The loop

It's been too long. Lots of changes. Just the girls lately and all is going well on the facial graft front.

I have stopped physical therapy...once the muscle and nerve officially made friends, it wasn't necessary. I forgot for awhile, but I am a clencher/grinder at night. So, pretty much, the muscle was getting 6-8 hours of exercise a night just from my sleeping. I would wake up in the morning looking like the Joker...face all jacked up on one side. About a month or two of that, and thankfully it has subsided some.

I have learned how to get the muscle moving even when I'm not "gritting my teeth". Pushing my tongue against the inside of my teeth will activate it. Yawning will even activate it. I don't know how I'm doing it exactly (and it sure would be fascinating to understand) but I can smile and slowly get the graft to respond without clenching my teeth...at least I don't think I am. I am activating the same muscles somehow...just not actually pressing my teeth together.

So, most recent followup with my surgeons is done. He is thrilled. He breaks into a huge grin whenever he sees me. And a bonus, today, I got to see one of my other surgeons who hasn't seen me since the week of surger. HUGE grin from him as well. Some doctor to doctor congratulating...totally expected and I laughed. They both agreed this is THE way to do it. Remember I was their guinea pig with this method. It wasn't totally out of the box, but they hadn't done it in this way before.

I am released from followup unless there is an issue. I have my main doc's email. Sadly, he is retiring from service and we lose him to the North (so, people DO retire North? Odd.) But he has been adamant that I keep his contact information and keep up with him. He said I am one of the patients he will truly miss. Gets you right here.

He did say the tearing/pain in my lips with a full press smile is normal, and that it should fade in time. Remember, they over tighten the muscle knowing it will stretch into normal activity later. I told him the true test of how happy I am with the results is the fact that I'm getting vain about other parts of my face. Like how my eye looks (we're discussing that, I am to email him with my thoughts about an eye tightening procedure) and how heavy the right side looks due to a deep nose to lip crease that I don't have on the graft side. I had already been scheduled for Botox of the forehead next week, now we are adding in more Botox for that muscle (maybe) and possibly Juvederm to bump out the crease and balance out the face overall.

LOL, and I used to be SO against cosmetic surgery! You'd never know it now. Shoot me, stitch me, plump me up! Will have to add more pictures later, but things are going well!