Hi – Pat again. Maddie is very groggy so asked me to write another update.
Some other things we found out that happened during surgery (besides them stitching her eyes shut!):
1. Her jaw isn’t wired. Three elastic bands hold the upper and lower jaws together for the first eight weeks. Two are attached to her braces. Dr Gunson inserted skeletal hooks in the front of her upper and lower jaws, and fastened the third elastic band to those.
2. Dr. Gunson inserted a screw into her forehead just above the bridge of her nose. This was used as a stable point on her face to measure things during surgery. After he was done, he removed the screw and she now has one stitch there.
Maddie had a fairly peaceful Wednesday night in the hospital. Her recovery nurse Kathleen took really good care of her until she was awake from the anesthesia. Maddie was a little uncomfortable because Kathleen wouldn’t let her drink anything. She was so thirsty during recovery, but drinking could make her nauseous. After about 1.5 hours in recovery she was moved to her private room, where I had a chair that made into a cot 🙂 Her night nurse was named Ashley. Not much to report as it was an uneventful night.
She started Thursday with a visit from Dr. G at 7:30 AM. He had only left the hospital 10 hours before…and had another surgery going on Thursday afternoon! Yet he took all the time we wanted to answer questions. I don’t think I have ever met a doctor with such an open bedside manner! He took all of her head dressings off, so besides a little swelling she looked like Maddie, not a mummy 😉
Maddie’s day nurse’s name was Gilbert. He was so upbeat, getting her up and walking her around, and he kept at her to “drink drink drink”! He told us that Dr G has operated on patients from as far away as the Middle East, and that some even come up from Hollywood. Of course he couldn’t name names…drat! All day the hospital staff kept telling her that she had minimal swelling compared to others they have seen.
Maddie was released from the hospital at 5:30 Thursday, barely 20 hours since surgery was completed! So the fun began…I am now in the dual position of drill sergeant and administrative assistant! Maddie is on four medications that combine for a total of 10 doses to take each day, and at separate times, and stomach must be coated with liquid 15 minutes prior, and so on. If that’s not enough to accomplish, she also needs to: take ten deep breaths per hour, salt water rinse her mouth 8 times per day (with peroxide added in two of the times), drink at least 3 quarts of fluids (hopefully getting enough nourishment!) and take a 5 minute walk every two hours! I finally have a chance to use my obsessive list keeping skills;-)
Today (Friday, day two post surgery) has been tougher than day one. The swelling has increased just like we were warned, and this is making Maddie more uncomfortable. In addition, nausea came on big time today, and we lost some ground on what she drank…uh oh! Dr. G’s awesome assistant Rene’ had me change Maddie’s anti-nausea patch a day early and that seemed to have done the trick until evening. Now Dr G thinks her antibiotic may be what is causing the nausea. Ray is on his way to pick up over the counter Zantac for her. Dr. G wants her stomach to rest and says not to give her any other meds tonight, unless her discomfort changes to pain and then she can have her pain med.
embraceyoursmile 