Just call me "Jaws".
For me, Saturday wasn't Christmas. (Not that it matters since I don't celebrate anyway.) Saturday was the 10th day since surgery. I got into a depressed funk that day. I knew that it said on the instruction and advice sheets from the doctor that depression could be one side effect of recovering from surgery, but I thought it would be the first few days out, not 10 days out. A down day can take its time though.
There are so many strange feelings in my face. I still have that tight feeling I was talking about... sometimes my face feels frozen, mostly around my nose, lips, and chin, and down into my throat and neck. It's really strange how it goes up and down and how the sensation varies from tingling to tickling to tight to extremely swollen. The surgical assistant Lena said this is all normal though. There are a couple things really bothering me: My teeth on the upper left side seem to be hitting the teeth below them in an awkward way, causing the upper teeth to have a pulling, throbbing sensation. It's most noticeable when I swallow or try to talk. There are also sharp pains underneath both my upper and lower lips on the left side, that I can't tell are attributable to braces or to the sutures. I'm looking forward to addressing these things at the second follow-up appointment tomorrow. I'll also learn how to change my bands, as well as some jaw exercises.
I've been on this liquid diet since I came out of surgery 12 days ago and I'm sooo tired of it. It's a real challenge to make sure I keep drinking drinking drinking all day long so that I get 3 quarts of liquid in every day. That's 12 8-oz glasses. And then there are the salt-water rinses which I have to do 8 times a day, 2 of which are combined with peroxide. I am looking forward to being able to brush my teeth again. My mouth is icky.
Good things: I hardly look like someone who had jaw surgery 12 days ago. My lips are back to nearly normal size and a good deal of the swelling is gone. The bruise on my upper lip is disappearing too. Also, I think I've lost some weight around my middle (I know, I have heard a few people ask where I would lose it from, but you know how we always see the flaws in ourselves more than everyone else does.)
I didn't mention before-- During the surgery, the doctor did something I didn't know he was going to do-- I got a buccal lipectomy. That means he sucked the fat out of my cheeks. It's so that when he brought the jaw up and forward, I wouldn't have permanent chipmunk cheeks. I have to do cheek compressions 5 times a day (press with 3 fingers on both sides of my cheeks to help shape it in the first few weeks). I have to say I like the way it looks.
I haven't been out too much. But yesterday we took a ride around to the Mesa and my Mom shopped at this store called Lazy Acres. Then we stopped at the same beach we visited before the surgery - Hendry's Beach - where a surfer's dog came running up to us when I called, and let me and my Mom pet him. That really cheered me up. I need a dog.
Haha I just thought of another funny comparison for how I think I sound. I sound like the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz asking for "Oil Can! Oil Can!"
My brother is starting to play Tekken on my PS2 now, and that makes it harder for me to concentrate on writing, so I'll stop here. I'll try to write again soon.
Whoa! Weird feeling in my chin!