Today marks the 9 week since my facial reconfiguration. I had been in very light elastics for the last two weeks, and was expecting one more week of it. However, my Dr. basically flew in the room and said "ehhhhhh screw it - let 'er rip". That wasn't quite as scientific as he put it, but he more or less said that I look good, everything checks out, let's take off the bands but still take it a little easy when you eat.
It's so different being able to actually talk now. I find myself sometimes reverting to talking with my mouth closed, or barely moving, because I am so used to it. I also tend to find myself having to talk much, much slower than I normally would to get used to my tongue and teeth touching/moving in different places. I'm kind of self-conscious about it still right now, but most of the people I talk to know me well enough that they know my situation and can at least nod their head along like they know what I'm saying. So, thank you for that, whomever you may be.
So basically, the Doctor wants me not to eat anything crunchy like chips or pretzels for another week.
But other than that, the exciting news is that I can really increase my diet from pudding and eggs and pasta to some more substantial things. I went to Wegman's thinking I could buy all of this new stuff...but then I realized I had no idea what I really missed and wanted to eat. I only ended up buying some peanut butter and bread and ate my first legit peanut butter sandwich. Those who really know me, know I enjoy my peanut butter.
I'm thinking next week, when I'm fully cleared, I'm going to go out somewhere relatively nice for a meal. And eat a burger. I can't wait.
The journey is just about complete. One more visit in two weeks time and I will be, i believe, completed with my post-op visits. If I can, maybe I'll post an X-Ray picture so everybody can see how metallic I am. You could all call me Steel Man now.
Basically, all I have left is to begin the final few months of orthodontic work before I'm completely human again. Got a couple of teeth to pull and yank on to line me up right!
Next week I will probably post the last 10 songs to my soundtrack and bid everybody adieu once again.
Until then, stay classy.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
It's been...8 weeks.
Today marked the 8-week period. I had another appointment with the surgeon and things pretty much remained the same. He put some different bands on (I think) that are basically just going to be used to guide my bite, according to him. He plans on leaving these on for two weeks.
The exciting news comes from the fact that he said at 10 weeks, he is going to clear me to eat just about anything I want. My diet now is largely consisting of eggs and pudding. I haven't gotten to the point where I've made egg pudding...yet.
The main issue I have is with how often these bands break. They're pretty low caliber, and the ones I had one previous to these were breaking about every 2 days. On top of that, I had to try and be an orthodontist myself and put them back on. I would say I was pretty successful (for the most part) at hooking those bands back on myself considering I don't have the tools of terror to use at my disposal like the orthos/surgeons do. Maybe I should reconsider my career path......
So there really is not much new going on. Doug and I are planning on having a food day when I am fully cleared to eat food. So I've got two more weeks to look forward to that blessed day of blessed food in which Chinese food, Mexican food, Canadian food, and American food will be bountiful.
Until then, stay classy.
The exciting news comes from the fact that he said at 10 weeks, he is going to clear me to eat just about anything I want. My diet now is largely consisting of eggs and pudding. I haven't gotten to the point where I've made egg pudding...yet.
The main issue I have is with how often these bands break. They're pretty low caliber, and the ones I had one previous to these were breaking about every 2 days. On top of that, I had to try and be an orthodontist myself and put them back on. I would say I was pretty successful (for the most part) at hooking those bands back on myself considering I don't have the tools of terror to use at my disposal like the orthos/surgeons do. Maybe I should reconsider my career path......
So there really is not much new going on. Doug and I are planning on having a food day when I am fully cleared to eat food. So I've got two more weeks to look forward to that blessed day of blessed food in which Chinese food, Mexican food, Canadian food, and American food will be bountiful.
Until then, stay classy.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
You've got to admit it's getting better!
Today marks 7 weeks since I let a couple of surgeons go into my face and rearrange the bones to make a more aesthetically appealing appearance. After being wired shut for 5, tightly banded for 2, it was time to get another X-Ray and hopefully let the bands loosen up.
Going in to the appointment, I really had my hopes set that I was going to be cleared to start eating soft foods like eggs and such so anything less than that was going to be a major league letdown.
I got right in, saw the surgeon who then took an x-ray to see how my bones were healing up. In order to take the x-ray, he completely took the bands off so I had full range of motion for the first time since he unwired me at the 5 week mark. I was able to open my mouth much easier this time than the first time, but I could steal feel that it was sore. Getting the muscles to work in that fashion again is going to be an issue.
After looking at the x-ray, the Doc said I was healing up very nicely. He showed me a picture of the X-ray and said that while he could still see that the bone had some more healing to do, he was very impressed with my progress and felt comfortable loosening my bands. So basically, I have only one, much lighter band that is somewhat limiting my mobility. I got a little devilish grin when I felt how much MORE mobility I had, and the doctor caught that right away. He made sure to warn me that the bone was not fully healed yet and that I could break it again if I get to ambitious in what I wanted to eat. I understand that, so it's all eggs, potatoes and soft things for me until I get the full go ahead to eat that burger or buffalo chicken sub that I am craving.
Taking the doctors advisement under warning, it was almost 9 o'clock. That meant I had only previous few minutes to race back to campus to get into the dining hall and get an omelet made before they closed down. It is less than a five minute drive from campus to the Doctor's office, but the universe knew I was hungry and was going to try its best to prevent me from getting there.
There are 5 stoplights that I hit in between the office and campus. I hit every single red light. On the two left hand turns I had to make, I had to wait for about a million cars to go by. when I finally did turn, I was following a grandma driving. The time was ticking away....
I eventually got to campus, but lo, I was unable to find a parking spot by the dining hall! I would have to park in the next lot over....
(Cue "Chariots of Fire" theme song) I dashed across campus, dodging and weaving, ducking and spinning slow moving pedestrians, and made it into the dining hall just in time to snag the last omelet made to order. "I'll take an egg white omelet, bacon, cheddar and onion please."
(Cue Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf") I chowed down hard. Chewing is still kind of an issue. My teeth were somewhat sore, so I didn't want to push it too much. I also couldn't really bite into anything, a large part of that being I'm not used to being able to use my teeth like a normal human. That's going to take awhile to get used to...I'm sure I'm going to bite my bottom lips a whole heck of a lot.
Tonight, I think I will celebrate with some pasta. It's been a long battle, but the real end of it is in sight. Thank you everybody for your support, and I'll plan on making a couple of more updates - when I get fully cleared and I still have my last 10 song selections!
Until then, stay classy.
Going in to the appointment, I really had my hopes set that I was going to be cleared to start eating soft foods like eggs and such so anything less than that was going to be a major league letdown.
I got right in, saw the surgeon who then took an x-ray to see how my bones were healing up. In order to take the x-ray, he completely took the bands off so I had full range of motion for the first time since he unwired me at the 5 week mark. I was able to open my mouth much easier this time than the first time, but I could steal feel that it was sore. Getting the muscles to work in that fashion again is going to be an issue.
After looking at the x-ray, the Doc said I was healing up very nicely. He showed me a picture of the X-ray and said that while he could still see that the bone had some more healing to do, he was very impressed with my progress and felt comfortable loosening my bands. So basically, I have only one, much lighter band that is somewhat limiting my mobility. I got a little devilish grin when I felt how much MORE mobility I had, and the doctor caught that right away. He made sure to warn me that the bone was not fully healed yet and that I could break it again if I get to ambitious in what I wanted to eat. I understand that, so it's all eggs, potatoes and soft things for me until I get the full go ahead to eat that burger or buffalo chicken sub that I am craving.
Taking the doctors advisement under warning, it was almost 9 o'clock. That meant I had only previous few minutes to race back to campus to get into the dining hall and get an omelet made before they closed down. It is less than a five minute drive from campus to the Doctor's office, but the universe knew I was hungry and was going to try its best to prevent me from getting there.
There are 5 stoplights that I hit in between the office and campus. I hit every single red light. On the two left hand turns I had to make, I had to wait for about a million cars to go by. when I finally did turn, I was following a grandma driving. The time was ticking away....
I eventually got to campus, but lo, I was unable to find a parking spot by the dining hall! I would have to park in the next lot over....
(Cue "Chariots of Fire" theme song) I dashed across campus, dodging and weaving, ducking and spinning slow moving pedestrians, and made it into the dining hall just in time to snag the last omelet made to order. "I'll take an egg white omelet, bacon, cheddar and onion please."
(Cue Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf") I chowed down hard. Chewing is still kind of an issue. My teeth were somewhat sore, so I didn't want to push it too much. I also couldn't really bite into anything, a large part of that being I'm not used to being able to use my teeth like a normal human. That's going to take awhile to get used to...I'm sure I'm going to bite my bottom lips a whole heck of a lot.
Tonight, I think I will celebrate with some pasta. It's been a long battle, but the real end of it is in sight. Thank you everybody for your support, and I'll plan on making a couple of more updates - when I get fully cleared and I still have my last 10 song selections!
Until then, stay classy.
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