Jaw and chin surgery with Dr. Ley - Jessica_Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 01, 2020, 07:19:36 am »
My consultation with Dr. Ley went well and everything is set. She will perform both jaw contouring and a sliding genioplasty on October 13th, followed by a facelift on February 16th. The October 13th procedures should take around 5 hours total, and I may only need to spend one night at the recovery center. All of the incisions for the first round of surgery will be made inside my mouth. Dr. Ley will round the rear 'corners' of my jaw before shaving it down (jaw contouring), then she will reduce the height of my chin (sliding genioplasty). I expect my jaw will be exceptionally sore for several days, and I won't be able to resume my normal diet for a few weeks. I should heal well enough to enjoy some Thanksgiving turkey. The hospital requires a COVID-19 test prior to surgery, so I need to arrive several days early and self-quarantine until my surgery date. My pre-op is scheduled the morning of October 12th.

Other than the folks here on Susan's, I have only told a few people what I am doing. As far as my family, only my wife knows. It will be interesting to see if anyone notices. It's difficult to know exactly what the results will be. Despite the x-rays, Dr. Ley won't know how much bone can be removed until she starts the procedure. I realize I should temper my expectations, but I am hopeful the results will exceed my expectations. I have been very happy with all of the other work Dr. Ley has done for me, and I have complete confidence in her. I am actually more excited about this surgery that the previous ones!

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 02, 2020, 10:02:49 pm »
Thanks Rachel! I hadn't thought about sliced cheese. I know my dietary choices will be extremely limited for a week or two, and I love cheese! I'm hoping that I can have some pasta within a week or so. I have seen some comments about the surgery which give me hope that recovery won't be too uncomfortable, but I do expect it to be rough for a few days.

I am somewhat anxious about these procedures. Dr. Ley explained exactly what she planned to do, but won't really know how much she can do until surgery is in progress. I guess it's kind of like buying a 'loot' box, you won't know exactly what you'll get until after you pay for it and open the box. I expect my face will be a bit rounder, but I won't know how much she was able to do until I awake. I have faith in her, and I know she will do her best for me.

Due to some things going on at work, I now plan to head down to Scottsdale next Tuesday (Oct 6). My manager is OK with me working remotely from Scottsdale, and I can either put in extra hours during the day or over a weekend to reduce the amount of vacation time I would otherwise need to take. Only 11 days until surgery...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 04, 2020, 06:50:28 am »
The Meltzer Clinic usually provides some arnica tablets, but it's pretty inexpensive so I ordered a few extra tubes. I also have some chocolate-flavored collagen powder on the way. Yesterday I discovered that Ensure has a new flavor -- dark chocolate! Not that Ensure really tastes that great, but maybe dark chocolate will be a little better.

Yesterday my manager dropped off a wireless 'hot spot' I can use with my work laptop. I used it earlier this year and it provided a very stable connection. He trusts me to do the right thing as far as taking vacation time versus working extra hours. Progressive is an awesome place to work, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community!

Susan and I plan to start packing today, we want to get an early start Tuesday morning.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 04, 2020, 06:52:40 pm »
Susan and I have started packing our suitcases and loading our vehicle. I put my last pre-surgery estradiol patch on earlier today. I have to stop estradiol one week before surgery, so I will remove the patch Tuesday, the same day I will start taking an anti-viral (acyclovir). I am nervous about this surgery, mainly because there is no way to know exactly what the results will be. I guess it's time to put blinders on and forge ahead. I already made my decision, now I just need to get through surgery and recovery.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 05, 2020, 08:34:29 am »
Thanks Allie! I took some head shots at different angles a few weeks ago for my initial consultation. I really hate them though, because they look just like me! I will try to keep this thread updated with details of my surgery, but I may not post much for the day of surgery (Oct 13th) and the day after. I will definitely post 'before and after' photos. I have not told any family members, it will be interesting to see if they notice anything when we visit at Thanksgiving. Only eight days to go...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 06, 2020, 06:03:20 am »
It's still dark here, and Susan is asleep. All the major items are packed and loaded into our car. We plan to leave within the next hour or two and arrive in Scottsdale this evening, it's only about an 800 mile drive. In a few minutes I will remove my estradiol patches and get dressed for travel. Only seven days to go...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 07, 2020, 12:58:52 pm »
Susan and I arrived safely in Scottsdale yesterday. My COVID-19 test is scheduled for 8:30am Saturday morning, and my pre-op meeting with Dr. Ley is set for 9:00am Monday. Only six days to go...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 09, 2020, 07:52:19 am »
Yesterday was busy. My company celebrated National Coming Out Day, which I posted about in my 'journal' thread. Susan and I have been virtual hermits so far this week, trying to avoid personal contact with others and staying away from crowded places. We plan to make a grocery run this afternoon, and my COVID-19 test is tomorrow morning. We may go on some sightseeing drives over the weekend, but the plan is to avoid contact with everyone.

I haven't been thinking much about the specifics of the surgery, but I'm glad there are only four days to go...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 10, 2020, 10:18:18 am »
Just had my COVID-19 test. It wasn't too bad. I drove up to the testing site and a nurse came out to check my ID. She went back inside to get a test kit, then asked me to verify my name and date of birth. She explained what I should expect, then asked which nostril I wanted impaled. She slid the swab in, waited 5 seconds, then pulled it out. It was uncomfortable, but not as bad as I had expected. If I'm not contacted within 48 hours, then the test was negative.

A female friend of mine had the test a few months ago, she said the male nurse who swabbed her hit a spot that made her gag. She told him "usually when a guy makes me gag it's when I'm doing something I enjoy!"

Susan and I plan to watch some movies this weekend, and maybe drive out of town for some sightseeing. The only indoor venue will be our hotel room. My pre-op appointment with Dr. Ley is at 9:00am Monday. Only three days to go...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 11, 2020, 01:26:43 pm »
I just got the results of my COVID-19 test -- 'Not detected'!!!

Susan and I must continue to self-isolate until my surgery, so for the most part we will be in our hotel room watching TV. We brought a DVD player and some movies. I may also hook my laptop up to the TV so we can watch some Amazon Prime videos. We stocked up on soup, pudding, yogurt, ice cream, and juice a few days ago. Also picked up some frozen dinners, including macaroni and cheese. I am still trying to envision what I will look like once the swelling goes down. I'm not sure that really matters too much though, as long as I can't see reminders of who I used to be. Less than two days until surgery...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 12, 2020, 01:46:39 pm »
I had my pre-op this morning. Dr. Ley took a closer look at my jaw and chin, along with the equipment she custom-made for me last year (aka 'the entertainment center'). Dr. Ley explained what she planned to do, however the end result really depends on my bone structure. Hopefully it will result in a more feminine jawline. She will also shorten my urethra a bit and adjust the bore so my aim will be a little better. I picked up my new meds on the way back to the hotel. I am supposed to arrive at the surgery center at 5:30am PT. Surgery is scheduled for 7:30am PT and should take 5 - 6 hours. Susan can't visit until at least 4:00pm, so I won't be able to provide any updates until then.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 12, 2020, 09:25:36 pm »
About an hour ago I had my last solid food for a few days, a dark chocolate Oreo! I already showered, set my alarm, and packed a few clothes for Susan to bring when she visits tomorrow evening. I plan to pack my laptop too, in case I feel good enough to make a few posts once I awake. Now I just need to pick out what to wear in the morning and try to get some sleep. In about 11 hours I should be deep asleep once more, and by this time tomorrow I should know how much of a change to expect.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 13, 2020, 07:52:06 am »
They let me keep my phone in the surgical prep room. Nurse missed the vein in my left arm, but was successful in my right arm. All hooked up to IV lines. About 45 minutes until surgery. Susan couldn't come to the prep room, so she went back to the hotel. Nurse complimented me on a resting heart rate of 48. Other than being hungry, thirsty, and a little nervous, all is well.

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 13, 2020, 04:40:37 pm »
I'm awake. OW.

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 13, 2020, 09:10:52 pm »
They brought me some soup and cranberry juice for supper. After nursing that for an hour or two, I got some chocolate ice cream! Dr. Ley will stop by tomorrow to let me know how surgery went. Right now, I'm feeling pretty good. Other than a very sore chin, my jaw doesn't feel much different than after having a long dental procedure. I expect the 'pain pump' I press as often as possible is helping quite a bit. The nurses changed out the pad covering my urethral revision and there was quite a bit of blood on it, but I sense no discomfort at all down there. My chin is already showing significant bruising, but I can't see much of my chin or jaw due to the ice packs. I will probably go to sleep soon, although I already slept most of the day, I feel very tired. If all goes well, I will leave the recovery center tomorrow and rejoin Susan in the hotel. So far, this has been one of the least painful surgeries I have experienced.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 14, 2020, 03:03:50 am »
I'm having a hard time staying asleep. Although I am very comfortable, my low resting heart rate is causing my pulse to drop below 40 when I fall asleep, which triggers a rather loud alarm! Facial swelling is really starting to kick in, but the meds are doing a great job keeping me comfortable. The bleeding from my urethral revision stopped several hour ago. Unlike my previous visits, my catheter is working perfectly -- it's so comfortable I don't feel it, and it's keeping my bladder well drained. Unless something concerning pops up later today, I expect I will be released from the recovery center today.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 15, 2020, 06:55:02 pm »
Yesterday was quite a rollercoaster. I was feeling great in the morning. I had a cheese omelette for breakfast, but it took me about an hour to eat because chewing was difficult. The nurse removed my catheter, and my plumbing was still working fine. The nurse also disconnected my 'pain pump', which I had been relying on to stay comfortable. I had lunch, then was discharged from the recovery center. Within an hour or so after getting back to my hotel I was hit by a wall of pain. It was so intense that I began to cry. The pain made it hard to sleep, seems like I was waking up every two or three hours, taking another oxycodone and freshening my ice packs. By morning, I was beginning to feel much better. Looking in the mirror was still a bit traumatic. I had no idea a face could swell up so much. Around noon I removed the head wrapping I was discharged with, which had become quite uncomfortable. I am still only eating soft foods -- soup, pudding, and ice cream. My chin is really sore and bruised, but that was expected. Swelling has already come down quite a bit, but there's still a long way to go.

These photos were taken 15 Oct 2020, 12 hours apart.

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 16, 2020, 09:50:26 pm »
Today went smoothly. I kept up with my pain meds, and I finally got to take a shower! Eating anything other than broth, pudding, ice cream, or yogurt is still quite a challenge. Things which will 'melt' in my mouth are OK, like chocolate, cheese, and even crackers. My chin and the center of my lower lip are numb, but that was expected. I should slowly regain feeling in those areas over the next few weeks.

I did see Dr. Ley Wednesday morning. She said she removed as much bone as she could, and apparently my face was somewhat asymmetrical. My face is still quite swollen, I expect it will be another week or two before I get an idea of what the results will be. Dr. Ley also removed some excess urethra, and my anatomy down there now looks much nicer. My chin and jaw are sore and bruised, but my bottom work is completely free of discomfort. Although I was told I could restart dilating tonight (Friday), I think I'll wait at least one more day. My post-op appointment is Monday morning, so we will probably head home then. We would most like overnight in Albuquerque, arriving home Tuesday afternoon.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 17, 2020, 08:45:01 pm »
Thanks @davina61 ! It is indeed somewhat uncomfortable, but the ice cream diet helps.

Swelling is still going down, and the bruises are starting to change color. My jaw and chin are quite sore. Although wearing a mask hides most of the discoloration while in public, it is also very uncomfortable due to the extensive bruising. Smiling and laughing hurt too.

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 18, 2020, 07:16:13 pm »
Another day has passed, and the bruising is getting some really nice colors now! My gums are still bleeding a bit when I rinse with Peridex, and I continue to take one oxycodone every 3 - 4 hours as dictated by my pain level. Tomorrow morning is my check-up with Dr. Ley, then Susan and I head home. Since I need to pack up my laptop tonight, this will be the last photo for a few days.