MLD

My first MLD (Manual Lymph Drainage) massage session this afternoon went well. I learned about MLD from the Yahoo Support Group message board. It's basically a light face/neck massage to help your lymph system to more effectively transport fluids where they belong, and therefore help reduce swelling and speed up the healing process.

My OS says he doesn't typically recommend physical therapy to his patients until at least eight weeks post op (he had never heard of MLD), but he gave me the greenlight with the condition that I, well, keep it light.

And light it was. My therapist applied gentle pressure to my lower face and neck with her fingertips, moving the fluids in my swollen chin where they belong. It felt so soothing I actually dozed off. Immediately after the one-hour session, I could already feel the tension in my face and neck lessen, and could turn my head sideways with a bigger range of motion and less pain. Even now, my face and neck don't feel as tense as before.

Let me share with you an exercise she taught me. Lie flat on your back with a pillow under your head. Take a DEEP breath with your nose. Expand your rib cage to the max and fill up your lungs. Stop. Exhale through your mouth. Expell every last breath you've got. Repeat a few times every hour. This is supposed to help your lymph system do a more effective job transporting those fluids, therefore reduce swelling and speed up the healing process.

She's not cheap ($112 an hour if no insurance). I'll have to find out tomorrow how much Aetna will cover. But, it felt so good, I've already made another appointment for next week.

Three-Week Mark!

Three weeks ago, I was still in the operating room at this very moment.

Fast-forward 21 days, I'm here, in my warm and cozy house, cleaning out the closet, perfectly happy, and almost perfectly healthy. NO breathing problems. NO splint during the day. No more syringes. Plenty of soft fish fillet to gum through. I can even open my jaws wide enough now to slip in a small square of chocolate (see traces of it on my lower lip) - and when it melts on my tongue, it's pure heaven.

The swelling has persisted in my cheeks, and you can still see hints of green bruises, but it's not freakish anymore. I have an appointment with an MLD therapist tomorrow. Hopefully she can wave her magic wand and make my cheeks and neck feel better. And if she's good, I'll post her contact information here as a referral.

To all of you out there - thank you for reading my blog and sharing this unusual experience, and thank you for your encourgements. You made my recovery a lot easier. Many of you are going through the same thing: take good care of yourselves, keep breathing, think positive thoughts, and know all this is temporary. This, too, shall pass!