Week 3 of healing

So I am still healing after the surgery I have had good days and bad... but for the most part it has been good. I was able to get rid of the infection in my mouth and it feels a ton better this week. I even had one of the stitches fall out on it's own last night. So maybe that means the doctor can actually take them out tomorrow when I see him... I guess we will see. Also I'm getting antsy to be able to eat some really food, along with be able to use a straw, not the mention be able to blow my nose. You have no idea how weird it is to "pick " your nose very carefully. I found out the other day ( while eating some ice cream) if I have too much ice in my glass or eat too much ice cream my teeth starts to hurt a lot..... I think it would be much easier if I could use a straw, then it wouldn't be on my teeth so much. But it is all worth it if I still have to wait.... the swelling has gone down enough that I can start to see my top teeth now and just how much my smile has changed already. I can only imagine what it will look like once all the swelling is gone and they get my teeth all in place with the braces. It should be a really nice change.
On other fronts...... Rands is about ready to pop any second... there was a little bit of a scare and she was maybe going to be induced over last weekend... but things turned out to be alright and she is still on schedule to be induced on 06/11/07... which is kind of funny since that is also Big L.'s due date..... we all think that Rands will still have her baby first... since Big L. will probably go later.... I guess we will see on that too. It would be funny though if they were in the hospital at the same time..... or should I say easier for us to visit them. I guess it is just a waiting game now.
Skinny is in his late few weeks at the Fort, which is nice... since it seems like it has been such a long time... but when I look back at the last 7 months it just seems like it has flown by too. But I'm just happy that it is 3 weeks from Thursday and he will be a free man so to speak. Then we just have to get through aftercare and parole.... which I'm sure will be easier then the Fort. Plus we will be able to really start planning our future... hey maybe Skinny will even propose finally and we can really start planning the wedding.

Day 12 in healing

So it has been 12 days since my surgery and I'm doing pretty good. I have had more good days then bad in the past week. The swelling has gone down a lot and the bruising is getting better. So all in all it has been not as bad as I thought the healing process would be. Today I had another appointment with my surgeon, and thought I would get the stitches out, but instead they will be in for another week. The left side of my nose and upper jaw is still hurting a lot. The surgeon checked it out and it looks like I have an infection, so I got some heavy duty antibiotics to take for the next week, hopefully everything will be cleared up for next week's appointment. On the other hand they took out all the rubber bands, so now I just have to wear them at night. So now I can move my jaw a lot more and even eat things with a little more substance... like pudding and jello. Actually that is the first thing I did when I get back to the parentals... made some cherry jello for later. I didn't realize how much I would miss real food as I have been on Slim fast, soup ( broth and tomato, mostly) and water for the last 2 weeks almost. But now that I can have other things it will be a nice change. Still I can't chew anything, also I still can't use a straw or blow my nose. I'm thinking maybe when the stitches come out I will be able to use a straw again.
Last night the mother made a good meal... it was turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and green beans. It smelled so good, I just wanted to eat it. I actually took a bite of potatoes, but since my jaw was still banded, it was really hard to get down and kind of hurt. So I just stuck to soup, I'm thinking now that I can open my mouth a little more I might try potatoes again today for lunch, once I put some gravy with it, I think it will just slide right down. I guess we will see. There is some really good news though, the surgeon signed my paperwork so I will definitely be out of work till 06/25/07, which is nice since then I can help out with all the babies that will be here soon,plus heal completely before going back to work. It is only another 2 weeks and Rands will have her baby... then another 2 weeks and A.B. will follow. Also the extra time will give me a good jump on the weight loss. I have lost 13 pounds so far and I hope to lose more, once I start working out a little. I want to be close to a size 14 when I head back to work. I guess it is just a mind set that I have to make stick. I told the mother the other day, when I start looking for wedding dresses I want to be able to look at normal size dresses not plus size, so I guess we will see.

Still recovering.......just no so quickly

So it is now just about a week after my surgery and I'm still recovering.. but not as quickly as I thought I would be. Day 3 and 4 were hard but I was having a good couple of days, even yesterday I was doing good. I had a doctor's appointment with the surgeon, my first of many post -op appointments and it went well. He took off one of the strong rubber bands holding my mouth shut, so now I'm just down to 2 left in my mouth, one on each side. So now I'm able to move my jaw a little and even get a little more liquid in my mouth at once. I was able to graduate from using little Styrofoam cup, to using a normal glass, so I can actually get my lips open enough now. Also the swelling has gone done a lot.... granted I still look like a cabbage patch kid... but I'm not so bad. I'm still on a totally liquid diet and will be till at least next Monday, when I go to the doctor's again. Everyday the swelling goes down a little bit more and the bruising is not so bad...... plus the pain has gotten too out of hand....well that was till this morning. Today was my worse day so far I think... well since the actually surgery day. I felt crappy all day... my mouth and head hurt..... then on top of it, I took some medicine and that made me feel like I would throw-up any second. I just wanted to sit motionless... and that is what I did for most of the day. it's a good thing that the parentals have let me stay as long as I want. I actually was planning on going home yesterday, just so I could get my place back in order and also so I could sleep in my own bed....well that went down the drain, when I found out the air conditioner in the apartment is broken. Skinny was going to call the land lords over the weekend but didn't, so I had the mother start calling them yesterday morning. they promised to have it fixed, but when I stopped by there at 2 pm yesterday the place hadn't been touched. Again I check the place at 5 and 8;30... since it was once of our hottest day this spring, I couldn't stay there and be comfortable unless something was done. So again this morning we started calling the landlords to get the air fixed, finally at 4:15 this afternoon they sent someone over and then all we find out is it can't be fixed till at least tomorrow. So I'm at the parentals again tonight...... although I have decided that it is going to be nice the rest of the week, so if I'm feeling better I'm definitely going home tomorrow. I will just have the windows open. I will still come over to the parentals to hang out, but I just need to be home to get back in a normal routine.
Like I said in the beginning... I have had good days and bad days.... and I have a lot to go.. but at least the first week is almost done..... one good thing is I have lost 10 pounds so far.......granted all water weight, but it is something.

Recovery!!!!!!

I made it through the surgery and now I'm recovering at the parents. So how did it go???? well, here is a quick update. The last time I posted I was still waiting..... The hospital actually didn't call me till the day before to give me the exact time of the surgery, since my surgeon is not a normal doctor there, they kind of just fit him into the surgery schedule. So on Tuesday morning I get a call from the scheduler and she says i need to be at the hospital at 8:45 am. Which was good, since Howie was taking me to the hospital and Skinny would have plenty of time to get there from the Fort. So I called the house to tell the Mother and the planning started, I continued to work my last day and planned on calling her later to get he final details. As I was working and now it was about noon -1 and I get another call from the hospital, they tell me that someone's surgery got cancelled and now I'm #1, which meant I would have to be at the hospital at 5 am....and the surgery would be at 7 am. My first thought was ...crap..... I have a ton of stuff I still need to do and I wanted to get a good night's sleep. But then after a moment or 2 of thinking I figured it would be good to just get it out of the way. So just as I hang up the phone with the hospital, I quickly call the Mother again to say..... change of plans.....she says no problem and she tells me that Howie will be at my place at 4:45 am to pick me up. I then go through the rest of the day getting prepared. I had a ton of stuff to do, so it made it not so bad of a wait... until Wednesday morning. I get up and get ready, pack my bag and then the nerves really start to set in...... but with only a couple of hours to go till I would be in surgery... I was handling it alright. I spoke to the Mother on last time and get headed down to the car. Howie picks me up and then it is a fast ride downtown and then into the hospital. Howie needed to head back to the house to get the Mother ready for one of her post op appointments. So I was left alone to wait for Skinny to show up. I figured it would be a long wait, but instead the nurses kept me busy with paper work and explaining stuff. They checked all my vitals and then said the surgical nurse will be in, plus the surgeon and the anateisologist By that time it was 6:15 and the normal nurse had me change into the "attractive" gown and they started my IV. Skinny finally showed up at 6:30 just as everyone started to come in to tell me about the surgery one last time. On advice from the mother I asked the anateiseologist, if I could get a little something to easy my nerves. He said that once I got on the table he would give me something, since I had to actually walk in there...which was fine. Now it was finally time to go into the operating room..... It was kind of weird cause I had to tell them a couple of times what kind of surgery I was having in my own words... which I know it something they have to do. So I climbed on the table and got settled, I heard the surgeon say " alright give her a little medicine", next thing I know I'm in the recovery room. It was crazy.... and I was in pain....alright not a ton of pain but in discomfort... and was I swollen..... I looked like a deformed bunny..... and they have this ice pack around my face... which did help. After 3 hours of being in the recovery room, they moved me to a normal private room...... It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But that is before the real pain killers started to wear off.... once I was in my room, I had to have the ice replaced every hour and then pain medicine, plus they were taking my vitals every hour and were pumping me with liquids. So I was constantly peeing. Let's just say when they released me on Thursday morning.... I was glad to rest at the parentals. I was there by 1-ish and ready to rest... the first day at the parentals was alright... yesterday sucked..... cause I was in A LOT OF pain ...and today I slept a lot.... I think I'm finally feeling like I'm healing at least..... I have even been able to take the ice packs off for most of the day and not take so much pain medicine. So I think I will get through it. The hardest part is the talking....since I can still talk a little but it is hard and uses a lot of energy,since i can't move my teeth at all. My next doctor's appointment is Monday, so I guess we will see how it goes..... at least I have gotten thru the hardest days..... it should be down hill from here. I'm just looking forward to my new pretty smile and how i look once the swelling goes down. Since I'm still really puffy.... the only really good thing is I have lost 5 pounds already...... since I have only had liquids since wednesday and will for at least another 10 days.

Down to 48 hours.........

So I have only 48 hours to go... and then I will be at the hospital for my surgery. I have gotten everything pretty much ready. I spent the weekend, going to Target and Walmart getting all the stuff I will need..... I got travel size shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc... you name it I got it. I want to make sure if I want to take a shower at the hospital I'm prepared. The last time I was there.... I wasn't so ready, granted I was rushed there and we had no idea what was wrong with me..... still like I have said in the past I like to be prepared. Anyway, I washed all my comfy clothes, so I have plenty of stuff to wear while I'm healing. Then I also cleaned the apartment, so it will hopefully be neat and clean when I come home from the Parentals. Skinny will be there and you know how boys can be... but we talked about home I won't be able to clean stuff for al ittle bit, so he has to keep the place neat. Which he seems to understand and agree with. The only things I have to do now is vacuum and pack, which I will leave till tomorrow night, that way I can really focus on it. It's kind of my routine.... to clean and get everything I will need if I'm going to be away from my apartment and then pack the night before. It makes the stress of everything less for me. I know it might sound weird. But I hate rushing around getting everything done at the last minute. Also over the weekend I had my "last Suppers" so to speak. On Saturday night, Skinny and I went to play mini-golf and have a nice dinner out. I had steak, because I knew it would be a very long time till I will have it again. I don't normally have steak and I really haven't had it but a couple of times in the last year, since the braces were put on. Mostly because it is a pain to pick it out of the braces and also because it takes so long to eat. But on Saturday night it sounded so good. Then last night we ordered pizza and onion rings..... so I think I have all the bad foods for a while now. I have tell you I'm definitely paying for it this morning..... with multiple trips to the bathroom. I guess since I don't eat that way a lot any more my system is not liking it, so much. I think it will be salads and water for the next 2 days, so my system is all clean for the surgery.
Changing the subject to The Mother, she had her surgery almost a week ago and she is doing better now...... the first day or so she was just loopy from the medication..... then the pain really set in... that was on day 3-4 after the surgery... she was kind of a bear to deal with. Rands, Howie and I took most of the brunt of it. But she has made it through the weekend and last night was doing pretty good. Granted she is still in pain and is still needing a lot of help getting up and down to do stuff. But for the most part she is in a good mood and going with the flow. I'm actually worried about Howie...... more then the Mother. He is working like a dog, and without the Mother in the office to help him, he is getting very stressed out. To add to it... Rands is getting to the end of her pregnancy and hasn't been feel great.... so she has been back and forth to the doctors. So I'm sure that doesn't help Howie's stress level. But it will all work out in the end....... it's not like people will die if all the work doesn't get done today.
Last but not least... the best news of the week is that Skinny finally has a graduation day from the Fort. He is filling out his parole paper work, so as long as they don't deny him, he will be out on June 21st. Plus he will come right home, no half way house. Well at least that is what we think, since every other person who is not going straight home after graduation, has been told. I don't have any doubt he will come straight home,since he hasn't had any problems at the Fort and he has a good support system, not to mention I have been to all the Family therapy nights, expect for 1 and then the next 2 week, while I'm recovering. So it looks like this is a real turning point for us and getting the drinking problems behind us. Another good thing is that they have also give Skinny 72 hours furloughs, which means he will come home early Friday evening and not have to be back to the fort till after work on Monday. It just means one more night at home and less time at the Fort, which he likes. I think it will also help him get into the routine of going back to work from the apartment.
So as the weather is warming up for spring and summer.... it looks like things are looking up for Skinny and me.... you never know.... maybe he will even propose soon. I guess we will see,....... and wish me luck that I come out of surgery without too much pain and suffering.

in the home stretch....

I'm in the home stretch for my surgery. Only 8 days and counting down.... yesterday I went for my final pre-op appointment with the surgeon. He took lots of measurements and a couple of molds of my mouth... plus took a ton of pictures from every angle of my face. I had a list of questions to ask him and I got most of them answered. I found out no using straws after my surgery for 2 weeks and no blowing my nose.... which I think will be hard, but I guess we will see. Also I will be limited to a totally liquid diet for 2 weeks at least, not only is it limited to liquid it will be limited to 3 slim fasts a day ( so I get all the vitamins and protein for the day) and then all the water and juice I can drink. They want me to drink enough so I'm going to the bathroom about once an hour. Which would be easy if I wasn't going to have my mouth banded shut.... have you ever tried to drink something with your teeth totally closed??? It's not so easy. But I will get through this.... I'm looking at it as a great jump start to my diet for when I get married. I should lose the weight in no time..... it will just be keeping it off then. The biggest question is still up in the air... the time of the surgery.... I guess the hospital calls me the day before and tells me what time to be there.....which is kind of nerve racking,since I want to have everything planned out.. .I guess I will just have to roll with the punches for now. We are pretty much prepared for whenever the surgery is on Wednesday, Skinny has planned to leave the fort at 5;45 am, so he will be down town and ready to go by 6;30 am, then Howie is going to take me to the hospital.... and hopefully will hang out till Skinny gets there, just so he knows what is going on. Now that is only if I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning. Otherwise Howie will just need to drop me off and I can handle it from there. The mother made a big fuss about having someone hang out at the hospital,she thinks I will be fine alone. Thing is Howie spent the whole morning today... hanging out at her surgery and it is out patient. I want to make sure nothing goes wrong... so if I have someone there.... they can find out what is up and tell everyone else. At least the next week should go by fast, I still have my pre-op physical with my normal doctor tomorrow and then we have a busy weekend of getting stuff ready....... next Wednesday will be here before we know it.
On other fronts...... the Mother had her foot surgery today and is doing well..... by the time I get off work she should be home... It will be interesting to see how her foot looks now, since they were so bad before.....at least now she will know what she has in store for when she has the other one done in Dec.