Here's a great mystery: How is it that my mouth can feel dry yet still produce quantity of drool worthy of Old Faithful? I pondered that question overnight as I kept a paper towel under my chin to catch the excess. I'm assuming that my mouth is dry because of the splint and because I can't keep it completely closed. And, given my experience with the TAP device, I'm pretty certain that the splint and assorted other hardware in my mouth are causing my salivary glands to go into overdrive.
There's a bit more swelling today. When I woke up, my upper neck and cheeks actually felt a little taut. I think I'm going to have to use ice today. Sleep wasn't all that great, for the same reasons as before -- crazy pain meds and the stuffed up nose.
Speaking of the nose, my right nostril keeps springing a nosebleed. Nothing major and it usually goes away after less than a minute. But, it is enough to be annoying. It happens when I move after being in one spot for a while or if I hold my head down for even just a little while.
I've read some blogs where people said they went back to work after two weeks. I cannot even conceive of it. I'm hoping to go back mid-May. That's plenty ambitious, I think.
I have numbness, but not as bad as I thought I might. The doctor explained that the nerve (which he described as looking like a piece of spaghetti) runs the length of the jaw. Since they're juggling that thing around, it's likely to get at least some damage. And I think pretty much everyone experiences some numbness. For some people, it goes away completely or partially. For others, it's permanent.
I have some feeling in my upper lip and radiating out to the end of my nose and nostrils and around my upper cheeks. My lower lip and chin are very numb. Every once in a while, I get these little twinges in my upper lip that feel like a spring uncoiling. I've also had some itchy feelings in my chin. I'm thinking those are good signs.
So, same plan for today: drink, eat, rest. Except, I'll add ice to the face.
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1 comment:
Hey Vaugn, congratulations to "getting to the other side". Its so interesting how everyone feels the same way after the surgery, like hey, I made it, I'm still here! Sounds like you are really doing well and you already look amazing, hardly bruised or swollen. And you got the eating thing down too. I will be really interested to hear how the sleeping goes once you get past the swelling of the surgery. Mary
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