Ok, enough...

I love to travel. See new places. Eat new foods. Meet new people. Eat new foods. Ok, so I like food. Anyway, I was about to take a trip to California. It will only be my 2nd time to San Diego and first to Los Angels.

My brother was out there working so I would kill two birds by seeing him then flying out for the San Diego Comic Con. I was all excited except for one thing. I notice the day before that I started to develop what looked like a blister inside my mouth were the graft was. It was quiet large, the size of a raisin. I showed this to my mom and she also could see it. I knew I would have to keep an eye on this. But nothing was stopping me from enjoying my trip.

It took me a while to get adjusted to LA. Not because it was a bad city. It is just... different. I am from the east coast and we don't have a town where I live like it. Guess the warm weather year around helps.

My brother and I were off to go to Disneyland. I was very excited. Been to Disney World several times. Use to work there. Its always a good time. Except for today. As I was packing my wound with gauze I noticed an odd taste in my mouth. It took me a while but then I realized what it was. BLOOD. Oh crap!

I quickly went to a mirror but it was hard to see where the blood was coming from. Upon further examination and by using a q-tip, I noticed it was coming from my blister. Naturally every evil thought I had about the bone graft failing or the infection now spreading crossed my mind. I was worried that I would have to go to the hospital and ruin my vacation. The only hospital I knew was Cedars-Sinai because you here about it on TV all the time. I asked my brother where is was and thankfully it was just down the street from his hotel. I tossed back and forth in my head whether I should go now. The blood was not bad, just dribbles and I really wanted to go to Disney (yes my priorities are wacked). Well you can guess what I decided to do.

Well I had fun in Disney and the bleeding did stop. As soon as I got back from CA I went right to Hopkins to see my doctor. I called his office when I was on vacation and informed his secretary what was happening she he was perpared. After the doctor examined me he said, "Ok enough". He thinks that he finally realized what may have been causing my infection and swelling. The blister means that there is a pin needle size hole in my mouth where they did the surgery. He wants to go in and take out the plate and reseal this hole. He also said that it was same area where they had to go back in 4 days after my first surgery. Great.

I knew this day would come. But I guess part of me was in denial for three months. Guess it was the bleeding that snapped my eyes open. I cannot keep going on like this. Plus I want my teeth, my full smile back and that cannot happen till I get this swelling and bleeding under control. The doctor stated where he would go in, my mouth but warned me that he may need to cut my neck a little to get his tools in there to take out the plate. The incision would be on the same scar line that was the first two and that it would not be a evasive. If everything looks good no new plate would be put in. If not, he would place two small plated where the graft and the my jaw meet. He would also close that pin needle hole at the same time. Surgery would take 3 hours and it would be an outpatient procedure with recovery time about a week.

Naturally I am taking off two weeks to give me time to recover. If I feel up to it I can go back early. I already told my work when the date would be.

November 7th.

Look mom. I can drain myself!

Going to the doctor’s office so many times for the same thing you can get a inkling on how they fix things. Not major surgeries mind you, smaller stuff. Like how to drain your face when you swell up for the 3rd time. 4th if you count the few days after the first surgery. Yes, I did swell but I knew this was coming this time. The whole under my chin closed up… completely.

I knew I had to reopen the hole somehow. So, like I did before but this time on purpose I stuck the back of the q-tip in the closed whole (carefully) and POP, it opened. The junk that came out was not severe but it did do the trick. Over the next few days the swelling was smaller and smaller. By the time I had my appointment with Dr B it was gone. I told him what I did and he almost laughed. You have to laugh at these things because what is the alternative? Cry? I did that already on several occasions.

He did press the issue that I really need to get this plate out. It was up to me when to do it. But if I waited I just have to go thru this thing over and over, the swelling and aggravation of packing the wound and the bleeding that comes with it. Soon I would have enough. But I am going on vacation soon and I don’t want anything to interfere with it.

I need some tranquility. That and I am in denial.

Another two weeks...

It’s amazing throughout this whole process how many highs and lows there are. I have to say right now I am at a low point. Two weeks after my last appointment I started to swell up again, badly.

It has been getting harder and harder to pack the strip inside my wound. I had taken this as a sign that my wound was healing and rightfully so. But I guess the infection inside my jaw thought otherwise. It got so bad that I had to take out my jaw bra and put it on. Obviously I made another appointment with Dr B. I feel like I live there now.

Now I live about 3 hours from the hospital. Since my appointment was at 8 am I decided to stay at a local Baltimore hotel with my mom the night before. We ended up staying at a Marriott Hotel which was very nice and comfortable. It was located right along the inner harbor so the view was very pretty. That, and that fact they had a nice plasma to watch LOST made the stay enjoyable. Too bad I was not feeling that jolly.

The one side of my face right now was pretty big. It got to the point where I could feel the pressure around my eye. I was still trying to pack my wound as best I can. Guess this morning I applied to much pressure because as I packed it I heard a little pop. You can guess what happened next. I must have reopened the wound as trickles of pus started to come out. I covered that up very quickly. Let the doctor take over from here. Gross. :(

Dr B could not understand why I kept swelling. He could see no hole in my mouth where saliva could get in. The x-rays and Cat Scans call came back normal. It must be the plate. He stated sometimes bacteria can attach itself to the plate and he only guessed that could be it. He was hoping my body would fight off the infection by now. All we could do is drain the swelling and wait to see what happens. If this did continue we would have to take the plate out. Another operation. Ugh!

Two Weeks Later

Two weeks later I am back at Johns Hopkins. The drain has been working well. All the junk has come out and collected on the gauze that I had covering it. Quite gross but by this time I am so used to it. The swelling was completely gone and I looked normal. Well, as normal as to be expected after reconstruction. I had a big smile on my face when I saw the doctor. Things looked good.

Dr B took out the drain and replaced it with a sterile strip of gauze. I would have to pack the wound and change this every day and keep the area clean till the hole started to close up. (By packing I mean I would have to insert the strip into the hole as far as it will go with the end of a sterile q-tip.) After that, they would stitch it closed. He gave me the needed supplies and I went on my merry way.

I would see him in another month.