This morning I had an appointment with my surgeon. This is what the title of the post is referring to. You know those two hooks I had sticking out of my gums that were attached to my skull? He removed them today.
Holy smokes did it hurt.
First he injected the local anesthetic. The bottom one was first, I didn't feel the needle but I did feel him pinch my lip with the tweezers. My bottom lip still doesn't have 100% feeling but it does have super sensitivity which means it REALLY hurts when he pinches it with his tweezers. He then injected the top one, and I DID feel this needle.... my eyes actually watered. He then left for a few minutes, came back, cut part of the wire, and then pulled them each out of my skull. Not the most pleasant of experiences, I must say.
Now it is evening and the local has worn off, I am feeling a lot better. I am enjoying my lips not snagging on the metal hooks. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better, right?
Anyway... onto the good stuff.
He doesn't need to see me again for another month. He's happy with how everything is looking, and he is okay with me changing my bands (though I've been doing this already as they are beginning to wear down faster).
Also.... I can open my mouth a grand length of 31mm! That's 10mm more than my last visit 3 weeks ago! WOOO!
Here are some photos I took yesterday:
And I got some from a side angle for a change too!
Aaaaaaahhhhhhh I can't believe it!
So I don't know if you remember from about the million times I mentioned it but at the 6 week mark I was allowed to start chewing again.....
Here is a picture of my first chewing meal:
Macaroni cheese with cauliflower! It was delicious. Though not entirely easy, chewing is hard when you haven't done it in 6 weeks because you've had your jaws cut up and moved around. This was expected though so no big deal. I rang the dental assistant J. on Monday to get some guidelines, and she said anything that is soft enough to mash with a fork. So I'm going wild..... jokes. I'm playing it safe. Noodles for dinner tonight!
It's also really difficult eating with all the bands in my mouth, especially the crossed ones... so I made sure I asked about this today at my ortho appointment. He said I should take them out to eat and then put fresh bands in when I'm finished. Yay! I'm hoping this makes it easier.
I also asked about if I should be using my front teeth yet, but he said not for another few weeks while the bone is still healing.
An appointment was also made for the surgical gunk to come off and my normal braces be fixed up again.... I was hoping this would be around the 8-9 week mark, but it's actually on May 14th which is around the 13 week mark....
Oh well, this gives me more time to heal. It's only about 7 weeks away......
And now for some comparisons!!!!!!
As for everything else.....
Pain: I haven't had to take any painkillers in the last week.
Swelling: Keeps slowly going down... still a little bit of residual. I have a bump on my chin where the wire was removed today.
Numbness: I think feeling is slowly creeping across my chin.... My tongue is still really sensitive and weird. I think the roof of my mouth is back. Top gums still numb, some sections of my lower gums have feeling. Lower lip still numb on the sides.
Motion: Getting better, muscles feeling less and less stiff every day, and am learning to move my face normally again.
Hip: I haven't mentioned this in a while but it's been getting loads better! I started running again on the weekend and it's been fine. I can still feel it but I don't think I've had any pain in it for at least a week. The scar has become less lumpy too.
Activity/Energy: I've struggled with energy levels, especially with having to go to uni... but I feel I am slowly getting back to normal. I am probably at about 80-90% at the moment. I will probably start strength training again this weekend, hopefully this combined with running will help. I have to remember that I am still recovering so I shouldn't be beating myself up for feeling tired and not wanting to do anything. It's hard when you feel guilty and especially when you're used to being busy.
I am pretty happy with how everything is going though, life is beginning to get back to normal!
I hope all is well out there in the jaw surgery blog world :-)
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