Fiddlesticks! Re: Lets Talk Antibotics - Hi IRISH!

[Guest guest]

Hi !

How are you doing?!?! I miss you guys so very much and think of you

often. Anytime I hear of Irish Ale, who do I think of? Hahaha ...

I wish I could get back here more often. Sometimes I do lurk, other

times I want to jump right in. All is good over here. It will be 3

years post-op in July for my first surgery and that is hard to

believe. Thanks for remembering my name and saying hello!!!

Irish!

> >

> > Hi Jane,

> >

> > Hang in there ... I know it is a challenging recovery. One that

> > most people do not understand. You can start looking normal and

> > talking normally, however, until you are eating as you used to

and

> > until you are fully healed, it can be difficult both emotionally

> and

> > physically.

> >

> > 8 weeks is a long time for a splint. I had one but it came out

on

> > week 3. You are almost there ... again, hang in there. You

won't

> > believe it now, but there will come a time when this will all be

a

> > distant memory.

> >

> > Hm ... how long before I could open enough to eat normal food.

You

> > are testing my memory ... I don't really remember. What I do

> > remember is when I was finally given the go-ahead from the

surgeon

> > to eat anything ... I do remember going to Burger King, ordering

a

> > cheeseburger only to find out that I couldn't open my mouth wide

> > enough to fit it in. I found that surprising and amusing.

Didn't

> > take me long to squish it flat and get going. I also remember

it

> is

> > all gradual. Once I got the go-ahead, it didn't mean it was

easy.

> > All of those facial muscles you haven't used need to be re-

> worked.

> > I remember foods like salads were really tough to chew and eat

for

> a

> > really long time and I still haven't figured out why. I wish I

> could

> > remember at which week I could do what, but what you will find

is

> > that even though it will be ok'd by the doctor, it will take a

good

> > bit of time before you feel like you are eating as you used to

and

> > without thinking about it. But emotionally, once you are given

the

> > go ahead for real food, it is freeing to know that it's under

your

> > control now and you can start into that phase.

> >

> > It may take months before you are comfortable chewing a steak.

You

> > may find things like a grilled fish like salmon will be easier

to

> > manage, while giving you the texture you are probably craving.

I

> > never thought I'd crave something like salmon but it was my

first

> > real meal and I'll never forget how wonderful it was. Just know

> > that it will most likely take longer than you may have

intended. I

> > do know that I wasn't prepared for that.

> >

> > After-affects for me ... I still have lingering numbness in my

> > bottom lip and middle of my chin, unfortunately. More than I

had

> > hoped. I don't post this to scare anyone but I have to be

honest.

> > My bottom lip feels like it does when novacaine is wearing off.

> 2.5

> > years of that feeling may seem unbearable, yet you'd be

surprised

> > how one can get used to it. I do wish and hope the rest of the

> > feeling will return but don't know for sure at this point.

> >

> > How was my recovery as far as pain ... pain was not as bad as I

> > thought it would be. I never took a prescribed pain

reliever ...

> > just Motrin. It never took the pain completely away but it was

> > certainly manageable. Can't remember when I became pain-free.

> > Eating? Challenging and frustrating at first, things get easier

> > once the surgeon says to try more things, patience. Emotions?

Ups

> > and downs are so expected. I found that once I started looking

> more

> > like myself, everyone around me thought I should be fully healed

> and

> > back to normal. That was difficult because everyone around you

> > expects you to be 100% (because you look it!) yet you continue

to

> > tire easily. That was frustrating because very few people know

how

> > much energy you need to heal from this surgery, while having a

> > limited diet. Be kind to yourself because those around you just

> > don't have the ability to know ~exactly~ what you are going

> > through. It's not their fault, they just haven't gone through

it.

> >

> > Ok, this post is getting way too long. I hope something in here

> was

> > helpful. If you can mentally get to a place that reminds you

that

> > this is temporary (although it seems like time is really

dragging

> > now!!!), it will be helpful for you.

> >

> > Best of luck and continued good healing!

> > Irish!