Surgery Day

One of my last pre op photos

I woke on Wednesday at about 6am. I had slept OK and still felt relaxed. I had been fasting from 12 midnight so was hungry and thirsty. I went and had a shower and was able to brush my teeth which allowed me to at least rinse my mouth. I came back to my bed and got dressed up in my nice tight stockings and my baby blue gown. A while later the anaesthetist came and quickly talked through the procedure that would happen and before I knew it I was being wheeled in my bed down to theatre. I still felt fine and hadn't had any thing to relax me. I was put in a holding bay for about 15 minutes were some nurses talked to me and went over some more details.

Finally I was took into the theatre at approx 8.30am. The theatre was nice and new, lots of TV screens and big lights and a lot of people getting ready. I was transferred from my bed to the operating table. At this stage my nerves gave way and I started to shake a bit but before I knew it my anaesthetist took my wrist, jabbed something into it and told me to tell him when I feel like I have had a bottle of wine to let him know. I can't remember anything more until.......

1st post op photo

I woke up surrounded by nurses, doctors and my surgeon. I was dazed and gagging but not throwing up as I had been fasting and had no food or fluid to throw up. I was shaking but can't remember a lot more. I was in the recovery room and I remember hearing my surgeon say that my bite wasn't right and that it needed fixed. I remember the doctor explaining this to me and asking me to sign a consent form which I could just make out through my morphine filled eyes. I knew in my mind that I just wanted it fixed so I scribbled something on the page but it didn't look anything like my signature. I presume that I was put back to sleep and took into theatre again.

I remember waking up in recovery feeling a lot better this time. I didn't feel sore, my mouth wasn't wired tight and was able to talk a little to the nurses who stayed beside me the whole time. They were great. I then found out that the operation that was meant to take a few hours ended up lasting a full day as it was after 6pm and was still in recovery. One of the nurses told me how I had really panicked a student nurse. It must have been when I woke up after the first surgery and whatever I was doing like gagging and I don't know what else but the same student nurse was now looking after me and I think she had forgave me.

Next a doctor came in and told me that my teeth were going to get elastics put on them tight, really tight as the surgeon had ordered. Well that was the last of the talking for me as my teeth are firmly shut. At about 7pm I was taking back to my ward were my mum, dad and Ashleigh were waiting for me. I was glad to see them and they were telling me how well I looked but I think they were just trying to make me feel better. I had tubes up my nose and a humidifying oxygen mask on.


It had been a terrible day, so long and definitely not straight forward considering I was operated on twice. The doctor later told me this is uncommon but it was better to get it all done on the same day. He also told me that the other two operations that they had planned for that day were cancelled and everyone was happy as they thought they were getting home early. Unfortunately I took all day so they didn't get home early but ended up spending a whole day with me. After visiting was over I was prepared for my first night!

Smiling and saying cheese: 0% (I felt pretty bad and could hardly move my lips, never mind smile and say cheese)

Pain scale: 65% ( it's hard to know as I can't remember so good but I know there was pain and I know I was getting pain relief)