Brandy's Braces, SARPE, Jaw Surgery Journal

This is my daily journal to my eventual perfect smile and Apnea free life. It logs my surgeries, and daily progress.

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Almost Anniversary Day - Almost 3 years!

Wow..can't believe in another couple weeks it will be 3 years since my surgery. It has gone by sooo fast, seems like just yesterday I was getting wheeled out of surgery. Thankfully I don't remember a whole bunch about my recovery in terms of pain and discomfort so overall it has truly been worth it.

So...here is some updated progress info and things I have discovered since my last post. My first and most important advice to anyone having this surgery, or who has already had it and is in the process of healing is to find some really good vitamins (I take the Alive ones with iron) and take them regularly at least 3 a day. I have kindof been experimenting with my recovery a bit, and testing some theories I have. The first took place when I had my SARPE and was not on any vitamins or supplements. If you've looked at my blog you know that my overall big surgery (upper, lower, and genio) was much less traumatic and I had hardly any bruising, compared with my SARPE. So...things had been going along well, and I have been gradually getting feeling back in my chin, teeth, and lips. I just have had a small area only on the lower left side of my bottom lip that has been taking its sweet time. It has been tingling over the last year so I was pretty certain feeling would return. Things seemed like they were progressing well then things seemed like they really slowed down. I didn't really notice until recently but I had gotten very lazy and pretty much just stopped taking any vitamins etc.

About 6 weeks ago I decided to get on the bandwagon again and be good about them. I had a week very soon afterwards where it almost seemed like my bottom lip was getting MORE numb. I was like "what the heck" but just sorta dealt with it. Well...shortly after that things changed, my bottom lip has become very tingly and just this week I had a huge surge of feeling return. Now mind you it might just be coincidental, but given my previous experience with vitamins and supplements I don't think so. I'm about 99% sure its them that is making the difference. Even the feeling that I didnt' know I was missing in my teeth has started to return, and quite rapidly I might add.

So..just incase anyone is interested I'm currently taking Alive Vitamins with iron (at least 3 a day sometimes 4) Emergen C - 2 - 3 packets a day, and Vitamin D 3,000mg (because I live in Ak where we hardly get any sun LOL) I have noticed a huge difference since starting back on this regimen so might be something to think about if your still healing, or getting ready to go under the knife so to speak.

I will continue to post updates on my progress until I'm sure I'm no longer having any improvement. Right now...3 years later I'm still healing...just more proof that this whole process is, as my fellow surgery friend Roger states "not a race but a marathon" So...stay with it...and hold your course!

Till next time.... Wishing you all well :)