So it's been quite a while since I updated you all. Since my last post I have had my Maryland dental bridge on my right side put in. I have also had the surgery done to prepare to get my implant put in on my left side where I was also missing a tooth. This was just a simple day surgery. The surgery involved my gum being cut and the base inserted into my gum. I can't remember what it is called but basically the way I explain it is like the nut that a bolt screws into. So that part was inserted into my gum and then stitched back up to heal. This then has to heal for four months before the crown ( tooth ) can get inserted into my gum. For this to be done I will have an anesthetic put in my gum and it will be cut open and the tooth will be inserted. While this all heals I still have to wear my plate but no too much longer now. it will be finished before my 20th birthday so I'm happy about that.
I thought with this post I would talk more about how surgery and hospital visits make me feel. First of all I'll talk about hospitals. When I was younger I didn't mind having surgery. It meant I got time of school and got to eat lots of ice-cream and jelly and watch cartoons all day. I got to go on a big plan and fly to the big city. However as I got older that novelty started to wear off as I started to realize what surgery actually entailed. It meant lot's of doctors visits, needles, smelly gas, noisy machines in hospital and recovery. I think as I got older I started to know too much of what was involved in surgery.
Jaw surgery was probably the most nervous I felt before surgery. Because I knew all the possibilities. I knew all the things that could go right but I also knew all the things that could go wrong. I knew that recovery was going to be a very long, slow and painful process. I was so excited for the end result but at that point in time right before surgery I could only think of all the bad things to come. I'm normally quite a positive person but going under the knife now is something that can get me quite down. My Mum doesn't like sitting with me anymore before surgery as she says I'm just too cranky and moody. Another thing that puts me off surgery is just before I fall asleep in theatre everything goes blurry and my ears go funny. Everything becomes really loud but kind of crackly, it sounds a little bit like a static TV but louder. It makes me feel all funny and a bit sick.
When I wake up I can be a bit cranky because I cant do everything I normally can do for a little while. I like to be a independent person and don't like when I can't do things for myself. A good example of this is when I had my bone graft when I was about 8 years old. After surgery I got sick of having to wait for the nurse every time I had to go to the toilet. I watched how the nurse unplugged my drip and then how to plug it back in and turn it on so from then on I did it myself and went to the toilet by myself without having to wait for the nurse. This also meant that the nurse wasn't there to push me in the wheel chair. So I practiced walking with my saw hip a lot more and I was able to walk on it a lot quicker. Because of this I was actually discharged from hospital the next day as the doctor was surprised how well I was doing and also because I didn't have as much swelling and bruising as they were expecting.
I have another post planned where I would like to talk more about growing up with a cleft lip and palate and how it can effect your confidence a little and self image. I know what I would like to say I just have to think about how I'm going to say it. will trying and do post more regularly but can't promise to much as I have limited internet connection.
Thanks again to those who read this and hope you can relate to it a little bit. I added some photos to this post so you can all see the results now that it all healed well. most of the photos a with no make up or very little. Will be posting again soon :)
