Day 64

Are You Better Off Now Than You Were 4 Years Months Ago?

A recurring theme in these orthognathic blogs is, "Am I happy I did it? If I had it to do over, would I still do it?" Overwhelmingly, people say, "Yes." I've been on the fence. In particular, I've been stressed about regaining feeling in my lower lip. I was warned that due to my "advanced age" (rude) that I may not get back full feeling. The idea of never feeling my lower lip again is upsetting to me. The idea of never being able to kiss? It seems unfathomable. And it's not just that I can't feel my lip. I don't know where it is. (Yes, reader, I'll look where I last saw it.) I just mean, it's hard to even kiss someone on the cheek – with the right pressure, to not miss, to not leave a mess. It's a big price tag in my opinion and one I wasn't sure I'd pay given a second chance.

The Good News

Guess what I ate today, reader. Nilla Wafers! I used to grind them up for my puree desserts and now I can eat them normally. Pretty cool.

I still see improvements still in my face. The swelling is still there. Still asymmetrical. I still sound muffled when I talk (and it still feels effortful for talk.) But it's getting there. The other day I was on the bus (feeling a bit crabby) and I thought to myself, "My mouth is closed." It was a little blessing. I couldn't close my mouth for so many weeks. In that moment, I was grateful that my mouth was closed. 

And I'm happy to report that I definitely feel more of my lip now. It's creeping in slowly. Keep creeping little nerves. Keep creeping.