Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey everyone. I'm now one week post-op, and feeling awesome, for the most part. I've had relatively little swelling and bruising, and my energy levels are generally normal. I've needed absolutely no painkillers. I might even be well enough to go back to school sometime next week. My only complaint is that I'm having a great amount of difficulty with the syringe. I dislike the gazillion bottles of Ensure and Boost that my parents bought for me, and it seems like I can't get anything thicker than juice down into me without making a big mess. I've survived solely off of vitamin boosted fruit juices, water, and chicken broth for the past two days. I know this isn't healthy...definitely not what my OS had in mind for a "balanced diet". I am in desperate need of some new ideas for thin-enough liquids. I am a picky eater, but I'm willing to try anything that I know I can get down through the syringe! I have a whole other week on a strictly syringe diet, and I don't know if I can last! Gah! Thanks!
Jayda

I just posted this on a different thread, I had double jaw surgery almost 2 weeks ago and my mouth is almost totally closed due to lots of elastics. I tried those zip and seal bags but recently discovered plain old zip lock bags where I put food in and cut a hole in a corner and place the bag between the little space between my teeth and slowly press the food into my mouth, it works the best for me!

"Pureeing everything, to me is disgusting! If I can eat soup with some baby little round pasta in it to add a little texture, I totally choose that to pure liquid. I am on a strict no-chew diet for 6 weeks - 4 1/2 to go! I want texture and substance in my food. Anyway, that's what I do with all my food now, put it in a baggy and cut a whole in a bottom corner and push. It's the best! Last night i ate salad that i blended into coleslaw, rice that I blended down smaller and chicken that I blended into nothing practically and i mixed it all together and mmmm, mmmm, good! I never thought I would get to the point of blending all my food together but it actually just tasted like a chicken salad sandwich minus the bread. And then for dessert, vanilla ice cream with frozen raspberries that I blended into little pieces and some milk all mixed up and put in a baggie and pushed into my mouth! I'm totally getting the knack to this eating/no-chewing thing!lly getting the knack to this eating/no-chewing thing!"

No, sorry Meryaten, I actually just read the initial question and posted. I usually write in response to the person posting the topic! sorry!

Salad? Someone managed to eat a salad? Wow.

I'm a month post op, and my OS just gave me clearance to start a soft diet. Fish, well-cooked soft pasta, et cetera.

For the first two weeks I had nothing but broths, juices, and milkshakes.

Week 3 and 4 I didn't have to wear the splint during the day anymore, and my jaws could open enough to put a small spoon in, so I gummed through things like cottage cheese, tofu, soft eggs, et cetera.

Cream of wheat is a great option, too.

Feel better!

Kristen
http://bracemyself.blogspot.com/

Yes, cream of wheat has been my little life saver. Aside from the super thin liquid only diet, the cream of wheat has added the texture I needed. although, I'm three weeks post op and I'm already tired of the liquids. I'll just keep hanging in there though. It'll be over soon.

Question about the zip lock and ZNS bags. Where do you squirt the food into your mouth through? there's no gap between my arches due to the splint, and so that leaves only a couple tiny gaps between teeth...