I received an email from a reader named Guy. Skip to the bottom of this story for my bottom line about this jaw surgery recovery topic. The initial email read as follows:

Hi,

I'm on day 2 after a lower jaw surgery. Its hard. I'm suffering a lot, but its a lot on an emotional level. I suffer from anxiety so that doesn't help. I'm with my gf for 2 years now but she just started a new job and is finishing her masters. So not so much time on her hands. So I'm staying at my grandparents for now. I'm feeling... groggy a lot and am producing a lot of sputum. I know theres no abort button. I just felt like sharing.

Thanks for your blog

I responded:

Hey Guy,

It's hard right now for sure. It's difficult to sleep, eat, swallow even perhaps. But this is your time to heal, and you got this! This might be one of the only big breaks (uncomfortable as it may be) you get for the next several years, so spend your time reading a book you've meant to read for a long time, or to finally watch that long movie, or maybe to start planning a project. The first week is really for rest and just trying to make it. There's no easy way to pass the time, but since you can't make yourself feel better, you can do things to make others feel better. Send your girlfriend flowers since she's finishing her Masters maybe. Just a few clicks on a website to send them! Just some ideas. Keep taking the Motrin or other pain pills at the proper prescribed times and good luck!

Jordan

The bottom line is that the first few days are the worst of jaw surgery recovery. After you wake up from the surgery, the medication in your system will keep you feeling ok for a few hours. However, the first few days are incredibly rough in some cases. It’s not really about “day 4 is when it comes easy” or “day 6 is the worst.” The jaw surgery recovery process serves as a reminder that the human body heals slowly. In order to begin experiencing any dramatic changes, it takes weeks, unfortunately.

Once you’re through the first day, feel good about yourself for making it 24 hours. Then after the first week, then the first month, etc. One thing that all jaw surgery patients understand that others never will is that jaw surgery is major stuff. Getting your wisdom teeth pulled out is a piece of cake compared to jaw surgery recovery.

If you are reading my blog right now and are looking for absolutely anything to help pass the time, consider video games, movies, selling stuff on eBay, and a variety of other activities. Even if you don’t own a video game console or gaming PC, you can still play pool on your phone. Might I suggest the classic edition of Roller Coaster Tycoon for iPhone and Android.