(Almost) 2 years post op!!

Oh hello there my jaw surgery-ians. SO it's been almost 2 years since my lower jaw surgery, how time flies, eh?! Life is good and to be honest, I mostly forget that I have had jaw surgery until I log into here to update my other blog! 

So how is life? I hear you ask. Life is good! Jaw surgery seemed like such an important/scary/big aspect of life but since getting my braces off life has just taken me away with it. 

My confidence after having my braces off went to a great height and now, I must admit, I have gone from a quite little mouse to a tall, smiley and sometimes a bit over hyperactive and confident young woman. Of course, like every person in the universe I have my down days but I did something I never thought I'd ever do and I said yes to doing some modelling for a friends clothing collection...say whaaaaat, apart from being tall, modelling and I were not made for one another but I had the most fun ever! It was a great treat to be in front of the camera rather than behind it taking the shots. I don't have any of the professional shots yet but here's one of pre-photoshoot...

For anyone wanting to gain confidence, please oh please get someone to take pretty photos of you, it's the most fun! I do photography for fun and it's one of my favourite things when my friends, who do not always see their beauty realise how wonderful they are just from one captured moment. 

Anyway enough of that! I hope you're all well and wonderful and that your jaws are almost happy! 

One more thing before I go, if you'd like to see what I'm up to these days I've started a youtube travel channel and blog called 'aliceonhertravels'. I'll leave the links below, happy new year everyone make 2014 a beautiful and brilliant one. 

http://youtube.com/aliceonhertravels

http://aliceonhertravels.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/alicetravels_

1 year post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeCCzzFTEc0

8.5 months post lower jaw surgery AND...

Hallelujah! 

My braces came off a few days ago and I am as happy as larry! 

I'd just like to say thank you for following my blog and thank you for creating your own. Without a lot of youtube/blogger help I would have never gone through with having lower jaw surgery and I have questioned my motives equally but I am incredibly happy and much more confident! 

Also for those of you awaiting the surgery, it'll be ok and worth the chipmunk face and years of braces. 

Also for those awaiting to get their braces removed, braces in no way represent what your teeth are going to look like afterwards.

So with about 4 years of planning, 2 years of braces, 2 plates in my lower jaw, I bid you adieu. 

This is it from me but finally, it's done and time to move on with the next step of my life. 

My video's are set as unlisted but you can watch them via these links: 

1. Pre braces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwBtRtkgEDk
2. 4 days pre op: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iJ9aC7QAd4 
3. 2 days post op: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuGxqOnf90g
4. 3 days post op: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ9yPrDnrlg
5. 2 months post op: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kUR2rVE394
6. FINAL: NO BRACES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GecNnrxF0XA

7 Months post op

a quick little hello

So I STILL have my braces on, hoping in the next few months. 

All swelling has gone. I've still got numbness but quite a bit has come back I will explain in my last ever vlog (whenever I get my braces off) where I'm still numb and such like. 

Hope everyone is well! And that everything and jaw wise is going well :) 

oh hello 2 months post op.

Hope everyone is doing wonderfully and for those of you about to get jaw surgery, good luck my beautiful, lovely people!! 

I cannot wait to get my braces off - I think it's going to be another 2-3 months which isn't long at all! Compared to the 16 months of having braces and 3-4 years waiting for this op. Wheeeeeeeee. 

My next post shall be (however long it takes) me with no braces! 

:D

Comparison

Just thought I'd do a quick comparison photo so people don't have to search through all my old posts.

So here we are.

Before: 

After: 

Before: 

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I am aware my bite was not as severe as others but it did have an impact on my life which included difficulty chewing, biting into things, an achy jaw and to be quite honest, I despised the way it looked previously. But I am incredibly happy with the results, I just can't wait to be brace free now!! 

Day 10

I forgot to do the other side because I was off out but now I am eating ice cream which usually ends up with some of the contents dripping down my chin because it's still numb on my left side. Anyhow feeling good, I think the swelling's gone down some more, will update sometime on next week which will be 2 weeks post op! Oooo! 

My orthodontist was incredibly happy with my bite, she's so sweet. I knew she'd be excited so I was excited to show her! But yeah, I still don't have bands on so I'm not going to do a video update for probably another week or so, and no photos for a while because the swelling's not doing anything drastic currently.

So yeah, have a lovely week or so everyone! (: 

Day 6 - HAPPY IT'S ALMOST 1 WEEK POST OP! WOOOO

It's day 6 and I feel great! (:

Swelling has gone down a lot this side:

Still pretty swollen on this side: 

and yes...I am wearing the same shirt as yesterday, but with a few more horse/dog hairs on it.

Day 4 post op

Some more photos, these are really helping me tell whether the swelling is going down or not, so I'm going to carry on taking photos each day until I'm more or less normal. I've started to get some bad ass yellow bruises on my jaw line which are very sexy. My right side has gone down loads (your left in these photos) but i think 'cos I always end up sleeping on my left side, I'm still pretty swollen there and I keep having a bit of bleeding from that side. 

Managed to go for a walk this morning, but was knackered by the time I got back so went to bed again and watched 'Stardust' - you should all watch that film, I love it ^.^ Going up to see Tango again later, he is a really big comfort as are the doggies. I'll try and take a picture of them to post because they're just too cute not to!!! 

Anyway, hope everything is well your end (:

xxxx

Haven't yet been able to make myself go for a walk. I want to, I really do but energy is a problemo. I get so tired so easily. My routine is now, waking up at stupid o'clock, having breakfast, chilling for a bit with my cat, having lunch and then falling asleep for a 2-4 hour nap in the afternoon. 

But I am so bored! My body needs to do stuff man. I went to see the horse yesterday which was lovely and i think I may go up this evening as well for a quick cuddle and a hello. He always does wonders when I'm not feeling 100% - which luckily isn't very often!

I knew this week would drag, but seriously?! I've got my 1 week post op appointment on Tuesday, Tuesday not Monday, dunno why. But yeah, I feel like after that the ball will start rolling again. 

Going to try and get myself up and out on Saturday or Sunday, go groom the horse and maybe practice my plaiting or give him a bath - i think maybe a bath may be a little too much, but plaiting defo. 

Going to get up properly now and get dressed in some comfy clothing so we can go for a drive via the lovely one and only horsey! (: 

Also, I decided it was time to get up, try and make myself feel better, put some make up on and go and see the horsey. I'm yet to actually go and see the horse, cause i'm waiting for him to be put in his stable so I can avoid all contact with people, so they won't get to see my wonderful swollen face.

Like I've said before, I can't stand sitting in the house all day feeling sorry for myself. It's a very miserable grey day in England which never helps the mood.

Seriously, I cannot wait to get back in the saddle!! 

Going to try and motivate myself to take the dog for a walk with my mother tomorrow. And probably pop up and see the horse or do something. I don't think I'm quite prepared to go shopping or anything yet but yeah! I've got to get on with this :) 

Once I get back from the horse, i think it's food and then bed! 

Day 2 post op

Trying my very best to smile for the camera

I can't really smile... 

This is how much i can open my mouth, about 1 finger.

Teeth!!

Savlon and vaseline, I <3 you.

so i'm feeling a little bit more alive today...

My experience so far: 

The best advice I found online was keep your sense of humour. Try to be a happy patient, even if you look a bit like bugs bunny, plus the doctors and nurses will find it amusing. I got told I was a right chatterbox. To be honest I think it was because I was slightly high on the amount of drugs they pumped into me. 

Something no one really mentioned was the fact you need to wee all the time after surgery, after having a drip put in you, you just want to wee!! And, warning the first time you try to get up, especially if you have the drains in your cheeks, damn, you feel like you're about to faint. Well I did, it was really horrible, I got really hot and sweaty really quickly and just wanted to cry a lot. But it get's easier after the hours go by. 

Everyone in the hospital was lovely, the doctors, the nurses, the ladies who gave me food. All in all everyone was very suprised with my swelling. Even my surgeon was impressed, he said I had the least swelling he'd ever seen. Oh, and he was lovely, as was my anesthetist, I had 2. They gave me some drug that literally made me feel drunk. Like the world was spinning. They were like "Right, Alice, we're giving you something to make you fall asleep now." I counted like up to 3 and then i woke up to lots of faces peering over me saying it all went well. I stayed in recovery for like an hour and a half, again, they were suprised at the fact I was talking. 

Oh and, this may be a suprise to a lot of you, but I managed to eat porridge the next day for breakfast, with a tea spoon, there was no way I would fit a table spoon in my mouth. Oh and for lunch I had pasta (I know, I was suprised myself!!) I had to cut it up really small and just sort of let it fall into my mouth but it was really yummy! And they gave me sticky toffee pudding with custard, which was lush, especially as I was expecting a full on liquid diet. I didn't quite finish it all but let's just say my mum didn't mind and scoffed it up for me. 

I'm home now, I'm going to post pictures soon, and pictures of my favourite things currently. I might pop up to see the horse today, depending on how I feel, or maybe tomorrow, and I really need to go for a walk or something, I'm not one for sitting in bed all day!! Except for the exception of yesterday but I was absolutely  knackered! 

Anyway my lovelies, I'm going to ice pack my face and watch 'New Girl'. 

Love Alice xxx

Day 0

A few photos from the hospital. I'll update properly later on. 

Before.

A few hours post op - not too swollen!

Bite post op!

It's tomorrow!!

I can't quite believe it. I feel sick to the stomach, that could just be the fact I ate a massive roast dinner! But yes, I can't quite believe it. I've felt super chilled today, I had a massive tidy up of my bedroom which was a challenge and a half, but atleast it will be all nice for when I get home. And this afternoon I went horse riding and took my best friend with me, well she rode a bike whilst I rode the horse. 

So yeah anyway a really lovely afternoon topped with a yummy roast dinner and a chocolate bar or two! 

Ah, I'm going to try my best to sleep now, thank you for all the lovely comments on here and mostly via youtube! I'm feeling a little nervous now and tomorrow I shall probably be dreadful and cry lots. But let's get this over and done with and on the road to recovery!

Pretty much somes it up.

Say hello to my bite (and crappy webcam photos). 3 days pre op!

and yeah...

I'm so scared and excited and anxious. ahhhhh

And my cat will be keeping me company for the next couple of weeks.

And, the my dog, and my loan horse. 

3 DAYS PRE OP.

OH JEEZE. 

I'm excited, scared, anxious. Wahhhhhhhhhh, this has come so fast. It's always been in the distance, very faaaaaaar away. I am so scared.

I'm scared of something going wrong, but positivity is a key. I will write the night before when I shall be freaking out.

I HAVE A DATE

I HAVE A DATE, I HAVE A DATE, I  HAVE A DATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

23rd of April

Oh jeeze, what am i doing. I'm so scared mannnnnnnnnnn.

Braces and hooks galore.