Day 52: "After" 360 Pics

In the other progress photos I posted near the beginning of this blog, I only took frontal and profile shots, while I think it's interesting to see surgery's effect on every angle of the face.  So here's a "360"-style view where you can see my flat cheeks but better profile at seven and a half weeks post-op:

The wires and splint have created some fullness around my lip area that makes me feel a little like this:

Which I'm hoping will go down once it's all removed.  Overall, I am definitely happy with the results of surgery now that the majority of the swelling has gone down. :)

Day 48: Fragile

Having my jaw moved and broken makes me feel so fragile!  I went to another concert tonight which was at the same venue as yesterday's but oh so much rowdier.  The crowd was a sea of elbows and flying objects, all of which presented a danger to my breakable face.  To make matters worse, people were crowd surfing all over the place, which means that I had bodies flying at my head as well.  They were even standing on boogie boards- literal crowd surfing!  I took this artsy photo:

Ridiculous!

I was shielding my face like it could shatter at any moment.  Which it very well could have!  Although I ended up having so much fun, but I can't help feeling like I nearly escaped death!  The last thing I want is to damage anything and interrupt the healing process.  Got to be careful!

Day 46: Why Does Time Move So Slowly?

Ate a bag of chips today-- it was probably the wrong thing to do but felt SO right.  I'm beginning to just ignore all the stigma that accompanies this splint situation and get on with my life.  Nevertheless, I still hate the thing.  The other jaw bloggers I follow appear to have their splints removed at two weeks, a month, or even six weeks.  But two months?  It seems grossly overly-cautious to me.  Though I understand that my surgeon strives for perfection, I always question his decision to keep my splint in this long.  The only acceptable justification is that I have thin jaw bones, but even then I feel as though it has been more than long enough.  I realize that I've been repeating myself constantly about this, but I just can't help myself!

Tonight I had coffee with a friend I hadn't seen all summer and he didn't look twice at the thing-- he assured me that it looked like braces and that he didn't care about it in the slightest.  As we caught up, I nearly forgot that I am a recovering patient.  I am slowly realizing how fruitless it is to be so self-conscious: it's temporary pain in exchange for greater lifelong happiness!  Also, this is the funniest thing ever.

Day 38: Communication Issues

Meeting new people used to be one of my favorite activities: I loved taking the opportunity to learn another's perspective and begin to build a relationship with a potential friend.  Now I dread it.  A new intern arrived at work today and greeted me with a friendly smile, which I returned with my metallic one.  I was conscious of choking on my words as I introduced myself through my splint.  I hastily explained that I had just had jaw surgery, and she considerately asked about the details.  But as the day went on, she could not for the life of her understand me.  In one instance I had to say the word "music" three or four times before she got what I was trying to say-- how embarrassing!  Even though I can talk again, communication is still a major issue.  Your mouth is just the worst place to have tampered with!  I could never be a dentist.

I'm thinking about making another YouTube video where I say funny words that are difficult to say with my splint.  Maybe sometime if I'm bored enough!

Day 34: Work Again & Ortho Visit

I'm typing this blog post through itching, burning, aching, squinting eyes.  After such a long respite from alarm clocks and responsibilities, I'm absolutely exhausted from my first day back at work.  It's not that my work is very demanding-- I am just interning from the summer-- but the project I am working on involves long energy-zapping intervals of staring at the computer.  Everyone was eager to ask about my surgery and how I was feeling-- I tried not to spit all over the place as I told them.  My boss told me he was glad to have me back!

My fatigue was not helped by having to go directly to the orthodontist after work, where I learned that I will have to remain in metal braces for at least SIX MONTHS after the splint is out.  When will this nightmare ever be over?  Granted braces aren't all that terrible, but I am just astounded by the length of time this whole process requires.  Because my orthodontist doesn't want to take any chances that my thin jawbones may splinter if I bite down too vigorously, he cannot rely on Invisalign to do the job.  So, braces it is.

I can now open my mouth about two finger-widths wide which means I've been more adventurous with foods.  If I am careful, I can pretty much consume anything within reason by lightly chewing with my splint.  Though I am so grateful for this, everything still has to be cut into small pieces so that food takes ages to consume.  I'm still trying to learn patience-- 28 days until splint freedom!

Day 31: One Month In Pictures

Since I figure the majority of the swelling has now gone down, I thought it would be interesting to compile all of my progress pics over the month in this post!  Prepare to scroll:

Aaaand in profile:

There's definitely a little swelling around my lips and cheeks still, but I think I'm more or less at my final form!


I learned today that my appointment to get my splint out has been made for August 17th.  Another month from now.  Ugh.  Sometimes it seems like this process will never end-- my whole summer's shot!  I must have been too optimistic going into surgery, thinking that I would have a little free time without all the hardware in my mouth.  Nope.  The wires under my gums on the bottom are serving no purpose, staying in for the sole reason that taking them out requires the complete sedation that will accompany removal of the splint.  I wish I could tear them out myself, but I am powerless to do anything but wait.  I anxiously await the day when jaw surgery isn't always on my mind!

Day 30: New Obstacles

Eating has proved to be equally, if not more, of a challenge now that the bands are removed.  Liquids are infinitely easier to consume, but I am desperate to graduate to more normal foods.  Unfortunately, attempting to eat solids is excruciating.  I tried scrambled eggs this morning, and due to the limited movement of my jaw, could only scoop in tiny pieces at a time with a spoon.  The process took ages: I felt like that Buddhist prince who tried to achieve nirvana by eating a grain of rice per day!

I was successful with a Cup of Noodles though, which was amazing.  However, the way I ate felt disgusting: it was a slobbery display in which I used my tongue to maneuver the noodles into my mouth then mashed them around in an attempt to chew.  Regardless, I ate those noodles. And did not have to puree them.  YES.  Also whenever I'm hungry, the image of a syringe pops into my brain and I constantly have to remind myself that I am done with those horrible things for good!

Now that my mouth is gaining more feeling bit by bit, the pain of extended talking is near unbearable due to the thick metal wires under my gums that stick the inside of my cheeks and lips.  My tongue, which has finally escaped from its prison, can now feel the tender, torn flesh.  I layered dental wax on the worst offenders, but the wires seem to be sticking out everywhere.  Sometimes a lip gets caught while talking and-- OUCH.  Not a pleasant experience.  The stitches under my upper lip are also coming out, which I asked my surgeon about.  His response was dismissive-- apparently they are supposed to dissolve?

Here's a close up of what's going on in there (kinda gross, sorry!): 

The white stuff is wax, don't worry!

The splint is that clear plastic thing that fits over my upper teeth-- it extends all the way back like a retainer.  According to the surgeon, the epoxied brackets were not strong enough to hold my jaw in place during surgery, so he fashioned the wires on the bottom around my teeth and under my gums.  Those things are the worst.  

I'm not sure if it's evident from this picture, but my bite is now perfect!  Once all of that crazy metal is removed, my teeth will fit together quite nicely.  At this I am so relieved-- this lengthy ordeal is proving to be worth it.

Day 29: The No-Band Smile!

A friend came to visit today, and we snapped this picture!

Big metal-filled smile!

And here's a similar photo we took pre-braces:

We looked a lot tanner back then!

Here I was exercising my classic turn-the-head mouth-slightly-open pose in which I could most comfortably smile.  Smiling involves a lot less effort now, though it includes a lot more pain due to the bits of metal tearing up the inside of my mouth.  Most everyone who has seen me say they see little change in my appearance, which I guess is a positive thing- being unrecognizable would be awful!