After Picture

Before - Notice the low gums especially on the front 2 teeth. Notice the small membrane that connected my lip to my gums (between the front 2 teeth) - this is probably hard to see, but it's there.

For some reason, nothing happens if you click on this before picture. However, if you scroll all the way down to August 8 - Recuperating, then you can click on that picture and see all the details.

After - Notice the difference in the gum line. Notice how that small membrane is removed (a major cause of the massive gum recession). Notice the white stuff...those are the smaller stitches that are there for another 2 weeks. They don't bother me yet. You can click on this picture to enlarge it...it's scary to see my face that large, but you can also make out the stitches this way. Also feel free to notice those bright nicely manicured nails!




This is a bonus picture. I accidently uploaded this one instead of the before picture. This is Stella being really sleepy (her eyes are actually open in the picture). She spends the night in the crate so this night it was extremely difficult to get her to budge off the bed and into her crate. She's already really spoiled and enjoys sleeping on the bed and couches when the opportunity is there - especially when she has a human body part as a pillow (Brian's foot in this case).

My mouth is 90% free

I had my post-op appointment this afternoon. I had been looking forward to this day for about 10 days now. This appointment was to remove the stitches. I also knew that after this appointment my stent (roof of mouth protection) would come out - the stent was highly uncomfortable for me.

After I was situated in the chair, the assistant brought a cup in and sat it on the little tray. The cup was labeled "Lugsby" a poor attempt at my last name I assumed. I never verified this, but in the end I'm pretty sure that's what it was, because the cup contained my night guard (to prevent me from grinding my teeth at night). While I was waiting throughout the appointment I would look at the cup and just start laughing. Lugsby! I wonder if Brian's ever gotten that one.

I had been nervous about this appoinment because I'm always worried about bad news. The doctor said that everything looked good. Well actually he said the roof of my mouth looked disgusting but that was normal for only 2 weeks out. The gums and roof were healing as they should. Also the gums are BIG now which was the entire point. Phew...

So apparently I had 2 different kinds of stitches in. One kind was the normal kind, the black ones that you might get in your hand or knee after surgery or a really bad cut. The other ones are smaller and white and look more like thread. Only the black kind came out today, which is okay by me because some of those were loose and starting to bother me.

They didn't numb me for the stitches removal, but they did use some topical numbing agent. This process wasn't too bad. Actually it kinda tickled when the stitches came out (like it does when they are removed, say from a knee). However, there are 2 irritated spots in my mouth. When they got to the first one I flinched a little, but they got it out without too much drama. Then they got to the second sore spot and I think I about jumped out of the chair. I started crying (my natural reaction to pretty much anything), and I made the assistants feel bad (the assistants were removing the stitches), so then I felt bad for crying and making them feel bad in return. They gave me more numbing stuff and that helped a little, but it was still sore. But once the stitch was out everything immediately felt better.

The roof of my mouth...it is disgusting (it feels it)...the tissue they took was a horseshoe shape parallel to my teeth. The part that's healing feels poofy and slimy, it feels raw. It doesn't hurt though. I'm still getting used to the feeling (it's impossible for me to keep my tongue off of it!), but really without the stent in there I feel really comfortable. I just use the stent now when I eat to continue to protect the roof of my mouth.

I am in no pain now, it's just those 2 irritated spots are a little sore. I imagine they will be for a day or so. But I have no restrictions now! I can eat anything, I can brush and floss (I just need to take it easy and lay off if any spots are extra tender).

The first thing I did when I got home...brushed my teeth with my new Peanuts toothbrush! (Yes, I bought a kid's toothbrush...the head's are smaller so I won't have any stray bristles going places I don't want!) Oh, and I can also talk normal now that I don't have the stent in. I don't have to slur my "S"es!

What a trial this has been, but at least the end is in sight!

One meal at a time

I ate pizza last night! I feel this was quite the accomplishment, and it was delicious. I still can't eat anything I want, but pizza was a much needed break from the boring yogurt, ice cream, soup, protein shake diet!

Brian says I'm still not talking normal. I don't like to open my mouth all the way, so my pronunciation is questionable. (For example, he heard recession when I said reception). I can talk, but not for very long because it makes me sore.

Count down til stitches and stent are removed: 8 days!

Nearly Recovered

So it's been 1 week since I had my procedure, and I think things are going well. I had a rough Wednesday and Thursday, but today I feel almost normal. I went to work today, but I left around lunch time. I didn't want to overdo it, but I was glad that I made it there. I think it will help me on Monday. By the time I got home, I was really exhausted and now I'm resting on the couch.

I still can't solid foods. I managed some black beans last night. It was a little challenging, but it was worth it to finally eat something new. I can manage frosted mini wheats as long as I let them get soggy enough in the milk. Tonight I'm going to try macaroni and cheese for dinner. I hope I can handle it!

Now the countdown will be on until I get the stitches removed and mainly the stent removed which is uncomfortable for me (10 days to go). I think a huge help will be progressing on to more solid foods though, and maybe starting to exercise and move around more.

Almost there

Here are some pictures showing my guard dogs! In this first picture, I'm icing my face. It looks funny, but it's easier than holding the ice up there.

My goals for today are to get over my dizziness (I think from the nausea medicine), and not take any demerol. (My last dose was at 7 am). And Brian wants me to drink 2 protein shakes today so I'll try to do that too.

Yesterday I tried to eat scrambled eggs. It was harder than it should have been, and I only had about 4 bites before I succombed to the pain and decided ice cream would be for dinner instead. I also talked to my mom for a little bit and that was nice. I must sound funnier in my head than I do outloud, because she said she could understand me fine. By the time I went to sleep last night I was in a lot of pain. Then I woke up exactly 4 hours later ready for more pain medicine so I took 2 demerols. I think all this soreness/pain was related to trying to eat the eggs and maybe talking more than I should have.

I think I'm over the worst of it (assuming I don't try to get too cocky in what I can eat), so I'll be ready to go back to work tomorrow!

On the way to healing

I am slowly, but steadily getting better from the gum graft. Yesterday was the worst day so far. I took both pain meds before I went to sleep Saturday night. Then I woke up at 4:30 am (6 hours after taking the Vicoprofen (pain med jr), and 8 hours after taking a demerol (big pain med)). I took both of the pain meds at 4:30 and hoped they would kick in soon, because I was hurting. I decided that ice would help, so I rang my little bell to wake up Brian (it's hard for me to talk, especially when I'm in pain, so forget calling for B in his sleep). I asked Brian for ice, but it was too much for me and I started crying. The really crappy thing about starting to cry is that when it turns into a sob, it starts pulling on my bottom lip and it makes everything hurt even more. But we got my chin wrapped in ice and the medicine kicked in and I was asleep.

That set the tone for the day though. All weekend I kept trying to lessen the amount of demerol I take. Sunday I tried to do that too, but it didn't work for me. So I was pretty regular on both the Vicoprofuen and Demerol for all of Sunday. The pain was pretty intense all day. I would be ready for more pain medication about 2 hours before I was allowed to take it. Sunday ended up being a long day.

Now it's Monday, and I have to wait 15 minutes before my next dosage of pain medicine. I'm going to try to skip the demerol (I did that for the last dosage)...so we'll see what happens.

Here's my pluses during this ordeal:
The dogs are extra snuggly with me
I caught up on some movies
I get to eat as much ice cream as I want
I get to ring a bell when I need Brian's attention

Here's my not so fun things:
My bottom lip and chin are still numb and this freaks me out a little
The medicine makes me dizzy and itchy
I can't kiss Brian
I can't talk to my mom
The dryness of mouth after sleeping. My tongue even dries out and it feels like leather! Gross!

That's all for now...hopefully the next update I'll report that I'm all better!

Recuperating

Yesterday morning I went into the periodontist for minor surgery. I had a gum graft on my bottom row of teeth. My gum recession is significant and it was time to act. If you let your gum receed and receed, eventually your teeth will fall out. That's pretty scary to me. Before picture: (No after picture yet, because I can't be pulling on my lips).



We got to the doctor's office for my 8 am appointment. Before they put me under, I tried on my surgical stent (to protect the roof of my mouth), and my night guard (to be used while I sleep after I'm all the way recovered in an attempt to slow down recession on my top row of teeth). I have to admit going under was a very pleasurable experience for me. They either put the anethesia into my IV or in a breathing tube that was on my nose. They called the breathing tube oxygen, but it had a smell to it, and I don't think oxygen has an odor. Anyway, I went into that place were everything just fades away.


Next thing I new I was waking up. I don't remember much from waking up and getting home. I probably started crying as this is a general reaction for me on anethesia. Brian got me home and settled on the couch. I know I was asking Brian the same questions over and over again (how long did the surgery last, did he call my mom yet, did the doctor say anything...). I knew that I was doing that but I could not stop myself. Brian didn't hold it against me though and didn't mind answering the same questions over and over again.


All I did yesterday was slept. I would wake up and want to stay up (I was getting bored sleeping), but after about 15 minutes my eyelids would be too heavy to keep up. Really I had no chance of staying awake. I have 4 different prescriptions to take and I think they all have the side affect of drowsiness. One of them is making me itchy, but that affect has been bearable.

Today I'm definitely in more pain. Probably because most to all of the local and general anethesia is worn off. (My bottom lip and chin still feel tingly). It's painful to talk too much, and eating is next to impossible. I can get by drinking ok so I'm glad I stocked up on protein shakes.


The worst part so far was when the roof of my mouth started bleeding...gushing. This is normal and expected according to the doc's office. This did not make it any less awful. What I had to do was push on my stent (roof of my mouth) for 10 minutes to get the bleeding to stop. That's only happened once and I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.


My face is puffy, and a little bruised. I'm going to try to post a picture of my chubby face.













The dogs have been very comforting. They can tell something is going on. Heineken has been snuggling at my feet most of the time, and Stella hasn't jumped on me.


Ok...better sign off before I fall asleep midsentence.

First Real Post

I've decided that my first official post should be something humorous. That's how my life is (in general), and I think that's how I'd like the tone of this blog to be. So here we go...

I was lying in bed the other night with the dogs. As I was lying there, I heard a dog barking outside. So did Stella. This outside, distant dog that was barking started to agitate Stella. She started whining/barking in the bed. The outside dog was still barking and agitating Stella, and Stella stood up on the bed. When she stood up, she was directly in front of the mirror on the dresser. Stella started barking like a mad dog. She saw her reflection in the mirror, assumed that was the dog she heard barking and started barking back at it. It took me awhile to calm her down; she really didn't like having that other dog in her house!

This wasn't the first time that Stella saw her reflection in the mirror. One day, Stella was lying on the bed, and I heard her making happy whining noises - almost like she was gurgling and wagging her tail. I went over to her and realized that she was making eyes at her self in a mirror that is next to our bed. She was so excited to see another dog staring back at her!