At the Home Stretch - 5 weeks post-op!

Today marks my 5-week anniversary. Hooray!! That means one more week and my jaw will be fully healed. Of course, my recovery is far from complete. Dr. Asdell said that it will take a year to reach a 100% recovery.

So how does it feel to be 5 weeks post-op? In a word: fabulous. Let me count the ways:

1. I can smile. Doing my facial exercises really pays off - not only do I freak people out like Rachel, who likes to do hers in the car at traffic stops, but you really do get noticeable results. This helps me when I speak, too. I'm starting to sound less childlike. Nice!

2. I can eat soft foods. In addition to eating soups and smoothies, which I still do on a regular basis, I can now eat soft foods, like scrambled eggs, pancakes, casseroles, and lasagna. Hallelujah! I am rejoicing over this change in my diet.


3. I can breathe. Of course I can breathe, you say. Well, sure. But the first week after my surgery, I couldn't breathe out of my nose. I constantly had nose bleeds and congestion. I would have to take hot showers just to open my nasal passages a bit. It was pretty annoying to always have to breathe out of my mouth. And especially at night because I would wake up with a dehydrated tongue and scratchy throat. Gross!! Having this experience made me realize how much we take our bodies for granted. Now, please do me a favor and take a deep breath. Enjoy the passage of air as it enters and leaves your body. It's tremendous!

4. I have more energy. I was really tired the first few weeks after my surgery. And for good reason: Having both of your jaws broken and realigned is no picnic! This surgery is really traumatic to the body, so it does take time to bounce back and feel like a normal person again. But now I feel great! I'm back to riding my bike and hanging out with friends. I go out to public places, like the public library and Heather's coffee shop.

5. I feel relaxed. Since my surgery, I haven't had any coffee. For those of you who know me, that's perhaps a surprise to hear. I was the type of person who required at least two cups of coffee to get my day started. Now that I don't drink it, I feel more relaxed.  I sleep like a baby at night, too. We'll see if I can forgo drinking coffee once Fall semester begins, though.

But, there's still room for improvement!! Here are some areas that still need more time for recovery:

1. Numbness. My chin and lower lip are still numb. This makes my lower lip look crooked sometimes.

2. Bruising. I still have a very faint bruise on my lower right jaw. The bruise continues on my neck, near my vocal cords.

3. Voice. Although I don't sound like a 5-year old anymore, I still don't sound normal. Maybe now I sound like a 10-year-old.

4. Swelling. Yep, I still have swelling on my face. That will take time to heal.

5. Jaw. I have a limited range of motion when it comes to opening my jaw. I need to do keep doing Rachel's aggressive and exaggerated facial exercises - they really do help!