Week One: Jan. 17th - Jan. 21st, 2013

 Thoughts from this week...

• Thank GOODNESS I can be here with my parents!
• I miss proper FOOD!!!
• I am so sick of drooling! Yuck!
• I look like a cross between a sumo wrestler, a parrot & a drowning victim!
• Is that MY face???
• Where are my bruises??
• Oh, there they are...
• Boost is delicious!
• I am SO SICK OF BOOOOST!
• I love you, Boost, I didn't mean what I said...
• Where's the ice-pack?
• Where's the humidifier?
• Where's the pizza? Oh, wait... 
• I am thrilled I lived through it... But bring on the food!
• Where's the dry towel? 
• Thanks for that mom.. And that, and that... And that too... 
• I just want to brush my teeth!
• This is never getting better is it...
• It IS going to get better, right?
• Did someone just poke me or is that the codeine again?
• I'm glad I got new pain meds... No more nightmares or phantom head patters.
• So THAT'S what happens if you don't take your antibiotics properly... (see pictures & explanation below!)

This was a hard week... Things were kind of OK until I woke up on the 18th or 19th with my left eye swollen shut.  Like shut... As in I had to pry it open.  Scared shitless, my mom & I drove frantically to the surgeon's office where they hooked me up to (yet another) an IV and pumped me full of antibiotics and special fluids... I dozed and cried for a few hours while stuff dripped into my veins, got a well deserved lecture (they were really very sweet - BIG, HUGE thank you to one nurse in particular at the office) on taking my antibiotics on time and actually consuming a sufficient amount of fluids.

Had a couple of post-op visits with the doctor which were very comforting.  Also, had a friend over a couple times which was a help.  I'm afraid I wasn't quite friendly with her as I normally would be, but she is that incredible type of person who is there for me even when I am a stroppy cow!

Struggling a lot with lack of appetite and just plain exhaustion - sleeping on the couch is hard.  Not sleeping through the night by any stretch.  Had crazy nightmares induced by my painkillers, as well as mild hallucinations - mom caught me swatting at people who weren't there - I could've sworn they were poking me and stroking my hair.  SO glad my lovely surgeon switched my painkillers!!

Here are some pictures!! Including the worst of the sumo days - ie: Swollen eye day!

Going home - nose still bleeding.. (Jan. 17th)

Could I look more like a whale? (Jan. 17th)

Discharge papers!! Made it home! (Jan. 17th)

OK - time to settle it for sleep. (Jan. 17th)

Jan. 18th - My inner SUMO emerges..

This is how I woke up one Jan. 18th... And yes, it burned too... 

Yep - this is what eating looked like in that first week.  Syringe ahoy..! (Jan. 19th)

My hot & sexy neck bruises (Jan. 20th)

Trying to stay serene - swelling going down a bit (Jan. 20th)

Just so glad I can open both eyes again! (Jan. 20th)

One week milestone! (Jan. 21st)

One week milestone - Profile! (Jan. 21st)

Just had to post this - I found it a week after surgery... Finally figured out what those bumps on the inside of my lower jaw are - yep... These are Frankenstein style screws drilled into my lower jaw! GAK! One on each side...