The Natural Bite

I receive a lot of comments from readers who give me far too much credit. Am I magical? Is my surgeon a miracle-worker?
Why was my swelling so minimal, and why was my recovery so neat and simple (as opposed to grotesquely bloody and torturous…)?
The answer is far simpler, and less glamorous, than you think.
I’ll even [...]

I started my jaw surgery journey ready to do everything my doctor ordered and fully optimize my recovery.
As I’ve previously documented, I went the extra distance to research and take a variety of vitamins and supplements, as well as Chinese herbal remedies, to prepare myself for trauma and recovery. I weaned myself from coffee and [...]

After my upper jaw advancement surgery exactly 2.5 weeks ago, I wanted my facial swelling, crusty lips, and general mask-like appearance to go away as quickly as possible so I could see what I was really going to look like for the rest of my life. I had very little swelling for the first [...]

A quick tri-shot. My swelling is almost all gone, and I can make big smiles again. Today I sort of ‘ate’ a very soft scone (shhh… don’t tell Dr. Li, my dentist, or my Chinese medical practitioner!), was semi-productive while working from home, and started feeling nostalgic for the good old jaw surgery days…

Su*Blog, while still cute to people whose names contain the special double “Su,” was not cutting it as a title that got this blog’s meaning across.
Adult braces and jaw surgery of any kind involve months or years of contemplation, lots of cash or credit, a full loving entourage of supporters, and the Web.
The Web, and [...]

Why is jaw surgery tough on digestion?
Oh, so many reasons…
Antibiotics. First of all, have you ever tried to eat cream of tomato soup after taking antibiotics? Well, as bad a combo as that sounds, I had just such a treat two days ago. HOWEVER, the small amount of antibiotics I took had already started to [...]

The first few days after my upper jaw surgery reminded me of the foggy-headed allergy-ridden life I lived in Seattle, where I grew up inhaling year-round molds, dusts and pollens that seemed to be on some kind of contract for my life.
Jaw Surgery: Liquid diet, lots of pain meds, new profile, and… nasal congestion?
It all [...]

Do I believe in Chinese medicine? Hmm, it’s not like God or UFOs… not nearly as much mysticism and much more reality. I believe in evidence, so, heck yes, I ‘believe’ in Chinese medicine.
Every day since coming home from jaw surgery, I’ve been boiling the special mixture of herbs and roots designed by my Chinese [...]

A day about which I’ve dreamt extensively has arrived! Jaw surgery is over, I’m home from the hospital, and Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America!
A girl couldn’t ask for a better Friday.
Milestones
Wednesday November 5th
7:30 a.m. My maxillary osteotomy (upper jaw surgery) with Dr. Kasey Li, one of the best [...]

It’s 3 pm and so far I…
…Got acupuncture to relax and prepare me for my jaw surgery
…Voted for Barack Obama for PRESIDENT of the United States of America!!
…Cleaned my apartment so I don’t have to come back to the usual clutter on Thursday, post-op
…Cooked beans. I’m not going to be able to chew beans for [...]