1 week has passed. I feel better now. I think my case falls under the "better than normal" category. There is relatively no pain on the incisions anymore. I've stopped taking liquid Tylenol since yesterday because one, I don't need it, and second, the medication causes constipation. I'm still using the ice packs at night and about 2 hours during the day. The swelling is still there especially in the upper lip and cheeks areas, as well as my chin and neck areas. It feels very tight and stiff. My lower lip and jaw are much better. I can move my lower lip to talk (or slur) but the upper lip area is still a challenge. Some parts of my face are turning yellow which is a sign that the swelling is going away, slowly.
I've been eating watery porridge and potato soups my mom made. They hold my hunger down for about 2 hours. I've been drinking 1 bottle of Ensure every other day, and those lasts about 3 hours. I lost about 5 lbs so far, I think. My scale is not the best so I don't even know if it weighs correctly. I have 2 more weeks so I hope I get more variety. So far, these 2 items work for me. I'm not even worrying about nutritional value at this point. I just don't want my stomach to growl.
I can clean my teeth a bit better now. I use the non-alcoholic mouthwash and a child toothbrush. I can stick the toothbrush inside my mouth. Rinsing can be a challenge. I spend at least 10-15 minutes brushing my teeth and rinsing every time I do it.
I didn't use any of the zip-n-squeeze bags that I bought. They're now just sitting around collecting dust. I have been able to drink through the commuter cups and/or through spoons. The first few days, I drank through a syringe.
I am still very anxious to see how my face will "settle" and what I would look like after everything is said and done?!
