Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Video Vlog #5 (10 Days Post OP)

 
Hi Bloggers,
 
 
Swelling has gone down tremendously, however... Right after this Vlog I encounters an infection. I will update progress on my next video Vlog
 
 
 
 


Thanks
Eric

Video Vlog #4 (Day 6 Post OP)

 
 
 
 
Hi Bloggers,
 
Sorry for the delay in my updates, I have been trying to take it easy and rest to speed up my recovery.
 
 
 
 
 
 




Video says it all, thanks for stopping by. :)

Eric

Thursday, 2 May 2013

1 week post op!!! Yahoo

Hi fellow Bloggers!!!!

What a journey it's been this week alone. I've cried, laughed,bleed, fought, and finally succumbed my situation.

I can definitely say, there is no way of 100% preparing for this surgery. Everything you think you know, or you think you can handle changes the moment your in recovery.

The first 3 days...

The first day was more like a blur in time, I remember people coming and going, nurses checking me often, and kept
Asking "do you need more morphine" why yes please ;) trust me, take all the drugs they give you, no need to suffer through all that.

When I finally came to my senses it was late in the nite, early morning. I honestly felt like I was going to die! I couldn't breath through my nose, my mouth was wired shut, my swelling was soo tight on my cheeks I could barley get air through my teeth.

And to top it off, my mouth was as dry as a dessert. Luckily my wife left me my white board. So I paged the night shift ICU nurse. I explained to her I was thirsty, and I needed water. She denied me water and said she would have to asked the doctor.
I then asked her to rig up some tubes/straws she could rig up between my cheeks so I could breath (I seen this on YouTube) and she denied me that. This nurse was brutal! I honestly thought I was going to die!! So she jacked me up on morphine and Ativan instead :-S

Finally the next morning came, I was alive!!! It was a Miracle. I was then introduced to my day Nurse Lisa. What an angel!! She thought my idea of the straws was a great idea and hooked me up right away. She also provided me all the water I could handle.
And apple juice!!! My overall care experience from those next 2 days where very pleasant!

Day 4 coming home...

So it's day 4 and I get to go home, I figured I would be thrilled to be able to come home and sleep in my own bed. Boy I was wrong!! I missed out on all the hospital perks like instant pain relief, humidified air mask (these are so good) mouth sucker. So non the less thing got a little tougher, but we have made due.

Liquid diet sucks, but I am enjoying the fresh smoothies. I definitely recommend you try and mix Boost or Ensure into any of your meals. You need all the vitamins you can get to encourage a quick recovery.

Day 5 and 6 where by far the worst for pain for me, but with a steady supply of solid pain meds and lots of ice and sleep got better.

As I write this, I'm slowly falling asleep!! Lol it's hard to keep a solid energy level just on liquids alone. But overall today was a great turning point for me. My swelling has gone down a lot, the pain is now just a mild throb. I shaved for the first time and could kinda see my new face below all this swelling and it made me happy.

Anyways nap time and I will leave you with my 1 week smile

Take care
Eric

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Day 5 post Op

Hi Bloggers,

Sorry for my messy blogs as of late! I'm sure you can tell my life has been turned upside down!!!

Where to start... Had my double jaw surgery April, 25th (5 days ago) my surgery was scheduled for 4.5 hours. While in the OR my surgeon had issues inserting a breathing tube, and because I'm an older patients things didn't want to move so easily.

After 6 hours in operation, I was brought up to ICU. Don't really remember much, just I was really thirsty, and I had this huge breathing tube rammed in my nose that killed!!! I managed to tell him to take it out, and what a relief... In till my nose started filling up with blood, which completely blocked my nasal airways.

I remember the night shift ICU nurse was just horrible, she wouldn't get me anything to drink, wouldn't saline my nose, wouldn't even offer tubes to help prop my swollen cheeks open to get some air. She just kept loading me with morphine and Ativan.

But that next morning on the switch shift, I must have been given an angel. My ICU nurse Lisa. She mediately cut straws to stick between my cheeks to breath, offered me water!!! Yes water!!! It felt so good on my throat. She washed me, made me feel like a person again.

I was released from the hospital on April, 28th. It's been pretty emotional. It's hard to live with you face in so much pain. My face feels like it's as hard as a rock. Eating is such an effort because your putting liquids Into the only hole that's offering air into my lungs. I'm having a hard time finding pain relief. I was given a small amount of liquid morphine as well as a non narcotic pain killer "Trometh"

lets just say it's not working so well, the Trometh can only betaken every 6 hours, and the morphine every 4 hours (with the intent of me being taken off the morphine) none the less, the pain is just to unbearable, so now I'm getting demerol. To add into the mix.

Getting tired now, will update further as we go along. Take care.

Eric



Sunday, 28 April 2013

Day/night 4 post op 2:30am

Well.. It's 2:30am, sleeping has been a come a thing of the passed. Instead filled with late night hungers.

Yesterday, or shall I say a part of tonight was my worse pain yet. My face feels like a stone statue. Because I can't breath through my nose, I breath through my mouth. (Heavily coated with Medex lip balm) but then the inside of my mouth gets dry and hurts when I swallow.

Later today I go back to my surgeons to make sure all the parts are where they are suppose to be. My scheduled 4 and half hour surgery turned into a 6. Jaw surgery, good times :-D

Saturday, 27 April 2013

Day 2 post op

Here I am, I made it through the surgery. I spend 2 nights in ICU due to breathing problems, but all in all I feel pretty good!! I just wish they would let me go home now! I don't want to take is in hospital another minute.

Just a quick up date. Till I get home to update more.