**This post contains previously gifted items and affiliate links Hello, my name is Jo and I have a vacuum cleaner obsession. Growing up I have always loved cleaning and tidying. I would have the cleanest…
Five years ago I was imagining in my head what it would feel like to be 5 years post op when at that time it’s very difficult to envision. It takes up to a year after having double jaw surgery for the swelling in your face to go down and you don’t see your final result until around that mark. Sure that the majority of your face has significantly decreased due to the outside swelling going down but it’s the swelling inside your face that takes the longest time, leaving your cheeks feeling puffy and tender to touch.
The surgery I had
As I had an 11mm overbite and gummy smile, the plan for my surgery was that I would have an operation called BSSO aka Bilateral sagittal split surgery and Le Fort 1. Together this is known as double jaw surgery because both jaws are having surgery on.
For my top jaw they did something on me called a LE FORT 1 osteotomy which is a horizontal incision across the maxilla jaw ( top jaw) In my case they cut quite a bit of bone out because I had a very gummy smile, they then moved my jaw up and backwards a little bit to put it into the correct place and then secured it using surgical hooks and screws.
BSSO Bilateral sagittal split osteotomy- To simplify my explanation for this is that they separated my lower jaw (mandible) from my face and then they cut the back part of my jaw in two places in a diagonal position, repositioned it and because my bottom jaw was too far back, they brought it forward to meet my upper jaw and secured it into place with hooks and screws.
Not only are they doing all of the above in surgery they are also having to make sure everything is aligned properly which is very intricate work. I remember when I woke up after coming round in ICU asking a nurse why I had a stitch put in between my eyes and she said the surgeon had to place a screw there to make sure everything was in the correct position. I have a slight scar now but nothing I am bothered about.
Post op- Double jaw surgeryPost op – Double jaw surgeryPost op – Double jaw surgery
So you can now see why there would be a lot of internal swelling going on inside your face so my message to you is to try and be patient with your self. I still have a bit of puffiness in my cheek 5 years on which has never gone back to normal and I am convinced one of my screws is inflamed under there but it doesn’t bother me enough for me to go and get it removed.
Another area on my face that is still affected is the top right side of my lip and the top right side of my gum. I think the nerves must have been damaged during the operation which isn’t uncommon and they never went back to normal but again it’s not a big deal. Read more about my surgery day here.
Recovery
I wrote a couple of posts a few years ago, just quick ones talking about my recovery but nothing in much detail so I thought I’d explain it here.
The most common question I get asked is – Does double jaw surgery hurt? My answer is No, it didn’t hurt, yes it was uncomfortable but that was only when the pain relief from the surgery started wearing off. My partner did an excellent job of making sure I was taking regular pain relief which was a combination of liquid paracetamol and dissolvable ibuprofen. It was disgusting and gagging whilst you have two broken jaws isn’t the most pleasant of experiences but I would rather not be in any pain so eventually became acceptive.
A few hours after surgery
Sleeping
The mornings were the worst. You are advised to sleep propped up because your face is so heavy and swollen but during the night I would slip down and In the mornings I would wake up with the side of my face on the pillow and I would be laying down flat. I would have to literally lift my face up with my hands from off my pillow because of how heavy it was. You also have to then deal with a headache because your so congested from sleeping. Now you can look forward to brushing your teeth and eating a liquid breakfast.
3 Days post- op
Eatting
You have now have had your operation and you are not allowed to eat solid foods for at least six weeks. Looking back I remembered dreading this part the most, I have never liked soup and was petrified of feeling extremely hungry all the time but with the help of my partner and my mum this never happened. My mum in law brought us a Ninja bullet for my impending surgery knowing that it would be extremely useful to me and it was a god send.
Between my mum and partner they got creative and I wasn’t stuck eating the same things day in day out. I remember the first meal I had blended and given to me, it honestly looked like diarrhoea and tasted so bland that I wasn’t looking forward to the next one.
My mum then came up with a genius idea of blending the foods separately and then placing them on the plate separately so the colours and textures didn’t all integrate into one big mush, and it worked! I will never forget that meal, it was sausages , carrots, mash and gravy and it tasted just as it should. I would definitely recommend you doing this if you have surgery coming up or have just had it.
Weightloss
When you are eating a liquid diet you have to be so careful because loosing weight is guaranteed. I was already very slim before my surgery and I think I lost about a stone plus a bit more which made me a size six. Some surgeons might tell you to put on a bit of weight before surgery depending on your BMI.
The food I ate
Some other soft meals I ate were;
Scrambled eggs, my mum would sometimes add spaghetti hoops because they were easy to swallow
Macaroni and cheese, These would be the cans and it became one of my favourite foods
Spaghetti bolognaise- My mum would buy the mini pasta shells and then blend my bolognaise
Weetabix – Eww I can’t believe I even ate this but I came to like it at the time.
Weetabix drinks- I loved these
Jelly
Rice pudding
Banana and custard
Lots of home made smoothies
Most of my meals were blended as I have described above so I managed to eat what everyone else in my family ate.
Your hospital bag
Something else to consider is what to pack in your hospital bag, personally I think I overpacked. After double jaw surgery you usually stay in hospital one to two nights to make sure your ok to go home because of how major the operation is.
They lost my bag so everything I packed was never used anyway and my case was only found a few hours before I was allowed home. David had to bring me in clothes etc but this is what I would of found useful.
A pregnancy v-pillow – This helped to keep me propped up and was really useful
A Jaw bra and bags of gel – This was also useful I still use it today but for other things.
Soft baby toothbrush- You will need this to brush your teeth as the bristles are soft, I only used it for a short time and then switched to a normal toothbrush.
Corsodyl mouthwash – You should be given a bottle of this in hospital to take home but just in case .
Arnica cream for the bruising – I didn’t use this in the end so can’t comment to say if it works
Tissues- To wipe up your dribble or your bloody nose, you will need these.
Face wipes- To freshen your face up but be gentle
Pain relief – They will give you them whilst your in hospital but pack them just in case ( I used paracetamol with codeine.
Straws or a big Syringe- To drink your drink
Word search book to do whilst your waiting around for your surgery or for when you have woken up from your anaesthetic properly.
Buttoned Pj’s – The last thing your going to want to do after surgery is try pull something over your head.
The obvious items like your phone and charger, underwear, hairbrush etc…
Did you know that adults (19+) who do not have GCSE’s grade 4/C or above in either English or Maths are entitled to retake them for free? No? I didn’t know either until last year.
I never thought I would go back into education voluntarily but it wasn’t until Emily started to fall behind in Maths that it really motivated and encouraged me to apply.
Applying was easier than I thought. I went onto my local college website and looked through the part-time courses for both Maths and English GCSE’s. You can apply online and someone will then get in touch with you to book in for an assessment.
Maths was never my strong point and I knew that I would fail my assessment, the questions were hard and I left a lot of them empty because I didn’t know how to attempt them. I was then offered the function skills course which is 9 weeks long and can be done at home.
You still need to do an assessment but this is only for the tutors to see what you know so they can enter you in at the correct level, you can then work your way through them. I went in on an entry-level three and I am now coming to the end of my first block and have my exam soon.
Looking back now from when I was at school I know the reason why nothing stuck was because of how I was being taught. Functional skill is a digital course and all the topics are video’s with everything being broken down and simplified, this has helped me to understand and learn a lot easier. Once you have completed it you can then continue straight on to the next level if choose to.
Functional Skills are recognised GCSE alternative qualifications. I am aiming to complete level 3 and would really like to get a 1 (A)
I also applied for GCSE English and was asked to come in to do an assessment for the course. I have no idea how I managed to secure a place there because my grammar and punctuation is rubbish however, this was one of the reasons why I wanted to go for it.
For this course, I attend weekly lessons in a small classroom. We started out with around 12 pupils and over 6 weeks we are down to around 8-9 of us. Our tutor told us from the start about how intense the course was going to be and I was excited about it.
We are now on week 7 ( I think) and I am finding it much harder than I thought it would be and then last week I felt like I had a breakthrough. We had a lesson on ‘structure’ and it really helped me. We still have a long way to go but we are being taught the hardest bits first so that when the time comes we would have had plenty of practice.
Our lesson starts at 9.15 am and finishes at 12.15 pm and we have a fifteen-minute break. You are given a GCSE workbook to write in during lessons which you can keep at college or take it home, I take photo’s of my work and leave it there so I can get my work marked ready for the following week.
Each week we have homework set online that is not mandatory to do but I like to do it. My blog really helps me practise what I have learnt in English lessons and over the weeks I have been experimenting with my vocabulary and trying to find alternative words to use. I am also learning about different ways to start my paragraphs instead of ‘I’ and ‘we’ which you can probably see in this post.
Both courses are really helping my confidence to grow and I have been able to use what I have learnt so far in maths to teach Lydia how to do long division and help Emily with some of her math work, something I have always felt embarrassed about not being able to do.
I am a very anxious person so to do something like this was a big deal, especially as I don’t cope well with change. If you have been thinking about going back to college to retake your GCSE’S I’d say go for it, you won’t regret it.
Laser treatment for hair removal may seem like a wonderful idea. However, many people are usually newbies to this zone. Even though the treatment has become a widely familiar as well as well-accepted phenomenon, the lack of information makes it alien to many. Since many people are known to swear by the lasting results of laser treatment.
This article will be highlighting some important facts you must know about the treatment, procedure, and effects. Keep reading below:
Less Pain and More Convenience
Many people have formed a prejudice against laser treatments, considering it as painful. However, the fact states that laser hair removal in Londonisn’t as painful as applying hit sticky wax and ripping the hair off in a snap. The laser works by applying an intense and focused beam of light on an area and the resultant heat destroys the hair follicles. The heat causes sharp but quick pain. However, it is bearable and some clinics even use advanced tools that promise no pain at all.
Offers Lasting But Not Permanent Results
No doubt, laser treatment promises long-lasting results. However, calling them permanent would be a lie. Laser treatment damages the hair follicles causing them unable to grow hair for a long time in comparison to other hair removal methods. But at the same time, once the period is covered, you will notice the re-growth of thin and light hair. Also, if you maintain the laser follow-ups every once in a while, you can elongate the results that might feel almost permanent.
You Must Invest Some Time In It
Laser hair removal London is available for both males and females and it covers different parts of one’s body. Areas like chest hair, back, face, armpits, legs, etc. can be successfully treated. While hair on small areas like the chin and neck will require only a couple of hours to get treated, a similar procedure for larger and thicker areas may extend beyond 6 to 8 sessions for best results.
Say No To Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair is very irritating and can cause infection. They occur when hair stops growing forward but instead grows within the skin. These are some of the most common problems for males while they shave their beards. Those who have curly or dense hair also bear the same problem. Effective laser treatment is a wonderful solution to say bye to ingrown hair.
Every Session Involves Some Do’s And Don’ts
Before you take up a laser treatment appointment, you must consider the following:
Staying away from sunlight for a minimum of six weeks before and after the treatment.
Trimming the hair on the area that needs to be treated.
Cleaning the area completely. Any traces of makeup or lotion can affect the results.
Avoid going to the gym or taking hot showers after taking a session for at least 24 hours to avoid any bumps or spots.
Conclusion
Even though a laser treatment might seem like a struggle for some, it’s after results make the procedure a must to have. One must ensure to get the treatment done from a certified and trained practitioner.
Laser treatment for hair removal may seem like a wonderful idea. However, many people are usually newbies to this zone. Even though the treatment has become a widely familiar as well as well-accepted phenomenon, the lack of information makes it alien to many. Since many people are known to swear by the lasting results of laser treatment.
This article will be highlighting some important facts you must know about the treatment, procedure, and effects. Keep reading below:-
Less Pain More Convenience
Many people have formed a prejudice against laser treatments, considering it as painful. However, the fact states that laser hair removal Londonisn’t as painful as applying hit sticky wax and ripping the hair off in a snap. The laser works by applying an intense and focused beam of light on an area and the resultant heat destroys the hair follicles. The heat causes sharp but quick pain. However, it is bearable and some clinics even use advanced tools that promise no pain at all.
Offers Lasting But Not Permanent Results
No doubt, laser treatment promises long-lasting results. However, calling them permanent would be a lie. Laser treatment damages the hair follicles causing them unable to grow hair for a long time in comparison to other hair removal methods. But at the same time, once the period is covered, you will notice the re-growth of thin and light hair. Also, if you maintain the laser follow-ups every once in a while, you can elongate the results that might feel almost permanent.
You Must Invest Some Time In It
Laser hair removal London is available for both males and females and it covers different parts of one’s body. Areas like chest hair, back, face, armpits, legs, etc. can be successfully treated. While hair on small areas like the chin and neck will require only a couple of hours to get treated, a similar procedure for larger and thicker areas may extend beyond 6 to 8 sessions for best results.
Say No To Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair is very irritating and can cause infection. They occur when hair stops growing forward but instead grows within the skin. These are some of the most common problems for males while they shave their beards. Those who have curly or dense hair also bear the same problem. Effective laser treatment is a wonderful solution to say bye to ingrown hair.
Every Session Involves Some Do’s And Don’ts
Before you take up a laser treatment appointment, you must consider the following:
Staying away from sunlight for a minimum of six weeks before and after the treatment.
Trimming the hair on the area that needs to be treated.
Cleaning the area completely. Any traces of makeup or lotion can affect the results.
Avoid going to the gym or taking hot showers after taking a session for at least 24 hours to avoid any bumps or spots.
Conclusion
Even though a laser treatment might seem like a struggle for some, it’s after results make the procedure a must to have. One must ensure to get the treatment done from a certified and trained practitioner.
When Lydia was born, I joined a support group through Facebook through which the majority of us still post within. Every year, the same questions come up, “What are you getting for birthdays?”, “I am looking for inspiration, any ideas?”, “Need Christmas ideas! What are you getting your little ones?!”. Even with a group of 80+ ladies with different budgets, it can still be a difficult question to answer and even I still find myself thinking the same things. Which is why when Wicked uncle got in to touch to work with me I became excited because finally, here was a website that will help me, you and all the other mums and dads, nans, grandads, aunties and uncles out there find gift ideas for birthdays and Christmas that tick all the boxes.
Wicked Uncle has made it easier for you to filter your search through their categorised sections from adventurer, brainiac, and chocolate lover to fashion and style, sensory, dinosaurs, and much more, to suit the individual you are buying for.
As Christmas draws closer, Wicked Uncle is also great for anyone who is participating in a Secret Santa present swap. Every year, my schoolmum friends and I run as ecret Santa. We usually set a budget of either £5 or £10 pounds so everyone gets a little something. There is so much to choose from within this budget and with the gift wrap service available it means that it just got a whole lot easier.
What I love about Wicked Uncle is the variety of the gifts they showcase on their website. They have an assortment of gift ideas that I wouldn’t have even thought of looking for myself, encouraging creativity, mindfulness and fun, and like most parents these days, I love this website as most of the gift ideas do not involve any screentime.
Wicked Uncle also understands that we all have our own budgets which is why they have such a big selection of different gifts ideas to suit all, with prices of the gifts ranging from as little as £2.95 up to £99.
Here are some of my favourite picks from the Wicked Uncle website and why:
We brought this for Leo a few years ago and he still uses it to this day. It comes with three ultraviolet pens which are wiped clean so that you change what you want to write on there.
I love this idea for older kids. Leo is always trying to trick us out of our money and at least this way it would probably work!
For all the budding little magicians out there, My First Magic Showcase looks like an excellent choice for beginners.
The girls are forever losing socks, we have a carrier bag full of odds so these novelty odd socks are a brilliant unique idea.
No matter the time of the year or occasion, Wicked Uncle has such a variety of gifts that there is something for everyone, with a gift wrapping service you can send gifts direct – perfect for those who do not live near their loved ones as well. They also have a wide range of hand made cards, the perfect accompaniment to any gift.
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