Day 15: Telephone Calls and Talking . . .

My bruising, especially around my neck, is pretty much gone and I have just some residual bruising around my chin that will hopefully disappear shortly. I woke up with my usual stiff jaws but after icing and heating they felt good to go! :) My freaky smile is becoming a tad more freaky don't you think . . .

I was forced to do a lot of talking today with my bands off as our dishwasher decided to flood the kitchen and subsequently, the basement. Not a happy day but it forced me to open my mouth and make a few calls to repair companies. I thought it really wouldn't be difficult as I obviously have talked around the house since my surgery. However, this is what I learned about double jaw surgery and trying to talk after just a few weeks

• Talking to family members is most definitely not the same as talking to strangers on the telephone. Family members get used to your pattern of speech; mumbling, enunciation, and pronunciation. Strangers on the telephone think you have a medical issue. Period. I tried to tell people that I just had dental work performed but that simply seemed to further their belief that I had issues.


• I cannot enunciate the letter S with any degree of clarity for the listener. I sound like I am heavily intoxicated when I say the letter S . . .


• I cannot speak at a normal rate of speech. I speak slooooooly in an effort to make myself understood. This slowness clearly affected people's perception of me. Interesting.


• My jaws, especially my right jaw, did not appreciate my attempt at trying to converse normally. I have grown used to, over the past fortnight, of speaking without opening my jaws as far as they would allow but because I was trying to be understood on the phone, I had to open my jaws a lot. Probably a good thing to be fair but now they ache. As soon as I was done talking, I put the bands straight back on :)


• My splint is an impediment to taking. I obviously knew this (see yesterday's post) but wow, was it apparent on the telephone.

So quite an interesting day really; even though my mouth aches I am glad to have the experience of talking, or attempting to talk, normally. Good to know one's limitations so as to adapt and overcome them I guess!

Energy wise, I am back to normal; I am able to do everything that I want and I no longer feel tired. Quite amazing that my surgery was two weeks ago today and I look at how I feel today compared with a fortnight ago!

Finally receive the bill from the hospital today. Wow. Still waiting on the surgeon's bill. That should be double Wow. 

Finally, as for what foods were eaten today:

1. Chicken noodle soup.


2. Vanilla pudding - I am addicted


3. Blackberry frozen yoghurt - I think I froze my jaws shut.

You can see additional photographs under the ‘Photo Journal’ section above