Post Sleep Apnea Surgery Log

09/16/04 - Man, what a night of dreams. Does being held against your will by gangsters qualify for a nightmare? I haven't had a nightmare since 1968. Of course I lived the apnea nightmare instead.

I thought yesterdays dreams were noteworthy. Today the realism went from visually incredible to tactile. In other words feeling the pushing, shoving, and grabbing was mind blowing. Even during the dream I was suprised by the feel of the characters. Some guy pinned me to the ground by sitting on the side of my head. I should go back in there and kick his ass :)

I wonder if this is enhanced by the drugs. Although I'm off the anti-inflammatory, stool, and pain meds. Hmm. Just the antibiotic and Prilosec remains. I have noticed that the GI problems have fully returned that I had before surgery. This I need to go in for.

Being so vivid, I wonder if there are diminshing returns on that type of "THX"/"Dolby"/"DTX" kind of dream? I did wake up once for at least 1/2 hour between "movies".

Pain is steady in the lower jaw. The doc said the numbness in the lower teeth, gums and lip should go away in 6-12 months. I interpet that as permanent. Sigh.... Heard from most of the family yesterday as well. The post surgery support helps alot. I didn't think I'd need any. Silly me. I ate my first solid food yesterday. A Marie Calendars TV dinner, and a pot pie. The challenge is that I can't feel the food get stuck around the front of the lower teeth. So I have to make sure and swish liquid as I eat to get it all down. Swallowing pain has decreased greatly. I can open my jaw about 2 finger thicknesses now. Weight is at minus 14.5lbs this morning. Suprising after all I ate.

09/15/04 - This morning's sleep was very good. I remember waking up once, but went back to sleep. After that I had another Speilberg production of a dream. Long and detailed. This gives me hope and confidence that the surgery is doing well. Although I did wake up a bit tired. Maybe the dream was too exciting. I seem to always dream action/adventure. Soreness was minor when I woke. I have been rinsing after meals as I can't feel if there is embedded food.

I wish there was a home system that would track rem and other sleep parameters. Something small and wireless :). O2 sensors are now very common. Maybe more advanced electronics will follow. Since I have to find a job anyway....hmmmmm.

Yesterday was a landmark day as well. I drove the car across town. Clear headed and confident. So then when I got back I grabbed the motorcycle and went exporing a long road that leads to an observatory. Had to turn around as it was getting cold and I was unpreppared. Got up to about 3000ft and got to see the whole valley where I live. That was neat. Made me feel very good that I am mobile and self sufficient. Poor motorcycle leaked oil like a seive. Better fix that.

Most drugs will run out soon. The anti-inflammatory was done this morning.

PS I can now type things like this with out spending incredible amounts of time editing it due to drugs :)

09/13/04 - I just bought some ice cream because I wanted some! No limits on my diet as far as I know.

This morning I am down 15 lbs since Tuesday. I can eat without spooning most of the time.

I was able to get to bed late at 1am without taking any narcotic pain meds, just 4 Tylenol capsules. I had dreams that I could actually remember! yay! I danced in the living room this morning!! Maybe the pain meds are causing the late night awakeness. So it would seem there is some benefit to the surgery at this early, swollen stage. Still can't feel the 4 lower middle teeth and gums. Hmmm. But the lower lip feeling is coming back.

Well, got to go try some new, hot, gourmet baby food....

09/12/04 - Here are the drugs I'm on due to surgery.
Clindamycin - Antibiotic
Prednisolone (Medrol dosepack) - anti-inflammatory
Docusate Sodium - stool softener

I'm on Prilosec for reflux the past 11 months as well. This has to get looked at as soon as I can.

Yum, I had mashed potatoes and gravey today from KFC! Friends came over and took me grocery shopping as well.

From 9 am to noon I was in bad shape. Very emotional and sick. I have everyone calling me daily. I need the support :)

After breakfast, I was down another 2 lbs, totalling minus 12 so far.

09/11/04 - So far I don't sleep long each of the past few nights. It feels like the meds are waking me up. A couple naps a day are working to help the fatigue. The meds all seem to contribute to their workload of keeping me healing. Today my uvula/pallette stitches are feeling their best so far this week. They hurt the worst when tying to eat. I actually could take in hot instant oatmeal and some 4 bean salad from the deli today. Otherwise it's nothing but jello and fruit smoothies. Not a bad diet. Just lacking in calories. I get hungry alot. Body functions seem to be doing great now as well. General aches are with me all day. I'm down 10lbs since Tuesday. Not quite speedo material ;). My chin is swollen as one might expect. The work below my front teeth is what hurts the most consistantly during the day/night.

Part of recovery is not just people watching over me, but supervision too. I was stupid today and drove to a couple errands after my sister left. Three close calls driving due to the brain being behind. Bad call on my part. I was just trying to do a little something extra so as not to feel so incapable. Even worked on the motorcycle and idled it around the driveway in a victory lap!! I need to invest in videos, they are safer!!

My great sister Leah was out here all week from Denver to take care of me. That sure was nice of her! She went home today.

It's very interesting to experiment with my sleep during the night. Since I can't sleep, I try the "acid" test by sleeping on my back often. The only thing that gets in the way is lots of excess saliva from the surgerys. This test will be the most important outcome for me. I have to lay on my side with a towel to catch the saliva so it doesn't cause me to wake up from it blocking my swollen airway. So far it helps. Plus keeping my head elevated is very important. Blood rushing into my head and mouth hurt badly right now. I need to elevate the head of the bead with something.

If I wander in my writing please forgive.

09/09/04 - I survived. Jello is getting old. The soft pallet is very sore. Stops me from eating solids for a while. Still taking pain meds 4 times a day for headache and general throat pain.

The surgeon has given me the RF probe that was used on the back of my tongue. He also took digital pics of the bone work. I'll get a copy later. My sister and I took before pics. He experimented with adding a shim, some how, for more tongue advancement. It looks like I received 20 mm of movement. That's .8", Whew!

Time to go sit down.

09/06/04 - I will try and keep a journal, but I may not be in the mood! LOL.

My TAP2 has it's mechanism in the center. So I am not sure what the dentist meant. Nothing touches my cheeks. Maybe the TAP1 had the feature?

I am glad you are adjusting so fast. If they are molded right they fit great.

Dream on !!

09/05/04 - It's been 12 long years ago that I started this fight for sleep apnea treatment. Gaining 60 lbs is what finally made my "numbers" bad enough for the insurance company to authorize surgery, even though I had been diagnosed years ago. So on Tuesday Sept 7th, I go under the knife, saw, zapper, or whatever. I hope they use a Titanium screw for the tongue advancement ;) I will be knocked out with general anesthesia. Recovery is several weeks. I hope I can be ready for Nationals, after all we are the United States Middleweight Combat Robotics Champions and have a title to defend, even if it's from a wheelchair!!

Here is a great website from the doctors that invented the three surgery's that I'm about to have at Stanford. It has great diagrams of what stuff they modify in my mouth and throat.

Tongue Advancement
RF procedure

One of these other two procedures below is the third part of the surgery, I just don't know which one they will choose.

Upper Pallete
OR
Uvuloplasty

Wish me luck!!