3 Months After Surgery

Today, March 18, 2011, marks exactly three months since surgery!

First of all I'd like to say that if I can get through this, absolutely anyone can.

I read on several blogs that you shouldn't expect to feel normal until the 3 month mark, and I definitely agree.Of course I thought I would be different, and would just get through this and it would be no big deal. But my surgeon reminded me at my last appointment that this is still the early part of recovery, and it's hard to remember that. It's especially hard for people that aren't going through it, because 3 months is quite a while. But unless you have gone through this surgery, you don't realize what a toll this takes on your body.
But I feel normal 99% of the time. There are still some moments where I think about it, but most of the time I actually forget I had surgery. Every now and then, my jaw pops if I bite down (which is normal) or some mornings the muscles in my face feel really stiff, but none of that is even a big deal. I am a little bothered by the numbness I still have in my chin and lip and all of my upper jaw/gums/teeth. But since I don't have the feeling back at this point, it is likely permanent, and I'm just going to learn to live with it I guess :/ When I was reading about surgery, one of my biggest concerns was numbness, and I know someone is reading this right now thinking "okay there's ANOTHER person that is still numb after surgery, to hell with this." But the benefits that I have gotten from having surgery (a bite I am in love with, I can breathe, I feel rested and energized all the time, I don't look like a grandma from the side anymore, etc.) are well worth it. I don't know how I lived my life so freakin ridiculously tired and miserable ALL THE TIME before surgery. I am so thankful to feel normal.

OKAY MAJOR BREAKING NEWS:
My grandpa and I are totally obsessed with Steak and Shake, and I always make time for him and my dad during my insane week and we usually go there. For 21 years, I have pulled my food apart and broken it up and eaten it, rather than biting into it. WELL, on Tuesday, I BIT INTO MY CHEESEBURGER! And not only that...I also bit into the lettuce. THE LETTUCE! The. Lettuce. It was so awesome! All my "normal" readers are thinking"Wow, really? You're that excited about biting into a f-ing cheeseburger?" YES I AM. And I know all my pre-surgery readers are thinking "Wow, I cannot wait to do that!" I am so happy to bite into food!!! Now I just have to break that habit of pulling my food apart into bites, because I found myself still trying to do that just because I have done it for so many years.

Last night I had an awful dream that I woke up and, for whatever reason, my teeth were all screwed up and turned around the wrong way, some were completely backwards and behind other teeth, and some were loose, and some brackets and parts of wires had fallen off. It was a total mess and I was horrified. I was beyond relieved when I woke up and saw my teeth were exactly where they were when I went to bed haha

That's my big update for you guys for now. I have to go back to the surgeon at the end of this month, and to the orthodontist at the beginning of April. So there will definitely be updates then. I open a little wider, but I seriously need to start doing more exercises next week, or my doctor is going to kick my ass.

Pictures from this past week:

 

 

Orthodontist's Forecast Compared Against The Actual Result

Those of you reading this that are going to be having surgery soon will probably get a "forecast" from your orthodontist or oral surgeon about your expected outcome. My orthodontist did mine, and I found it earlier and thought it might be interesting to compare it to my after picture, so here it is:

I adjusted the contrast and brightness on the after image because it's really light and I thought it might be easier to see. I'm not really sure what I think about this to be honest. I'm very happy with my actual result, and relieved I don't look exactly like the forecast (that is a SERIOUS chin). First of all, I don't think the original image really looks/looked like me to begin with. The software used to create these images are very limited anyway. So I think they're good to get an idea about what to expect, but don't expect exactly that. Mine obviously isn't the same. But you can still see the difference in the weak look of my jaw and chin and how long my face looked because of my jaw position. And I think that's the point. I think a forecast is worth getting so you can get an idea, but don't expect to look exactly like that image. I just thought you guys might be interested in this if you got a forecast and weren't sure what to expect.

Day 74 / More Before and After Pictures

It's my spring break this week (even though it's still winter). This weekend I was able to go visit one of my best friend's from high school at USC, Caroline! Our other best friend, Alora was able to come as well! We call ourselves the Variety Pack because...we are! Haha you have a blonde, a brunette, and a red head! Although Alora isn't technically a blonde anymore, we will always remember her with that bleach blonde hair from high school! It was so great to get all three of us together, because we have some seriously hectic lives and Alora lives in Alaska now with her husband who is in the Army. So this definitely doesn't happen all the time and it was so great to get to catch up! Caroline also lives with 4 of the sweetest girls ever!
I had no jaw issues which was great and it survived a night of pineapple vodkas, everclear slushies and a bunch of crazy girls running wild all over Columbia!
I actually had an appointment with my OS on Monday, but I was out of town. Today I called to reschedule, and it turned out I could either come in today, or a week from today...I chose today!
He said everything looks great and he is still very very happy! Yay! I don't worry anywhere near as much as I used to about all this, but today I was feeling like my bite was off and my muscle was acting up, so it is such a relief to hear everything is still great! Every time I leave that office, I feel like I'm on top of the world because I am always so happy to hear we are on the right track still, and every day I feel a little happier I did this!
He's a little concerned about me not doing my opening exercises though. He said this is the critical point to be sure to soften up the scar tissue, so later I can open as wide as I'm supposed to! He progressed me to finger exercises, which means I am supposed to open and push down my lower jaw with my index finger, while pushing my upper jaw up with my thumb. I know that sounds weird, I guess I would have to show you for you to understand.
Anyway, I'm going back in a month so he can check that, and then I don't have to go back to see him again until after I get my braces off! Whatttt? That really makes it set in.....this is almost over! Okay, maybe I have several months left, but really...that's nothing.
Now I'm back at work for the rest of the week, and weekend, with lots of homework, then back to school on Monday. Growing up sucks.

Today my OS gave me copies of the after photos he took at my last visit, and they are pretty exciting comparisons!

 

Pictures from the weekend: