A bump in the road

We are now somewhere between week 6 and week 8 of my recovery from corrective double jaw surgery. It has been a rough couple of weeks to say the least. Monday the 2nd of November saw me having a great post surgery appointment with my surgeon, everything looking great and virtually no pain.

A week later I began experiencing immense pain and generally feeling unwell. A call was made and straight away the surgeon had me in to see him the next day. By the time I met my surgeon I had been experiencing the pain coupled with extreme tenderness for 4, days as wells as being exhausted, nauseous and generally feeling quiet miserable.  My surgeon suspected I had an infection, this would have been the second one since surgery and began me on antibiotics, my third set since surgery and organised for me to x-rays at the orthodontist before returning to him a week later. It was also here that he prepared me for the worst; the possibility of having to have another surgery to remove a mental plate, which he was concerned, may have been infected if there had been no improvement. Rest and hope was all I could do because I really did not fancy getting another operation!

The pain persisted despite finishing a course of antibiotics and I began to fear the possibility of having another surgery might soon become a reality, but I guess I was lucky when a rash developed along the right side of my face as this meant no infection and no more surgery! The x-rays taken the morning of my 21st birthday (exciting, right?) also confirmed there was no infection. Good news I wouldn’t be getting more surgery but bad news that what was thought to be an infection is in fact shingles! We were told that I probably got the shingles as a result of the physical stress my body endured as a result of the surgery! So now, I’m currently on anti-virals and sporting a lovey rash on my face!

My rash which since taking this anti-vitals and using a
 prescribed cream seems to be improving quiet a bit

The past two weeks have been pretty miserable, I’ve just been took exhausted to do anything most of the time, I’m in constant pain and have been struggling with my appetite. Its been rough but mentally I’m doing pretty well and I’m somewhat surprised at that, usually when I’m not well physically I can get quiet down but not this time, but I have been taking things one day at a time trying not to get ahead of myself! With shingles now I’ve been out of athletics and college for the last week as well as noting being in work this weekend. Next week is looking much the same with scouts being a no go area also on Monday night! Hopefully I will being to be more like myself by Friday as I’m due to be heading to Wexford for the weekend to complete my final stage in my scout leader training! After the pain and the rash the worst part of shingles is not being able to be as active as I would like, I feel good and want to be doing things but I’m just not physically up to it, which is a bit annoying.

In other more positive news despite the shingles the feeling in my lower lip is slowing beginning to come back. I have been experiencing a lot of tingling in my lip and when I bite together my while lip tingles for a few seconds. I still have a long way to go in getting all my feeling back but right now, these little steps are big victories for me!

I have spent so long just starring at my x-ray.
Its strange knowing I have six metal plates in my mouth! Can you spot all six?

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