Re: Talking with the darn splint

[Guest guest]

Sara

It took me about a week or 2 befoer people were able to even

remotely understand me. Your mouth has to get used to all of this

hardware in there, and the swelling really prohibits your speech

also. As the swelling went down, and I got used to everything, it

was much easier to understand me. I didn't answer my phone unless I

knew who was calling because it was just too tiresome to explain to

people why I was talking the way I was. It gets better, I promise. I

think that I have a different kind of splint than you do. I think

they use different kinds for upper and lower.

> Ok, question, how long before you can start to talk with the

splint in

> and by talking I mean being comprehensible? I've been grunting

around

> the house for the past 4 days and every time I try to say

something no

> one understands me and it's starting to get really frustrating. I

sound

> like a 7 year old that mumbles all her words and has to suck up

all her

> saliva because it gets trapped in the front part of my mouth. I

know

> some people went back to work soon after surgery with the splint

still

> in and I assume they talked so is there a trick I don't know about

or

> am I just not a good talker? I can't imagine myself going anywhere

> public at the moment talking and sucking up saliva like this. It's

not

> even the way I look but how I interact with people that is driving

me

> nuts. Sorry about the vent.

>

> Sara

[Guest guest]

Sara,

I didn't even try to talk for the first five days. I went through

four notebooks, though! After I saw my Surgeon on day 5 ... I

started trying - just a word or phrase here and there. I'd say by

day 8 or 9 I had stopped using a paper and pencil. By the end of the

second week, I was more confident in my ability and was being

understood - 85% of the time. Going back to work at the two week

mark was scary. I've been given the opportunity to work without

using the phone for a month (my Supervisor, Manager and HR have been

very supportive) because that's when it's the most difficult for

people to understand me. But, in person ... it's usually okay, now.

The slurping hasn't stopped. I can't stand it - but I guess the

folks around me have gotten used to it.

The splint is just HUGE. No amount of practice seems to be changing

that. But, I guess as humans we just adapt. And so my tongue has

learned how to work around it - for the most part.

I'm a talker. I mean really a talker. I can ramble on with the best

of 'em! I think that this has been a huge test for me ... one I'm

sometimes passing and sometimes not. I'm learning how to listen

more. It's an interesting experience when I think about it with a

clear head. But, when I get emotional ... then it's frustrating.

<shrug> It's been a rough day ... today, I'm frustrated.

Looking forward to tomorrow ...

All the best,

Carol

> Ok, question, how long before you can start to talk with the splint

in

> and by talking I mean being comprehensible? I've been grunting

around

> the house for the past 4 days and every time I try to say something

no

> one understands me and it's starting to get really frustrating. I

sound

> like a 7 year old that mumbles all her words and has to suck up all

her

> saliva because it gets trapped in the front part of my mouth. I

know

> some people went back to work soon after surgery with the splint

still

> in and I assume they talked so is there a trick I don't know about

or

> am I just not a good talker? I can't imagine myself going anywhere

> public at the moment talking and sucking up saliva like this. It's

not

> even the way I look but how I interact with people that is driving

me

> nuts. Sorry about the vent.

>

> Sara

[Guest guest]

& Sara,

Yeah, about the phone ... makes me wish I had caller ID. I'm having

my Son answer the phone and the machine screens my calls if he's not

home.

Which reminds me ... quick story - I had to take him to the hospital

Thursday night. He fell off his bike. He's okay, didn't need any

stiches. But, I was mortified to realize that the person at the

front desk, along with a couple of other folks we came in contact

with, thought that I was the one in need of emergency medical

attention - simply from the way I was talking. Pissed me off! Wish

I could have shouted - lucky for them, it hurts to yell.

Anyway ... just my late night thoughts ...

Hope all is well for both of you this weekend,

Carol

> > Ok, question, how long before you can start to talk with the

> splint in

> > and by talking I mean being comprehensible? I've been grunting

> around

> > the house for the past 4 days and every time I try to say

> something no

> > one understands me and it's starting to get really frustrating. I

> sound

> > like a 7 year old that mumbles all her words and has to suck up

> all her

> > saliva because it gets trapped in the front part of my mouth. I

> know

> > some people went back to work soon after surgery with the splint

> still

> > in and I assume they talked so is there a trick I don't know

about

> or

> > am I just not a good talker? I can't imagine myself going

anywhere

> > public at the moment talking and sucking up saliva like this.

It's

> not

> > even the way I look but how I interact with people that is

driving

> me

> > nuts. Sorry about the vent.

> >

> > Sara

[Guest guest]

Carol

Hang in there. Better days will come. Befoer you know it, you will

be getting unwired, and getting your splint removed. I just look at

it this way...it can only get better from here. )

> > Ok, question, how long before you can start to talk with the

splint

> in

> > and by talking I mean being comprehensible? I've been grunting

> around

> > the house for the past 4 days and every time I try to say

something

> no

> > one understands me and it's starting to get really frustrating.

I

> sound

> > like a 7 year old that mumbles all her words and has to suck up

all

> her

> > saliva because it gets trapped in the front part of my mouth. I

> know

> > some people went back to work soon after surgery with the splint

> still

> > in and I assume they talked so is there a trick I don't know

about

> or

> > am I just not a good talker? I can't imagine myself going

anywhere

> > public at the moment talking and sucking up saliva like this.

It's

> not

> > even the way I look but how I interact with people that is

driving

> me

> > nuts. Sorry about the vent.

> >

> > Sara

[Guest guest]

,

I hope you're right.

Carol

> > > Ok, question, how long before you can start to talk with the

> splint

> > in

> > > and by talking I mean being comprehensible? I've been grunting

> > around

> > > the house for the past 4 days and every time I try to say

> something

> > no

> > > one understands me and it's starting to get really frustrating.

> I

> > sound

> > > like a 7 year old that mumbles all her words and has to suck up

> all

> > her

> > > saliva because it gets trapped in the front part of my mouth. I

> > know

> > > some people went back to work soon after surgery with the

splint

> > still

> > > in and I assume they talked so is there a trick I don't know

> about

> > or

> > > am I just not a good talker? I can't imagine myself going

> anywhere

> > > public at the moment talking and sucking up saliva like this.

> It's

> > not

> > > even the way I look but how I interact with people that is

> driving

> > me

> > > nuts. Sorry about the vent.

> > >

> > > Sara