Nuffnang

Tuesday 25 May 2021

I'm back after 7 years!

 Hello everyone still reading this.

I am genuinely surprised that people are still reading my blog and emailing me asking me about my surgery. I haven't been checking the chat box email and I was shocked by the number of questions. Apologies to this I didn't get to respond over the years. 

I thought I should do a final update now - after 7 years my recovery should be "completed". So I'm here to do a final wrap up / Q&A based on the questions I have been getting

Q: Do I still feel numb on my left profile?

A: Tongue and Chin.

Unfortunately my damaged nerves didn't recover fully post-op. While I have already regained all sensitivity around my face, only a small portion bottom left chin is still around 10%(?) numb? I can still feel it if I touch it or scratch it just not as satisfying if that side of my chin is itch as I'll never be able to get rid of it. Another thing is I can't feel light touch around that area (e.g. if I eat sloppily and soup dripped down my left chin / rice landed on that area, I cant feel those) T.T

In exchange for my normal bite now I have to sometimes embarrass myself in public when I eat or be extremely cautious when I am eating (must constantly wipe my mouth) haha!! But worth it! 

My left tongue (near the left, on the side, is about 2% numb?). It doesnt really bother me now I've learnt to keep my tongue "properly" so I don't bite on it. 

Q: How did I choose my surgeon / hospital?

A: I didn't. I was so desperate back then to get the surgery I told my orthodontist to refer me to a public hospital. He basically has a list of surgeons that he can refer you to, both public and private hospitals. I would say just go for the consultation with the surgeon first and see if you can vibe with him or trust him. Do some research online and maybe you'll bump into similar blogs like mine and see their work and honest review. You can also ask both your orthodontist to show you before and after surgery pix from the surgeon.

Q: How did I manage to claim my surgery expenses with insurance?

A: No idea how it worked but I do know that quite upfront insurance agencies will deny your claims cos they consider this as cosmetic surgery. However, I did speak to my surgeon and I told him I wna claim insurance. Not sure if it was the way he wrote it or what (tbh idk what he wrote) but I only know he categorized my jaw as "deformed" and he said there is no guarantee but I can try and it got approved! No questions asked. 

Just a tip(?), I'm not sure if this is the reason for the way he wrote it but during the consultation I did share with him I couldn't bite or chew properly because of my jaw. I think you will have to geng a little bit if you are perfectly fine with eating and say you can't bite well for them to write it for you. Can't expect a doctor to "lie" for you also haha. Don't come at me if it doesn't work!!

Q: Did I regret this surgery?

A: No!! But if I can turn back the time, I would have asked the surgeon to also shave off my jaw bones so I can have v shaped face hahaahahaa!!! Please do it since it is already cut opened! 

Also, I wouldn't have pestered my orthodontist to remove my braces asap cos my teeth did shift which caused my jaw to shift a little since I wasn't fully healed. Just drag your time in between appts so you can keep your braces in longer. This is soooo important. T_T I even considered doing braces again but I couldn't now cos there are screws at the top and bottom of my jaw so the orthodontist said it prolly isn't gna be as ideal. I think from start to finish the day I put on my braces, till surgery done plus remove braces was about 1.5 years? or lesser? I can't exactly rmb. Usually people put on braces for 2 years first then go for surgery then remove their braces after 6 months - 1 year. But I just couldn't stand my brace face. 

I don't know what else to update anymore but y'all can leave me a message at the side if you have anymore questions!!

Hope this blog helps and all the best if you are about to go for your surgery!! It will be over before you know it hehe!!

Adios!

Friday 10 October 2014

Day 128: I'm back! 4 month post op update

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the long hiatus. I've been really busy since school has started for me. Unknowingly, time flew by soooo quickly, I'm about 4 month post op now.

It's really kinda surreal to me, it felt as if I had never gone for the surgery at all. I can barely remember anything about it now. nah just kidding, I can.. hahahaha. So just a quick update about my recovery process..

Unfortunately, I am still numbed in my lower left chin, left lip and left tongue. The numbness has improved a lot since my last update, but the thing is, I don't think I'd be able to regain the feelings completely. It is probably still early (i hope) to talk about this, but it's just a gut feeling i have, comparing to the right side of the face which I regained 100% of the feeling in about one month post op...

Oh well, I wouldn't mind it if it happens... It's really a small price to pay.. or not hahaha. I can't feel whether food got "stuck" onto my lips/chin, I don't know when I'm drooling and I'm always biting into my tongue... the left side that is. The other day I was laughing my lungs out with my friends and I drooled... without knowing. How embarrassing that is. 

I'm still on Neuroxel, the nerve regeneration medication, but I always missed the medication timing because I'm so forgetful. 

Other than numbness, I am extremely sensitive on my lower left jaw. I know right, everything bad is happening on the left side of the face. Just to clarify, this sensitivity is not the usual tingling sensation you'll feel just one month post op. I don't know how to describe it... Normally, the tingling sensation happens on the flesh on top of the jaw.. this sensitivity I'm currently experiencing is ON the jaw itself... Especially when I run my finger over or just gently touch the area, something just feels extremely weird on the jaw bone. 

Another thing I've noticed is... my sinus is back??? I think. Not sure if it's because of the haze but it seems like it's back. Even though it wasn't as bad as pre-op but still....... T_T

Oh and one last thing, the gap between my back molars and my cheeks are sooooooo little now I can't fit any tooth brush in it. Hence, my back molar is almost always filled with plague. yuck. 

I don't have anything else to update. So far so good, I've been eating normally and everything has gone back to normal... for the right side of my face, that is. 

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By the way, I've received several emails from you people out there who have questions about jaw surgery or just want somebody to regarding this matter.. Y'know I'm always out there to support you people, do feel free to email me by the chat box on the left, I'll reply you ASAP and try to answer ALL the queries you have about jaw surgery.  :) Don't worry, I don't bite.

Stay beautiful,
C.