Lizard Lip -- Tues., Sep. 25

Never having had my jaws wired shut before, I didn't know how to eat with this new equipment in my mouth. My upper lip is caked in a big, thick scab. I've named this "lizard lip." With lizard lip it is impossible to sip from a straw. 

So I asked the trauma nurses, "How am I supposed to eat?"

They fashioned a feeding tube for me from a large syringe and sterile urinary catheter tube. It works very well for chicken broth and other clear liquids. See...

Bob says I look like I'm playing a flute. Ha!

Chicken broth down the hatch. Good photo of lizard lip.

The little tube goes back toward the molars, press the plunger and drink.

Some Sunnie therapy.

Today was a tough one. I hurt, I was tired, I had chest pain, I was hot, I was cold, I couldn't get enough to eat, I was a little woozy, basically whiny. If I can't be whiny now, when can I be?

Bob came and visited me at 2:00 p.m. after a lunch meeting. That was very sweet of him. I explained to him that the hospital had neglected to give me a "Wired Jaw" diet, even though the discharge instructions said to follow them. Also my discharge instructions said a nurse was supposed to give me instructions on how to clean my mouth...didn't happen. My mouth feels like a slime pit. (Sorry, that's pretty graphic.)

Does anyone out there in blog land know how to clean a mouth that's wired shut? How about a wired jaw diet? We tried to find the card of the lady who discharged me, but it seems lost. We wanted to call and ask HER.

Here's the deal on the diet. Since I didn't get the diet from the hospital, I thought, "Oh, I'll just eat what they were feeding me at the hospital." Well that's not working out so well.  Chicken broth, one cup, is 50 calories x 3 times per day is 150 calories. Grape juice, one cup, is 160 calories. Apple juice, one cup, is 110 calories. In the hospital I was given jello at every meal--try sucking that through jaws wired with ten bands! Doesn't work too well. And they also gave me some kind of citric juice popsicle; however, with broken teeth and raw nerve endings, iced stuff hurt. Basically that's about 580 calories with the juice and broth. Not near enough. No wonder I feel woozy and weak! So I need ideas soon. I do not do well with dairy or wheat. One option I came up with is Chocolate Almond Milk which I love!! 120 calories per cup, plus dark chocolate. Mmmmm. Had some of that this evening and my tummy grumblies went away.  And my mood improved. 

I also wonder if my bad mood might stem from the pain medication. When I don't take it for a while, I feel much happier. But I do appreciate the way the pain med alleviates the pain. I'm taking it as little as possible. I think next will be right before sleep since it makes me drowsy.

That's how this patient and her lizard lip are doing. I'm going to Google Wired Jaw Diet and mouth cleaning...see what I can find.

Enough about ole puffy face. Next blog will be about the Volkswalk we were on when this happened.

Travel Bug out.