little online diary of each day after DJS & Genio*

*plasty. . saves me explaining it to loads of people seperately and hopefully will be funny to look back on. one day 😂

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Photos from some nice sunny walks recently ☺️

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Went to the orthodontics yesterday, I only have to wear my bands at night now, the dentist is very happy with my teeth and bite 😁 in 4 weeks ill have my final xrays and photos done & get MY BRACES OFF 😧😲😬 WOOHOOOO, after nearly 7 years, it's going to be very strange 🙃

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Day 82.

Nearly at 12 weeks post op

Back to work in a week 😁 can't wait to earn some pennies again... being signed off doesn't pay well at all 😫

Soooooo last week I realised to go anywhere this year I need a new passport as my biometrics and facial features have changed. Quickly cancelled the old and applied for a new one, unfortunate ill look different in a few months again - still waiting on some swelling to come down, meaning I'll have a slightly swollen passport photo or the next 10 years but hey ho 😂 Hopefully off to France for a few days in July woo ☺️ can't wait for a teeny holiday

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Day 75 😁

Swelling is definitely still on the move. Another week, looking different again 😅

Really pushing myself with what I can eat, still soft but less soft soft recently 😁

Also I sleep laying down now wooooo finally ☺️

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Been so busy in the garden, had a friend help build a pallet compost area by the greenhouses. And Sian come over helping me repot all the veggies

We plan to do a extension on the patio too but keeping it cheap using all free/cheap left over materials.

Below some inspiration

Seen so many good ideas using broken slabs/ tiles and even stones 😁 see how cheap we can pull this off, already sourced some slabs a friends giving away. People almost give away spare tiles too for the broken effect inbetween. Watch this space 😁

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Day 68

Hair has gone to full curls after being left unmanaged 😂

Feel like I'm nearly there with sleeping horizontal again. I seem to start at an angle, then slowly work myself down throughout the night. I still have pain by my ears - mainly my right, especially in the the evening. Spoke to the nurse about it this week and she said it may be from clenching my jaw. Because I had a bad bite before I need to learn how my jaw should sit in a relaxed position. After hearing this I've realised that sometimes I am clenching my teeth together without realising. So trying to make myself aware and stop everytime I do it. Although it also may be everything settling still and just bones adjusting to position. 😅

Still on soft foods, still have a numb lips on the right side & numb chin. I have some more feeling on the right side of my cheeks but the closer to my chin you get, the number it gets 😂 which is still making eating difficult without getting it everywhere still. Can't wait till I can eat like a civilised member of society again 😅

Another strange thing I've noticed is sometimes if I breathe in really deeply through my nose, I get a pins and needles, almost popping feeling on the roof of my mouth. It doesn't hurt or isn't uncomfortable but definitely feels very strange 😂😂

Made home made elderflower cordial the weekend just gone ☺️it tastes amazing.

The weekend before we wasted 24 hours of out time and tipped away 6 litres of sugary yellow water, the elderflower was not ready 😂. Lesson learnt I'm glad we went in for a second attempt because we made liquid gold ☺️

Ralph turned 2 a couple of days ago ☺️ he is so handsome 😂😁 he had a steak dinner. He is spoilt.

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Face in the morning vs face in the afternoon.

Definitely gets more swollen as the day goes on sometimes

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Chickens are definitely used to me now, they would leg it as soon as I opened thier door before. 😂 started eating thier eggs now I know what's fresh and what's not ☺️ luxury having fresh free range eggs on your doorstep ☺️

Yummmmeh

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Day 61

I'm still trying to get the hang of laying flat. It's so damn uncomfortable, haha! But I'm making progress. My face feels all stiff after a few hours of lying on it, like it needs WD40 .

Done a 4.2 mile walk a few days ago, longest post op. Found some chicken of the woods. Picked some chicken of the woods. Ate some chicken of the woods 😁😁😁 (the softer bits, cut up tiny 😂)

The swelling has significantly reduced over the course of this week, maybe due to the walking I have been doing? I've been trying to build my muscle up a but more too recently, I lost all my strength mainly at the beginning of my recovery , dumbells feel so heavy now 😂 so we start again😅

Planned to walk to sudbury with the dogs to see what it's like but it hasn't stopped raining- typical. Been really enjoying the walking recently ☺️

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Day 59

I have successfully reached the 8-week (2-month) milestone as of last Saturday. Although it feels like a distant memory now 😅, there is still some swelling and numbness. Nevertheless, each passing week brings noticeable improvements.

I can finally sleep on my side again, however this isn't as satisfying as it sounds 😂 my face is not used to the pressure and each morning I wake up with my jaw feeling very stiff and sore 🙃 this is apparently normal & it is something that will get better over time. So I'm slowly adjusting rather then going straight to fetal position.

Photos are from the past 5 days, got a nice glow after being in the sunshine and no longer feeling run down, my sinuses are almost fully clear again and the pressure on my face gone 🌞 😁 been so good to get in the garden ☺️

There is a consistent tingling sensation on the right side, which intensifies upon touching it, is definitely slowly coming back ☺️

My smile and lisp are a little better despite numbness and bands that restrict me ☺️

Evrry day a still showing a little improvement ☺️ and face just forever changing shape 😂

Everyone goes on holiday tomorrow for some more Balkan adventures. Only a tiny weeny bit jealous 😂😅

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Last night was truly incredible!

After trying to convince chris to drive me somewhere darker for an hour, for him to fall asleep, I'd nearly given up in the thought of seeing the northern lights last night. Then my mate Dave offered to come get me at 10.30, and we drove to a field not light polluted that faces north 😬😬😬

We've been here a bunch of times before and always left feeling let down. But not last night! We waited and waited, and there were a few other people there waiting too.

When it got to about 11 30 the Aurora was in full display to the naked eye with greens and pinks 🥹 absolutely incredible with the rays of light moving every 30 seconds or so 😍

I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and contentment this morning. It has been a truly amazing experience.

Chris was devastated when I got in and woke him up to show him what he missed 😂😂

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Day 55

Nose is like a tap 😭😂 but feeling a bit better. Sinuses a bit better but not great 🤧

Yesterday had another amazing mushroom Dahl (thanks Jo! )

Feel good in a bowl 🥣

Got up early to take the dogs out before it got too hot 😊

Is already 20°, not that I'm complaining 😊

Started this yesterday (thankyou nanny)

I'm hooked on it 😁

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Day 54 post op.

Face is like a puffer fish today. Caught Chris's cold/virus despite staying well away from him 🤧. Was praying yesterday morning that maybe my new wide nostils were just more susceptible to hay-fever 😅 but no im definitely unwell. I feel it in my sinuses & not aloud to blow my nose 😒 luckily don't feel as bad as I did last night, and managed to round up the energy to take the dogs on a quick 40 mins before it got too hot this morning.

Feeling bit better about myself since last week and is incredibly exciting to be able to eat flat breads and naan ( when ripped into baby size peices) 😂

Drinking lots of smoothies (thankyou for the fruit again nanny) and lots of garlic in every meal, is probably why I don't feel as bad as chris did. Gonna relax in the sunshine now ✨️

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Day 48

It's been a while since I last posted a selfie or photo of me. I've been struggling this week with how I look, which I never thought would be an issue, but seems to be now . I know 7 weeks is way too soon to judge how I look in anyway, and there's still so much that will change, and so much healing to be done, but this week I've not really wanted to look in the mirror at all.

My whole face feels so uneven, my chin and cheeks look square and huge, my lips are still crooked when I smile (I know the numbness probably make it worse because i still cant feel the right side of my lips and my cheeks are still swollen, especially on one side - which isn't helping).

I keep thinking about how confident I was in my looks before, despite my bite/chin/jawline. Compared to now, feeling so unsure and shy to see anyone. I know there's so much more healing to go, i dont know why all of a sudden am just really struggling with it and just feel a massive confidence knock recently.

It is something I'll have to get used to as could take up to a year for my face to fully settle I know. It probably doesn't help that this week my skins decided to break out too, adding insult to injury 😅 I know it's getting better day by day, but the dissatisfaction has been stressful this week. I know this is just a temporary feeling. The thought of going through this whole recovery process, to only create new possibly bigger insecurities is a worry.

I think I've been struggling this week because of the sunshine to be honest. Suddenly the thought of meeting up with friends in the sun fills me with insecurities. The fact I still cant eat nicely, even tiny piece with a spoon, I just get it everywhere and it's gross. Really not feeling myself at all and not recently not feeling very confident at all. Just want to feel pretty again 😕

I'm am OK, talking about this helps. I know that this will pass in a few months ( or god forbid a year 😅 hopefully ill look back and laugh )

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Day 45, looking after a neighbours birds for him whilst he is away the next few weeks ☺️

There's alot 😅

Gets me out of bed in the morning

I don't really agree with keeping birds, but I'll make sure they are fed and safe from foxes. The chickens can roam free, and the doves are free to fly around atleast ☺️

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Day 44!

This morning made shakshuka for breakfast. Didn't manage the flat bread but the dish itself with crumbled Feta was amazing 😋

Jetwashed the greenhouses and repotted today in the sunshine. So nice to have the sunshine 🌞 got some brambles cleared from round the greenhouse too ☺️

[incomingnewsmile]

Day 44!

This morning made shakshuka for breakfast. Didn't manage the flat bread but the dish itself with crumbled Feta was amazing 😋

Jetwashed the greenhouses and repotted today in the sunshine. So nice to have the sunshine 🌞 got some brambles cleared from round the greenhouse too ☺️