Blood Clot

So my recovery has been...interesting.

I'm on Day 11 and am over the worst of it (I hope). Here is what I'm dealing with now:

- I'm still on a full strained liquid diet because my teeth are banded shut with elastics.
- I have a new splint in the top of my mouth, I'm not sure when that is coming out.
- My bruising has healed up a lot.
- Most of my swelling is down except swelling that will likely stick around for the next couple months.
- My hip graft is still sore but nothing like it was when I woke up from the surgery.
- I have feeling here and there in my face but overall it's numb from my eyes down to my chin.
- My energy levels are better but I get tired easily.
- I can talk but it's difficult to understand me when I can barely open my jaw.

If anyone out there reading this is heading into double jaw surgery with genioplasty:

- Be prepared for lots of moments of humility, fear and frustration. They will pass.
- Have people around you who don't judge, fully support you and are willing to look after you 24-7. If anyone doesn't fit these criteria - get away from them.
- It starts out really bad and gets better, it might be hard to believe at first but it does.

The night I got home from the hospital, we were busy getting stuff organized and ready for me to actually be around the house. Brad was in the kitchen doing something with his back to us.

My nose had been a little plugged and bleeding a lot and really bothering me since I woke up from the surgery.

Finally I simply I reached up and pulled a giant red blood clot out of my nose.

My mom's eyes went wide and we scrambled out of the room in a state of silent panic so Brad wouldn't see.

We've had a few of these moments. Some really funny like this one and some kind of scary. I think we've done a good job at maintaining our sense of humour. This has been hard on all three of us. I can't imagine going through this without the support of both my mom and my husband.