Re: irene's 6 week update - Katja

[Guest guest]

Hey Katja,

I hope things are progressing with you as well. I found that the best

way to train your mouth to open wider is when you're trying to fit

something in there, so I've been practicing. Getting to open past 2

fingers is hard, but I guess I'll have to keep working on it.

I'm not upset about my husband's comments - they're pretty typical .

He could never tell my jaw was assymetric, and I would have to say

most people couldn't either, until I would point it out to them.

How are you doing with everything?

Irene.

> >

> > 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.