Sunday 29 December 2019

Broken jaw

So Christmas went well, I'd just about recovered from flu, managed to get the kids present made (I'll share the video in my next post) and we'd spent lots of time with friends and family. Then on the night after boxing day I'd cooked a turkey curry for tea and sat down to eat it with the wife and kids.

I'd been struggling to get rid of a cough that I picked up with the flu, during the meal I got up during a coughing fit to get some water. This coughing, coupled with the getting up quickly made me back out and faint.

Turns out I hit the floor hard, face first. When I came round a couple of minutes later my wife and kids were crouched down my me, I was lay in a pool of blood. I had no idea what was going on, I thought I had my ear buds in and was working! I managed to get up and go lie down, my ears was hurting like mad, I'd broken a couple of teeth and cut my chin pretty bad.

My wife phoned 111 and we waited for a call back that never came. In the end we rang again and decided to go to A&E, my friend came over and picked up the kids to look after them.


Got to A&E about 9 and had to wait until 1 in the morning to get seen. Then things got moving pretty fast when they saw blood had come out of my ear. They wouldn't let me be on my own then! I was taken to have a CT scan and then three x-rays of my head and one of my chest. 


Turns out when I hit the floor my jaw hit first. It got pushed up into my skull. Breaking the joint at the top of my jaw on the right hand side, fracturing my skull a bit as well and fracturing one of the bones in my ear. We got discharged at 5.00 in the morning and crawled into bed. 

Turns out I'm not going to be eating solid food for a while. The doctor wants the swelling to go down on my face before they decide what they're going to do, which boils down to three options. First (and most hopeful) is it heals naturally and after about a month I can chew again. Second is they wire my jaw shut for 6 to 8 weeks. Thirdly they operate and put a plate and screws to my jaw to make a new joint, this is the riskiest as there's a nerve in my face that if they damage will cause a lot of trouble. 


So in the meantime I'm on food that doesn't need chewing! I've been making overnights oats that have been blended, lots of soups and an apple crumble that I also blended down - the kids called that a "apple soggle" 


Although it seems bad I'm pretty thankful I fell forwards and not back. It could have been a whole lot worse. And I'm not really in any pain, just my face being a bit sore and the fact I can't chew.

So going to be a different few months ahead for me. I'm up beat about it though and have lots of fun things planned in the new year and a really exciting commission work wise which I'll share with you all later.

44 comments:

  1. Oh, Kev, that sounds like an AWFUL thing to have happened! Yes, it could have been a lot worse . . . but was plenty bad, if you ask me. Bless you for your upbeat attitude and outlook on the whole situation. You're healthy and in good shape (well, except for your jaw now!) so should heal quickly. It may be hard to keep enough calories going into your body for the next few weeks though so you might drop a few pounds which won't necessarily be good. Gotta keep your strength up through this. They say most accidents happen in the home . . . and you sure added to those statistics. Get well soon!

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    1. Thank you. The calorie thing is tricky, especially as I cant have milk or cream. I've ordered some vegan shakes that are supposed to have all the nutrients for life and be about 500 calories. Hopefully I wont drop toonluch weight as last year I'd worked hard on my fitness, swimming at least twice a week and practicing aikido, neither of which I can do do for a bit now.

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  2. Wow, that must have been one hell of a fall you had. As you say, it could have been worse, but it sounds pretty bad to me. I think you better get lots of protein shakes to supplement your blended food. Hope you heal quickly!

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    1. I've ordered lots of shakes but I'm unsure of what they'll be like. E first we days I was so hungry but yesterday I managed to keep full. Just need to be smart with what I eat I think!

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  3. Uff what a stroke of bad luck! That's a tough one. No solid food for a month or more. Difficult too if you are still having coughing fits. Hope you mend soon.

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    1. Tha is, I hope I will. Worst is I was probably in the best shape I'd ever been but I'll have to ease up on that for a bit.

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  4. Goodness, what a shock for you all. My husband had a similar thing happen. Too hot a bath, came into the kitchen then literally pole axed face first onto our concrete floor. No blood pressure, had to dial 999! Luckily he had ‘only’ badly cut above his eye. Passed out again the next day! Hope you heal naturally and can make liquid high calorie meals to keep you going.

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    1. Yeah, this was so unexpected it took us all by surprise. Shows you never now what's coming! Glad your husband didnt have it too bad but sounds similar. We have a hard floor in the kitchen which I'm very familiar with as well now!

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  5. Hope you'll heal quickly Kevin. Glad you're still keeping your good cheers - that's the way to go... and I wish you all the best of 2020 - for you and your family:)

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    1. Thank you and to you as well. 2020 is already looking exciting from my point of view! But I'll share that with everyone later!

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  6. Oh Heck, well that's Not really the best way to go into a new year but you do sound cheerful so I hope everything soon gets mended one way or another and all the exciting things happen.
    Happy New Year to you and your lovely family - Take care of yourself

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    1. Thanks sue, like I said I'm just thankful things weren't worse, so many in a worse situation than me and I've got a lot going for me at the moment. Blended food isn't too bad for the first week...

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  7. Wishing you well Kev. Hopefully the first option pans out for you. I hope the children are ok seeing their dad crash out like that.

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    1. Yeah they were pretty shaken by it all and emotional the last few days. Tricky to know what to do with them. Yesterday we butchered some chickens and they stuck to me like glue all day. I think it's what they needed to spend a day doing something productive with me.

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  8. Oh my God. This is shocking. I always read your blog about gardening and carpentry. Never expected to read something like this from you. I really hope you recover successfully and your family was not too traumatised. All the Best.

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    1. I'll still be gardening and doing carpentry, take more than a broken jaw to stop me! In fact I might plant a few things with the kids today as something to do together

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  9. Wishing you a speedy recovery Kev.

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  10. Hope you mend quickly and feel better soon, what a shock for you and your family.

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    1. The kids found it really shocking as they saw it happen. But after sticking to me like glue yesterday they seem better!

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  11. Let's hope you are done with the run of unfortunate events! You sound very upbeat and positive though. I wish for your recovery to be swift so you can get on with all the things you have planned for 2020. :)

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    1. Thank you. I should heal fast hopefully, just hope surgery isn't needed. 2020 is going to be good, to be honest 2019 was brilliant just this little blip so I cant complain!

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  12. Replies
    1. Could be a lot worse! I've got friends going through some terrible things at the moment so I'm counting my lucky stars really.

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  13. Oh my gosh - I think you got an early Christmas present there - by not falling on your back! Although I cannot imagine breaking my jaw. Please take care, don't overdue. Maybe look at some seed books, research some of the new things you want to plant - anything that keeps you fairly safe and secure. Are your kids and wife okay? I know things like that can be scary for them. Take good care!

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    1. They're all okay. I said to my wife I'm going to buy my seeds week as a bit of retail therapy and I've just ordered a bearded axe from Bulgaria so should be a nice project there.

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  14. Oh gosh Kev, I've only just read this, how awful for you. I do hope it does heal naturally and that things improve as quickly as possible. I love that your post actually sounds optimistic and that you are always looking for the positives in things, it's an amazing attitude to have! xx

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    1. Got to keep smiling. I'm a positive person and try to keep upbeat about things if I can. Lifestyle too short otherwise and I want the people around me to be happy and it all has a knock on affect.

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  15. That must scared the whole family. Hopefully number one will happen and things improve fast.

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    1. I hope so to! I hope it heals fast but could have been so much worse.

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  16. Goodness, how horrid!! Hope they come up with a good solution and you are back in peak health in no time.

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    1. Thank you! I'm sure they will!

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    2. You are what we do here “if it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all.”

      Hope things are looking up for you!

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    3. Normally I'm pretty lucky to be honest and still feel it!

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  17. Oh Kevin that all sounds horrible! I'm glad you're home recuperating and I hope you heal quickly without any setbacks. You have had it rough these past couple of weeks. Please take it easy and get well quickly.

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  18. What a horrendous thing to happen Kev, hope you recover very soon. I guess you're going to have to see a dentist as well are you, for those broken teeth? Better get some carpets on the kitchen floor now!

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    1. Yeah dentist soon but not until I can open my mouth so I'll have to keep looking like a herbert with a broken tooth for now.

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  19. I am so sorry. I have also experienced this flu bug and it has been a real shocker I wouldn't discount the after effects of the flu for causing you to faint. I wish you well again soon. This could be test of endurance and patience, broken bones take time so I am pleased you are so upbeat at the moment It will help you to recover.

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    1. Yeah I'm upbeat, but so far not bored of soup! Yet! Hopefully I'll heal quick!

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  20. oh kev...how awful! i guess this is what happens when big guys faceplant!!!! i see on the xray you still have your upper wisdom teeth! make some cream soups. i hope you heal fast. happy new year too! joyce

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    1. Yeah I'm 6ft but weigh over 15 stone (I dont think I'm fat) so it's a lot of weight to hit the ground chin first! I have my lower wisdom teeth as well! Not very handy at the moment though.

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  21. Kev, I don't visit very often but I love your blog and the life you've found for yourself and your family. I am older than you, but about 3 years ago, when apparently every old-age change that could happen all happened to me at once and my inner-ear/sinus/who knows what crapped out on me I was so angry!
    Quick summary: black-out sort of fall with no warning, tests for stroke (no, but don't ask us what did happen), and a couple of years learning to accept my balance limitations (well, with another fall while I was picking wild blackberries that sort of fractured my pelvis, but that's no big deal, I guess, just a sort of hairline fracture that will heal itself--it did) and I seem to be lucky that I fall forward to my left when I do forget to allow for the changes and stand up too quickly and turn my head too quickly.
    Anyway, I know how difficult it is for a person like you to suddenly hit some limitations, but you will certainly adapt quickly to these changes, and I wouldn't worry about the effect on your wife and kids. They know that you are a problem-solver and I'm sure they trust you to deal well with this. So, new challenges?!

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    1. Yeah its certainly a new challenge. Luckily no on e seems worried about the fainting, that was due to the coughing and surprisingly common the hospital barely did any checks in that regard. The whole eating thing I've gotten used to quickly it doesnt stop cravings but I'm hopeful I'll heal quickly. Just need to wait for a doctors appointment. To see a specialist. Bad time of year for it to happen with all the holidays I guess.

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  22. What a shocking event, one minute you are fine and the next, a broken jaw. I hope it heals without further intervention. Solid food will taste extra good for you when you are healed.

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