Re: My splint WAS removed today!! TO Sara

[Guest guest]

Sara,

I have to confess! The brownies are from a mix by Betty Crocker. I

wish I had a recipe to give you... I am a cheater when it comes to

brownies and don't make them from scratch. You can definitely eat

them early on. I avoid the edges (don't like them anyway really) and

just eat the center. I had brownies very early on actually. I used a

fork to stab of thin pieces of it to fit through my very narrow

opening and then just let it melt away in my mouth. Now that I am

chewing more, they are much more satisfying and just absolutely

delicious. They will be the best once I can open my mouth a tad bit

wider to fit them in perfectly. I recommend them!! Be sure to have

your boyfriend buy a lot and make him bake them for you! The

bonus!?!? Because I have to gain a little weight back, I can eat them

to my heart's content!!! Brownies definitely quailify as soft

chewable food, so don't forget them!! Glad to make prospects

brighter for you come surgery time. :) Kajta

PS, What did you finally decide about when to have your boyfriend

join you in NY?

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > 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.