weeks. Again, exhausting but so thankful for the amazing medical care. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Sending positive thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Praying for successful surgery and good recovery! My oldest ds needs to have jaw surgery within the next few years. Does not sound like a fun road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Ouch! My jaw hurts in sympathy. I hope all goes well. Please update us when you can. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 All the good thoughts sent for the surgery and recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted January 15, 2023 Author Share Posted January 15, 2023 Surgery went well. God sent a friend who knows the city and who dedicated her day to taking me into the city and driving all 4 of us home. SUCH a kindness and a blessing!! DD's most difficult issue is that her sinuses have been really swollen and it's very hard to breath, all related to the surgery on her upper jaw. She has a recheck this next week and *should* get her wires off the week after. We bought I think 6 different styles of ice packs and headwraps to find something that fit and worked. Her surgeon said ice was the key. He also said the 3rd day would be the worst and indeed, it was and she seems to be doing better today, brief walk and a shower. Boyfriend has been great!! He's taken care of all the meds and helped her with the syringe to make sure she's getting enough water and nourishment. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!! 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 So glad surgery is over. Hope recovery goes as smoothly as possible and that she's very happy with the results. ❤️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 Hope the next weeks go smoothly! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Sending good thoughts for your daughter's continued recovery. And, yay, for the good friend. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 I'm so glad that's over and that's she's progressing well. And I'm so pleased the boyfriend has stepped up, especially after the thread from another poster whose dd's boyfriend turned out to be a big jackass after she broke her leg. It's times like these that really show us who people truly are. I hope she continues to do well and that the healing is quick and successful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corbster98 Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 (edited) I was praying. So glad to hear surgery went well. Praying now for a comfortable as possible recovery and healing. Edited January 16, 2023 by Corbster98 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 She got unwired on Tuesday but her mouth is still rubber-banded shut and she's eating with a syringe, really MISSING brushing her teeth, and VERY hungry by now. Smoothie drinks and protein drinks are not enough. Anyway, next week the rubber bands come off and she can start eating really soft foods like pudding and fruit sauce and mashed potatoes. The surgeon said he was very happy with her bite, so a good outcome is expected once healing is finished. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Once she can eat soft foods if she likes refried beans my kids found they tasted like real food. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Laurel-in-CA said: She got unwired on Tuesday but her mouth is still rubber-banded shut and she's eating with a syringe, really MISSING brushing her teeth, and VERY hungry by now. Smoothie drinks and protein drinks are not enough. Anyway, next week the rubber bands come off and she can start eating really soft foods like pudding and fruit sauce and mashed potatoes. The surgeon said he was very happy with her bite, so a good outcome is expected once healing is finished. When a friend of mine had similar surgery, I brought her cream of asparagus soup that was basically 1/3 heavy cream by volume. She had been warned that she would be hungry all the time and lose a bunch of weight no matter what she managed to take in so she wanted the highest calorie liquids that she could get. I pressed it through a strainer to make sure there were no fibers in it. She told me later that it was one of the more satisfying foods she had during the whole time her jaw had to be held shut, which was weeks. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 17 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said: She got unwired on Tuesday but her mouth is still rubber-banded shut and she's eating with a syringe, really MISSING brushing her teeth, and VERY hungry by now. Smoothie drinks and protein drinks are not enough. Anyway, next week the rubber bands come off and she can start eating really soft foods like pudding and fruit sauce and mashed potatoes. The surgeon said he was very happy with her bite, so a good outcome is expected once healing is finished. Savory liquids might help. After I had bariatric surgery I was on liquids or a week or two, and just getting something more savory really helped. We were advised to use cream of chicken soup, with the chicken strained out, made with fairlife milk (high protein, lactose free milk sold in grocery stores). If she can't have milk for any reason (I know you said allergies are an issue) you could try the bone broth sippers made by swanson - they have 9 grams of protein. When she can have soft foods a favorite of many patients was some ricotta cheese heated up with some tomato sauce. Or refried beans with a bit of cheese melted on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 If she likes Chobani yogurt in a smoothie (or thinned down), the whole milk has a lot of fat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 We have found some success with beef broth in the blender with seasoned bread crumbs. That seemed to hit the spot. Also got her some chai latte to mix in with the protein drink and hot coca to flavor her protein mix that is not chocolate enough. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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