A good massage would be nice. I got some quick shoulder rubs. I was in knots. And I've also tried to give myself massages, when I was in pain, and it really does help to distract.

The Beefaroni wasn't the best idea. I tried eating it without blending. One noodle got stuck and when my mouth closed, it caused a pain in my chin area. The nerve that runs through there. So even a soft noodle isn't going to work this early on because my jaw just isn't ready for it.

So then we blended it roughly. It tired out my jaw muscles trying to get it through the teeth and swallowed. Just not worth the effort yet.

It's got to be completely blended, which is kind of gross texture-wise.

Forever a truism.

Trach, it tasted great. :)

You can imagine the desperation, yeah?

I am not a Beefaroni eater, lol.

But I really, really wanted this to work.

This weekend I might try pizza, blended with milk.

Another thing...

This is a six month recovery process. Typically 4-6 months total for the jaw bones to heal, really a full year, but by the six month point I should seem back to normal in every way. My case isn't as involved as some, because mine was lower jaw only (some have both done), and it moved 4 mm, which is on the conservative end of the spectrum.

Many people seem to get feeling back in the numb areas around the month-and-a-half to two-month mark. I hope that happens for me.

I will probably be blending food and struggling with my speech and with my sleep (can't sleep on my side and I'm a side sleeper) for a few more months. And all of these things contribute to the depression.

It's just going to put a damper on my life for a while. No getting around it.

So that means I will probably be venting and complaining (whining and moaning) on this thread half the time.

Try a thinner soup, like minestrone blended. That might help with the texture.

Vent and complain all you need.

I have another idea...we used to have what my mum called "egg flips".
An egg or two, milk and Milo or Ovaltine (might be Australian) in a blender.
It was very, very filling, and a mass of protein. Plus it might help to boost your calorie intake.

More hugs and love. ♥

Trach, it's a good idea. I have some minestrone. I'll try it tomorrow.

V, I think we have Ovaltine here. I'll try that too.

Twice, I've made egg drop soup using chicken broth, two eggs, and a tiny bit of cornstarch to thicken. I can easily get that down, by swallowing the egg bits. It's filling. Today I added milk to it. It was great!

And I use two scoops vanilla protein powder, two whole bananas, plus milk to make a huge shake. It's tasty and filling.

I was able to talk him into a foot massage. It pretty much sucked but was better than nothing.

Hi, SP.

Busy these days, so popping in to give you a couple of warm hugs and shot of tiger blood)

Would the texture of slow cooked grits with lot's of butter work?

Ha, I appreciate the tiger blood! Thanks, MB. :)

Yeah, I think so, Trach. Just has to be thinned out enough. Another good idea. :)

I broke down into tears and was crying bitterly. Brian came in to rub my hand. He tried to comfort me. I don't understand him sometimes.

He suggested it's PMS and I shook my head, but then I checked the calendar. He is right. It might be!

I don't know you, SP, but saw your thread, and decided to read it. I spent many years a serious dental phobe. So, your title attracted me. I've read it all and wanted to reach out and tell you how brave I think you are! I am sorry you are not getting the support you need from your husband. Mine is not so supportive, verbally or physically, but, he never antagonizes me. That is very hard to read, and I am sorry that you have had to endure that.

You sound like you are progressing very well. I jump in because I had a simple gum surgery that did not go so simply, 2 years ago. It was nothing compared to your issues, but, I had to eat puréed foods for a couple of weeks. Some foods that worked well were:

A turkey sausage, bean, kale, veggie soup, puréed very smooth. It was really good and nourishing. Maybe some canned bean and meaty soups would purée nicely, if cooking is too much, now.

Yogurt smoothies. You can add fruits, flax, coconut oil, protein powders, etc...

Green smoothies: you can google many recipes. But, for calories, add avocado, flax, bananas. I forget about nuts and nut butters due to allergies in my family, but they can go into smoothies.

I also would eat soft avocados with a bit of sal and lime, scooped right out of the skins.

Mashed potato soup? You can add cheese, bacon, anything, and purée.

Anyway, you are so brave to do this, and I wish you all the best. I hope you continue to heal well, and can cope otherwise, in the meantime.

Hi Phoebe :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Brave or crazy, lol. I'm one of the two. Haha! Maybe both.

Green smoothies...yeah, I like them. I've often made them. I was considering making them, but so far, been doing simple stuff with few ingredients only because I haven't felt like making much, and because I'm dealing with a husband I can't count on all the time.

We actually tried the coconut oil addition to the smoothies and it seemed to thicken up and really froth up the texture to the point I couldn't drink it down like a liquid. So then we put little pieces of coconut oil in and I tried it that way. Better but still difficult. And then I realized the best way to get the coconut oil down is to put it in warm soups so that it melts.

Bean soups blended -- this does sound like an excellent idea! I think I will stock up on these.

Thanks again, Phoebe. Feel free to stop by anytime and chat on my thread.

The mashed potato soup -- I made this, sort of, a few days ago. I put lots of butter in it. Wanted to put cheese but was concerned it might cause problems. I'm going to try it again soon with the cheese.

Unlike moi (;)), phoebe is a sensational cook J.
(And an awesome person as well... :)).

We have some avocados. I was wondering how to thin it. Should I use milk or water? I usually eat them with lime juice, salt, and pepper but don't want to use lime because of the mouth incisions.