Jaw Surgery Forums » Pre-Surgery Questions

Let the countdown begin

(4 posts)

  1. PG
    Member

    Hey everyone. My name is Pat and I'm a senior in college right now. My surgery (upper and lower) is scheduled for December 22nd. Like a lot of people using this site, I was relieved that this blog exists. I had thought that jaw surgeries were few and far between, but I guess not. Reading all the entries on this site has given me some great insight into how to cope with recovery. Like Brandon, I will be wired shut for 5-6 weeks. Seeing as I will be on winter break, the first 3 weeks of recovery will be at home. After that, I will return to school and be wired shut for 2-3 weeks. I plan on letting all of my professor's know that I won't be able to really talk. At least I have an excuse not to participate now. The one real question I have is for those who have had their jaws wired already: how and what did you eat? Are there special squeeze packets of food or other special tools to use for an all-liquid diet? I know I will probably lose 10-15 pounds, since I can barely put on weight as it is. Any information would be very helpful. Thanks very much!

    Pat
    Posted 2 years ago #

  2. Brandon
    Site Administrator

    Hey Pat,

    Yep, it's always surprising just how many of us there are!

    That's good timing on the surgery, as you'll have the bulk of the swelling and recovery out of the way after those first 3 weeks.

    For eating, I used a plastic syringe tube, which can be found at CVS or Walgreens, etc.

    I used that to squeeze through applesauce, yogurt, pudding, and even watered-down peanut butter (sounds gross, but taste surprisingly just like regular peanut butter), in addition to drinking plenty of protein and meal replacement drinks.

    I hope that helps, and if you have any other questions along the way, just let us know.

    Good luck with surgery and the entire process, and I'm sure you'll agree that it's completely worth it when it's all over!

    I'm Brandon, the creator of JawSurgeryBlog.com. I personally had upper and lower jaw surgery on October 30, 2007. Thankfully, everything went beautifully, so I'm trying to make sure everyone else's surgery goes smoothly as well!

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corrective-Jaw-Surgery/114627165257701
    Posted 2 years ago #

  3. Paula
    Member

    Hey pat:)
    Congrats on getting a date for your surgery! I was so excited 2 finally get a date for mine. I got mine on the first on dec, and the surfery went well. My jaw will be wired shut for 6 weeks.... gosh it seems like such a long time. As for eating, I have been pretty vcreative.. for instance I just had a pork roast and mashed potatoes for dinner. We just put the meat in a blender with beef broth and pureed it until it was completley liquid. Tastes almost the same minus the chewing. For the mashed potatoes we just mix milk and butter and they are yummy. Prob my fav. It is really hard for me being wried shut. I like to talk and I like to eat! Last nite my boyfriend baked cookies and I was ready to kill him for teasing me, so he mixed some fresh baked cookies with some milk in the blender and I ate it. Didn't really taste the same. Oohh, I also have tomato soup and chicken noodle soup. And the other day we but french onion soup in the blender and it was delicious. Just sucks eating thru that syrange.. I wasn't really hungry until today. Today was the first day that I actually wanted food. I am craving chicken wings and pizza soooo bad. 5 weeks.... aah. I also have instant breakfast and the enure and boost drinks.
    So you see, you aren't that limited as long as you have some help. I'm too lazy to cook and blend things alone. Good luck with your surgery! Tomorro I think I am gonna try spagetti.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  4. PG
    Member

    Thanks very much Brandon and Paula. Paula, that is really creative! I hadn't even thought about blending whole meals and drinking it down. I am not very excited for being shut, since I also love to talk and eat. Oh well. Guess we'll just have to deal with it. Besides, 6 weeks isn't that long in the long run. Thanks again for the ideas Paula.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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