Appointment with the surgeon

So this post is mainly boring informational stuff...

I met with my surgeon yesterday (Monday).  The appointment started with getting x-rays.  I also had to take him the surgical mold that was made at my orthodontist's office.  My surgeon will actually perform the surgery on the mold before doing it on my actual face, which I for one appreciate.  He told me that if he accidentally breaks it, I'll have to come in to have another mold made.  I informed him that his accidentally breaking it wouldn't exactly instill confidence in his ability, therefore he should proceed with caution (I was totally joking by the way...I do realize that the plaster mold is a lot more fragile than my bone).   That being said, making those molds is NOT fun, so I really hope he doesn't break it!

Surgical mold of my mouth

I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet with him again, seeing as last time I saw him, I was a bit in shock from his telling me I needed surgery and all.  This time I was prepared.  I went armed with an entire list of questions.  He walked in and said, "I know you have a ton of questions...fire away!"  He patiently answered every question I had and didn't rush me at all. 

Here is a list of my Q's and his A's:

•  How long is the procedure expected to last?
• "This procedure can take up to 6-hours, but I'll be working simultaneously with another surgeon and I think it'll be complete in 2.5-3 hours."

• How many millimeters will you extend my jaw and chin?
• "Jaw about 5 mm, Chin about 8-9 mm, that's just an estimate." (I had no idea what to expect here, so I'm just going to trust that he knows what he's doing!)

• How long will I have to wear the mouth splint? (the mouth splint, by the way, is a clear plastic template that they wire to your teeth after surgery to maintain the correct jaw position).
• "1-6 weeks."(I suggested that we aim for 1)

• Will my mouth be banded or wired when I wake up from surgery?
• "I don't like to wire or apply bands for at least 1-week...the only reason you'd be wired is if something goes wrong." (So, just to be clear, if I wake up with my mouth wired shut I'm totally gonna freak in the recovery room.)

• Does the hospital provide syringes for drinking?  Do you recommend them?
• "No & No.  Put a towel around yourself and use a cup.  Your bottom jaw will be completely numb, so it'll be messy, but you've gotta start somewhere."  (Maybe I should sell spectator tickets?)

• Does the hospital  provide a jaw wrap for ice packs?
• "That's called a 'jaw bra', we'll get you one of those."

• Can I use a straw right after surgery?
• "You can try, it might be hard, seeing as you won't be able to feel the lower half of your face." (Panic attack, I'm obsessed with straws.  If it's liquid I want a straw.  How can I survive a complete liquid diet if I can't use a straw?  I will definitely at least attempt...) 

• When should I stop taking Vitamin D/multivitamin?
• "You don't have to stop taking those."

•  That's all I've got, are there any more questions I should be asking? 
• "You should maybe ask what drugs I'll be prescribing you..." (Oh yeah...)

So here's my list of medications:

1. Clindamycin-- Antibiotic to prevent bacterial infection
2. Peridex-- It's just a Rx mouthwash to help prevent bacterial infection
3. Ibuprofen-- for swelling and pain
4. Oxycodone-- for pain (I'm hoping to use this as little as possible)

The other super fun thing he informed me of is that I'll wake up with surgical tape on my chin and it has to stay on for at least a week.  So surgical tape on my chin, combined with me drooling and dribbling all over myself.  Yeah, that's gonna be disgusting.  I have a feeling that this experience is going to get more and more humbling as time goes on!

That was pretty much it...and I thought that would be my last appointment with the surgeon before Day-0, but he wants me to come back the day before my surgery.  I didn't have my surgical lugs on yet (that'll be another blog post) and he's afraid that my teeth might move slightly when they put my lugs on.  So, he wants me to come in and try the splint to make certain it fits before the surgery.