Re: Weight loss issues - diet

[Guest guest]

Hey Kim,

Welcome to the group. To try to answer some of your questions. I lost 12 lbs

in the first 11 days after surgery, but I didn't lose much more after that. I

purposely gained 6 pounds before surgery. I didn't drink Ensure or Boost -

having upper and lower, my OS advised me to stay away from any type of

dairy/milk products. I did what she told me and I had absolutely no congestion

at all. Many have problems with congestion after having upper.

I did use the Myoplex protein shakes - my Fweetie made them with either water or

juice. As for eating, most people blend everything adding water, juice or broth

to thin it out and just drink it. I didn't do the blending thing, I just stuck

to things I could eat without chewing. Noodles can be cut up into itty bitty

pieces and swallowed. A lot of soft foods can be " mushed " up against the roof

of the mouth and then swallowed. She actually can eat anything that she doesn't

have to chew. If it needs to be chewed and can't be mushed - cut it up VERY

tiny or blend it. That worked well for me.

BEFORE DOING ANY OF THIS, CHECK WITH HER OS TO MAKE SURE IT'S OKAY.

As for being ready to go back to school in 2 weeks - that's very reasonable to

me. I had surgery on Thursday and by Monday, I was fine physically (I'm 42).

By 2 weeks, I was able to get out alone and go wherever I wanted to go.

However, the swelling was still noticeable although there was no pain. I

actually wore a scarf when I went out (more like a veil) for the first 2

weeks...after that, I just didn't care and if anyone asked or stared, I just

told them what happened. I carried around cards with quick explanations on them

for every situation and they worked out great...I didn't have to talk. People

were extra helpful to me after that.

My OS did not show me a picture of what I would look like afterward until I had

my first post-op check-up. I think this is a really good idea because if she'd

have shown me what I was going to look like beforehand, I would have really

freaked my first day post-op. I looked like Professor Klump which is no where

near what I look like now.

Tell her to expect to be very swollen at first, then when the swelling goes

down, she'll be able to start seeing the results. In my opinion - and just my

opinion - if she sees what she's supposed to look like post-op before she goes

into surgery, it will make the waiting process post-op even harder. The first

3-4 days will seem like forever as the swelling is so severe then, no need to

add to that. :-) Then again, seeing before hand may give her something to look

forward to. I guess that depends on individual preference. Rest assured that

your OS knows what he/she is doing.

Oh and with my last few posts, you don't have to tell me about being a worried

mom (teehee).

Hope this helps.

Smooches

Weight loss issues - diet

Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I worry

that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said younger

ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hey Kim,

Welcome to the group. To try to answer some of your questions. I lost 12 lbs

in the first 11 days after surgery, but I didn't lose much more after that. I

purposely gained 6 pounds before surgery. I didn't drink Ensure or Boost -

having upper and lower, my OS advised me to stay away from any type of

dairy/milk products. I did what she told me and I had absolutely no congestion

at all. Many have problems with congestion after having upper.

I did use the Myoplex protein shakes - my Fweetie made them with either water or

juice. As for eating, most people blend everything adding water, juice or broth

to thin it out and just drink it. I didn't do the blending thing, I just stuck

to things I could eat without chewing. Noodles can be cut up into itty bitty

pieces and swallowed. A lot of soft foods can be " mushed " up against the roof

of the mouth and then swallowed. She actually can eat anything that she doesn't

have to chew. If it needs to be chewed and can't be mushed - cut it up VERY

tiny or blend it. That worked well for me.

BEFORE DOING ANY OF THIS, CHECK WITH HER OS TO MAKE SURE IT'S OKAY.

As for being ready to go back to school in 2 weeks - that's very reasonable to

me. I had surgery on Thursday and by Monday, I was fine physically (I'm 42).

By 2 weeks, I was able to get out alone and go wherever I wanted to go.

However, the swelling was still noticeable although there was no pain. I

actually wore a scarf when I went out (more like a veil) for the first 2

weeks...after that, I just didn't care and if anyone asked or stared, I just

told them what happened. I carried around cards with quick explanations on them

for every situation and they worked out great...I didn't have to talk. People

were extra helpful to me after that.

My OS did not show me a picture of what I would look like afterward until I had

my first post-op check-up. I think this is a really good idea because if she'd

have shown me what I was going to look like beforehand, I would have really

freaked my first day post-op. I looked like Professor Klump which is no where

near what I look like now.

Tell her to expect to be very swollen at first, then when the swelling goes

down, she'll be able to start seeing the results. In my opinion - and just my

opinion - if she sees what she's supposed to look like post-op before she goes

into surgery, it will make the waiting process post-op even harder. The first

3-4 days will seem like forever as the swelling is so severe then, no need to

add to that. :-) Then again, seeing before hand may give her something to look

forward to. I guess that depends on individual preference. Rest assured that

your OS knows what he/she is doing.

Oh and with my last few posts, you don't have to tell me about being a worried

mom (teehee).

Hope this helps.

Smooches

Weight loss issues - diet

Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I worry

that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said younger

ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hey Kim,

Welcome to the group. To try to answer some of your questions. I lost 12 lbs

in the first 11 days after surgery, but I didn't lose much more after that. I

purposely gained 6 pounds before surgery. I didn't drink Ensure or Boost -

having upper and lower, my OS advised me to stay away from any type of

dairy/milk products. I did what she told me and I had absolutely no congestion

at all. Many have problems with congestion after having upper.

I did use the Myoplex protein shakes - my Fweetie made them with either water or

juice. As for eating, most people blend everything adding water, juice or broth

to thin it out and just drink it. I didn't do the blending thing, I just stuck

to things I could eat without chewing. Noodles can be cut up into itty bitty

pieces and swallowed. A lot of soft foods can be " mushed " up against the roof

of the mouth and then swallowed. She actually can eat anything that she doesn't

have to chew. If it needs to be chewed and can't be mushed - cut it up VERY

tiny or blend it. That worked well for me.

BEFORE DOING ANY OF THIS, CHECK WITH HER OS TO MAKE SURE IT'S OKAY.

As for being ready to go back to school in 2 weeks - that's very reasonable to

me. I had surgery on Thursday and by Monday, I was fine physically (I'm 42).

By 2 weeks, I was able to get out alone and go wherever I wanted to go.

However, the swelling was still noticeable although there was no pain. I

actually wore a scarf when I went out (more like a veil) for the first 2

weeks...after that, I just didn't care and if anyone asked or stared, I just

told them what happened. I carried around cards with quick explanations on them

for every situation and they worked out great...I didn't have to talk. People

were extra helpful to me after that.

My OS did not show me a picture of what I would look like afterward until I had

my first post-op check-up. I think this is a really good idea because if she'd

have shown me what I was going to look like beforehand, I would have really

freaked my first day post-op. I looked like Professor Klump which is no where

near what I look like now.

Tell her to expect to be very swollen at first, then when the swelling goes

down, she'll be able to start seeing the results. In my opinion - and just my

opinion - if she sees what she's supposed to look like post-op before she goes

into surgery, it will make the waiting process post-op even harder. The first

3-4 days will seem like forever as the swelling is so severe then, no need to

add to that. :-) Then again, seeing before hand may give her something to look

forward to. I guess that depends on individual preference. Rest assured that

your OS knows what he/she is doing.

Oh and with my last few posts, you don't have to tell me about being a worried

mom (teehee).

Hope this helps.

Smooches

Weight loss issues - diet

Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I worry

that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said younger

ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim, Just to let you know, I had surgery on Dec. 17th, and lost a

total of 10 pounds the first week. I am also thin, I went in

weighing around 105, but after getting through that first week of

nausea, (and being a VERY picky eater! ) I gained 5 back and feel a

lot more stable now at 100. I never drank Boost or Ensure..just

stuck with my favorite soups blended up, gatorade and Sprite that

first week. By the second week I was able to do what Smooches talked

about, mash things up in there..I think the first week you just drop

the most weight, the following weeks are spent gaining it back and

feeling stronger. I am three weeks out now, and everything below my

head feels great and normal! Good luck to you daughter, I'm sure

she'll do very well. Alix

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things

did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim, Just to let you know, I had surgery on Dec. 17th, and lost a

total of 10 pounds the first week. I am also thin, I went in

weighing around 105, but after getting through that first week of

nausea, (and being a VERY picky eater! ) I gained 5 back and feel a

lot more stable now at 100. I never drank Boost or Ensure..just

stuck with my favorite soups blended up, gatorade and Sprite that

first week. By the second week I was able to do what Smooches talked

about, mash things up in there..I think the first week you just drop

the most weight, the following weeks are spent gaining it back and

feeling stronger. I am three weeks out now, and everything below my

head feels great and normal! Good luck to you daughter, I'm sure

she'll do very well. Alix

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things

did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim, Just to let you know, I had surgery on Dec. 17th, and lost a

total of 10 pounds the first week. I am also thin, I went in

weighing around 105, but after getting through that first week of

nausea, (and being a VERY picky eater! ) I gained 5 back and feel a

lot more stable now at 100. I never drank Boost or Ensure..just

stuck with my favorite soups blended up, gatorade and Sprite that

first week. By the second week I was able to do what Smooches talked

about, mash things up in there..I think the first week you just drop

the most weight, the following weeks are spent gaining it back and

feeling stronger. I am three weeks out now, and everything below my

head feels great and normal! Good luck to you daughter, I'm sure

she'll do very well. Alix

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things

did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi etta,

FYI Myoplex has the same dairy/milk ingredients as Ensure and Boost

do. Ensure is lactose free though.

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

Kim,

My daughter Krista is 17 and she had upper and lower surgery plus

chin and nose on Dec. 18th, three weeks ago. Krista also has Cystic

Fibrosis, which makes it very hard for her to gain weight.

Thankfully in Aug. before her surgery her Pulmonary Dr. put her on a

medicine to give her an appetite and help her gain weight. So,

before surgery she was up to 102 pounds. Krista does not like Boost

or Ensure either. It has been very hard for her to get in enough

calories and protein. She has nausea and that makes it very hard for

her to eat. I took her back to her Pulmonary Dr. Tues. and she had

lost 10 pounds. She was so weak that she could not sit up or walk

very far. The Dr. checked her out and said that the main problem is

that she is not getting enough calories. I had tried to tell her

that but teenagers don't listen very well. The Dr. told her that she

needs to try and get something to eat or drink every hour all day

long so that she can get enough. The Dr. gave her a perscription to

help with the nausea too. So, yesterday I stayed home with her and

constantly encouraged her to eat or drink. I finally got her to

drink Vanilla Ensure with ice cream in it and Carnation Instant

Breakfast with Ice cream in it. The Dr. said that she needs 2,200

calories a day. I put Hashbrown casserole in the blender and she ate

that and I put Spegetti in the blender and she ate that too, also a

spoonful of Peanut Butter. It was not easy, but she managed to get in

almost 2000 calories yesterday and she felt better last night. She

did not have any problems with pain but this eating thing has been

very hard. It has to be a continuous thing. Krista is a picky eater

too. She has eaten Chicken Fetticine Alfredo blended and tonight we

are going to try a soft taco blended.

Rhonda

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Kim,

My daughter Krista is 17 and she had upper and lower surgery plus

chin and nose on Dec. 18th, three weeks ago. Krista also has Cystic

Fibrosis, which makes it very hard for her to gain weight.

Thankfully in Aug. before her surgery her Pulmonary Dr. put her on a

medicine to give her an appetite and help her gain weight. So,

before surgery she was up to 102 pounds. Krista does not like Boost

or Ensure either. It has been very hard for her to get in enough

calories and protein. She has nausea and that makes it very hard for

her to eat. I took her back to her Pulmonary Dr. Tues. and she had

lost 10 pounds. She was so weak that she could not sit up or walk

very far. The Dr. checked her out and said that the main problem is

that she is not getting enough calories. I had tried to tell her

that but teenagers don't listen very well. The Dr. told her that she

needs to try and get something to eat or drink every hour all day

long so that she can get enough. The Dr. gave her a perscription to

help with the nausea too. So, yesterday I stayed home with her and

constantly encouraged her to eat or drink. I finally got her to

drink Vanilla Ensure with ice cream in it and Carnation Instant

Breakfast with Ice cream in it. The Dr. said that she needs 2,200

calories a day. I put Hashbrown casserole in the blender and she ate

that and I put Spegetti in the blender and she ate that too, also a

spoonful of Peanut Butter. It was not easy, but she managed to get in

almost 2000 calories yesterday and she felt better last night. She

did not have any problems with pain but this eating thing has been

very hard. It has to be a continuous thing. Krista is a picky eater

too. She has eaten Chicken Fetticine Alfredo blended and tonight we

are going to try a soft taco blended.

Rhonda

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Kim,

My daughter Krista is 17 and she had upper and lower surgery plus

chin and nose on Dec. 18th, three weeks ago. Krista also has Cystic

Fibrosis, which makes it very hard for her to gain weight.

Thankfully in Aug. before her surgery her Pulmonary Dr. put her on a

medicine to give her an appetite and help her gain weight. So,

before surgery she was up to 102 pounds. Krista does not like Boost

or Ensure either. It has been very hard for her to get in enough

calories and protein. She has nausea and that makes it very hard for

her to eat. I took her back to her Pulmonary Dr. Tues. and she had

lost 10 pounds. She was so weak that she could not sit up or walk

very far. The Dr. checked her out and said that the main problem is

that she is not getting enough calories. I had tried to tell her

that but teenagers don't listen very well. The Dr. told her that she

needs to try and get something to eat or drink every hour all day

long so that she can get enough. The Dr. gave her a perscription to

help with the nausea too. So, yesterday I stayed home with her and

constantly encouraged her to eat or drink. I finally got her to

drink Vanilla Ensure with ice cream in it and Carnation Instant

Breakfast with Ice cream in it. The Dr. said that she needs 2,200

calories a day. I put Hashbrown casserole in the blender and she ate

that and I put Spegetti in the blender and she ate that too, also a

spoonful of Peanut Butter. It was not easy, but she managed to get in

almost 2000 calories yesterday and she felt better last night. She

did not have any problems with pain but this eating thing has been

very hard. It has to be a continuous thing. Krista is a picky eater

too. She has eaten Chicken Fetticine Alfredo blended and tonight we

are going to try a soft taco blended.

Rhonda

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks

[Guest guest]

Wow, Cheryl. I didn't know that. My Fweetie used water to mix it. I didn't

have any problems with congestion or mucous or such at all. Could there be

something to that? Or could it just be the fact that all this time I " thought "

I stayed away from dairy products? Not being facetious, I really don't know.

Smooches

Re: Weight loss issues - diet

Hi etta,

FYI Myoplex has the same dairy/milk ingredients as Ensure and Boost

do. Ensure is lactose free though.

Cheryl

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Wow, Cheryl. I didn't know that. My Fweetie used water to mix it. I didn't

have any problems with congestion or mucous or such at all. Could there be

something to that? Or could it just be the fact that all this time I " thought "

I stayed away from dairy products? Not being facetious, I really don't know.

Smooches

Re: Weight loss issues - diet

Hi etta,

FYI Myoplex has the same dairy/milk ingredients as Ensure and Boost

do. Ensure is lactose free though.

Cheryl

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Wow, Cheryl. I didn't know that. My Fweetie used water to mix it. I didn't

have any problems with congestion or mucous or such at all. Could there be

something to that? Or could it just be the fact that all this time I " thought "

I stayed away from dairy products? Not being facetious, I really don't know.

Smooches

Re: Weight loss issues - diet

Hi etta,

FYI Myoplex has the same dairy/milk ingredients as Ensure and Boost

do. Ensure is lactose free though.

Cheryl

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi etta,

I don't know the answer to your question, other than to say that like

every other aspect of this surgery, people have different responses

to different substances. Not everyone's congestion is worse when

they eat dairy products. And as far as the power of the mind

goes...Alix would have to field that one

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

Kim,

I am thin too and have lost about 5-7 lbs. overall. I bought the

whole Zip-N-Squeeze kit including the cookbook. The cookbook

includes a lot of different smoothy recipes that I really enjoyed the

first few days after surgery.

It's recommended that you get 85 grams of Protein after surgery to

assist your body in healing and to also increase your caloric intake

by 30% (anywhere between 2000 and 2500 calories for us small folks).

Silken Tofu is a great way to get protein, it blends smooth in the

blender, can be substituted for milk in the smoothy if you wish, and

takes on the flavor of whatever you mix it with.

I went to GNC and bought Whey protein which I have found to be the

EASIEST way to get enough protein each day - one scoop = 20 grams of

protein. There are different flavors - I mix it in with ice cream

and half and half to make a milkshake or just mix it with straight

whole milk for a quick drink. Any healthfood store should carry

protein powders.

Your daughter is going to be tired after surgery and eating will

really tire her out - I simply got tired of swallowing early on. I

really found the Z-N-S bags indispensable (I'm not trying to sell

them, I just found from experience that it was easier to ingest more

food at one sitting with the bags than with the syringes provided by

the hospital). She's not going to be able to suck out of a straw for

the first week at least (if at all depending on your OS).. and I know

it took a good week before I could get my lips closed on a glass to

drink without spilling

Eat often - force her to.. the more she eats the better she's going

to feel.

Other items that I liked eating and am still eating: Pudding,

applesauce, broth, Instant Oatmeal (oats are tiny), Instant Cream of

Wheat, Carnation Instant Breakfast, canned veggies can be blended

smooth, Progresso soups (Lentil, split pea, chicken noodle, etc.) can

be blended smooth, Betty Crocker Instant Potato Buds (instant

potatoes are the first substantial thing I ate and they were really

good) - Bottom line is that you can pretty much blend anything. Try

to incorporate her favorite foods and/or flavors into her diet.

Most baby food should be avoided at all costs - it is the most

disgusting thing I've ever eaten. However, the fruit isn't too bad.

If you like to cook I have a really good roasted vegetable soup

recipe I can give you (it's delicious and makes about 7 cups of soup)

and also a Chicken stew recipe that grinds up well. My email is

kassandrahart@... if you want to contact me.

If you don't like to cook, check out your local supermarket or

specialty market for prepared soups and pastas that you can just

purchase and blend smooth at home.

I also tried to think about different restaurants in my area that had

soups I enjoy and I purchased some before my surgery to have on hand.

Now that I'm feeling better I cook for myself, but it was nice to

have easy food on hand early on.

Hope this helps -

Kassandra

> Hi, I am Kim, a new member and mother of a 16 year old who will be

> having upper and lower surgery Feb 11. She is very thin and I

worry

> that she will lose too much weight after surgery. Did any of you

> have that problem? I am wondering what kind of things she can eat

> after surgery. Her mouth will not be wired shut. She is such a

> picky eater I know she won't drink Ensure. What kind of things did

> you drink/eat? Also, my ortho says she will be ready to go back

> to school in 2 weeks. I find that hard to believe. He said

younger

> ones heal much faster. Can anyone relate? Oh, and the one thing

> that is really on my mind is the fact that our surgeon would not

> show me a picture of what she will look like afterward. Is that

> the norm? A typical mom, I am very worried. Thanks