ONE MONTH POST OP!!!! ( & Day 32 - 34)

What a wonderful day! It has been exactly one month since surgery and I am feeling pretty great! I can breathe, have tried out my new bite (a bit scary and slow, but I WILL get it working perfectly soon), and am noticing my self confidence increasing significantly on a daily basis! I had an appointment with my surgeon today. The lovely nurse whom I always appreciate didn't recognize me when she called my name in the waiting room. That was kind of neat! Brandon, my mom, and my grandma came for moral support today and to just hear that the surgeon had to say (Im sure it had nothing to do with our IKEA visit that would happen after our appt, haha). The surgeon was very happy with his work and after gently feeling around my jaws and looking in my mouth at my gums and bite said that things were healing great and that everything should be mainly healed by now. He also said that I could use lighter elastics for the time being and that when I visit my orthodontist next, he will be the one who decides if I even need my elastics or how long I have to wear them, or if they need to be on different teeth instead. Exciting! He also said that I would see him less often now that things are running smoothly.... I see him once next month and then he said it may be 6 months after that until I see him again. I liked seeing them and hearing their encouragement! Plus all the people there are very nice! The surgeon told me that the swelling will continue to decrease and I will start to notice more of a difference! My stitches are kind of hanging down from my upper gums now... and its gross and a little uncomfortable. I was brushing my teeth and the stitch was hanging down between my tooth and the wire on my braces and my brush hit it and it started to pull and boy oh boy it was scary and sickening! After a day of just dealing with it, I had Brandon cut it for me. He got the wire cutters (that we have never used... they came in my recovery kit) and I pulled my lip up and held the stitch and he cut it. Amazing what difference it made! Wahoo!!! The cut stitch was probably about an inch in length so it was plenty long. When I brush and can look up at my gums you can see lots of stitches just hanging there and same thing on the bottom - stitches bunched up all over the place! That means I am healing and that makes me a happy camper!
I can eat mainly anything now... except obvious things like steak and corn on the cob. If I can use a knife and fork and cut it into teeny pieces then its going in my mouth! Haha. I have lost a bunch of weight though. Pants that were skin tight on me before surgery are now baggy and have lots of room. That is kind of nice! Let's hope I can maintain it now! I still get tired from doing too much in the day. That needs to change. If anyone is still thinking about getting this surgery done and is worried about it, please don't be! Please know that I was excited to get it done as the surgery was something that I had been needing/wanting for years, but I was also very nervous. It is SO SO SO worth it. One month after and I have noticed a significant amount of positive changes as opposed to a few negative inconveniences that eventually will disappear! The first week is the worst. Hands down. But guess what? It passes! And then guess what? You start to feel better! And then guess what? You start to look better! And it skyrockets from there! It is exciting to look into a mirror and see what your bite looks like, to see how wide you can open your mouth, to take a DEEP breath through your nose, to smell the rain (ahhhhh!) and to just feel darn good about yourself. I think I am a happier person now, hands down. So the point of my rant. Any hesitations are normal absolutely, but don't stop... keep going and experience and take in every moment of the ordeal because as I was told lots before and during the surgery/recovery, "IT'S TEMPORARY". Completely true. Do it.
I have an appointment with the orthodontist in a few days (I am excited to see them all there too, as I haven't seen them since a few days previous to surgery) and I will do an update then as I may find out when they think my braces will come off. (My surgeon said that he thinks at least another 6 months).

Thanks for reading my friends, and as always, have a nice day!

One month post op!

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34