Brownies and boyfriends TO:Katja

[Guest guest]

Well personally I think Betty Crocker is not half bad at all and if

it's easy I am always a big fan of that.

How sweet of you to remember my dilemma about my boyfriend seeing me

post surgery. Well I decided that seeing that he wants to marry me he

better get used to seeing me looking like a disaster early on and I

know he really wants to be there for me. So since he'll be in

California for business at the time of my actual surgery he'll fly to

NYC four days after surgery to stay with me a couple of days before

flying back home. By then I'll be at the peak of my swelling so if he

still loves me with puffy cheeks I know that he'll be able to put up

with me no matter what. Jokes aside, he is a sweetheart and I really

appreciate his concern. I just know what I'm like after operations. I

just want to sleep and be left alone and i get very grouchy. As for

making him cook...mmm not sure that would be the best of ideas. He'd

probably end up eating all the batter himself!

How does it feel to be finally splintless? Are you appreciating your

new mouth? Do you stop and stare at yourself in the mirror for long

hours? Sorry, so many questions! I'm just curious to how dramatic the

change is both in appearance and in terms of getting used to a new

bite. I have been eating hard nachos like crazy in an effort to get

them out of my system pre-op since I know I'll be banned from them

for a while:-(

Sara

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Hi Jane, , and everyone!

> > > > > > > > > I was trying to post earlier but Yahoo was being

slow

> > and

> > > > > > > lumbering

> > > > > > > > > so I gave up.... Anyway! My splint was removed

today

> > and

> > > I

> > > > > have

> > > > > > > > been

> > > > > > > > > so pleased and thrilled ever since... Firstly, it

> was

> > > > > totally

> > > > > > > > gross!

> > > > > > > > > I asked my OS if I could see it and he fished it

back

> > out

> > > of

> > > > > > the

> > > > > > > > > trash with pliers for my viewing. After a quick

> glance

> > of

> > > > > > horror,

> > > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > > had enough and they were promptly returned to the

> > garbage!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > My surgeon gave me the clearance to eat whatever I

> > > wanted. I

> > > > > > > think

> > > > > > > > > he knows it's a matter of my trying what I can

manage

> > and

> > > > > > > gradually

> > > > > > > > > easing back into this strange new business of

eating

> > > again. I

> > > > > > had

> > > > > > > > > meatballs and rice tonight. I am eating a somewhat

> > > gingerly

> > > > > > right

> > > > > > > > > now, but my biggest obstacle seems to be how wide I

> can

> > > open

> > > > > my

> > > > > > > > mouth

> > > > > > > > > to get food in and to chew it. I was reassured that

> my

> > > > > opening

> > > > > > > > would

> > > > > > > > > increase the more I ate and stretched my mouth

open.

> So

> > > far

> > > > > > that

> > > > > > > > has

> > > > > > > > > seemed true.... I haven't measured my exact opening

> > size

> > > > > > though,

> > > > > > > so

> > > > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > > can't report that... probably around an inch. My

> > surgeon

> > > > > didn't

> > > > > > > > > comment on my opening one way or the other, so I

> guess

> > it

> > > is

> > > > > > > > normal.

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Anyway, I brushed and brushed when I got home which

> was

> > > > > really

> > > > > > > > > nice... I definitely relished being able to brush

the

> > > backs

> > > > > of

> > > > > > my

> > > > > > > > > teeth finally after 6 weeks! Lindsey, I'm sorry

about

> > > your

> > > > > > > concern

> > > > > > > > > about the cavity... that would make me feel

terrible.

> > I,

> > > > > > myself,

> > > > > > > > have

> > > > > > > > > felt like my teeth have been rotting away in my

> splint

> > > all

> > > > > this

> > > > > > > > time.

> > > > > > > > > I hope I don't have any cavities too, but it's

> > definitely

> > > > > > > possible.

> > > > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > > wish your surgeon had been more reassuring to you

> about

> > > your

> > > > > > jaw

> > > > > > > > not

> > > > > > > > > feeling quite right. I hope your Ortho does a

better

> > job

> > > of

> > > > > > > easing

> > > > > > > > > your concern. Let us know how that goes!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Well, it seems that the horrible pain I was having

> from

> > > > > > clenching

> > > > > > > > and

> > > > > > > > > grinding my teeth at night since about week 2 or 3

> post-

> > > sx

> > > > > has

> > > > > > > paid

> > > > > > > > > off because my " muscles of mastication " aren't

> totally

> > > shot

> > > > > and

> > > > > > > my

> > > > > > > > > jaw seems pretty good with the eating I've done so

> > > far.They

> > > > > > seem

> > > > > > > to

> > > > > > > > > be about to withstand and exert some force on each

> > other.

> > > > > Cross

> > > > > > > my

> > > > > > > > > fingers and yours, but no soreness YET at least!

Let

> me

> > > tell

> > > > > ya

> > > > > > > > > though... I paid for it already with plenty of pain-

> it

> > > would

> > > > > > > wake

> > > > > > > > up

> > > > > > > > > all night long in horrible pain from the clenching.

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Anyway, I've had a great day... I think today I

have

> > felt

> > > the

> > > > > > > > > prettiest I have ever felt in my whole life. That

is

> > not

> > > to

> > > > > > imply

> > > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > > am gorgeous or anything, but, so far I am really

> > pleased

> > > with

> > > > > > the

> > > > > > > > > changes and my results. Well, the day wasn't

totally

> > > great- I

> > > > > > was

> > > > > > > > > late to work because of the appointment, but my

boss

> > was

> > > > > > annoyed

> > > > > > > > with

> > > > > > > > > me because I was SO late coming in to work

according

> to

> > > her

> > > > > > (only

> > > > > > > a

> > > > > > > > > couple hours and I never promised her an exact time

> > which

> > > she

> > > > > > > knew

> > > > > > > > > and was fine with!) BUT I HAD to go home and brush

my

> > > teeth

> > > > > AND

> > > > > > > > then

> > > > > > > > > eat and CHEW SOMETHING!!! I know you all understand

> > > here...

> > > > > if

> > > > > > > you

> > > > > > > > > haven't masticated anything for 6 weeks or more,

that

> > > takes

> > > > > > > > > precedence somehow in some twisted way over work!!!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Jane, I know you said your bite feels all over the

> > > place...

> > > > > I

> > > > > > > know

> > > > > > > > > exactly how that felt. Since our recovery was a bit

> > > different

> > > > > > we

> > > > > > > > have

> > > > > > > > > had interesting overlaps and gone through the

phases

> > > > > > > differently...

> > > > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > > was only splinted when first out of surgery... then

I

> > got

> > > > > bands

> > > > > > > > after

> > > > > > > > > one week. At my three week check up, my surgeon

said

> I

> > > could

> > > > > go

> > > > > > > > with

> > > > > > > > > out the bands during the day... at that point- OH

> BOY!

> > my

> > > jaw

> > > > > > > felt

> > > > > > > > > all over the place! I think the muscles are finally

> > > getting

> > > > > > > trained

> > > > > > > > > and accustomed to their job. It takes a bit of

time,

> > but

> > > they

> > > > > > > learn

> > > > > > > > > pretty fast, surprisingly enough!! Give it a few

> > days!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > So, at this point my teeth also don't all touch and

> > meet

> > > and

> > > > > > fit

> > > > > > > > > together perfectly yet. I am anxious to meet with

my

> > > ortho

> > > > > next

> > > > > > > > > monday to get an idea of what he needs to do and

what

> I

> > > have

> > > > > > > ahead

> > > > > > > > of

> > > > > > > > > me. My midlines don't match up at this point

> either...

> > > but

> > > > > they

> > > > > > > > > totally didn't before surgery either. I think

> > ultimately

> > > they

> > > > > > > will

> > > > > > > > be

> > > > > > > > > ok, but ortho has a bit of work ahead of him. It

does

> > > make

> > > > > > eating

> > > > > > > > > again a bit awkward though because the teeth aren't

> all

> > > > > hitting

> > > > > > > > each

> > > > > > > > > other. BUT, that is how my teeth were before all of

> > > this...

> > > > > so

> > > > > > > I'm

> > > > > > > > > used to it AND I know it is only temporary now!! My

> OS

> > > wasn't

> > > > > > > > > concerned. He said everything, with a bit of ortho,

> > would

> > > > > lock

> > > > > > > > right

> > > > > > > > > in just where it needs to be. He said he was very

> > pleased

> > > > > with

> > > > > > > the

> > > > > > > > > results. So far, so am I. I just can't wait to get

> the

> > > bite

> > > > > > > > > perfected. Then I will be perfectly happy!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Jane, the weight issue is crazy, isn't it!?!? I am

at

> > 100

> > > > > > pounds.

> > > > > > > > > Right after surgery, I went down to 95. I thought I

> was

> > > back

> > > > > up

> > > > > > > to

> > > > > > > > > 105, but it seems to be fluxuating a bit. This is

> WITH

> > my

> > > > > > eating

> > > > > > > > tons

> > > > > > > > > of really fattening food!! But, my change in weight

> > > hasn't

> > > > > been

> > > > > > > as

> > > > > > > > > dramatic as yours. Like you though, some of my

> clothes

> > > just

> > > > > > hang

> > > > > > > > and

> > > > > > > > > look terrible! Add to the cost of this surgery, the

> > > expense

> > > > > of

> > > > > > > > > needing a new wardrobe as well!

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > Ok, this is my longwinded, boring blather about my

> > splint

> > > > > > > removal!

> > > > > > > > > It's late and I need to go to bed!! Thank you for

> > > > > asking!!!

> > > > > > I

> > > > > > > > will

> > > > > > > > > keep you updated and I hope you will keep me

updated

> > > too....

> > > > > I

> > > > > > > > think

> > > > > > > > > I will fall asleep tonight imagining what I will

eat

> > > > > tomorrow.

> > > > > > > > > Someone mentioned french fries here the other

day...

> > that

> > > > > > sounds

> > > > > > > > > really good! And chewy moist brownies.... Mmmm

Mmmmm

> > > > > > > > > Cheers! Katja

> > > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > > PS, I will post pictures as soon as I can find

> > > > > > > > some " representative "

> > > > > > > > > Before pictures AND as soon as my boyfriend takes

my

> > most

> > > > > > updated

> > > > > > > > > post surgery photos.