Sherri's Adventure: The Pain in the Head

Bi-lateral temporalmandibular replacement occured on Monday, February 13th. I was scheduled to go in to the hospital at 7:30 am. We arrived at the correct time but were given the news that the operating room would not be ready at the 9:00 time and was pushed off until 11. At 11:15 I was taken back, asked another million questions and promptly knocked out. Surgery lasted 8 hours. I awoke close to 9:00 pm still in recovery with my husband and parents by my side. It took another 3 hours to get a room.

I could never explain to someone the excruiating amount of pain I have been in. I have no muscle movement of my entire left side. My eye doesn't blink, the forehead doesn't move, and my lips are so swollen, I can hardly drink. I have been wired shut which is completely scraping away the inside of my lips. Everything is swollen. I don't resemble myself at all and I look hideous. Brad says I only look a little worse than my previous pictures but I think he needs to wear his glasses when he looks at me. I have lost 7 pounds since Monday. An extreme amount of weight in such a short time.

I don't do much. Sleep is mostly what I've been doing. My mom is being a great medicine nazi. No pain meds unless I have a little something in my stomach. Bleh! Everything makes me gag. The antibiotics and pain meds are liquid and the taste is horrendous, yet 4 times a day one or both of them are given to me. I hurt so much it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's there, just out of reach for the moment.

The kids are afraid to look at me. I don't blame them. There's nothing like a real-life horror movie to look at. Here are a few pics from recovery. Please be advised I do not look anywhere near my best.