TMJ Surgery on a 16 year old girl? HELP Please if you've had the surgery!?

Hi. So I'm a 16 year old girl and I have very bad TMJ. I used to go to a TMJ Specialist who did these certain stretches and movements that relieved the pain a little bit. He told me if the pain ended up worsening I would eventually need to have TMJ Surgery. I have had braces already and I wear a retainer at night to keep my teeth in place and so I don't grind my teeth. The pain of TMJ has really gotten unbearable to me. Eating things that aren't even chewy like a piece of cheese or a banana makes me want to cry. if I open my mouth even a little bit, my jaw pops and it hurts so incredibly bad. I am asking this question because my parents have this weird insurance that will cover any surgery but only one dentist accepts it for a consultation and he is out of town until next month so I can't ask him. I have heard that the TMJ procedure is a quick outpatient procedure that has a recovery time of around 3 months with your jaw wired shut. I'm just wondering how you breathe, eat, talk, and brush your teeth with your jaw wired shut. I've heard you drink through a straw and I know you can breathe through your nose but I breathe through my mouth when I sleep and I sleep with my mouth open (involuntarily). I go to online high school so being out of school isn't an issue for me. And do you recover at home or in the hospital?