Tongue Aerobics

This surgery journey has created some very interesting situations, but none as interesting as the TWO caused by the latest surgery, a week ago today.

1. After Katie came out of surgery, she realized her tongue was STUCK between her teeth! And, since her mouth was wired shut, she couldn't get it out. It didn't hurt, but it certainly kept her from speaking. So, one of the residents came by and tried to pry her teeth open enough from the side to allow her to get her tongue out. He was partially successful, but couldn't get it all the way freed. Katie kept working on it herself that night, and was finally able to give her tongue complete liberty to move inside her mouth!

2. Last night, the ring that goes around her back molar to anchor her braces, came loose insider her mouth. What do you do with a ring inside, that you can't spit out because your mouth is wired shut? Isn't that the oddest predicament you've ever heard of?

Pam called Dr. Gordon, and he said to have her swallow it. But Katie was afraid to do that, because she has had issues in the past with choking. We called her orthodontist in Utah, and he said it wouldn't be the first time one of those was swallowed, but he couldn't feel comfortable recommending it.

In the end, Katie decided to hold it in her mouth all night and wait until they could see the Dr. in the morning. By morning, she was ready to get rid of that blasted ring! They went to the hospital, but Dr. G was in surgery, so they saw one of the Residents. She said that they should definitely NOT cut the wire to open her mouth, as that would indeed undo much of the progress made. So she told Katie she'd have to keep it in her mouth until surgery next Thursday (8 days away). Katie wasn't at all happy with that determination.

She went home and started doing tongue aerobics and finally managed to work the ring out the side of her mouth through a narrow space between a couple of teeth! Imagine her relief! So it all worked out in the end. I'll bet no one could even come up with such an unusual situation - more bizarre than fiction!

The swelling continues to subside,and Katie's new face is looking wonderful. Here she is with her little nephew, Wade. She LOVES having him around!