plates and screws
well, it looks like i’m going to be having some pretty hardcore jaw surgery. eh, orthognathic surgery, that is. i had my pre-op visit today, which was a bit scary.
the surgery is going to last for 5-6 hours. there will be two surgeons, and some nurses. i’m having four separate procedures…
1) widen upper jaw (break upper jaw twice)
2) move lower jaw back (break lower jaw twice)
3) shorten chin a bit (remove slice of bone from chin)
4) fix deviated septum (so i can breathe. not quite sure how this is accomplished.)
so all in all, my jaw will be broken 5 times. for 4 of those, i will have titanium plates and screws holding me together. there won’t be any incisions from the outside, except for two very tiny ones an inch or so below my ears. (they have to put screws there, too.)
i’ll have a plastic plate keeping my upper jaw in place for 6 weeks. liquid diet for that entire time. braces stay on for about 9 months, although that could be shorter or longer. i’m going to be seriously out of it for a week or two, starting june 6 (which is, not coincidentally, the date of my surgery).
anyway, i’m going to MGM tomorrow with mike, tom, jess, and some others — it’s star wars weekends at disney. it should be pretty cool. i enjoy spending time with those guys. #
February 26th, 2004 at 9:00 pm
DON’T WORRY NOW, I HAD ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY ON FEB. 9, I WAS TERRIFIED, BUT BELIEVE ME, THE FIRST WEEK IS HARD, BUT AFTER THAT BELIEVE ME OR NOT YOU’LL GET USED TO IT, NOW I’M WEARING THE PLASTIC SPLINT WITH BANDS, AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WILL NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE IT AND PUT IT BACK BUT NOW IT’S EASIER, I’LL HAVE THE SPLINT AND BANDS FOR SIX WEEKS, BUT AT LEAST I CAN BRUSH AND EAT LIKE CREAM OF VEGETABLES AND CREAM OF WHEAT, JUST TRY NOT TO PANIC, THINK THAT EVERYDAY IT’S GOING TO BE ONE DAY LESS WITH THE SPLINT AND BANDS, GOOD LUCK!