Week 11 - The saga continues

Here is the photo I took for my badge for my new job.

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Today marks 11 weeks since my surgery. Got way off track. Had a death in the family and started a new job. On top of working on my MBA thesis and some personal issues I have been so overwhelmed!

So as far as recovery goes.....

Still some numbness on the right side of my bottom lip. I can at least feel that I am touching it now but it feels really odd. When I stroke my lip lightly it feels like I am actually touching my chin. The nerves are connecting oddly. When I drink something cold it feels like there is water running down my chin when there is not. My cheeks are a little numb but only like 5%.

Mostly I am dealing with a lot of stiffness all over the lower part of my face. I have to make faces all day to loosen up the cheek muscles (say CHEESE!). I look like I am lowing kisses to everyone while I am driving home to help stretch out the lip muscles and skin. I rub some vitamin E oil on my cheeks to help massage them as well.

Still debating the changes to my hair. Still not feeling very comfortable in my own skin. It's looking a little more normal to me now that more of the sweeling has come down. I think the bigest part is the jaw line. I am used to one smooth line from ear to chin and now I have some swollen areas under my cheeks, then the holes where the bone was cut, then a swollen chin. The bone is starting to fill in and the chin is starting to smooth out so it is looking more feminine. Keeping my fingers crossed that it smooths out completely in the future.

I am able to eat some hard stuff now. I can eat chips as long as they are not too thick. Still can't do croutons or anything. A few teeth on the right side bottom are very sensitive. Same area as the numbness in my lip and chin. So when I chew things I tend to chew only on the left side. Getting used to drinking from a straw. Not wearing the elastics for now. Doc said they will have to back on later in my treatment.

So life is about 85% back to normal, at least I am making progress. Tingly weird numbness much better than the complete lack of anything. Keeping my fingers crossed that none of it is permanent. Will wirte again around the 13th for the 3 month anniversay :)

Week 7 - Back to the grind

So been back to work for a week now. Really hard to get back in the routine of waking up in the morning. Hard to remember to prepare my lunch and all. Not like there is anything in a vending machine that I can actually chew. Oatmeal packets are your friend.

So it's been interesting seeing people I haven't seen in 6 weeks. Most of my team knows I had surgery and they all like the way it looks. Getting a lot of compliments. There are some people who just looked at me oddly and asked why I look so different. People think maybe it's just my hair. One person actually didn't really recognize it was me. Creepy talking on the phone because it rests on my chin which I still can't really feel. Can't talk for long periods of time. Mouth was very sore by the end of one day. I could barely talk.


Got an adjustment from my chiropractor last night and now the blood seems to be flowing much better. She also has some low level cold laser that help stimulate the nerves. Right after my appointment I could feel the blood flowing in my chin. Now the feeling is much better now. Still can't feel anything on the skin but at least I can feel the pressure underneath now. Not so puffy feeling now. Tingling is a lot worse.

Was able to eat a burger tonight fairly normally in small bites. Have some pain in one of my teeth when I bite down but wasn't too bad. Even had a salad the other day. Still have to cut my sandwiches into 4 strips though and usually have to tear off the crusts.

Finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.