Day 63: Daily Physical Therapy

Today's pic:

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I know it has been quite a while since I last posted an update.  The first week or two after surgery, there are obvious changes from day-to-day; however, as the weeks go on the changes have become less and less obvious.  I think my recovery is now going at a snail's pace.  I've been told that it could take up to 9 months post-surgery before I gain back all my feeling and movement.  Until then, I have to put myself through daily physical therapy.  Some of it feels soothing and relaxing (the warm towel around the face), while most of it feels uncomfortable and painful (cranking large Popsicle sticks up and down between my molars).

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I dampen a hand towel and then put it in the microwave for a minute to make it nice and toasty...

Wrap it around my head...

Then wait for about 5 - 6 minutes until it cools...

Now it's time for some Popsicle stick exercises.  Getting 8 sticks in between my molars...

(I started with being able to get 6 Popsicle sticks in comfortably and 7 at a stretch.  I need to be up to 10 - 12 sticks by the next time I see Dr. Turvey on October 15th.)

There, got them in...

Crank up...

Crank down...

Other side...

Squeezing a 9th stick in...

Get in there!

Nailed it!

Going for 10...

One final shove...

Help!

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Since the right side of my face is lagging a bit behind the left side of my face in terms of numbness and movement, I do some extra stretching on the right side.  The stretching should loosen the scar tissue and allow for additional movement.  Nothing can be done about the numbness, that will just come back with time (fingers crossed!).

Stretching up...

Stretching out...

Stretching down...

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Also, please enjoy the incision update photos below!

Neck incision:

Head incision (with flash):

Head incision (without flash):

Ear incision (with flash):

Ear incision (without flash):

There's that beautiful sideburn growing back!