So I skipped the weekend. Busy doing stuff getting ready for my first week back to work!
Well my Monday started off extremely early. I had an appointment with my surgeon yesterday morning at 8:30a in Oakland. Mind you I live in the East bay area, and lucky me got to commute with the thousands of people going to work in Oakland or San Francisco. So what should be a 45 minute drive, was about 2 hours. I shouldn't complain. I commute to my front door for most of my work. So the surgeon was impressed with the swelling, how I looked and was talking. He looked at all the incisions, which are healing nicely, and my bite also looks great. So thats the good news. Things had been feeling like they were shifting, he said it is just my teeth, not the jaw, and things will get better once the orthodontist can align the back teeth and everything touches properly. So that is a relief. He said my jaw muscles are more tense than most patients at this point, which are inhibiting my mouth from opening very wide. So to help work the muscles I can now start exercising my jaw. As in I need to pry it open 5-6 times a day. He demonstrated on me. OUCH! I can tell you what I am going to hate doing 5-6 times a day. The exercise I get to do is to put a finger or knuckle between my teeth and press my upper jaw apart from my lower jaw using my thumb, and massage my jaw with the other hand. Oh and hold that for 15 or more seconds. He said I would need to be aggressive due to my muscles being so tight. Make sure I feel the tension. Well, on a positive note this means sooner than later I will be able to open a little wider so food can get in without falling everywhere. So it's not all bad.
So work. Let me just start by saying boy is it hard to get back into the swing of things after being off 4 1/2 weeks. It was so good to see all of my Monday students, yet exhausting. I had a lot of piano students yesterday thankfully. Talking after about 2 hours was starting to make my jaw have a dull ache. Singing was interesting. I didn't sound terrible, except my lisp and the fact I can't pronounce as well as before, oh and the fact I can't open my mouth very wide. How did I almost forget that small detail? Well, the kids were all happy to be back and didn't seem to mind my mouth. I worked a total of 5 hours, due to some people still being on summer vacation and I was so tired when I got off. My whole body felt like jelly. I forgot how much energy it takes to keep kids engaged in something.
Well today, Tuesday, I teach 8 hours. My jaw is already a little achy from the jaw exercises I did this morning. So took some motrin knowing that it might get worse as the day goes on. I teach in 30 minutes at 10am and get off at 7:30p. I do get an hour break in there. I just desperately need/want my energy back.
I have not been following my normal diet that I was on prior to surgery. I ate very organic, whole foods, and very minimal grains and sugars. I have not been following that at all the past 35 days. So now that I can start chewing a little, I need to get back to that. I always felt good eating healthy. Maybe part of my sluggishness is due to my diet. Tonight for dinner fish, and veggies (soft veggies). Lunch organic pea soup! I need to find some good soft healthy snack foods. I used to eat a lot of lara bars, I wonder if I can eat those again? I won't know until I try right?
Swelling is about the same. I still feel like my cheeks are a little puffy and my chin area. Still numb on my chin, but I can kinda feel things now. I at least know when most things are touching that area. So that is a huge positive knowing that my feeling is starting to come back! I am happy about that!
Happy Tuesday. Here's to eating healthy, and getting this mouth more open!
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