Happy To be Among The Living Again

Can I just say how glad I am that I made it past the first two weeks post-op! There were just some days that I didn't know how I could possibly make it to the next. I felt almost as if I was living hour to hour. My first week was made more difficult by a stiff neck that I couldn't move at all and was stuck crooked. I had to go to physical therapy several times to work it out. He was so helpful and my neck is almost 100% now. I have to move it slowly but I can move it.

18 days post op! Love my new profile

I'm almost three weeks out now and I am feeling pretty good. I literally have no pain throughout the day and am not taking any medicine, but between the hours of 3-6am I wake up with my entire head pulsating. It's such a deep pain I can feel it behind my eyes and inside my ears and I have to take a pain pill even though I don't want too it's the only thing that makes the pain go away. I am hoping that it goes away soon because I've gotten to a point that I dread going to sleep knowing that I am going to wake up in such bad pain  It's gotta get better before I go back to work because I don't know how I could get up and ready in that kind of pain.

Before and After 18 days post-op

My face is still completely numb from right above my eyebrows to below my chin and it still feels like something is sitting on my face. It's just a very heavy feeling. I am working on moving my lips and smiling again even though the top one feels so numb and dead I have been able to smile just a little bit. it looks a little funny but, hey it's progress. My swelling and bruising is so much better. I am ready to see my new face!

The biggest smile yet! =)

I saw the surgeon this week and he was very happy with my progress. I am on a normal diet but no chewing at all still. I have gotten really good at just swallowing my food down without chewing. My sweet husband puts chicken/pork/beef in a food processor and chops it up really small so it's really easy just to swallow. I can not tell you how ready I am to take a big bite of a hamburger or a piece of pizza. I just want the satisfaction of being able to chew. I got a really big hug from him and he said that he would see me again in 4 weeks and I should get to start chewing again after my appointment! I'm so excited!!!

without my bands on I can open my mouth this far! Not too bad

I also had to have my first orthodontist appointment since surgery. I am suppose to see him every week but the surgeon allowed me to skip last week because I was in so much pain. I was just a little nervous of seeing the orthodontist because my mouth doesn't open very much and I didn't know how he would be able to change my wires. It turned out to be an easy appointment. my top wire is still segregated into three pieces and he said if we went straight back into one straight top wire it could pop all the screws and plates above my upper lip because of all the pressure. so we are taking baby steps to get back into one straight wire. come to find out my gums are numb and even my teeth don't have fully sensitivity. I couldn't even feel them working in my mouth. He did say that he will see me every week "for a long time" but I could possibly be brace free in 6-9 months! I can't wait to see my new smile.

First Orthodontist appointment since surgery! I was a little tense