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Today is one month since the surgery!

I can come off of a liquid diet an move to soft foods, but I’ll probably still take it easy the next couple of weeks. At least this means I can have soft doughnuts and mac and cheese, and heavier soups. Probably not cheeseburgers yet. Cut up cheeseburgers, maybe. I’ll go see my orthodontist soon and see if I still have to wear the bands and the lugs, or get those off and go back to regular braces.

There’s still a little swelling in my cheeks, and I don’t yet have all the feeling back around my mouth and lips. The incision area right below my nose still hurts a little bit, but only if I try to smile real hard. I can’t open my jaw all the way yet – it’s not painful, I just…can’t. It will work itself out over time, it’s left over from the swelling.

I haven’t sneezed for 4 weeks, isn’t that odd?

3 weeks post-op and I don’t have a good title for this post, because really nothing has happened recently. The bands are still on. I still have a liquid diet. I drink soup out of a cup. Spoons are still very difficult. So far it’s been

• ensure/boost
• cream of chicken (and variations, herbed, etc.)
• tomato soup (and variations, basil, smoked bacon flavor, etc.)
• blended chili (just a little) – my bands always break after trying to “eat” this
• creamy poblano queso soup
• chipotle tomato (super spicy, don’t recommend for < 2 weeks post op)
• melty water ice
• melty mini haagen-dazs ice cream
• cold smoothies/shakes (wawa is good for this – you can add protein to them!)
• blended black bean cilantro soup
• beer

I can smile a bit more,  the incision above my gums hurts less. I haven’t taken any pain meds, although after a day of talking heavily with friends my mouth really hurt that night and the day after. However there’s no jaw pain.

I’ve still got some numbness in my face around my nose on the right side. Which is probably why it’s a little droopy there.

I can’t wait to have a doughnut.

Got out of the house to go get a haircut.

And blended chili is great. Just a little bit, just to get the major chunks out. Cook it then you can drink it out of a cup.  My teeth can open just a little bit with the bands to get it through.

It’s a bit messy, but whatever. Something different than smoothies/ensure/boost/soup. I’m going to have fun with the waterpik tonight, though.

Not much has changed. Still have the bands. Bands break, I replace them. Some pain went away in the upper right of my face, where it was also more swollen than the rest of my face at one point.  Less pain when I move my face muscles too. Today was the first day without any painkillers. Overall swelling is down more.

I still don’t have some feeling in my upper lip, and it does still hurt to smile from the incision/stitches, so this is all you get!

I’m working from home for the foreseeable future.

Yesterday was extremely tiring. The first day back at work, and by 9pm I was done. I had to go in early for the xrays, and the less than usual calorie intake that I’ve been getting didn’t help, but I’ll be adjusting that soon.

So last night I got a ton of sleep, and promised myself I’d get a super smoothie in the city today. I think it’s the first thing I had in a week where I considered myself to be “full”. I’ve got some ingredients at home that my mom left to play with, soup and Ensure gets boring after a couple days.

I tried drinking through a straw and it was a total failure. I just drank out of the cup, which was a success, but messy. I also had coffee now that I’m off antibiotics and painkillers, and I think I’ll reward myself with a beer when I get home.

Went to the doctor today for my post-op. Everything was looking fine! I still have to wear the bands for some weeks, which I’m prepared for.

Here’s the much awaited x-ray. I haven’t seen my bite this aligned since…I don’t remember when.

And ow. Yawning is painful.

Bands finally snapped last night. Putting them back in was no big deal though.

And not as puffy today! I woke up at 7, took a bunch of meds, and was ready to work by 9am. The day was fine, even with the meds I was only a little loopy.

And I finally shaved! The swelling is really coming  down.

No more updates for a while, I’m going to go for my post-op checkup and take it from there.