The Actual TJR Surgery(s)

Here's how it all happened:

                                                    My new right joint  (a pic of my left one is later on in the post)

Sunday-May 7^th-arrived in Miami close to 3:30. 

My parents and I checked into our hotel rooms, which were conveniently located 2 miles from the hospital. 

                                                                                      My room

                                                                              The final beer :) 

Monday-May 8^th-Embolization

Arrived at the hospital at 6:30am.

Once in the operating room, they decided to give me propofol.  They embolized both sides of my face using one incision located on my right pubic region. 

This procedure lasted nearly two hours and then I was brought to recovery.  They decided not to keep me asleep, which is a good thing. 

Because they don’t use stitches to close the artery, they use a compression bandage, and the patient must lay completely flat for four hours.

I was brought to a room to stay the night.

Tuesday-May 9^th-The TJR of TMJ

Around 5:30 am I was moved to pre op. 

Some time just before 8am, the anesthesiologist came to get me and gave me a sedative.  He wheeled me into the operating room, and that’s all I remember for a long while.

The surgery lasted 12 hours.  My old, deteriorated joints were removed and my new, titanium joints were put in.  Overall, the surgery was a success.  My OMS told my mom that everything turned out better than expected and they even removed the metal guides and my teeth aren’t rubber banded to hold my jaw in place.  I was woken up out of anesthesia (I have a story about that, but I won’t post it here) and brought to recovery.  No drains or anything.

It was a relatively restless night as the hospital is so understaffed that they struggle to find time for their patients.  I needed anti-nausea and pain meds every four hours.  I would have to buzz the nurse who would give me my meds two or more hours late.  It was excruciating pain. 

Day 1 Post OP

                                                                      Not the most flattering picture-lol

The next morning, I had little to no voice and my lips were severely chapped.

I was sore from the shoulders up.

In addition, my neck was bruised.

I struggled to urinate because of the catheter.

I had horrendous hot flashed.

I had 80 external stitches on my face in four different sites, luckily my face wasn't bruised.
There are four separate incision sites (two on my face and two on my neck) 
Because of swelling, I couldn't open my mouth.  

                                                   

A tiny bit of my hair was shaved, but no one except me will notice.

At times, I was close to vomiting from the pain.

When the surgeon came to visit, I requested and received a pain pump, so I could be in control of my pain meds. 

I was on liquids and drank everything that was given to me.
I used an oral rinse instead of brushing my teeth.

Day 2 Post OP

After a discussion, I was taken off the pain pump and oxygen.  I felt more confident in regulating my pain. 

My parents and I (via a wheel chair and a driver) went to the surgeon’s office located on the other side of the hospital. 

They took really cool three-dimensional x-rays.  

                                                Here's the other side of my face!

Overall, he was pleased with the surgery and my progress.  He began discussing physical therapy.  

My face is currently frozen: I can’t lift my eyebrows, my right eye closes but my left one doesn’t, and I can’t smile.  Because my left eye doesn’t shut properly, my surgeon wants me to see the hospital’s ophthalmologist.

Day 3

This was the start of a change for me.  I was officially having no problems urinating and my lips weren’t as chapped.  The first thing I did was make my way over to the sink and find the toothbrush the hospital gave me.  Even though I was rinsing every day, my teeth where gross.  I fit the toothbrush awkwardly into my mouth and carefully brushed.  I went for walks around the hospital floor.

Day 4

It’s time to go home. 

The surgeon wrote me four prescriptions, one for Clindamycin, an anti-nasuea, Percocet, and an oral rinse.  My dad filled them before we left the hospital.

Finally, I walked from my room all the way to the other side of the hospital to see my surgeon.  He is pleased with everything. 

He explained my physical therapy exercises.  I must pay $300 to rent an Orabite, as it is not covered by insurance. 

He also informs me that the insurance has denied his claim and I can’t see the ophthalmologist.  He’s displeased.  Then we drive home. 

That night I walked once around my mom’s block and then relax.

My face is very swollen, and I swear that I look like Sloth from The Goonies.

                                            Day 4 after surgery-my swelling is at its worst

 Overall, the surgeries went well and now I'm healing.  I'm thankful every day that this is over.

People ask me if it hurt?  Of course it was painful, but I knew it was going to be before I had the surgery.  The first couple of days were the worst, and I have never felt pain like that before.  Luckily, I had been warned before the surgery, so I knew what it was going to be like.