Steak

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Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:53 am

So of course, having been wired shut for 5 weeks tomorrow with 5 more weeks in store, I found the title of this discussion "Steak" incredibly intriquing and drool-inducing (however, I am still numb so that may be part of the drooling issue). I, too, have been planning my break out of wired prison meal for forever it seems. I was looking at ribs from my favorite place, but based upon what you all said, it seems that ribs are out of the question. On first thought, I was totally devastated, but at this point, when I have been doing pure liquids (I'm not talking pureed here, I'm still doing thin thin liquids, milkshakes are still a no go and anything pureed just sits in the front of my lips with nowhere to go) I'm up for anything with texture, flavor, anything, so if I can't have ribs, I'll plan on something else, anything (minus broths, boost, and gatorade), I'm ready.

Thanks all for the help and marvelous advice.

#17 Post by **pokergirl** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:46 pm

lethonflowers41, the only ribs you'll be looking at on "break-out day" will be your own from being wired for 10 weeks. LOL! I feel so sorry for you. I really do. I was only wired for 19 days. I cannot imagine 10 weeks. I know what you're talking about on the pureed food. Mine did the same thing at first. Are you straining with a fine mesh strainer? Once I got one of those, things started going down better. I got unwired today, and my first meal consisted of mashed potatoes with gravy and apple sauce. My doctor said no chewing for 3 more weeks. He said I can eat anything that I can mash using my tongue against the roof of my mouth.

Meryaten, you're right about eating being so exhausting. I was still hungry but was too tired to finish.

Shutup&kissme, how is your ROM now?

#18 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:39 pm

OMG! I thought it was horrible enough being on no chew for 6 weeks and then soft foods only for another 6 weeks. I cannot imagine being wired shut for 10 full weeks! Yikes, you are going to be skin and bones when you are done!

Have you tried the zip and squeeze bags? How are you surviving?
Why do you have to be wired for so long? Was there a problem during your surgery?

Brandy

#19 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:55 pm

Aaargh, I was wired for 10 days and that was difficult. If I had been told I needed to be wired for 10 weeks, I'm not sure if I would have had the guts to go ahead with the surgery. How easy/difficult is it to carry on with your day-to-day routine, like going to work or school, or whatever, when you're wired for that long?

#20 Post by **lethonflowers41** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:45 am

It's so funny, when they told me it was going to be ten weeks I was cool with it. I'm like I can do anything for 10 weeks, that's like 140 meals, no problem. (I'm normally a light eater.) Anyway, I have to do 10 weeks as my jaws are fighters (featherweight of course) and always have been, I've had them relocated before and they just moved back like they never moved out (I'm not even sure they unpacked their luggage), but this was the first massive surgery for them, so my OS is being extremely careful. I love my OS and the surgery went marvelously.

I can't say it's really even that big of a deal for me. I mean, yeah, I miss food, who wouldn't, but other than ribs, fried chicken and crusty warm french bread dripping with butter, I can't say that I'm craving much. And don't worry about me and my ribs. I'm naturally small and I had put on about 18 pounds in preparation for the surgery. However, I did lose all that weight plus some in the first two weeks, but I've actually just put on 2 pounds recently. I'm drinking tons of milk and protein shakes and everyone jokes that I'm getting more nutrition than I normally would. I'm usually a donut breakfast and swiss cake roll lunch kind of girl.

And Brandy I did try the zip n squeezes, and I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't love those things. They are very hard to squeeze for me and when I try to use them I usually end up on the floor from exhaustion. Of course, from that vantage point, I determined that I think my ceiling is a different color than my walls. So zip n squeezes are helpful for some things.

Work is going fine as well. I'm an attorney so there is not too much excercise involved, though some of the books I have to carry now outweigh me, but other than that, I'm managing fine. Of course, I don't see me running a marathon anytime soon.

Thanks for all the support and sympathy, but don't worry about lil ol me, worry about the ribs of the world come November. And don't blame me if there is a shortage on the eastern seaboard!

(November gives me about one month recuperation does that sound like enough time for ribs?)

(And I just thought I should clarify, I'm not fully wired, I'm wired, banded, and surgically hooked together (I have hooks that wrap around the jaw through my sinus cavity), but there is no movement once so ever up, down, sideways, so in essence, I'm wired shut.

#21 Post by **pokergirl** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:00 am

lethonflowers41, your last post has me cracking up. I swear my sides are hurting.

#22 Post by **dubnobass** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:03 am

lethonflowers41 wrote:surgically hooked together (I have hooks that wrap around the jaw through my sinus cavity)

Have we got an emoticon for 'wince'? Apparently not. Have this one, instead:

I admire your spirit. I've had heavy elastics since surgery, which have been gently driving me crazy.. can't imagine what it would have been like to not be able to open up at all. Then again.. I suppose you can get used to anything.

#23 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:34 pm

I had both the liquid and puree bags and found the puree type totally useless while wired. Stuff just comes out so fast that it goes everywhere, except in between your teeth where you actually need it. And most pureed stuff was too thick to get through, anyways.

Sounds like you're doing great, lethonflowers! I love your sense of humor. Here's hoping the next five weeks fly by really quick.

#24 Post by **shutup&kissme** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:48 pm

Hey pokergirl, sorry I haven't had the best internet lately. My ROM is soooo much better now! I'm about 7 weeks post op now and have been pleasantly surprised by just how much I'm able to eat. I'm able to open my mouth enough to fit (approximating) 1 & 1/2 fingers (if my finger could be split in half ew visual picture) and am having little trouble chewing. In fact, day 2 of being unwired I was munching on fries and the extra thick extra hard top of creme brulee.

The chewing is not much of a problem, but it's more like opening my mouth and fitting food in that is. I have to take it slow and can't stuff my face these days.

lethonflowers- You're so brave for enduring 10 weeks!!! I know how you feel about missing food, I couldn't watch commercials for KFC or whatever and would drool just watching the Food Network, but the time goes by super fast & it makes it all the better once it's all over with because the results are fabulous. Good luck and keep us all posted on how it goes!

#25 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:56 pm

Lethonflowers41,
I certainly didn't think the zip and squeeze were the most amazing thing ever, but they did work pretty well for me. I had a space in the back where a tooth was extracted though so I was able to get the tubes into that space and basically just squish the stuff right down my throat. Mostly all I ate out of them though was watered down cream of wheat. LOL...

Glad to hear you are getting lots of protein drinks into yourself and if you are gaining weight then you must be doing something right!

Good luck to you, and I admire your great attitude!

Brandy

#26 Post by **lethonflowers41** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:37 am

Thanks all. These posts definitely help a girl keep going. And titling a forum steak is one way to do it. As for the zip n squeezes, I purchased the party pack for both liquids and pureed items and neither really worked. However, I'm not saying they are not great. I have a friend who had some reconstructive jaw surgery and he loved the ZnS, in fact he still breaks them out now at parties. I know he would take them to dinner still if we all didn't swear we would act like we didn't know him.

And although the surgical hooks sound painful, they're truly not. They're like fishing lines with hooks on each end. I had three sets put in during surgery. The wrap around the jaw for extra stability, but the only soft tissue the touch is my gums right close to the edge so they're not painful (no need to wince). The only bad thing is the one right in the front is literally right in the front and I look like a hooked fish now that the swelling has gone down. I've searched these posts a lot and I've never seen anyone else with these, but then other people have the most random things. It's amazing to see how many different options are out there.

So with 34 days left, I sign off for now. And remember if you need any design tips for your ceiling, I'm your girl. I'll just bring my ZnS over.