I realize I'm over due for a video! Such a slacker. I've been such a lazy butt since I've been home and I've been loving it!! I've always been one that would literally chew my right arm off before I'd stay home all day (with or without something to keep me busy). I HAD to get out each day even if for a short walk around the block. I don't know whats happened to me?! I'm such a home body, I stay home most days not really doing anything AND not going stir crazy. Dr Arnett not only gave me a new face but a new sanity system too!
Anyway, today I thought I would just document my small changes (or lack thereof). And stay tuned, a Lana Lee Mehlhoff production is coming to a computer near you!
In the past couple weeks:
- more definition in jaw line
- cheeks still full and slightly puffy
- under eyes, top of cheekbones and around nose still puffy
- more feeling on face!
- the feeling seems to be working its way in. it started along my hair line and each side is slowly coming back toward the middle of my face. so right now (5 weeks post-op) I can feel up to the corners of my mouth. under eyes has feeling back as well
- top of my nose and top lip have some feeling
- inside of my nose is still numb and parties all night long
- the itching is getting worse and driving me crazy! the party has now migrated down to my chin as well..I don't like to be left out of parties.. I certainly will be glad to satisfy that itch one day!!
- chin and bottom lip still completely numb
- gums numb
- roof of mouth numb
- more feeling on my tongue
- still drooling every now and then!
- front left tooth is not quite as dark as it was in cali- PRAY THAT IT CONTINUES TO LIGHTEN AND I DONT NEED A ROOT CANAL!
- my poor hair is still struggling in this life
- don't fret- I'll be putting my extensions back in in 2 weeks!!! I seriously can not wait, you have no idea how excited I am! Extensions make everything better- did I mention I am also the greatest extension artist this side of the equator? yup, I was trained well and my hair is top quality that lasts 2+ years, so if you want long, full, thick, beautiful hair call me and you wont be disappointed! Don't mind me advertising myself right about now. 702 769 8250.. Let's do this! :)
- nails are weak and breaking right and left. tragic.
- Dr Spilsbury is checking my progress weekly- says everything is looking really good!
- I don't remember if I already mentioned the first time he saw me after surgery but... he was like a little kid in a candy store for the first time. big smile on his face. so pleased with the results. must be such a reward to not only be working with a client for so many years and finally see results but to also know that part of the result is his own work :) way to go Dr Spils! There is no better ortho- he is such a perfectionist and has been so helpful through this long journey
19 days until these stupid rubber bands come off!!!! Who's counting? Me! I totally am! 19 more days marks 8 weeks post-op which means a lot of patiently awaited things for me. Those things being: SIDE SLEEPING!!! Oh heaven that will be! Nose blowing (still so so so grateful that my nose is clear clear clear! It seriously has never been this clear. It's amazing. Thanks to Dr Arnett for scraping out my sinuses!! He says it was awful, it was just so chocked full. ew. Anyway it has been so great I've seriously thought about going back in to get it scraped out again should I need to! Is that even possible?) Also, straw sucking whoop whoop! That will make my life so much more convenient! Spoon usage. No chewing yet though. I'll still be on puréed diet for 2 additional weeks after the bands come off. This is due to me being a high risk patient and having retarded joints. Yay me! But my list of foods to eat once I can is ever growing and my food board on pinterest is making me salivate.
This week my mom made some delicious baked potatoes that we put in the NutriSystem with bacon (duh!), sour cream, onions and a little bit of cheese.. uh, yeah, that was good! Better than I thought. Then I tried a new recipe. African Quinoa-Peanut Soup which includes red bell pepper, celery, green chilies, sweet potato, zucchini, quinoa and peanut butter among other things and spices. D to the VINE. I love peanuts (although I am sadly allergic) and peanut butter (which I am not allergic to- go figure) and veggies are my favorite.. so it's safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed that soup! I've had a lot of people ask for the recipe so I've posted it below.
blended baked potato. it's amazing how things blended up taste exactly like the real thing
potatoe 'stache
African Quinoa- Peanut Soup pre- peanut butter..
..and after peanut butter..so so good!
the recipe
sorry the right picture is grainy, but this is just to show the difference as of today (April 26, 2013)
healing is still not complete so it could look different in a few months, but look at the difference now. wow. amazing. do I look like the same person? this is great! Dang, I look good! (on the left side)
I've noticed that now, even with the rubber bands on, I have more confidence talking to people than I did before. I absolutely could not stand the way my mouth, lips, teeth and jaw were before and I hated when I saw how they functioned in the mirror. And through the changes and my jaw receding I noticed people staring at my mouth when I would talk rather than my eyes or even both. It's like they could tell something was wrong with my mouth but not sure what so they were trying to figure it out. And I felt like they weren't really listening to me. So I got really insecure talking to people and I would hardly look at them while I talked. Now, even though I can't open my mouth and my lips are still getting movement back I feel more back to my old self. I can look people in the eye while I talk to them. I'm not afraid when someone is looking at me, or when someone is standing next to me and sees my side profile (because I've got a side profile now and excuse me when I say SOMEBODY'S LOOKING FAAAABULOUS). I can now laugh when people look at my mouth and try to figure out what I am saying because they are probably just thinking I have to wear the rubber bands due to my braces and that sucks. Hah! Wrong..if only they knew. But it's temporary. Soon I'll be able to have the bands off and work on full function of my mouth and be a normal human being once again! Here's to feeling pretty!
