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Thanks all for the incredibly kind comments. There are still up and down days, but on the whole they are up. I just wanted to make sure that you all know the full story - I can imagine it would seem as though it is too good to be true otherwise!

Thankfully I passed my exam (although only just scraped the first one).. so that's all good (for the very short time being).

I have also been doing some life-sorting... After realising nothing had really changed with certain friendships and relationships post-op I am saying the things I want to say and getting the result that I need, whether that be fixing things or binning destructive relationships. It's liberating but may be a little hasty. Still, I am much more confident in the thought of living with the consequences now I am post-op. Whether or not this makes me happier, we'll have to see in the long-term...

Crashdown

Just a short post, because I don't want my recovery to seem one-sided.

I don't know whether it's tiredness, the trauma of finally having done my exam yesterday and freaking out about my ability as a potential doctor, or the dredging up of all my deep insecurities with my counsellor, but today I felt absolutely rotten.

It wasn't entirely unexpected, and is the reason I started going to see someone pre-surgery to talk through the issues, but I felt massively 'disappointed' today. Now the excitement of new-face and seeing people's reactions has worn off, it's back to normality. And things feel just the same as they did before. I think maybe it's because I haven't had a chance to exercise my new confidence just yet, but today I just felt hideously sad. I feel like my face is still swollen and looks ridiculous (I know it isn't). Don't get me wrong it is still the BEST thing I have done, but I think it's important to be aware of what your expectations are and how things will or won't change post-surgery. I'm glad I thought through this before I went under the knife, that's for sure!

Just goes to show, there's still a little way to go; once the swelling has gone and the braces are off it will be great!

4 weeks post-op

Hey all,

Just taken a couple of pictures to mark one whole month post-op. It's the end of the day and I look a little tired and dishevelled, but hopefully you can see the swelling has come down some (though that pesky bruise is still there!)



Have also found my favourite soft-diet brekkie: Porridge with chopped up banana and plenty of cinammon... Yum!

Am also supposed to start exercising my jaw from today so am stretching a little in front of the TV... can almost get about 3 fingers flat in my mouth so it's looking good.

3.5 weeks post-op

Hello all! I am still here and very much not forgotten about you all.... needless to say I am enjoying showing off my new face and so it has been a very busy week or so, and also back to school so haven't gotten round to posting or putting up any new pics (the latter I will try to do over the next couple of days...).

Things have been going well. I feel a LOT happier in myself, although it is intriguing, not knowing whether my face is going to stay this way, or whether it is still swollen and will decrease further. I guess time will tell. I had a combined clinic on Friday, and it was completely the opposite from the clinics I had before surgery, when I was super paranoid and unhappy with everyone analysing my face. This time everyone was just grinning lots, as though they were so happy with their handiwork (and rightly so). It also appears that I will be being de-bonded very soon (as in, weeks rather than months) which has caused no end of excitement! I guess it was worth having all the tweaking done beforehand and having to wait longer for my surgery (let that be a lesson to you folks waiting for it!).

I then had a braided wire put on the bottom teeth, and finally saw the ortho that has been doing my treatment as she had exams during the first appointment. I welled up when I spoke about how happy I am and she said 'You're not allowed to cry, you'll start me off!'. She has been an incredible support. It has been SUCH an emotional few weeks. The counsellor has been very helpful too over the last couple of weeks to address some of the underlying issues and I'd still definitely recommend seeing someone.

So all-in-all it has been good. It's funny seeing the reactions of people I know but it is also funny dealing with people that didn't know me before - for example a new girl in my group at school said 'You have something green on your face...' and I had to point out it was a bruise. And then explain the surgery. And then get the 'before' pictures out... I'd definitely recommend taking these and having copies on your phone etc for these kinds of situations. And even to help close friends remember what you looked before/appreciate what exactly was done.

I will try and take some pictures this week. The swelling has gone down quite a lot and the bruise has almost disappeared, so that in itself is an update...!

Gelfling

One of my friends hit the nail on the head.

I look like a gelfling from the Dark Crystal right now.

That's not a bad thing, but still amused me!

For those who don't remember:



Still a little more swelling and bruising to go then...

And elastic bands are popping all over the place! Very tricky hooking them so far back on the right but as the swelling is going I am able to pull my cheek back more so got there eventually!

First counselling sessiong post-op this afternoon, will see how that goes!

And looks like they won't let me sit my exam tomorrow, but that's no great loss as I'm not especially prepared! But back to school on Monday as scheduled!

*Ping!*

I was tentatively exploring the inside of my mouth with my tongue this evening now that I have a little more opening ability. Feeling the stitches but trying not to disrupt/dislodge anything, when all of a sudden

*PING*!

The single elastic on the left snaps and basically whips against my lip.

Needless to say I stopped fiddling once I'd attached a new one.

Glad it wasn't the other side - I don't think I'd get back far enough to hook it on!

Other than that no news. I am going to have to venture out tomorrow evening, my friend has free tickets to some posh cultural classical night. Luckily, my housemate has some theatrical concealer which should do the trick...

Also trying to get my exam changed back to Thursday, as I'm managing to speak alright and would rather just get it out of the way. Have yet to hear if they'll let me though, so will try and do some reviewing in anticipation.

Otherwise, should be good to go back to school next Monday, for the beginning of term, which means not having to miss anything, which is good.

Waiting for the remaining bruising/swelling to go down so I can do some good before/after shots.

Am finding it's not actually people who know me that have funny reactions or don't recognise me - it's those on the peripheries like their girlfriends or parents etc. If in doubt I just cover the bottom half of my face until they realise who I am! Comedy!

Day 10: First ortho visit

Hi all,

So today was the first visit to the orthodontists, and it went well also. He said the bruising is a lot worse than most peeps (see George, perhaps yours won't be so bad after all..) but agreed that my progress was really good and looked happy with the result so far. Best of all, he said it probably would only take a couple of months of work before de-bonding!!!! Then he abandoned the elastics at the front altogether, so I now have 2 sets a bit further back, just to close the slight open occlusion on the right. Have taken the non-elastic opportunity to include a few shots of my amazingly straight and CLASS I teeth for you all (as well as some more of that bruising:



My lip still sags a little on the upper right (left in the picture) as the stitches still pull somewhat. I'm sure this will be better.

As far as numbness goes, I can't feel the left side of my nose/cheek junction, and a spot on my hard palate on the left, but generally most sensation is intact. Swelling-wise it's not too bad and has gone down quite a lot, so looking a little more like myself:




Next appointment is in 2 weeks, in the combined clinic with OS and ortho. I can't wait to see my ortho that has been doing all my treatment after her exams are finished, I'm sure she will be very happy with her hard work!

I need to start thinking about doing some work now, as think the way I'm feeling/things are progressing I should be alright to get back to school for the new term a week on Monday. I also have my session with the counsellor next Wednesday - will see what she makes of it!

I also have finally joined the ranks and finally got round to watching Season 1 of 24. And am thoroughly addicted!