Re: irene's 6 week update

[Guest guest]

wow - 10 years younger? who needs a facelift when you can get ortho

surgery...

people told me that i looked a bit older after my surgery...i

suspect the advancment of the chin made me look more 'manly.'

>

> 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.

[Guest guest]

We had surgery almost the same time and you are so far ahead of me in

recovery!! I know what you mean about the puffy cheeks contributing

to our " youthful " look! And I can appreciate and laugh about your

husband's comment about the pocket book. We got a statement from

BCBS that stated the insurance co paid 10,000 on my surgery so far.

My husband was like...! You are too expensive! Our insurance is

going to drop us! I just laughed, what can I say??

Jane

>

> 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.

[Guest guest]

Irene,

I wouldn't worry about your husband not seeing a big difference

because men don't see details that well. I dated and have been with

my husband for 10 years now and it took my OT to convince him my chin

was off center to the right. He never even noticed! How can that

be? I always noticed I just never talked about it! I don't want

people to see a big change in my appearance I just want them to see

me and think hmm...she looks refreshingly nice today!

Jane

> >

> > 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.

[Guest guest]

Hey Jane,

I hope you'll be recovering much faster now that you got unwired.

Since I was never wired, I got a chance to start working on my jaw

opening and chewing much sooner.

I'm not worried about my husband's comments. I mean, if I were a car,

and he couldn't tell a difference, I'd be worried . I don't think

my result is as dramatic as for some other people. Some people who

know me don't mention anything about my changed appareance - they

probably think I updated my haircut or something , and some people

are like " wow, you look totally different " . I can understand about

people in the OD's office seeing the difference - that's their job.

Others don't really care that much. For the non-professionals, the

major thing that they notice is probably the swollen cheeks more than

the smaller chin or the symmetry. Oh well. I guess I'm kinda glad I

still look like myself after all this . I have 2 sisters, and I

hope we still look alike (neither of them ever had a bite problem!).

> >

> > 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.

[Guest guest]

I know what you men about wanting to still look like yourself. I do

too. I also have a sister. She is 6 years older and everyone says

we could be twins. So, I was hoping we would look even more alike

after the surgery because she didn't have the portruding chin and

asymmetry. I still feel like myself just a better bite and smile.

Jane

> > >

> > > 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.