Re: irene's 6 week update - Irene

[Guest guest]

Hi Irene,

This are progressing pretty well... but rather slowly it seems... I

notice more improvement week to week rather than day to day. I feel

like I'm in 2nd gear maybe. I hope getting the splint out Monday

shifts me into 5th gear! My opening does the best when I'm eating

and repetitively opening my mouth- from my first bite to my last,

just in that time there is a huge difference in how wide I can get.

I've started trying to take larger " bites " of food to get my mouth

opening wider that way. Let me know how your progress goes! I'll

expect to hear about your fist fitting in there by next month! A lot

of people I know couldn't see the assymetry in my face either. It's

best seen in a photograph which captures me in a still moment. Then

you can see everything going every which way. In motion, it's not so

obvious. My boyfriend, however, being so discerning and detailed

noticed it though!! Guess it depends on the person too... are they

the type of people that notice a crooked picture on the wall!?!?!? Oh

well, as long as they (my boyfriend and your husband) are both happy

with the results in the end, doesn't really matter, huh? Anyway,

when you get some updated pics, I can't wait to see them since you've

said everyone (besides hubby) is raving! Take care, Katja

> > >

> > > Hi everybody,

> > >

> > > It's been my 6-week anniversary since my surgery on February

24th,

> > and

> > > I wanted to post an update. I'm doing pretty well. I have been

> > > chewing since week 3, and now I'm eating pretty much anything

that I

> > > can chew (and I can't chew steak, some meat, carrots, bagels,

etc. -

> > > the hard stuff). I do find that my jaw gets tired from eating

too

> > > much, so I can't pig out like I used to do before. But I did

cross a

> > > big milestone in my eating this past week - I finally had

sushi,

> > which

> > > tasted great after so many weeks without it!

> > > I can open my mouth a little more than 2 fingers. I excercise

it

> > every

> > > day, but getting to open more is hard work. I am optimistic

that it

> > > will get better. It has gotten better in that I can brush and

floss

> > > my teeth with no problems, and I can open wide enough to fit

most

> > > reasonable-sided pieces (and a piece of sushi ). My numbness

is

> > > also seem to be improving - I have much more feeling than

before,

> > and

> > > it's getting better every day (but very very slow!). My only

> > concern

> > > is my newly aquired crossbite, which is uncomfortable. My OD

> > assured

> > > me that he can make my bite almost perfect (almost because I

have a

> > > tooth missing on one side, so it won't be as perfect as it

could

> > have

> > > been), but he asked for some patience. So, once again, I'm

> > hopeful.

> > > I do like my new smaller chin, and can't wait for the swelling

to go

> > > down to have normal cheeks again . My coworkers, the OD, and

the

> > > girls in his office are all very impressed with the results.

One of

> > > them said " It took 10 years off you " . I'm 27, so what does

that

> > make

> > > me? 17??? I think my still puffy cheeks might have

something to

> > > do with this comment. My husband, on the other hand, said " I

really

> > > can't tell the difference - except in our savings account " .

The

> > OD

> > > and his staff were amused by this comment. They were

like " What is

> > > he, blind " ?

> > > But nevertheless... things are getting better, slowly, but

surely

> > > every day. I hope that all my surgery buddies are improving and

> > > recovering. Recovery is a very slow process, but looks like

it's

> > > working nevertheless, day by day. I'll post some new pictures

of

> > me soon.

> > >

> > > Irene.