Guest guest Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 I was yelling at the nurses in the recovery room - I know I said " Hot! Hot! " and " Change tape! Change tape! " (you'll have to read my surgery story to find out what I was talking about) - then went back to sleep when I could hear they'd taken care of things. I do know they said " what's she saying? " Then when I was wheeled back to my room, I said to my husband " I did it! I made it! " and gave him a big thumbs up. It wasn't until later that I found out that I was really mostly mumbling. As the tissues swell up inside the mouth, it does get harder to enunciate, having bands on makes it pretty hard. I've always been good at talking without moving my lips, though, so I had a bit of an advantage. I made a lot of use of the whiteboard for weeks, though. Talking is extremely tiring. My husband did compare someone else in the surgeon's office to me at that stage - she was unable to talk and her mom did all the talking at the receptionist's desk. I was quite able to speak for myself on that visit. So everybody's different. Good luck! > Hi all. Just wondering how long it took after surgery before (1) you > could speak and (2) people could understand you. My surgery was a > week ago and I'm thinking it's not going to happen before they change > the bands next Monday. Any word from the veterans out there?? > > Thanks. > > Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Right out of the operation, I tried to talk, but I don't know if anybody understood me. I took immediately to writing everything down. When I was home (the next day), I talked more, but mostly my husband said he couldn't understand me, so I kept up with the whiteboard for another week. In my second week, I guess the swelling of my lips went down enough to mumble more clearly. My daughter (2 1/2) said " You can TALK! " So now (2 weeks out) my husband and kids can understand me when I speak slowly, but other people can only understand SOME of what I say. I don't really use the white board much anymore, but I'm a stay at home mom, so it might be different if I was at or school. Soo > Hi all. Just wondering how long it took after surgery before (1) you > could speak and (2) people could understand you. My surgery was a > week ago and I'm thinking it's not going to happen before they change > the bands next Monday. Any word from the veterans out there?? > > Thanks. > > Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 Hi I am not a veteran as my upper jaw surgery was only 5 days ago also and I am finding it very frustrating that i cannot speak clearly because of the splint and that i will have to go back to work like this (I just cannot see how I can manage to work like this, I don't think speaking will get any clearer for me until the splint is out of my mouth, which will be six weeks so I'm told!) How was your surgery experience? I am feeling better today now that I am home. I was in the hospital for 4 days (i know the US is only one or 2 days, I don't know its done!) My head is fuzzy and my ears blocked and i have numbness in the upper part of my face. I have swelling and bruises in the lower part of the face. I have 2 bands to keep my teeth together but can take them off to eat. I was wondering how long most people are banded for (upper surgery) as I did not get very many bands to take home with me. I look and feel really strange and am hoping this goes quickly! Any other info would be appreciated. thanks > Hi all. Just wondering how long it took after surgery before (1) you > could speak and (2) people could understand you. My surgery was a > week ago and I'm thinking it's not going to happen before they change > the bands next Monday. Any word from the veterans out there?? > > Thanks. > > Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 I had to come back to work while still splinted too, but I worked things out with my employer to minimize my talking post-op. They let me change my voice mail greeting to say that I would not be taking calls until early May and that if they wanted to get a hold of me, they should either e-mail me or leave their e-mail address for me so that I could reply. I forwarded my incoming calls directly into my voice mail. It worked out relatively well. Funny story - when I was less than a week post-op, I found out that some of the sales guys at work wanted copies of a certain piece of literature. Even though I wasn't " working " , I still had to get copies made for them, so my mom translated my instructions to the print shop on the phone. She did such a bad job at it that I had to take the phone and patiently mumble my way through. Thank God the person I was speaking with was patient as well. At any rate, I couldn't really speak or be understood until I was a week post-op and my doc swaped the four tight rubber bands with four looser ones. > > Hi all. Just wondering how long it took after surgery before (1) > you > > could speak and (2) people could understand you. My surgery was a > > week ago and I'm thinking it's not going to happen before they > change > > the bands next Monday. Any word from the veterans out there?? > > > > Thanks. > > > > Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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