Wowzers! 2 weeks fly by when you're having fun!!

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Hi Mom;

I can hardly believe it's been 2 weeks since my MMA/GA surgery. I've decided that other surgery at day 7 or whatever doesn't count as anything but a followup procedure (reserved for only me;-)

It's a little tough being able to tell how I'm feeling "in general". Right now, it pretty much depends on what time of the day you ask me. At times, I feel like a million bucks and seem like everything is right on track. At other times, I feel kind of crappy. I really wish I were feeling fantastic all the time, but realistically, the crappy times eventually pass and I'm back to feeling good again.

In general, (like many other people at the same point of their recovery) I feel like my mouth is in a vice, under a great amount of pressure.
My pallet is still quite numb and it feels like I'm wearing my orthodontic retainer all the time.
Luckily, I was given these neat little stiff-spongy things (they look like a lollypop from a distance) and by trimming them down, I am able to clean a good amount of my teeth and tongue. I still can't feel many of my teeth either, but just knowing I've cleansed them and rinsed them as good as I can for now, makes me vewy-vewy happy.

After Monday's followup appointment at Dr. KL's, I seemed to be doing pretty well, but by the end of the day, both of my sinuses were not clearing out very well. I had also been experiencing really bad (but infrequent) headaches, and an occasional bout of reflux. Not fun. He let me know that the oxycodone he prescribed didn't have Tylenol in it, so to buy some of the liquid kind when my head started to hurt. I also asked him about pain management. Seems the oxycodone works pretty well most of the time, but since I take 2 tsp. every 4 hours, there are times when halfway in to hour 3 that the pain starts to return. Dr KL suggested I take 1 tsp. every 2 hours, in order to keep a steadier stream of meds.

Later that day (towards the evening), I could tell there was something "not quite right" with my sinuses, not only because they weren't clearing out easily like they did before, but they seemed to be emitting a rather unpleasant smell as well. I also started having a tough time swallowing.

Realizing that my sinuses have been through a lot, (the left one having a breathing tube put in it for each of the surgeries, and the right one being "slightly deviated" and repaired during the first surgery), I thought about the possibility of a nasal infection. Especially because of that new and quite unpleasant smell. Also, the contents of both sinuses were now the same and also new. I won't describe it, other than to say....kinda brown, flemmy and smelly. Dr KL is out of town, but told me to call him if anything came up. I sent him an e-mail that said "NON-EMERGENCY question" in the subject line, and proceeded to describe my newest issue.

He called about an hour or 2 later, and told me that I should have called him, but I told him that I wasn't sure if this issue was really THAT critical, and that I decided I could wait as long as it was going to take. He understood and then asked me for my pharmacy's number, to prescribe some anti-biotics. Apparently my description led him to think I indeed do have a sinus/nasal infection.

I got that filled today and started taking it. I hope it starts working. I also have a 99.7 temperature. Not high enough to be alarmed about, but definately worth keeping an eye on.

So, I guess I'm just in a holding pattern, trying to behave myself by not overdoing anything, and just trying to take as good of care of myself as I can.

I updated the Before" and "After" Pics for you to check out too. Now that I look at the Day 7 pics, I think there is more swelling in my right cheek today. My guess is that he has something to do with that nasal/sinus infection. Paul thinks the swelling in my cheek has actually gone down a little bit in the last 4 days. At first I looked like I had a half-of-a-tennis ball stuck in my cheek, but today it only looks like 1/3.

So, there you have it! I hope you and dad had a good weekend, and it was a Happy Fathers Day for him. He's the best, isn't he?

love to everyone:
Pinski