Day 20

So today I got my stitches out. I didn't realize that I had a ton of stitches under my upper and lower lip. I never dared to look to be honest. I also had a few near my back molars that had to be removed. I also have one stitch near the back of my throat on the roof of my mouth.....this one we couldn't get today because I couldn't open wide enough for her to get to it. Anyway, the stitch removal was weird, at one point I actually cried a little bit, for some reason my right side is much more sensitive than my left side and some of the stitches were painful. I am glad that they are out though. For some reason I think that now that they are out some of this swelling in those areas might start to go down. I know it doesn't look like it in the pictures but I am still very swollen in the area surrounding my nose, upper lip, and around my chin. It wouldn't be such a big deal except that the swelling is pressing on the nerves and therefore I still have considerable numbness and altered sensation in these areas which is frustrating sometimes. It is getting better day by day but I keep having to remind myself that I just had major surgery 3 weeks ago and this is to be expected.

So I thought that last week I might actually get some real food. WRONG! I actually got real food today. I still can't "chew" but that didn't keep me from swallowing baby spoons full of chili tonight along with very soft cornbread, followed by Ben and Jerry's Brownie Batter. I was in heaven! Now mind you I could just get the baby spoon in between my teeth at first, and it took a long time to eat but it was wonderful. By the time I finished (which took about an hour) I had more range of motion and could easily fit the baby spoon in. I can take the bands off 4 times a day for 1 hour. An hour each at breakfast, lunch , and dinner, and then another hour in the evening. It was totally bizarre to talk and eat with my new mouth. I felt like I had fake teeth on. It was pretty odd. I also got to brush the insides of my teeth tonight....also wonderful! My husband helped me get the bands back on afterward and now I am just trying to figure out what I am going to eat for breakfast. I'm afraid that this whole experience has changed my outlook on food. I feel like I have been on "Starvation Island" and now that I have been rescued everybody better watch out! :)


Jen