Food At Last
This afternoon, I went to the office of my surgeon at Stanford University. After the x-rays, we talked about the possibility of my needing more surgeries in the future, the likelihood of future issues with the TMJ, and what the orthodontists/oral surgeons in my future are likely to want to do about my new malocclusion. Then, he casually nodded at the chair and said, “In the meantime, why don’t we go ahead and get those arch bars off.”
When he performed my corrective surgery two months ago, he installed maxillomandibular arch bars. They’re metal bars with hooks, secured to the top and bottom jaw with wires, which are used to fix the upper and lower jaws securely together with rubber bands. After 10 days, he cut the rubber bands and I had to wear two rubber bands on each side to guide my healing jaw into alignment (I was still on a liquid “soft foods” diet at this point). Last month, he told me I didn’t have to wear the rubber bands anymore.
Today, his resident and he removed my arch bars. It was a painful, grimacing process, but afterwards, I was left with no metal in my mouth. “So, what kind of diet am I on now?” “Whatever you want to eat, you can. You’re as healed up as you’re going to get for now.”
So, I called up our hero, Emmett, and proposed dinner. He agreed. So, after doing more at work, I zipped down to Tandoori Cafe at the western edge of San José to join him.
This was my first unrestricted meal since October 29, 2005. I ordered Aloo Gobi (or whatever their terminology for it is) and some Pakoras. Oh, my goodness, is that good. The fried bread was the best—partially because I haven’t had anything resembling bread in 67 days.
At last, at long last, I can eat again.
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