Week 4

DAY 22:

Finally! I'm on week 4, the weeks are starting to fly by. Next thing you know I'll be saying 'this time last year' oh goodness! Anyways, I read up a 'double jaw surgery recovery timeline' and it said on day 22 and afterwards, I would notice a substantial feeling back in my upper lip and cheeks but my nose, chin, bottom lip etc will remain completely numb, however I haven't really received any feeling back, I am hoping it will come back soon as I am missing having feeling on my face. I haven't taken any medication, just been chilling throughout the days.

DAY 23:

What a dreadful day. From my third appointment at the orthodontist (as you will see in my previous post), it was the worst because I had forgotten the feeling of having elastics on to keep your jaw shut in a certain position! I came out and my two front bottom teeth were in agony and the same with my top two front teeth! I had to get some paracetamol and ibuprofen as well as I was hurting! I then started to decrease the talking again and if I did speak, I kept my teeth bit together to stop the sore feeling so I got back to the first few stages where nobody could understand me again! HAHA! I took out my elastics when I got home so I could eat my lunch and then tried to put them back in and it was actually really hard! One of them pinged and it hurt so bad but it was fine afterwards as I managed to get them on, I took an hour nap and when I woke up my teeth on the front was aching so badly where I had my teeth forced shut together! When I made dinner, I forgot I had them in and tried to eat with them in and then gave up so just took them out again, I didn't put them back on for the rest of the day because I was hurting so bad and just couldn't hack it, I know I should have worn them but I was in agony! I did my hot and cold packs before I went to bed and did some reading, eventually I went to sleep about half 12.

DAY 24:

What a horrible nights sleep from the night before! I just kept waking up and couldn't get comfortable! I forgot to bring the paracetamol up to my room so I couldn't give myself any pain relief if I woke up in the night! I had to readjust pillows because my neck was aching from how my head was resting. I eventually woke up at half 9 and took some paracetamol and ibuprofen. Day 24, I saw a very close friend of mine from school, Kerri. It was so good to see her, the minute she came in we was laughing in seconds and bringing up memories! So I did actually have a good day which was nice comparing to how I felt in the morning (my shower definitely helped brightening my day). So I chocked on a pepperoni - oh dear! My sister gave me a slice of pizza for me to break and eat bit by bit which I was able to handle...unfortunately, I couldn't handle the pepperoni, I put the whole piece in my mouth to break it down and it slipped down my throat and got stuck, I tried to cough it up, then I tried drinking water to help it slide down my throat but it just wouldn't go so I started chocking and gagging which was very painful on my jaw, my boyfriend heard me and got my sister up to help as I started to panic and couldn't actually breathe, I drank more and it went...it wasn't nice but I brought it on myself and I was more careful with the rest of the pizza and taking it easy with other foods. Again I stopped wearing the elastics around  8 pm because they was hurting so much and didn't wear them in the night - oops.

DAY 25:

It's officially August! And it's coming close to my 1 month mark since the surgery! So day 25 wasn't too bad, I didn't have as much pain in my mouth from the elastics because I wasn't wearing the extra two, but I did wake up a few times in the night and I took some paracetamol and ibuprofen in the morning just to relax the pain in my teeth and mouth slightly! I then had something to eat in the morning and this was the day when I started being a lot better with my elastics because I have no choice but to wear them because if I don't wear them now I will regret it and may have to end up wearing more or wearing them longer which wouldn't be worth it so every time I ate, I would brush my teeth and then put my elastics straight on or if I didn't brush my teeth because I only ate a snack I would use mouthwash or put on my elastics until I went upstairs to do it. I wore them a lot on day 25 until I ate something and I wore them to bed.

DAY 26:

Sleeping with the extra two elastics in wasn't actually as bad as I thought it would be, I did wake up feeling like my bite went back to what it was like when it had moved slightly before I got given the elastics, but it was fine after a while. The morning was quite horrible because I usually don't feel hungry but I don't want to take off my elastics until I actually have the food sitting there in front of me, I don't want to risk anything now! I had to go into the town center where my boyfriend lives with him and his mum and I went into the back seat...guess what? there was a wasp in the car :| people who know me well will know that I have a HUGE fear of wasps and mostly any insects ha. So I had to suffer with this wasp flying around me whilst we drove to the town...oh dear. Other than all that, day 26 was actually alright, I did feel tired because it was my first night not staying at home since the surgery so I was in a different bed and a different environment so it was new again. I was good with my elastics again today and spent the night at my friend's house, so another night away from home! Also for dinner I had pizza! Obviously I was careful and it probably took me just under an hour to eat four slices and I had to break it up very small...also I had some chicken chunks too and they were very juicy...so they was easy to swallow although I had to still break them up very small!

DAY 27:

My one month mark is in one day! CRAZY?! It also means my elastics will hopefully be gone in just slightly over a week! Day 27, I did my first driving lesson in an exact month and it went surprisingly really well...it felt odd driving but I surprised myself how easily I got back into it and my instructor was pleased as well because I had been out of it for a month! I got back and watched a film with my sister and then I just relaxed but it's been an ok day!

DAY 28:

I have officially survived the first month of the recovery! I thought one week was loads but clearly not, I'm starting to feel more like myself again. Day 28 has been a fantastic day, my group of girls from school came round and we all got the chance to catch up with one another and it's just been such a great day to have the chance to see them again and were already planning to meet up again the following week coming! My elastics haven't really been hurting but I did take some paracetamol and ibuprofen in the morning because I did feel quite horrid in the morning but that's normal to me these days because the mornings are always the worst. I am staying out again for the night and trying to get myself out more but not go too wild as I'm still not 100% just yet, but I am starting to feel more positive and feel more happy in myself. I haven't been doing my hot and cold packs pretty much the majority of week 4 but I guess that's because most of the swelling has gone and I don't think I will be able to get any more down by myself, I think the rest will leave on it's own terms and the same with the numbing...I do hope that some feeling in my face comes back soon though haha!