I can't stop picking my nose!

Sick, I know, but you try having nose surgery and keeping your fingers out of there! It's crusty and so rewarding... that's all I'm gonna say.

successful septum surgery...

I'm back from surgery. Dr. ICAMP (I care about my patients) did a great job. I was able to have IV sedation. My nose is swollen inside so I can't really tell if it's going to be straight yet. I'm also dripping watered down blood so I have a gauze mustache - 'got milk'? I'm taking vicoden for the pain but it's very localized. I feel like I have a broken nose but the meds are really working for now. I was home about 1:00 pm, slept for a while, then got up and ate something and now I'm watching TV. I also watered my plants. Don't know how I'll feel tomorrow, but I expecting the best.

more surgery tomorrow...

Well, it's been 5 months and I am going in for my septoplasty tomorrow morning. I haven't been thinking about it at all until tonight. I just watched some youtube videos and now I'm nervous! I guess I was just thinking it will be nothing compared to the double jaw, chin surgery. It may not be anything compared to that, but I think it will still be another recovery. I'm not looking forward to it. I'm getting a little tired of not feeling normal!

zing... what was that!?

Yesterday, I was standing in the kitchen and all of the sudden something snapped inside my face. It felt like a rubber band in my mouth but I didn't have any in there. My face was sore up by my nose. I couldn't figure it out until last night. Then, I realized it must be one of the stitches Dr. G used to hold my nose in place. He put some really strong stitch in a figure 8 on the outside of my nostrils to keep them from spreading out. I saw him this morning and he checked out my plates and screws and agreed that it was that stitch. Apparently it tore through the muscle and it is very sore. I don't need it anymore because my nose is healed and in place so that's good news.

My septum surgery is scheduled for June 12th (I hate to wait that long!). We have so much going on for the end of the school year so I had to move it from May 15th.

On a recovery note, I'm leading worship at church on Sunday for the first time since Jan. (pre-surgery) and it was weird singing last night. We practiced for several hours last night and it was strange singing. My face feels stiff, some of the numb areas are starting to wake up and I'm at an uncomfortable phase. Not numb, not totally feeling... Dr. G said a lot of people think this is a frustrating phase. After taking 3 months off, I'm scheduled a lot for the next 3 months. I'm sure it will get better but I'm feeling a little self-conscious right now and not looking forward to singing in front of people on Sunday. The good news is we have a really great group of people and they'll be totally supportive and cool about the whole thing!

That's it for me...

2 more opinions on my crooked septum

Hey... just a quickie here... I saw 2 surgeon's this past week. A cranial-facial surgeon and another ENT. Both said my septum was probably too long since my jaw was moved up and shorted. Both thought it would be best to trim the septum and place it back into the nasal spine. [None of this 'I'll just remove your nasal spine, you don't need it anyway' bullpoop! Dr. Country Club is out... yeah!] I have to schedule a CT scan so the doc can see the full picture and come up with the best plan with no surprises. BTW, the cranial-facial guy is my brother-in-law; he's out of the city and out of network as far as our insurance goes. I'm going to the ENT who is excellent, she has done surgery on me and 2 of my kids in the past... and, I trust her! I think I'll call her Dr. I Care About My Patients or Dr. ICAMP for short.

pictures

Okay, I'm totally frustrated trying to move these pictures around and tell you what they are... but, it really doesn't matter. There's one with both of my dogs lying on me while I'm recovering. That was such a treat to have both of them 'glued' to me for a while, very comforting! Another one is of my new profile (obviously) and the other 2 are pictures of me with my Bichon, Riley. I still feel like my smile is a little forced and not natural, but I think time will fix that!

update on septum and such

Okay... I had my septum moved and it popped right back, out of place. Bummer. Then I went to the ENT (one I don't really care for - we went to him once before and I called him Dr. Country Club). I didn't really want to say anything to my OS because I thought this guy was going to do my OS a favor. Well, it wasn't really clear to me or to the ENT. I went in there and he looked at me and told me he would just take out my nasal spine (some bone in my nose that he said I don't really need). He was going to use a general anesthetic because there would be a lot of hammering and breaking the bone etc... He couldn't do it for about 4-6 weeks and he wanted my jaw to have more range of motion anyway. I questioned his choices especially because my understanding was my surgeon just needed some help getting the septum to stay once it is moved. All that to say, I was pretty frustrated.

I have a call into my surgeon. First, I need to know if this is something he's covering under my first surgery. Second, if I'm covering this through insurance, I'm going to the ENT I already know and like. She's done surgery on 2 of my kids and me and I trust her. Third, I think I'd like to see if he can try moving it again and maybe wearing a pack in my nose for a week or so (while it heals). I just don't want to lose that nasal bone unless another doctor agrees that it is the best thing to do.

I also saw my orthodontist yesterday. He put more bands on my braces and much tighter ones! My teeth were so sore last night while I was sleeping. But, the good news is he told me with as responsive as I've been to treatment, I might get my braces off this summer. That is on the early side of what is estimated, so that's potentially good news. I didn't think I would care about the braces part, but it's funny how you do want them off when the surgery is over.

The ladies at the ortho office were so wonderful, they kept saying how great I looked. Between that office and the oral surgeon's office, I'm beginning to feel like a celebrity! Around here, people have jaw surgery, but having upper and lower both, is a little unusual. Everyone has been so kind and caring. Except Dr. Country Club... I just have this invisible button and I don't like it if I feel like someone isn't listening or is looking past me! I really wanted a different option and he was just like, "no, you don't need your nasal spine anyway"! Whatever...

Sorry it's been so long and I haven't posted recently. Thanks to those of you wondering and asking how I'm doing. Next thing I need to do is to post some photos! The swelling is gone and I'm looking more like Elaine again!