bye

Hi  Sada, I just return from Chicago where I had work done by Dr.Z less than 2 weeks ago.  I am thrilled with the results, but have underestimated how hard the "massages" are that Dr.Z recommends after the surgery. 

The single best thing I brought with me was my girl friend. I don't know how I would have been able to get through the process without her.  She took wonderful care of me and made many analogies of taking care of me to that of a baby (although I grew up quick  ) I also hired a nurse to help me out for about 4 hours on day 3, who was great. 

I had a lists of things to pick up from the pharmacy, from eye drops, q-tips, antibiotic gel, etc.  I am sure Dr. O gave you a similar list and how the kind of regiment he recommends to use.  Now I am still cleaning my nose and sutures constantly.  I also had a list of prescriptions.  My girl friend charted everything I did the first 3 days after surgery which was really helpful (especially if problems do arise), like when I ate, when I pee'd, and when I took the drugs.  It was hard to remember at times which drugs I took when.

I was surprised at how hard it was to use my eyes post surgery and even now.  I still find I can only read about 20min until I started getting a head ache and the computer is even worse.  I barely looked at my computer the days following surgery.  I was lucky that my eyes didn't swell shut, but we were very diligent of keeping iced gauzes on my eyes whenever possible (ie. not eating)  to control the swelling.  Sleeping at 45 degrees is getting old too.  I have been using different pillow combinations and it is never comfortable.  But not sleeping at 45 degrees gives me headaches fast. 

After surgery I ate lots of cottage cheese, apple sauce and ice cream.  For a couple of days following surgery I was even spoon fed, a bit of a luxury but still very nice.  I had no jaw work done, so foods might differ with work on the jaw.

Good luck on your surgery, any specific questions don't hesitate to ask here or PM.
Jenna

Bring a blender, or buy one beforehand. Whether you like them or not, milkshakes and smoothies will be your sustenance from day 2-day 5.  I also had some packets of miso soup and a little yogurt.  Especially if, like me, you're getting jaw work, your mandibular muscle will give about a half inch on a good day, if you stretch vigorously. (Once the chinstrap comes off, things get better much more quickly. I went back on a normal diet, minus really crunchy things, on day 7, and I was eating toast, chips, and other semi-crunchy foods by day 10.) You lose a fair amount of weight after the procedure, and if you're like me, you'll have no appetite and no desire to tire yourself out putting anything in your mouth. Milkshakes are a good way to deliver concentrated calories in a relatively easy-to-swallow package.

Good luck with your surgery, and best wishes.

I had chin shave on Jan 6th and eating is such a pain that is has kickstarted me into serious dieting mode. 
Depending what you're having done you might find it very diffult to open wide, chew properly or swallow and be reduced to sipping soups, smoothies and yogurts.
Some flat chocolate drops would be nice for a snack treat.
Cleaning the teeth is a painful problem and right now mine feel quite messy at the front but the stitches are in the way of the brush so I have to make do with dirty teeth for a few days more.

Quote from: lilacwoman on January 08, 2011, 09:14:00 AM
I had chin shave on Jan 6th and eating is such a pain that is has kickstarted me into serious dieting mode. 
Depending what you're having done you might find it very diffult to open wide, chew properly or swallow and be reduced to sipping soups, smoothies and yogurts.
Some flat chocolate drops would be nice for a snack treat.
Cleaning the teeth is a painful problem and right now mine feel quite messy at the front but the stitches are in the way of the brush so I have to make do with dirty teeth for a few days more.

Unfortunately, if you're anything like me (and I heal quickly), you'll have troubles with cleaning the front of your bottom teeth for a while. At day 17, I still get things stuck in the bottom of my mouth and have to kind of shovel them out at the end of each day.
You should see pretty dramatic improvement over the next few days. Hope you feel better soon!