Today is 100 days (more than three months) post-op! I still don't feel like I am fully through recovery since my jaws continue to be sore every day and I am still not 100% comfortable with my new smile - my energy levels are still terrible - I can get through every day doing all of the things I used to do, but I am worn out by 9 pm EVERY night.
I CAN NOT believe the progression. At 30 days I thought I looked great for having a surgery only one month before, but to see the difference from 30-100 days in crazy! You can see in the Day 100 picture that I still have a little more swelling and a "knot" on my left side (your right). I don't really know what to do about it, but I'll ask at my next ortho appointment.
I am back to my normal eating habits and have eaten pizza, steak and even some crunchy vegetables over the holidays. I can open my mouth two finger widths, but not for an extended period of time. I still have some trouble chewing and every now and then I get weird jaw spasms while I am eating. My typical meals include lean protein, veggies, and some kind of carb (sweet potato, rice, etc.) Softer foods are still more comfortable to eat and despite my constant cravings for a grilled chicken salad - I can't eat salad well yet.
After all is said and done, my weight loss (then rapid gain) has plateaued. I am about 8-10 pounds less than my pre surgery weight and about 4 pounds more than the lowest weight I reached at about 5 weeks post-op when my jaw was still wired shut. I'm more concerned with the loss of muscle mass - I've been hitting the weights pretty hard to try to increase my muscle and strength/ look leaner.
The rubber bands are definitely doing their job. I have noticed the slight changes in alignment with my teeth. I don't feel like my teeth have a natural bite yet. Sometime my top teeth will hit the brackets on my bottom front teeth, other times they meet at the tops of the teeth and I also find myself pushing my bottom jaw forward giving myself an underbite. I feel so much more comfortable with the bands in compared to out.
**I have an orthodontist appointment on Jan. 21 and will update**
What of your favorite soft food?
What about your favorite food that you can't/ won't let yourself eat?
Any recovery questions - or questions about the process in general?
Wow girl... You look GREAT! You really can't tell the knot on your left side (my right) and really wouldn't have noticed it if you didn't point it out. Your progress is great and I can't believe that you looked that great after 30 days even! I can't imagine only being able to open my mouth 2 fingers wide and eat mostly soft food (although, that seems like it would be good for my weight loss) and it's good that you're hitting the gym trying to get some of your muscle mass back! Excited to hear another update after going to the orthodontist tomorrow! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOuch...what exactly did you have done? I'm new to your site! I've had a few surgeries, I was hit by a car while riding a bike and suffered breaks in my collar bone and femur. My leg is fine now, although a bit stiff and achy in the cold, but my collar bone still gives me a lot of pain and grief! You look fab, recoveries seem slow but look at all the progress you've made!!
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