24 days post-op report

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Today I had my first complete Kraft Dinner plate! The last time I tried, I

ended

up eating only two noodles. This time, though, I emptied my plate! That,

of course, paved the way to getting desert... One piece of a Cadburry's

plain chocolate bar. I didn't actually bite on it, I simply let it melt in my

mouth. I also had a few pieces of crude milk cheese (the one that sounds

like rubber when chewing it..??) Anyway, it was a little hard to chew, so

I took those very little pieces that lie at the bottom of the bag. It was

delicious.

I also got 3 eggs and a slice of processed cheese for breakfast. That also felt

good!

However, things weren't as good yesterday, when I came home from my

surgeon.

I was anticipating (and it was scheduled this way from the beginning)

that I would be off rubber bands by next week, day time, and wear those

only during nights. Well, I'm gonna stay on rubber bands for the next 4

weeks. At the end, I'll have spent 7 weeks, full time, on bands, instead

of just 4. And I was suppose to eat more solid food after week 4, but

this is also delayed until week 7.

I'm tired, depressive of eating liquid and soft food. I was hoping to

get the expected news. When I left the clinic, I wasn't in such a great

state of mind. I should have lied and told her I had no pain, no where..

I know, I know, that would have been counter productive, and would

probably have damaged my jaws in the long run... Still...

The other reason I got is that there's a great deal of swelling in an area of

my mouth that makes it difficult to open of my mouth, move my tongue

and move my chin. My surgeon feels there's nothing wrong, but she

tends to be cautious when the expected isn't showing up. The left side

of my tongue is still very big from swelling, and no feeling has returned

there yet.

The rest, however, is proceeding according to plan. I got the ok to start

gently massaging my face, and to do moderate exercise (bicycle, mainly).

She was also very pleased the way my mouth is kept cleaned. She's

impressed, as her other patients usually have less luck than I. I'm

brushing gently, and I use the waterpik at least once a day, if not twice.

As suspected, there was no gain in the opening of my mouth. Granted,

thought, it's only been a week. She said, however, that the muscles

appear to be more flexible (she could detect that by pressing her fingers

against my cheeks).

Finally, I told her I had pain in the sinus area, but nothing infectious

was found in my nose. She said not to worry, the way she moved my

muscles could make them sore for a while. She suggested I use heat

to get rid of the problem. I wasn't given the ok to blow my nose.

That also is bugging me.

Well, that's it for now!

Hope everything is ok for the rest of the June group (and everybody else

who had a surgery as well!)

Ray

[Guest guest]

Hi Ray,

This is the hard part of recovery, where you don't make progress as

quickly as you think you should, or as you did in the early days.

But you're still in the early stages, just over 3 weeks! Keep your

eye on the end result, you'll get there in time. Soon you'll be

counting weeks (not days), then months, then years.

(I love KD too - also mac & beef)

> Hi all,

>

> Today I had my first complete Kraft Dinner plate! The last time I

tried, I ended

> up eating only two noodles. This time, though, I emptied my

plate! That,

> of course, paved the way to getting desert... One piece of a

Cadburry's

> plain chocolate bar. I didn't actually bite on it, I simply let

it melt in my

> mouth. I also had a few pieces of crude milk cheese (the one that

sounds

> like rubber when chewing it..??) Anyway, it was a little hard to

chew, so

> I took those very little pieces that lie at the bottom of the

bag. It was delicious.

>

> I also got 3 eggs and a slice of processed cheese for breakfast.

That also felt

> good!

>

> However, things weren't as good yesterday, when I came home from my

> surgeon.

>

> I was anticipating (and it was scheduled this way from the

beginning)

> that I would be off rubber bands by next week, day time, and wear

those

> only during nights. Well, I'm gonna stay on rubber bands for the

next 4

> weeks. At the end, I'll have spent 7 weeks, full time, on bands,

instead

> of just 4. And I was suppose to eat more solid food after week 4,

but

> this is also delayed until week 7.

>

> I'm tired, depressive of eating liquid and soft food. I was

hoping to

> get the expected news. When I left the clinic, I wasn't in such a

great

> state of mind. I should have lied and told her I had no pain, no

where..

> I know, I know, that would have been counter productive, and would

> probably have damaged my jaws in the long run... Still...

>

> The other reason I got is that there's a great deal of swelling in

an area of

> my mouth that makes it difficult to open of my mouth, move my

tongue

> and move my chin. My surgeon feels there's nothing wrong, but she

> tends to be cautious when the expected isn't showing up. The left

side

> of my tongue is still very big from swelling, and no feeling has

returned

> there yet.

>

> The rest, however, is proceeding according to plan. I got the ok

to start

> gently massaging my face, and to do moderate exercise (bicycle,

mainly).

>

> She was also very pleased the way my mouth is kept cleaned. She's

> impressed, as her other patients usually have less luck than I.

I'm

> brushing gently, and I use the waterpik at least once a day, if

not twice.

>

> As suspected, there was no gain in the opening of my mouth.

Granted,

> thought, it's only been a week. She said, however, that the

muscles

> appear to be more flexible (she could detect that by pressing her

fingers

> against my cheeks).

>

> Finally, I told her I had pain in the sinus area, but nothing

infectious

> was found in my nose. She said not to worry, the way she moved my

> muscles could make them sore for a while. She suggested I use heat

> to get rid of the problem. I wasn't given the ok to blow my nose.

> That also is bugging me.

>

> Well, that's it for now!

>

> Hope everything is ok for the rest of the June group (and

everybody else

> who had a surgery as well!)

>

> Ray

[Guest guest]

> Hi Ray,

>

> This is the hard part of recovery, where you don't make progress as

> quickly as you think you should, or as you did in the early days.

> But you're still in the early stages, just over 3 weeks! Keep your

> eye on the end result, you'll get there in time. Soon you'll be

> counting weeks (not days), then months, then years.

>

> (I love KD too - also mac & beef)

Thanks for the encouraging words. I think I have hit my first

real wall. It's just that I'm so fed up with all the " do not do this " .

Don't eat solid. Don't go under the Sun (that one is particularly tough

on me since I'm an amateur photograph and Summer only last a few

minutes around here... sort of..), don't talk too much, don't this and

don't that.

My friend keeps telling me how much better I look from before the

surgery. So as everybody else. Am I that blind? I just see the swollen

areas, the rubber bands, the over sized lower lips (that looks like a

big fat worm..!)

Seriously... I THINK I NEED A KICK IN THE REAR END! I am complaining

when there are people in greater need of help than I am.

That's it, I'll be standing outside, with a sign that says 'Hit me, please, but

not on the jaws, it's already been taken care of...' ;-)

Thanks again.

Ray

[Guest guest]

You know, Ray, it's a funny thing. I didn't even think about how I awful I

looked until about week 3. I looked in the mirror and here I was starting to

feel better and my face was still " all messed up. " Now, in all reality it

wasn't. I looked much better than week 1 or 2. But something happened and I

just got bummed with my appearance and what I could and couldn't do. I was

ready for it to be over, not half way over, not almost over- done, finished.

Odd that it didn't happen sooner when my face was the size of Montana, but it

didn't! It got better, though. Just a stepping stone to get over.

It'll get better for you too Not that you need me to tell you! LOL

~Cathy

Re: 24 days post-op report

> Hi Ray,

>

> This is the hard part of recovery, where you don't make progress as

> quickly as you think you should, or as you did in the early days.

> But you're still in the early stages, just over 3 weeks! Keep your

> eye on the end result, you'll get there in time. Soon you'll be

> counting weeks (not days), then months, then years.

>

> (I love KD too - also mac & beef)

Thanks for the encouraging words. I think I have hit my first

real wall. It's just that I'm so fed up with all the " do not do this " .

Don't eat solid. Don't go under the Sun (that one is particularly tough

on me since I'm an amateur photograph and Summer only last a few

minutes around here... sort of..), don't talk too much, don't this and

don't that.

My friend keeps telling me how much better I look from before the

surgery. So as everybody else. Am I that blind? I just see the swollen

areas, the rubber bands, the over sized lower lips (that looks like a

big fat worm..!)

Seriously... I THINK I NEED A KICK IN THE REAR END! I am complaining

when there are people in greater need of help than I am.

That's it, I'll be standing outside, with a sign that says 'Hit me, please,

but

not on the jaws, it's already been taken care of...' ;-)

Thanks again.

Ray

[Guest guest]

Dammit puts on his biggest, heaviest, hardest size 9 1/2, hiking

boots, takes square aim at Ray's big backside, and with all his

might, inserts it right up to the ankle in an effort to thrust Ray

from the land of depression into the land of " what the f***!!! "

Ray, look how far you have come. So what if you're gonna eat a

modified diet for the next 3 weeks? If you didn't do this, this

might be your diet starting in 10 years for the REST of you natural

life! So what if you have funny bands on your teeth? You look

goofy anyway, so just make it part of the costume. So what if you

have to stay out of the sun? Hats and sunscreen do wonders, and

besides, you'll get a head start on your ghost costume for Halloween.

And if all that doesn't make you get off your pity party, then I'll

pour out the misery of my surgery redo and really make you feel

badly! :-)

Now, get out there, and have some fun! It's summer in Quebec!

Dammit

> > Hi Ray,

> >

> > This is the hard part of recovery, where you don't make progress

as

> > quickly as you think you should, or as you did in the early

days.

> > But you're still in the early stages, just over 3 weeks! Keep

your

> > eye on the end result, you'll get there in time. Soon you'll be

> > counting weeks (not days), then months, then years.

> >

> > (I love KD too - also mac & beef)

>

> Thanks for the encouraging words. I think I have hit my

first

> real wall. It's just that I'm so fed up with all the " do not do

this " .

> Don't eat solid. Don't go under the Sun (that one is particularly

tough

> on me since I'm an amateur photograph and Summer only last a few

> minutes around here... sort of..), don't talk too much, don't this

and

> don't that.

>

> My friend keeps telling me how much better I look from before the

> surgery. So as everybody else. Am I that blind? I just see the

swollen

> areas, the rubber bands, the over sized lower lips (that looks

like a

> big fat worm..!)

>

> Seriously... I THINK I NEED A KICK IN THE REAR END! I am

complaining

> when there are people in greater need of help than I am.

>

> That's it, I'll be standing outside, with a sign that says 'Hit

me, please, but

> not on the jaws, it's already been taken care of...' ;-)

>

> Thanks again.

>

> Ray

[Guest guest]

Hi Ray,

This is the place to come and complain, and hopefully get it off

your chest. I've been there too. Sometimes you just have to

think " well, I seem to have lemons at the moment - hmmmm what can I

make from them? "

It's just that you'll have to muster some more patience, things are

going to be abnormal for some time yet. In the long run, though,

this process will seem like the blink of an eye. What's 3-4 more

weeks of limitations when it means you'll have given your body the

best chance at a good recovery?

You probably need to experiment more with what you're eating, and

what you're doing. Get out, go see a funny movie, try something you

haven't tried yet (not solid, of course). I love pretzels, myself,

and managed one when I wasn't supposed to have one by sucking it to

death. I ate fish and french fries after the second week (when I was

allowed soft chew) by simply mushing them up against the top of my

mouth (which I couldn't feel) for flavour. I'm sure I picked more

food out between my cheeks and braces than I ate, but I didn't mind

too much. Short term inconvenience.

I gave up a summer of sailing for my surgery, which didn't happen

until the end of August (delays) and enjoyed decorating the house

and garden instead, even during my recovery (I painted my living

room, dining room and foyer - but don't tell my boss or insurance

company, ok?).

And yes, there are people out there who have more troubles than any

of us here do (except for the few here who are in the minority and

who have not had the good recovery and results most here have had).

My dad is recovering from recent surgery (he nearly died), and he's

grateful for every day since, even though he can't do what he could

formerly do, there's every chance that he will fully recover over

time. At the same time, I have a good friend who will likely never

recover from his illness, it will only get worse. Yet he spends more

time doing what he loves than anyone I know.

Hang in there!

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all your answers everyone.

I just have to be more patient. It's not, as you've probably detected

already, my strongest quality ;-)

However, tomorrow, I'm heading for the botanical garden (providing

the weather is ok), else, I'm taking the car (if my hip will cooperate)

and I'll be heading to the nearest shopping mall. Not actually the

most entertaining activity, but that'll let me see people and that'll

be a change from the four walls of my appartment. And the

botanical garden has a big green house section that takes a couple

of hours to visit. I'll grab my camera and see what's worth of a few

pictures!

Thanks again for all your answers, it's much appreciated!

Ray

P.S. Just realized, I have less than a month to go now... 3 weeks

and 5 days... (ok, I'm splitting hairs... but still, less than a month!)

[Guest guest]

Ain't it grand to celebrate boxed, plastic macaroni, the stuff of

life for legions of college students of the past??

Get someone to make you (or make yourself, if possible) some real,

honest mac and cheese, with sour cream, heavy cream grated Canadian

cheddar, and whatever seasonings you like. With REAL pasta, cooked to

perfection!

Or not.

But meantime, enjoy the blue box. (Hey -- Stouffers makes a decent

frozen facsimile.) I had a shrimp mousse, made for me by a friend,

with lots of mayo and sour cream. It was all blended up and melted in

my mouth. Apart from that first post-op scrambled egg, it was the

finest thing I have yet ever tasted. And I ate at one of New Orleans'

finest restaurants earlier this week -- ask Orthodale, if you don't

believe me, not that he was present. Nothing there to compare with

that first scrambled egg!)

Glad to hear it goes so well for you, Ray, and it does. Honey, if

they're gonna do anything to you like they did to me, you're gonna

get to know A LOT more rubber bands than you have ever known before.

They're not all nice people -- but they are good friends, none the

less!

NO!!! You should not have lied to your doc. This is not a no-pain, no-

gain situation. You have come such a long, long way since that first,

fearsome post. I rejoice with you! Good heavens! 24 days is just a

tad more than three weeks. I had a splint wired in for seven weeks.

Didn't get an egg until way after three weeks. Stay steamy. Stay

uninfected, and enjoy exploring new foods. (Fish is flaky and easy,

too. And delicious! That's what I had last Wednesday at Galatoire's.

Served with sweet, fresh crabmeat! Recommended, highly!)

Cammie

> Hi all,

>

> Today I had my first complete Kraft Dinner plate! The last time I

tried, I ended

> up eating only two noodles. This time, though, I emptied my

plate! That,

> of course, paved the way to getting desert... One piece of a

Cadburry's

> plain chocolate bar. I didn't actually bite on it, I simply let it

melt in my

> mouth. I also had a few pieces of crude milk cheese (the one that

sounds

> like rubber when chewing it..??) Anyway, it was a little hard to

chew, so

> I took those very little pieces that lie at the bottom of the bag.

It was delicious.

>

> I also got 3 eggs and a slice of processed cheese for breakfast.

That also felt

> good!

>

> However, things weren't as good yesterday, when I came home from my

> surgeon.

>

> I was anticipating (and it was scheduled this way from the

beginning)

> that I would be off rubber bands by next week, day time, and wear

those

> only during nights. Well, I'm gonna stay on rubber bands for the

next 4

> weeks. At the end, I'll have spent 7 weeks, full time, on bands,

instead

> of just 4. And I was suppose to eat more solid food after week 4,

but

> this is also delayed until week 7.

>

> I'm tired, depressive of eating liquid and soft food. I was hoping

to

> get the expected news. When I left the clinic, I wasn't in such a

great

> state of mind. I should have lied and told her I had no pain, no

where..

> I know, I know, that would have been counter productive, and would

> probably have damaged my jaws in the long run... Still...

>

> The other reason I got is that there's a great deal of swelling in

an area of

> my mouth that makes it difficult to open of my mouth, move my tongue

> and move my chin. My surgeon feels there's nothing wrong, but she

> tends to be cautious when the expected isn't showing up. The left

side

> of my tongue is still very big from swelling, and no feeling has

returned

> there yet.

>

> The rest, however, is proceeding according to plan. I got the ok

to start

> gently massaging my face, and to do moderate exercise (bicycle,

mainly).

>

> She was also very pleased the way my mouth is kept cleaned. She's

> impressed, as her other patients usually have less luck than I. I'm

> brushing gently, and I use the waterpik at least once a day, if not

twice.

>

> As suspected, there was no gain in the opening of my mouth.

Granted,

> thought, it's only been a week. She said, however, that the

muscles

> appear to be more flexible (she could detect that by pressing her

fingers

> against my cheeks).

>

> Finally, I told her I had pain in the sinus area, but nothing

infectious

> was found in my nose. She said not to worry, the way she moved my

> muscles could make them sore for a while. She suggested I use heat

> to get rid of the problem. I wasn't given the ok to blow my nose.

> That also is bugging me.

>

> Well, that's it for now!

>

> Hope everything is ok for the rest of the June group (and everybody

else

> who had a surgery as well!)

>

> Ray