I must be a big baby because compared to everyone else's perky posts that I read ... I feel like this whole process has been super tough! Laura's blogs have helped me to be able to put words to the things I've been experiencing. I've been taking care of myself since just after a week and I feel like no one else understands. But I was happy to read that she had also been experiencing that burning/bee sting type feeling in her lips. I was concerned that I wasn't feeling more tingling and that it meant I wasn't healing well or something. My lips and chin and a lot of my right side are still totally numb! After 2 weeks! I'm just concerned because I have to go back to work in a week. Am I going to be able to converse with clients without my face looking awkward? These black eyes are STUBBORN too. At least they distract from my lips and swollen cheeks when I go out. People keep looking at James weird ... like he hits me or something! Now that I'm less numb I can feel the stitches pulling when I smile or talk - it sucks. The ortho said he can remove them this Thursday at my 3-week check up. He's also going to take an x-ray and then hopefully I can switch to "soft" foods. Just today I started putting Traumeel on my eyes for the bruising - hope it helps. I've been doing that externally and also taking the oral homeopathic. I've only done moist heat once ... does this really help? Maybe I should do it more because today my jaw was SO MUCH TIGHTER than before. What is that all about? I know I can't really complain in comparison ... after all I'm not even banded shut, but man am I anxious to "move on" already. When I look in the mirror I don't look as swollen as I "feel." I've been trying so much harder to not talk since I'm supposed to take that easy until next check up. And when will I be able to smile again?
6 comments:
I have enjoyed reading your blog. Those black eyes are the funniest and adorable things. You could have dressed up very appropriately during hallowen. Although, if I had seen you on the street I may have thought it was a car accident injurie. When I had shoulder surgery, people thought someone was abusing me too.
I do bruse very easily and expect the same extremes as Laura.
Hope it all subsides before you return to work, otherwise you can give client a warning not to mess with you.
Big baby? I think not! Hun, this is so different for eveybody there's no WAY it's fair to compare your experiences (even though it might be hard not to do so). Most of the recent surgeries have been single jaw procedures, did not require blood transfusion, and didn't involve extra bone patching. You had a lot of work done, sister, and it's no sign of weakness to feel like poo.Period. It's amazing what your body is now recovering from.
Obviously I can't speak personally yet, but lots of folks really do find that moist heat feels SOOOO good for the sore, stiff achey feeling from 2 weeks on, so it probably wouldn't hurt to give that a try for a couple of days and see how it goes. Most likely your muscles are unhappy at being pulled in new ways and are rebelling against it & moist heat is supposed to help relax them. (it might help the bruising move on out a bit quicker too).
I think it was Rachel that swears by making crazy faces at herself (exaggerated fishy kissy faces) to help loosen her face up to help with the smiling. It should get better as the numbess/tightness does too. If it helps, quite a few fols have commented on what a difference they felt between week 2 and 3+. It'll happen.
Hang in there! You're doing amazing and it will only keep getting better~ one milestone at a time :)
Hey, thanks for reading my blog. Sometimes I feel like I'm just rambling away to myself on there. I'm not so perky, just have occasional energetic moments followed by many drained moments. Now Susan ... she's unbelieveably perky.
I bet the numbness lasts for a few more weeks. It feels like it's taking forever for the feeling to come back, even with all the burning. My left lower lip is still almost completely numb - all it can feel is temperature. I keep massaging my face in the hopes that it'll help wake it up.
You look amazing, even with those black eyes. I hope they clear up soon though. It's funny how people's reactions to you change when you're bruised and swollen and banded. When they try not to look at you too much or whatever once they realize you can't talk properly. Not being able to smile is hard too - I feel like I'm being rude to all those people I have little interactions with, like in stores and on the street.
Laura - that is so funny ... I feel rude too when I can't smile back! I work in the hospitality industry; I'm paid to smile and be perky and OVERLY flowery in my interactions. Haha! It's habit for me, but maybe other people don't notice as much as I think. I can feel exactly half of my upper lip on the left, none on the right side and the bottom lip feels sunburned and tight like it has blisters all over it. It has really helped reading your blogs - thank you so much for all the support!
Keep smiling!
Just checking in to see how you're doing :)
Has the jaw loosened up any for you? Get those annoying stiches out?
Take care.
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