Five Month Anniversary

AKA: Better Late Than Never?

Two days ago was the five month anniversary of my surgery.  I can now say that I'm happy that I had it done.  I've been eating more and more over the last month, been out socializing and going out with James, and all around been leading a much more normal life.  My overall pain is greatly diminished and there are even times when either I don't hurt at all or it's so little I don't notice.  I never understood the impact of chronic pain but now I understand just how much it was affecting (effecting? Why can't I get that straight?!)  my life.  In the past month I have been out for a five mile hike, a picnic, and another 3 mile hike.  We're thinking about going bicycling for our anniversary next week and I've purchased a six-week belly dance lesson package.  All around, I'm feeling alive again.  (Though the arrival of Spring probably has helped that.)  And James says that I'm a much nicer person to be around (at least after my first meal, kinda iffy before then).

On the doctors front, everybody seems very happy with my progress.  Dr Movahed (surgeon) was pleased enough that he told me not to come back for three months.  (On an interesting note, I asked him why the right side of my head , like my neck scar, my ear, my upper jaw on that side, etc., was not healing as well as my left.  He said that is very common but he'd have to make up a reason because nobody knows for sure why.  He'll never fake knowledge if it's not there.  I love my surgeon!).  Shawn (PT) says that there's been a a lot of progress recently and is happy that I'm maintaining that progress so well.  We have moved back to two sessions a week from three.  Dr Keller (jaw doctor) said that he will start moving my teeth next month and they took impressions for an appliance that will allow for that movement.  Once my teeth are settled then we can start talking about the braces coming off.  Yay!

I started working with Elizabeth McChesney (a nutritionist) in early March because I had dropped in weight to 109lbs.  I got lucky and she told me: Eat all the (healthy) fat and sugar you want and don't move around too much.  Oh darn!  I was stuck at about 110lbs for several weeks and then *boom* I put on six pounds in two weeks!  Elizabeth warned me that I would do that and she was right.  While I'm happy to be putting on some weight, I know it means the end of the "eat anything you want" diet.  I'd gotten to quite liking Donettes with breakfast and desserts at both lunch and dinner.  *sigh*  All good things must come to an end.  I only weigh-in once a week, so we'll see what I'm at on Tuesday.

Overall, I'd say life is pretty good.  I hope all y'all can say the same!