Alright, I am a lover of food. So of course in the beginning, jaw surgery was extremely hard on me, all I wanted was to feel full. So I found a cure, something no one thought of. This only applies to people who aren't wired shut. In my case, I have a splint attached to my upper jaw and elastics. I'm sadly being forced to keep my splint in for 6 weeks. Technically 6 weeks is December 30th, but I' hoping for the 24th(a).
Okay, so... I don't know about you guys, but the consistency of mashed foods just grosses me out and it quickly becomes annoying. Cause I'm sure any of you, like me, just want to be normal again. So, me, being stubborn experimented and found a cure. If you use this "cure", maybe mincing, but no mashing, (unless you must) you'll heal extremely fast. A regular jaw surgery patient sticks to the liquid diet rule, but by doing this your energy levels are low, your nutrients are in powder, and you're always hungry or sleeping. By the end of week 1, I was back into a full day of school and work, and I'm betting it was my cure.
(if you want the cure immediately just skip to the bottom, but honestly there are some insightful things below too)
I will say, because many may avoid school or work because of this. But the drooling problem is very annoying. Especially when you have a splint. It's embarrassing. But at the same time not being in your normal routine makes you feel horrible. So, first of all, you need to learn to keep your mouth closed and your head up high, when you feel drool building up, tilt back and swallow. I know it may hurt, but if you keep doing it it will become habit and you will control it much better. Next thing, what my mom did was she went out and bought different colours of little clothes. I bring those clothes everywhere, and when I talk I just cover my mouth. At that moment, people may ask whats wrong, so just tell the the truth (this goes more towards splints). In my case, a Grade 12 high school student, word spreads fast, everyone at school knows I have issues drooling at the moment, and somehow they think it's adorable. Which is funny cause I've always been one of those people who don't have many friends, and go home for lunch. But at the same time it works for me, and people like me. What lots of people don't think about is that majority of the people in this world, UNDERSTAND. Jaw surgery is extremely common, I can't name how many people tell me they know someone whose had it. On top of that, majority of teenagers get their wisdom teeth out, they go through the same drooling, mashed foods thing, except for a shorter amount of time. But they understand. I work at McDonalds, believe it or not, so my old job I'd generally do drive through or be a cashier. Other positions include fries, running, kitchen... But I'm good at talking to customers, so I get shifted there. Yesterday, (December 1, 2012), I was running for drive through because there's minimal talking to customers. I keep an emergency cloth in my pocket for when I do have to talk. A customer asked me to get some salad dressing for her, I nodded and delivered. She then asked because I have my cloth, "What's wrong with your mouth", I told her I just got jaw surgery and drool. She then said "Wow, you're so brave for working". I must say, makes you feel great right? :) Don't be afraid to tell people whats going on, because they do understand. My one friend Claire from work the other day just told me she "likes my slob-cloth" and than told me about when she got her wisdom teeth out. She's in Grade 11, which I thinks say a lot. On top of everything else, those chipmunk cheeks many of you hate, win you points everywhere. Use them to your advantage, most people think it's cute. Now the cure:
In order for this cure to work for you, you need to learn how to swallow (again). I know it hurts and is extremely hard at the beginning, but it does get easier and practice makes perfect.
Secondly, this cure needs practice too. I suggest you go out and buy or use an old childhood bib. On top of that take a towel or rag and cover your body to your waist from where the bib stops. Just one dish drying towel will work. In my case I have a mickey mouse Christmas bib, because I'm looking forward to Christmas and the 6 week mark. You'll also need little baby spoons to put through the very tiny gap you can open your mouth too.
The trick is, get ready.... swallowing food whole. Wow, very insightful isn't it. If you want to get food down, that's the trick. Honestly were raised to chew, for our safety of course. But believe or not, a whole lot can fit through the tube that goes to your stomach. I stumbled upon this cure, when I was at my hairdressers, and drinking a chicken noodle soup from Tim Hortons (Canadian company, not many in America). They had these bow-tie noodles in them, the big ones, as in around 5cm by 3cm. I was drinking my soup peacefully when all of a sudden I accidentally swallowed the whole noodle. It didn't hurt at all. I proceeded to shout to my mom that "I can swallow things whole!!". That noodle gave me a guideline on how much I could fit down my throat. When you are swallowing things whole, first:
1) Make sure they have some sort of sauce or slim to them. AKA, NOT DRY!
2) Make sure they are of reasonable size, and if not, chop them smaller.
3) Make sure you start off tilted back or with your head tilted back. Once you get better at swallowing, you wont have to tilt back at all, like me.
4) Get a little stand up mirror that's portable and rotatable, put it in front of you until you get used to where your mouth is.
SOME YUMMY FOOD IDEAS (excluding ice cream, pies, puddings, yogurt, shakes, ect) :)
- BREAD PUDDING (not mashed, like bread chunks in them, I'll ask my mom for her recipe and post it) btw, there are sooo many different kinds of bread pudding, ginger molasses is one I'm trying today :) put syrup with the bread pudding and VOILA, french toast craving DONE!
- GINGER MOLASSES BREAD PUDDING WITH BLUEBERRIES (also many other flavours)
- MR NOODLES. Great starter food, many different flavours. My only tip is when you have the package in your hands, squish the bag to make all the noodles smaller before cooking it. Add whatever spices you please to the broth or noodles. Get a baby spoon or spoon, tilt back, and drop it into your mouth. Lots of filling carbs, salt and 5g of protein. Goes down easily :)
- CHEF BOYARDEE BEEFARONI - Perfect size to swallow, just heat up in the microwave. I can swallow 3 noodles at a time. Beef has natural protein and filling carrbss :)
- HAMBURGER HELPER - Self explanatory, kinda like beefaroni but different flavour :)
- CAMPBELLS SOUPS - Any soups with swallowable sized pieces you can have
- EGGS BENEDICT - Cut the hard boiled egg into small pieces, with small pieces of black forest ham deli meat, smother in hollandaise sauce!!
- KD, very easy to eat whole!
- WEINERS AND BEANS, I found this food a little more difficult sometimes, you just have to be a little more careful or water down the sauce a tiny bit.
SIDEKICKS - Huge variety of flavours, saucy, filling and delicious!
So I'm still experimenting, but these are some good starter ideas, that are easy to swallow and fulfilled some of my cravings!
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