Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 , I remember looking at your pictures a month or so before my surgery. They were among many that greatly inspired me not to back out! I couldn't tell much differece in your first post-op picture, but the differences are very obvious in the current ones! You look beautiful! And, it's a natural beauty at that! You did a good job taking the pictures by yourself, too! When I do that, I always look a bit freakish! So, does it feel wonderful to be as far along as you are! I'm a little over 4 months and even that seems to have flown by! I guess today is my second Day 1 because I had some plates and screws removed this morning. It's not quite the same as the original surgery, but I have to say the pain is more intense. I guess not as many nerves were involoved so I have more feeling. I can live with it if this will take care of the chronic pain I was having in one certain area. I hope your enjoying your new bite! It looks perfect! Marsha -- In orthognathicsurgerysupport@y..., archlydia <no_reply@y...> wrote: > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post op > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 days > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, here > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three of > these things that I just took today. I might look a little straggly, > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > myself! > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 , I remember looking at your pictures a month or so before my surgery. They were among many that greatly inspired me not to back out! I couldn't tell much differece in your first post-op picture, but the differences are very obvious in the current ones! You look beautiful! And, it's a natural beauty at that! You did a good job taking the pictures by yourself, too! When I do that, I always look a bit freakish! So, does it feel wonderful to be as far along as you are! I'm a little over 4 months and even that seems to have flown by! I guess today is my second Day 1 because I had some plates and screws removed this morning. It's not quite the same as the original surgery, but I have to say the pain is more intense. I guess not as many nerves were involoved so I have more feeling. I can live with it if this will take care of the chronic pain I was having in one certain area. I hope your enjoying your new bite! It looks perfect! Marsha -- In orthognathicsurgerysupport@y..., archlydia <no_reply@y...> wrote: > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post op > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 days > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, here > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three of > these things that I just took today. I might look a little straggly, > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > myself! > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 , I remember looking at your pictures a month or so before my surgery. They were among many that greatly inspired me not to back out! I couldn't tell much differece in your first post-op picture, but the differences are very obvious in the current ones! You look beautiful! And, it's a natural beauty at that! You did a good job taking the pictures by yourself, too! When I do that, I always look a bit freakish! So, does it feel wonderful to be as far along as you are! I'm a little over 4 months and even that seems to have flown by! I guess today is my second Day 1 because I had some plates and screws removed this morning. It's not quite the same as the original surgery, but I have to say the pain is more intense. I guess not as many nerves were involoved so I have more feeling. I can live with it if this will take care of the chronic pain I was having in one certain area. I hope your enjoying your new bite! It looks perfect! Marsha -- In orthognathicsurgerysupport@y..., archlydia <no_reply@y...> wrote: > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post op > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 days > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, here > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three of > these things that I just took today. I might look a little straggly, > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > myself! > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 Thanks for the kind words. I'm so used to the way I look now, that I sometimes forget how far I've come. I recently ran into a friend that I haven't seen since before I had braces. When I said " hi, " she glanced at me and nearly walked off before she turned back around, " ? " What was funny is that I told her, " Oh yeah, I just had my hair lightened a couple months ago. " It didn't occur to me that my braces and jaw surgery (and Lasik, no more glasses) might have something to do with it! What's amazing is the transition you go through. You start out with extremely long days and you can feel every sensation (or lack of sensation!) from moment to moment. Days are soooo long right afterward! Then a few days pass and things feel very different (sometimes not too good emotionally). A couple more days and you're into the groove of things. It sucks, but you're so happy you went through with it, AND you're a veteran on this site. You get to start helping other people with your experiences. Then soon comes the semi-eating part. I think that was the happiest day of my life. Yes, it took me an hour to get down a bit of mac and cheese cassarole, but YUM!!! From there on you tend to measure your progress by what new things you get to eat! I had given up on using swelling as an indication of how well I was doing because I still felt really puffy in my own eyes long after I was eating well. No one else noticed at all! It's funny how once you start eating almost normally, the surgery begins to finally take the backseat to everything else. Sometimes I forget I had it and it was so important to me and allowed me to really smile for the first time in years. I must say that I was very lucky, my student health paid for the procedure even though it was specifically excluded in my policy. Also, I had absolutely no numbness post-op. I never had to use a syringe or straw, I was guzzling (literally) down broth and juice just hours after my surgery (my doctor said that was the most he's ever seen anyone drink after that procedure). I did have complications with the jello the next day at lunch. Why would they give an ortho surgery patient jello in the first place? I really tried to suck it through all the crap in my mouth, but it just plugged everything up! If I could do it all over again, I'd say definately. The worst part is psyching yourself up to go through with it. The discomfort is temporary and, think of it this way, how many times in life will you feel pure joy from things like, being able to eat smooshed bananas, floss your teeth, or drink out of a big kids cup? I know it takes a while for you to feel completely normal again, but it happens. It was like one day I was having a horrible mental picture of the consequences of eating nuts, the next day all those thoughts were just gone. Well, this is getting loooong! I should actually try to study (I just started my PhD) - what a fun Friday night! > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 Thanks for the kind words. I'm so used to the way I look now, that I sometimes forget how far I've come. I recently ran into a friend that I haven't seen since before I had braces. When I said " hi, " she glanced at me and nearly walked off before she turned back around, " ? " What was funny is that I told her, " Oh yeah, I just had my hair lightened a couple months ago. " It didn't occur to me that my braces and jaw surgery (and Lasik, no more glasses) might have something to do with it! What's amazing is the transition you go through. You start out with extremely long days and you can feel every sensation (or lack of sensation!) from moment to moment. Days are soooo long right afterward! Then a few days pass and things feel very different (sometimes not too good emotionally). A couple more days and you're into the groove of things. It sucks, but you're so happy you went through with it, AND you're a veteran on this site. You get to start helping other people with your experiences. Then soon comes the semi-eating part. I think that was the happiest day of my life. Yes, it took me an hour to get down a bit of mac and cheese cassarole, but YUM!!! From there on you tend to measure your progress by what new things you get to eat! I had given up on using swelling as an indication of how well I was doing because I still felt really puffy in my own eyes long after I was eating well. No one else noticed at all! It's funny how once you start eating almost normally, the surgery begins to finally take the backseat to everything else. Sometimes I forget I had it and it was so important to me and allowed me to really smile for the first time in years. I must say that I was very lucky, my student health paid for the procedure even though it was specifically excluded in my policy. Also, I had absolutely no numbness post-op. I never had to use a syringe or straw, I was guzzling (literally) down broth and juice just hours after my surgery (my doctor said that was the most he's ever seen anyone drink after that procedure). I did have complications with the jello the next day at lunch. Why would they give an ortho surgery patient jello in the first place? I really tried to suck it through all the crap in my mouth, but it just plugged everything up! If I could do it all over again, I'd say definately. The worst part is psyching yourself up to go through with it. The discomfort is temporary and, think of it this way, how many times in life will you feel pure joy from things like, being able to eat smooshed bananas, floss your teeth, or drink out of a big kids cup? I know it takes a while for you to feel completely normal again, but it happens. It was like one day I was having a horrible mental picture of the consequences of eating nuts, the next day all those thoughts were just gone. Well, this is getting loooong! I should actually try to study (I just started my PhD) - what a fun Friday night! > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 Thanks for the kind words. I'm so used to the way I look now, that I sometimes forget how far I've come. I recently ran into a friend that I haven't seen since before I had braces. When I said " hi, " she glanced at me and nearly walked off before she turned back around, " ? " What was funny is that I told her, " Oh yeah, I just had my hair lightened a couple months ago. " It didn't occur to me that my braces and jaw surgery (and Lasik, no more glasses) might have something to do with it! What's amazing is the transition you go through. You start out with extremely long days and you can feel every sensation (or lack of sensation!) from moment to moment. Days are soooo long right afterward! Then a few days pass and things feel very different (sometimes not too good emotionally). A couple more days and you're into the groove of things. It sucks, but you're so happy you went through with it, AND you're a veteran on this site. You get to start helping other people with your experiences. Then soon comes the semi-eating part. I think that was the happiest day of my life. Yes, it took me an hour to get down a bit of mac and cheese cassarole, but YUM!!! From there on you tend to measure your progress by what new things you get to eat! I had given up on using swelling as an indication of how well I was doing because I still felt really puffy in my own eyes long after I was eating well. No one else noticed at all! It's funny how once you start eating almost normally, the surgery begins to finally take the backseat to everything else. Sometimes I forget I had it and it was so important to me and allowed me to really smile for the first time in years. I must say that I was very lucky, my student health paid for the procedure even though it was specifically excluded in my policy. Also, I had absolutely no numbness post-op. I never had to use a syringe or straw, I was guzzling (literally) down broth and juice just hours after my surgery (my doctor said that was the most he's ever seen anyone drink after that procedure). I did have complications with the jello the next day at lunch. Why would they give an ortho surgery patient jello in the first place? I really tried to suck it through all the crap in my mouth, but it just plugged everything up! If I could do it all over again, I'd say definately. The worst part is psyching yourself up to go through with it. The discomfort is temporary and, think of it this way, how many times in life will you feel pure joy from things like, being able to eat smooshed bananas, floss your teeth, or drink out of a big kids cup? I know it takes a while for you to feel completely normal again, but it happens. It was like one day I was having a horrible mental picture of the consequences of eating nuts, the next day all those thoughts were just gone. Well, this is getting loooong! I should actually try to study (I just started my PhD) - what a fun Friday night! > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 Wow! your pics are great! I bet you are totally happy!.. Thanks so much for sharing. It's nice to hear from someone who's probably fully recovered.. say, when did you feel totally " normal " again? Stay in touch! 6 weeks post op > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post op > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 days > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, here > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three of > these things that I just took today. I might look a little straggly, > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > myself! > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 I don't remember exactly when I got to the point when I stopped thinking about completely. But my surgery was in Mid-December 2000 and by February sometime I was scarfing down pizza and flautas (a kind of Mexican fried burrito)with my friends without much trouble. I think a lot of what makes people feel not normal when it gets to the 3 months plus range is being oversensitive and overconsious of your jaw area. You're so used to concentrating hard to feel any difference at all while you're healing, that you can feel every little tingle in your jaw for months to come. Also, I believe it was in early February when I fell and hit my face on the concrete. I was sure that my jaw had become independent from my head and I was going to have to have surgery again. Up until that point, I was still thinking that I was taking a risk every time I chew! I rushed immediately to my surgeon's office and they got me in right away for x-rays and an examination. Nothing was wrong at all. The x-rays even confirmed that my bone had already mended well. From then on, even though nothing was really different than from before, I began feeling more normal. Sometimes I would get a paranoid thought in my head, but it would pass and I felt fine. > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 I don't remember exactly when I got to the point when I stopped thinking about completely. But my surgery was in Mid-December 2000 and by February sometime I was scarfing down pizza and flautas (a kind of Mexican fried burrito)with my friends without much trouble. I think a lot of what makes people feel not normal when it gets to the 3 months plus range is being oversensitive and overconsious of your jaw area. You're so used to concentrating hard to feel any difference at all while you're healing, that you can feel every little tingle in your jaw for months to come. Also, I believe it was in early February when I fell and hit my face on the concrete. I was sure that my jaw had become independent from my head and I was going to have to have surgery again. Up until that point, I was still thinking that I was taking a risk every time I chew! I rushed immediately to my surgeon's office and they got me in right away for x-rays and an examination. Nothing was wrong at all. The x-rays even confirmed that my bone had already mended well. From then on, even though nothing was really different than from before, I began feeling more normal. Sometimes I would get a paranoid thought in my head, but it would pass and I felt fine. > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2002 Report Share Posted August 10, 2002 I don't remember exactly when I got to the point when I stopped thinking about completely. But my surgery was in Mid-December 2000 and by February sometime I was scarfing down pizza and flautas (a kind of Mexican fried burrito)with my friends without much trouble. I think a lot of what makes people feel not normal when it gets to the 3 months plus range is being oversensitive and overconsious of your jaw area. You're so used to concentrating hard to feel any difference at all while you're healing, that you can feel every little tingle in your jaw for months to come. Also, I believe it was in early February when I fell and hit my face on the concrete. I was sure that my jaw had become independent from my head and I was going to have to have surgery again. Up until that point, I was still thinking that I was taking a risk every time I chew! I rushed immediately to my surgeon's office and they got me in right away for x-rays and an examination. Nothing was wrong at all. The x-rays even confirmed that my bone had already mended well. From then on, even though nothing was really different than from before, I began feeling more normal. Sometimes I would get a paranoid thought in my head, but it would pass and I felt fine. > > It's been a while since I've posted here. I will be 2 years post > op > > in December! Time flies! I remember posting several times a day, > > especially pre-op and my first couple months post-op. Anyhow, I > > could not get my pictures to post on this site. My pre-op and 3 > days > > post-op pictures are in the Album named " " , but no matter, > here > > is a link to my ortho picture album. I have profile and front pics > > of me pre-surgery and 3 days post op. I also have pictures of my > > bite before I even got braces. Also, I have pictures of all three > of > > these things that I just took today. I might look a little > straggly, > > but I just got home from classes so I have an excuse! Also, the > > angles might be a little off since I had to take the pictures > > myself! > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/profesora525 > > > > You might need to cut and paste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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