As things turn out

January and February were to be spent exercising, learning German, frequenting my favourite restaurants and generally getting prepped up for our move in April. But things rarely turn out as one plans. Two weeks back I had a bad fall, one minute i was walking into the hall to pick up my mobile, and the next thing i know I was lying on the floor, my face covered in blood and a small pool of blood on the hall floor. I think I fainted, and fell down, and since i was not conscious didnt put out my hands in front to cushion the fall and took the impact on my chin and jaw. Not pretty. The last thing I remember was drinking water too fast and getting that heartburn feeling you get, feeling a bit dizzy.. I should have sat down immediately, but i thought I'd just pick up something from the hall and go back to the bedroom and sleep (this was around 12:10 am). Then i remember sleeping on the floor, in a dream state, I was reading Millenium 2 at that time and remember having some vague thoughts about Salander and martial arts and next thought was why am i sleeping, i was supposed to pick up my mobile, then i thought why am i sleeping on the floor in my room, and then finally i realised i was lying in the hall floor. I felt the blood, but did not immediately panic since I didnt feel much pain. After washing my mouth- I immediately felt some teeth were broken and some chipped, I realised the blood was not going, so I woke up the hubby. He saw my chin and said that there was a huge gash which might need stitching if the blood flow does not let. He spent the next 1 hour cleaning the wound, putting nebasulf and waiting for the blood to stop. We woke up the maid and asked her to sleep with A, since she was lying in my bedroom and I was making quite a racket there. S was fast asleep in the other room. The hubby called the hospital but they were not very encouraging on the doctor on duty being able to do stitches and gave some vague answers. But the blood flow stopped and we decided to wait till the next morning. The hubby went out at 1 am to get me some painkillers for the pain which had started and was quite bad. I was instructed to sleep with my chin up in one position and not move from side to side so that the wound does not get exposed and start bleeding again. I hardly got any sleep in the uncomfortable pose and the worry that the wound was something serious.

Next morning my entire lower teeth, jaw and chin were paining. Our family doctor came over and saw the wound and luckily said stitches were not required. He was not able to shed any light as to why I may have fainted, since this has never happened in the past, but said I should get an internal examination by a dentist. I put it off for a day since I was exhausted that day and I didnt thing it was anything that serious as the doc said it cant be a fracture since there is no swelling and I could move my jaw. But i was in for a big surprise at the dentist the next day. He immediately saw the wound, the mishapen bite and suspected a fracture. The X ray confirmed it- a complete break in the left jaw (just below the ear) and a crack in the right jaw. The oral surgeon recommended closed surgery to correct the fracture and the wrong bite (my teeth alignment had changed due to the fall and would only get worse if i left things the way they are). I tried to protest- who wants to be wired for 6 weeks, with my half baked knowledge from the net that this was a mild fracture, would heal naturally by just eating soft foods etc but they recommended it strongly, and when i took a second opinion from my doc he also recommended it after seeing the X rays. The hubby said the alignment of my jaw had changed and my face was not looking symmetrical so that psyched me completely.

So the next day itself I went in for the surgery. They gave me 8 injections (which they had said would be akin to small pricks--NOT!) but no anasthesia. They put a wire on the top part of my teeth and a wire on the bottom part, and then out elastic bands connecting the two and effectively shutting the jaw up completely. The surgery itself was not painful, but next few days were difficult with the teeth and jaw still paining from the fall, and now with the adjustment to the wires and I was on strong painkiller for a week. After a week, the painkillers completely stopped and the pain is also much less and apart from some shooting pains which happen mostly at night (where all the teeth feel as if they are being pulled together) it is mostly uncomfortable and no painful. There have been some painful side effects though- firstly many ulcers in the tongue and mouth, and now the right hand side gland in my mouth has swollen and there is some ear pain (the doc said one of the teeth must have infected from the fall). Looks like some root canals await me at the end of this wire treatment!

The closed surgery is not complicated, they don't cut you up or anything. The wires are usually on for 6-8 weeks and for the first 2-3 weeks usually the jaw is completely shut, then they loosen the elastic slighlty so you can open your mouth a bit. Its only liquids for the first 2-3 weeks and possibly semi sold food after. Even after complete recovery it is not recommended to have hard foods and stress your jaw as it takes time to completely heal.

I'm having a lot of liquids -something every 1-2 hours so i don't fell hungry. Liquids ranging from bournvita, soup, protein shake, chickoo milkshake, juice, tea, dal water etc etc but i really miss eating something solid. That combined with the shooting pains at times, the inability to do the things I want - German classes, exercise classes, eating at restaurants or rather eating at all, talking ( i can only talk through clenched teeth and that also pains after some time) makes me really irritable some times and I start thinking, why did this have to happen to me. Could have been entirely avoided and how could I have fainted just like that. And then I think it could have been much worse. What if I had not woken up at that time and a lot of blood had flowed? What if stitches had been required. What if the hubby had been on tour and I was alone with the kids and the maid- I really don't think I would have known what to do. I wouldnt have been able to decide whether the bleeding required hospital attention or first aid at home. And if hospital, it was 1 am do I wake up a friend to take me, leave the kids alone at home with the maid? This is the thing which worries me the most what if this happens in Zurich and I am along with the kids and hubby it travelling. I can only hope that I don't faint and I am going to equip myself with first aid knowledge and keep a first aid kit ready. Anyway luckily all this happened when hubby was in town, and while the wires are frustrating at least open surgery was not required.

And people have been amazing. My mother in law came for a week to help out with the kids as the hubby was travelling and it was really helpful. I could concentrate on resting and getting better while she helped look after the kids. My friends have been great- taking my kids to the park when i couldn't, coming and seeing my numerous times to take my mind of the pain, giving me nice books to read, fresh soup to drink and coming with me and the kids out so that I don;t sit at home and wallow in self pity.

So I thank God and Master that the fall was not more serious and that i am lucky enough to have such good family and friends to help me out. And hope to get better soon and out and around!