Day 21 - 3 weeks!!

So happy to have gotten here:)

How crazy is this before and after?! I am so happy to have my rubber bands off and be able to see my FANTASTIC bite.

Morning of surgery - biting down.

Day 21!

I've been wanting to do a timeline of all my photos for awhile, but figured I'd wait for a special occasion. Looking back at day 0 through 4 gives me the shivers just remembering how terrible I felt. How easily we forget discomfort.
I love that I can't contain a smile in my last few pics!

Day 20

Was so happy to see my OD today and his staff. He's been out of the country lecturing and this is the first time I've seen him since surgery. Everyone was super excited to see me and the results. It made me especially happy because everyone who has seen me thus far are friends and family. No one can appreciate the talent of surgeon in combination with the talent of my orthodontist in combination with my crazy terrible bite like professionals;) Besides, we've all taken this long journey together and it's so satisfying to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And he let me go without rubber bands, which have been in and unchanged since surgery... Woohoo!!

This is how big I can open without rubber bands!

Surgery Supply List

Here are the items that made my life more comfortable:

- Travel neck pillow - I used this my first week and a half at night in addition to 3 pillows.

- Syringes - The hospital supplied these. I used them the first 24 hours after my feeding tube was removed. I found them to be very helpful in the beginning.

- Paper cups - I slurped all my food from paper cups starting on morning 2. Hard plastic and glass are too difficult. I swear by slurping. It takes the same amount of time to slurp an 8 oz cup as it does to syringe 1 oz.

- Vick's Vaporizer - A humidifier is a MUST the first week and a half! Since I had my nasal turbinates cleared, my nose was extremely congested, making me breathe through my mouth at night. This was very uncomfortable and made my mouth very dry. The vaporizer let out hot steam, which helped my throat and nose.

- Lip Balm - A MUST. I used a combination of Aquaphor, Vaseline Lip Therapy and Chapstick.

- Blender - a must.

- Ice packs - I brought a jawbraw, but I ended up using the ice packs the hospital sent me home with.

- Baby toothbrush

- Baby spoons

- Apple sauce pouches - quick and easy calories to take before middle of the night meds.

- Hand mirror - I still use one to eat!


My advice is don't go crazy on supplies. I hardly used any of the items I purchased. That being said, if anyone is looking for new supplies, I'd be happy to send you my left overs! I have unused syringes, squeeze bottles, jawbraw w/packs and nutriSqueez pouches. Please don't be shy - let me send them to you!!!

Day 19

I am realizing my taste buds are WAY off. I have a hard time with sweet and sour. There's a mint and grapefruit juice that I usually love, but now it just tastes super sour and I can't make out the mint. I can't quite pinpoint how they are off, but they are just off.

I had pancakes this morning! I put extra (vegan) butter and syrup on them and mashed each forkful and put it on my tongue, mashed some more against the roof of my mouth and swallowed. So good!!!

I also bought a bag of chips. I successfully ate about 10 yesterday at my dad's, by breaking them up into small pieces and leaving them in my mouth until they are mush. So i figured that warranted my buying my own bag.

Day 18

Watching football today w/the fam. Had two sips of beer and have been breaking up chips (crisps for you brits!) and placing them on my tongue until they dissolve. Heaven.

Thomas helped me take my pics today;)

Day 17

The numbness is really getting to me. My face feels so tight. It's especially uncomfortable at night before bed. I can never get comfortable sitting on the couch watching tv. My gums also ache. Getting pulsing sensations in my chin, jawline and sinuses and have "the itches" on my lips. Argh!!! I think I look better in pics than in person. The right side of my jawline is noticeably more swollen, but it doesn't really show here. Sorry for the grumpy post! It really is tiresome to have these sensations for so many days in a row.

Day 16

I went back to work today. It was a shorter day (5hrs), but it was work nonetheless. I felt like I was ready and I was getting bored at home. I was also eager to catch up on things, since I've been gone for so long. I was really happy to see my workmate, who I've been friends with forever. I followed it up w/a trip to the grocery store (anyone else sick of making soup?!) and a short walk w/the doggies. I can guess what I'll be doing the rest of the afternoon...that is after I make another pot of soup:(