Day 11: Unintelligible Conversation
Taking these ultra small bands off and on is an interesting proposition - I manage to loop one band around a hook and then when I attempt to loop it around another it invariably misses and then it snaps into my gums or lips! Does it ever end . . .
Let me just say however that eating today was a lot more successful than yesterday's attempt at scrambled eggs. This morning, we thought we would attempt oatmeal for breakfast as the consistency and ingredients are small enough to work with such a small opening.
So, I began the experience of eating through my smaller-than-a-pinkie-finger hole in my mouth. Guess what?! It was soooo much easier than last night because I decided the key was simply to suck the food through the hole in mouth, and then swallow. Absolutely no chewing (am I supposed to?), just suck, slurp, and swallow. I managed to suck the entire bowl in 10 minutes! I was under my fifteen minute allotment although to be fair there is a degree of confusion as to whether the 15 minutes is comprised of 15 minutes of eating or else 15 minutes from the time the bands are taken off and then put back on. Ah well, I choose to believe the former as it takes me twenty-odd minutes to clean up, brush teeth, clean my mouth out, and then get the bands back on!
In the afternoon, I thought I would try and get some exercise as all I do is sit around, ice, heat, drink (eat), etc. By exercise, I don't want you to be confused with the concept of exercising and a gym (didn't do that before surgery so why wold I do it now) but merely walking, weeding in the yard, etc. Wow, I was completely knackered after just thirty minutes! A neighbor came over to talk to me and my wife and I ended up sitting on the ground as I was becoming dizzy. I am not sure why surgery would make it so but I really was not that unfit prior to the surgery, I promise!
I had macaroni & cheese for lunch, something I have not eaten for, well, I am not even sure I have ever eaten mac & cheese to be honest! Perhaps it is because it is an American meal as I don't remember ever eating that food in England growing up. Turns out that macaroni is a very easy food to suck up. Foods need to be labeled with a suck or slurpability factor for people who have undergone surgery such as I have . . .
Swelling has definitely plateaued and is not going down anymore from what I can tell whereas the bruising is ever so sloooooowly disappearing. Numbness still present but my chin is definitely coming alive once again as I get a pins and needles and occasional shooting sensations in my chin. Kinda' weird feeling to be fair.
For dinner, some neighbours brought around a pasta dish (as well as other items) and I ended up having to blend the pasta and feed myself utilising this new (patented) process known as the the suck, slurp, and swallow method. Most tasty. I have not at all missed food the last eleven days or so and have had zero appetite but I sense it coming back at the thought of once again being able to eat normal foods once again!
I have another appointment with the surgeon tomorrow as he wants to ensure (I think) that I am putting the bands on properly and that my teeth are sitting in the splint the way they should be sitting. It will be interesting to know the timeline for these bands and when I get them off, or at least am given larger bands, so that I might talk normally at work! I realise I am going to have the bands on until I get my braces off but presumably I will have different bands that will be more giving than those that I wear today!
So, I am living life as a mute presently. I was not meant
for such a life. It is not natural for me to be quiet. Not talking
intelligibly is difficult! Hopefully once the splint is out and the
bands loosened I can return to 100% of everything I need to take care
of.
Cannot believe it has only be 11 days since I had surgery. Wow.
As for what foods were eaten today:
You can see additional photographs under the ‘Photo Journal’ section above
How much weight have you lost due to your diet?
ReplyDelete