Posted by theDreamer on September 16, 2009 at 19:43:07:These are my notes on pre-MMA surgery tips suggested by the group during the MMA meet last weekend. I am posting it here at the group's suggestion.
I believe a number of these can also be found on various blog sites such as WesternJoe's, CupertinoJoe's, Pedal's etc and may have more information on this as well.
1. Need syringe with catheter to eat liquid food. Several people have reported that the zip-n-squeeze bags are not available online any longer. The syringes are available from some medical supply stores or can also get it with a prescription.
2. Force yourself to drink plenty of water after surgery. Eat something before you take medicine. Tries to eat smaller amounts, but eat more frequently (~3 hours).
3. It is recommended that you don't talk much after surgery to allow proper healing. In the hospital, the nurses frequently forget that you cannot talk. So even if you buzz them, you may not be able to communicate. Recommend some text to speech converters. The iPhone/iTouch have a program called "Speakit". Microsoft word also has a builtin converter. Skype works real well, because the other person can talk and you can text back in reply.
4. Portable player to watch movies. Alternatively comics or light books to read in hospital.
5. Magic Bullet
6. High quality ear plugs for hospital stay. People have had horror experiences with room-mates in shared hospital rooms.
7. Fibercon or Miralax for Fiber
8. The icebags or frozen bag of peas don't work very well for controlling the swelling after surgery. Better yet may be rubbing alcohol with water against the face.
9. Take pain medicines 1/2 as much but twice as often.
10. Oxycodone/Percoset seem to work much better than Hydrocodone as an anesthetic. It contains a narcotic, so the pharmacies have restrictions that someone has to pick it up in person with the prescription. Today the doc's office gave me a prescription and they were concerned that they may be on national backorder. We are going to stock up on some Oxycodone before surgery.
11. Use a waterpik to clean teeth after a week or two once the stitches have healed enough.
12. Strainer for smoothies. Need to strain everything.
13. Baby toothbrush to get in between teeth once the arch-bars are released a bit.
14. Small Dry Eraseboard to communicate in hospital.
15. Finish shopping before surgery, a recommendation for diet is fruit smoothies plus 3 leaves of kale or chard. Do not add pasta, rice or potatoes as it simply turns the smoothie into mush.
16. Go to the dentist and get your teeth cleaned before surgery.
17. Taking over the counter arnica root 1 week before surgery keeps swelling down. Get your doctor's clearance for this but it is expected that he will clear it. I and Sleepyhead are using Arnica Montana from WholeFoods.
18. Dulcolax in pearl form act as a good stool softener.
19. Good quality humidifier
20. Bed Ramp to sleep upright from "Bed, Bath and Beyond"
21. Useful books:
- The "Healing Jaw" and a liquid diet by Susan Beaudette R.N.
- Dinner through a straw without the straw
A handbook for Maxillary Trauma by Patti Ran Thigpen