Well That Wasn’t What We Expected + Post Anesthesia Janae + Random Thoughts

Hey everyone its Andrew today!

Janae is out for the count for today.  We had no idea what surgery was going to be like.  This surgery ended up being around 3 hours long and the pain and the swelling has settled in today.  So you are all stuck with me…. sorry!

I had put together a video of Janae coming out of anesthesia and I was uploading it, but I thought it might be a little too mean to put that on the internet.  Maybe if you all ask for it, Janae might post it later this week :)

In the hospital I see a TON of people come out of anesthesia and I have quite a lot of funny stories!  Although, I’m not posting the video I wanted to put a couple one liners that she said waking up from surgery:

–  I was only about 10 feet from the operating room and I started to hear Janae wake up and the first words from her mouth were, “I REALLY want some pasta,  I AM SO HUNGRY”  There definitely were some tears shed when she saw me and I didn’t have any pasta in my hands.  I still don’t know if she has forgiven me.

– “I wish my mom let me do drugs growing up” – no explanation needed on this one haha

– “Andrew can we please go home and watch Netflix!!”

– I was suppose to work the next day and after talking to the surgeon, I realized I needed to call to ask for the day off.  I told Janae that I was going to be home the next day and she started to cry, “Why are you not going to work?  Are you going to get in trouble?”

– I think she asked me about 100 times for pasta.

– “Why did you let me wear a romper, that was not a good idea!!”

– “I don’t even want to run right now, why would I do that?”  I was dying laughing when she said that, because I knew that is what she would want to do the next morning.

I just wanted to share a few random things/thoughts from our day yesterday.

I don’t know know what it is, but Beck is ALWAYS taking off his left shoe and sock if we are in the car for five minutes or more.  Do you or anyone you know do things like this?

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I love having Beck as my errand buddy.  He doesn’t know enough words to tell me he doesn’t want to go or wants to stay with mom instead so it has been fun.

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Trip 1 of 4 to Jamba Juice today.  This is the one of the few things that is easily eaten after having gum grafts.

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Beck isn’t mad about it either!!!

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Between taking kids to school, sub-coach for cross country, two different soccer games, many Beck adventures and tantrums, I was able to fit in a 45 minute power-zone training session on the Peloton with Matt Wilpers.  He is by far one of my favorite coaches on the Peloton.

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We hung at the park after cross country practice for a little intermission before our two soccer games.   Brooke showed off all the ways she can climb the monkey bars.

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Her smile and giggle makes everything right in the world!

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Jamba for the four hundredth time today.

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Smoothies, mashed potatoes and all other soft foods for the next six weeks. We are going to need to figure out other things to eat for Janae, let me know if anyone has any ideas!!

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We finished the night with a movie with the girls, everyone was ready for bed tonight, thank goodness because we are all exhausted!!!

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Have an amazing day today!!!

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Any funny post anesthesia videos or experiences?

Anyone have gum grafts or mouth surgery?  How did you survive???

What is the highlight of your week so far?

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67 comments

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I had hernia surgery a few years ago. (My first kid destroyed my abs!). When I came out of anesthesia, I kept saying “you are so handsome,” to my husband and then asking “are you ready for kid number 2?” Had to wait about 6 months before trying for kid number two so that the hernia mesh would work. I apparently asked to say thank you to the anesthesiologist… she came in and I was confused. My husband had to explain that I wanted to thank her.

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Janae , darling, I worry over you just like a mother. Get well soon! Andrew thank you for caring for this very beautiful lady.

After anesthesia I sat up and asked if I was dead or alive. Once I heard the nurse say alive, I said Merry Christmas! Kinda like when Frosty the Snowman said Happy Birthday!

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Sitting at my desk dying at Janae wishing her mom let her do drugs growing up. That’s amazing.

Soups are a great soft food! Never had a gum graft so not sure how long it will take for chewing to feel good but if you chop up veggies into small pieces and use orzo or another small pasta then those are small and soften well in the broth

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Great post Andrew! Janae, I hope you feel better soon. That sounds rough. You’re a lucky girl to have a great family taking care of you.

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Eggs! Whenever my teeth are bothering me (or literally all the other times too), I love to eat them. White fish is usually pretty easy to eat too if you all are into seafood.
Hope you feel better soon :)

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Andrew, you’re such a sweet husband to jump on this train! I love it and really hope Janae gets some good rest. It’s also pretty special you get extra time with the kiddos.
Janae, rest! rest! rest!

What about some soups that can be put in the food processor or blender? Like a potato soup?
Or even like mashed avocado?
Yogurt?

All the well wishes!

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I had a gum graft but I definitely didn’t get anthesia! I remember that soft diet for 6 weeks. Protein shakes, smoothies, eggs, applesauce, pudding, mac and cheese. People told me to puree meat!!! Don’t do it!! Hope she feels better soon!

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Feel better, Janae! Refried beans are soft to eat and comforting. I always like them when I have a cold with a scratchy throat.

Thanks for filling in for Janae, Andrew. I’ve only had anesthesia once, but when they woke me up, I woke up suddenly and gasping for breath, which I think scared everyone! This also happened the one time I passed out, so I guess it’s a weird me thing.

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I hope Janae feels better soon! What about oatmeal for soft food? Grits? Applesauce?

I’ve had surgery a couple times and every single time I wake up crying uncontrollably. It usually lasts for like 20-30 minutes too! I always wished I was one of those people who wake up funny but I guess I’m just weird??

Have a great day!

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Oh my gosh, me too with the uncontrollable crying!! I’ve only had surgery twice but both times I was sobbing and so upset (why??) afterward. When I was 23 I had my appendix out and my nurse was so mean, she told me I wasn’t a baby and I needed to stop crying! But I couldn’t help it! Wish I was a funny one too and I’m glad someone else is like me lol :-)

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Six weeks!! Poor Janae!

What about oatmeal and pudding, adding some protein powder to them? Maybe risotto since it’s very cooked down and creamy?

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Poor Janae! I hope she feels better soon. If she likes Indian food, I feel like a lot of it is soft.

Also, I almost always take off my left sock only when I go to sleep. I feel like it balances out how hot/cold I want to be if I keep only one on. My family and friends think I’m a weirdo but it makes sense to me!

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I love that someone here had an answer to Beck’s shoe mystery!

Janae, feel better soon!

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I always tell patients they can do more than they think with soft foods :) quiche/ eggs, rice dishes, avocado/ guac, stews, etc. Salt-water rinses after a day or two depending on your doc’s preferences. Nothing too warm at the start or it could aggravate the gingiva!

Such a bummer, Janae, that you had a good mom who didn’t let you do drugs. Ugh, what was she thinking?! ;-) lots of love to you all! Andrew, you’re a rockstar stepping up to cover it all!

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One of my kids recently had his wisdom teeth out. Cream of rice cereal, instant oatmeal (not rolled oats), mashed avocado (with salt, he eats it with a spoon and likes it), scrambled eggs, smoothies, mashed potatoes with gravy. Hummus can be eaten with a spoon. As she heals up, soft macaroni and cheese (no hard baked crust on top). Pudding (add protein powder), and cheesecake without the crust.

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Thinking about Janae and wishing a speedy recovery! Agree with all the other suggestions – soup and scrambled eggs were my go-to after dental surgery. After six weeks though, she is really going to miss chewing.

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Poor Janae! After my gum graft I could eat softer French fries if I put them in the back of my mouth to chew. Refried beans with melted cheese and bone broth were also helpful when you get tired of smoothies. :)

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Peanut butter in oatmeal for a bit more protein/ fat. The PB will melt right in so it’s easy to eat.

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Good morning Andrew! Sending so much love and healing vibes to Janae! Six weeks of soft foods….that is no joke! Love her one liners post op, haha! I remember when my grandmother took me to get my wisdom teeth out; we were sitting in the waiting room by the exit door from post op. I was a little nervous, so when a young guy walked out looking drunk and drooling, I turned to my grandma and nervously asked her if I was going to look like that. She gently patted my knee and whispered, “no honey, I think he is retarded (this was many years ago and pre pc for this word)”. A week or so later when I was back to myself, I asked her how I was coming out of surgery. She laughed and said, “remember that young man?” Apparently I superman dove straight across the back seat of her car getting in. LOL. Anesthesia is sure a trip!

Have a great day!

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Great job Andrew! Lucky Janae to have a husband who is a nurse (and a super husband and dad!)

I had a lot of teeth out as a child (my poor son has inherited my small mouth, poor guy – once he had 8 teeth out at once, including 4 adult teeth). But I can’t imagine only being able to eat soft foods for 6 weeks :(

But my funny anesthesia story is when I was 19 and I had a laperoscopy for suspected (and confirmed endometriosis). I remember thinking the fingertip oxygen thing reminded me of ET and I was babbling about it to the (very cute) guy in the bed next to me. And then I was going on and on about all my symptoms that made them think I had endometriosis. The poor guy was just in there for an arthroscopy and he was almost ready to go home and was fully awake and I was just babbling on and on (I have always had a very hard time coming out of anesthesia – a quick, routine procedure at 8 am usually has me still in recovery at 5 pm).

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Wow! That was a lot more than advertised! LOL at the outtakes from her coming out of anesthesia.
Sounds like you stepped in seamlessly, Andrew. Oh, don’t kid yourself: Beck might not have all the words to say, but he would for sure let you know if he didn’t just like hanging out with you :)
All the best to Janae (actually, all of you) during this recovery. No experience, but I’ll suggest getting protein in however possible: whey supplements, cottage cheese, nut butters/powders, etc. Also fiber mixed into smoothies.

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I had gum graft surgery last year and the first 24 hours were the worst. After that, the stitches were more annoying. I believe my oral surgeon told me the mouth actually heals fast but you don’t want to disrupt the grafts so they heal correctly. A year out and mine are healed and amazing.

I agree with a lot of what everyone said here. I felt like I needed protein so eggs, soft white fish, ground beef, shredded chicken (really fine) were key for me. I did really light chewing after the first week. I also ate pasta so maybe that will make Janae happy after her anesthesia comments! Rest up and feel better!

Also, see if your oral surgeon will let you use orthodontist wax for places you may get irritation from the stitches. I’m totally serious that the thick stitches to hold the tissue in place was the worst part and poked into my cheeks and gave me canker sores! I waited too long to ask and had those of top of not chewing. Ouch!!

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Oh man! Poor lady! I hope she feels better soon and can laugh at all the funny things she said! Way to go covering all the activities, Andrew!

And maybe creamy soups? Tomato etc? Soft foods for 6 weeks is a long time! Hopefully your busy lives will make the time fly by! Feel better soon, Janae!

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Janae, I really hope that your recovery is as speedy as you. :)

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Feel better soon Janae!

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Mashed boiled eggs, cottage cheese, yogurts, mix in some protein powder with these and add some fruit puree, apple sauce, mashed carrots, etc

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My daughter has been on a similar diet a few times. Protein is hard to get, so we would mix Greek yogurt with applesauce or peanut butter or make smoothies. Also – mashed avocado with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can also mash bananas, add peanut butter and chocolate sauce for a quick snack.
Pureed soups can be ok, too. Clam chowder and vegetable soups worked well for her. (Her surgeon would not allow any seeded fruit like berries, but if you can, those would be good to add as well.)
Best of luck!

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I don’t mind reading your blog posts but maybe next time it can be for a reason other than “Janae had surgery and is still feeling awful.” I hope she feels better soon. I bet soups would be really good – like butternut squash soup. Yum! And probably cottage cheese and yogurt would work, too?

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Oh man, Janae post op is hilarious! I had anesthesia for my wisdom teeth and 17 year old me HIT ON MY DENTIST. He was very good looking but still ?‍♀️?‍♀️?. So embarrassing.
My son always takes his shoes off in the car, but he will also ONLY wear rain boots so at least they’re easy to get on.
Good luck Andrew and feel better Janae! ❤️

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So sweet of you to post with everything you have on your plate, Andrew! I’m praying that Janae have a smooth and pain-free recovery and that you and the rest of your family have strength and peace during this time while she’s getting back to normal.

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Oh Janae – I hope you feel better soon! I had major oral surgery when I was a teen – and had my jaw wired shut for six weeks – so I know how you feel! And my son is getting his wisdom teeth out on Friday – so I am reading all the comments and sending him suggestions of what he can eat afterwards.

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well done Andrew! get well Janae!
here are soft food ideas:
scrambled eggs
mashed banana with peanut butter and protein powder “bowl”
pudding or jello
cottage cheese with mandarin oranges chopped small
pasta!!!!
veggie soup pureed smoother
anything with yogurt as the base

good luck!

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I ate a lot of pudding and mac and cheese when I was on soft food diet.

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Taking notes because I have a gum graft in July! I had a pre-graft surgery on my mouth in September and had to eat soft foods then. My favorites were scrambled eggs and avocado. I found things like yogurt tough to eat because getting it off the spoon was surprisingly painful!

I hope Janae feels better today and has a smooth recovery!

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Try making instant potatoes using chicken or beef broth instead of water. Stir vanilla ice cream into warm jello then refrigerate for richer treat. Mashed avocado mixed into egg yolk for deviled eggs or egg salad. Heal fast!

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Order some Huel! Some of the flavors bare better than others, but it offers a lot of nutrition.

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Healing vibes to you Janae.
Thanks for the post Andrew. Husband of the year.

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Andrew, you’re doing a great job filling in for Janae! I love that you’re exhausted, ha!

We learned that when my husband, Les, comes out of surgery all his senses are on high alert. He basically has bionic hearing and smelling. I remember him talking about how loud the clock was and how strong the cleaning guy’s cologne was. I didn’t hear or smell either.

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Great job taking over for Janae, I like your thoughtfulness to take a video ?but not show it without Janae’s permission.
I have had gum grafting surgery three times, but not under anesthesia. I have had other surgeries with anesthesia but only remember one time waking up and seeing my surgeon across the room and yelling out “how did it go”? I was mortified that I did this because I’m pretty quiet and reserved, ha! And he looked mortified too and didn’t respond which made it worse!
It is challenging finding soft foods after a while and I think everyone mentioned most of the ones I ate. As I eat a plant based diet, I did miss eating salads, berries and nuts and spicy foods. I ate a lot of pasta, soup, rice, refried beans, avocado, mango, bananas, instant oatmeal, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes, protein smoothies with peaches or mango or bananas, no berries. After a few weeks I started making pb&j sandwiches and avocado toast and eating in really small bites.
But the hardest thing was not running and avoiding spicy foods.
Thanks for the update. Take care Janae ?

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Andrew, you’re a good egg for taking such good care of Janae and the kids. Hope you feel better soon, Janae. Here is one of my favorite soup recipes – broccoli cheese and potato. You can blend it as much or as little as you like. https://www.skinnytaste.com/broccoli-cheese-and-potato-soup/

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Poor Janae! I had gum graft surgery last year, and I ate a ton of refried beans and rice and mac and cheese.

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Janae, please let Andrew post the video! However, I feel so bad for your pain and swelling!

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I had a gum graft a couple of years ago and was told it was a no big deal, very easy. I had the opposite experience, my face was swollen for almost two weeks. I had it done right before Thanksgiving and a trip to San Francisco, worst timing ever!! I was miserable. I really hope that Janae heals quickly.

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Hi Janae! Feel better soon! I love Costco frozen fruit for smoothies but check with your doc to see if foods with seeds are allowed (they weren’t when I got wisdom teeth out).
Thanks for updating us Andrew and hope you all have a good day ahead!

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Gum graft was 1000% the worst experience of my life. My face was swollen to the point of me being unrecognizable for days. The most pain I have ever experienced. Worse than natural child birth. I will pray for her to have a better time of it than I did. Take care of her!

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Thank you Andrew for the post today! Janae I hope you continue to heal and don’t feel rushed if you need some time off.

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When I came off anesthesia I desperately wanted a cupcake, but not just any kind of cupcake, it was super specific and I insisted on drawing a picture of it. My husband kept my drawing and showed me afterwards – no idea where that came from! Though I do love cupcakes!

Feel better, Janae!

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How about oatmeal…..grind the oats first to make them less course!

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Cream of wheat with butter, brown sugar, and melted chocolate chips is a super comforting soft food! My anesthesia story is waking up in the middle of getting my 4 wisdom teeth out, and everyone panicking to put me back down, haha. Fortunately I don’t remember being in pain.

Best wishes to a fast recovery Janae!!

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Thanks for stepping in, Andrew! You’re a trooper to take care of everything for Janae!

Janae–wishing you effortless, smooth healing from your surgery. I hope that soft foods go WELL for you! Have someone make you that chocolate cherry smoothie recipe I shared with you a few weeks back…it’s SO good!!!

I think that when you’re able to eat ‘normal’ things again you will need to make a post for us all of what soft foods you will not be able to eat again for a very long time. ;)

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I was awake for my gum graft so I missed out on the sillies.
Like someone said earlier… the pain is not so bad after the first day as long as you stay ahead of it.
As for diet… Honestly… I drank a lot of beer. ?
But for the non drinkers…
Very cooked pastas and veggies worked well.
Canned anything.. especially peas and carrots are great. Mixing them with refried beans is yummy too as someone mentioned.
After a couple days, anything you can melt in your mouth and chew slowly was fine. Fries and bread are definitely winners. I know Janae loves that great harvest bread with butter!
Feel Better!

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Awww Janae, I’m so sorry you needed gum grafts. I made this soup for my husband when he had his wisdom teeth out (minus the Brussels sprouts). He said it was perfect. Im sure Andrew is taking great care of you! Feel better soon!

https://www.howsweeteats.com/2015/01/creamy-roasted-garlic-potato-soup-with-crispy-brussels-chili-oil/

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Hi Janae,

Sending healing vibes your way! I’m so sorry you are going through this, but “you can do hard things”! My partner broke his jaw a few years back and lived on Jamba Juice. They still send him “we miss you” notes. For evening meals I would put all the ingredients in the vita mix and blend ie. soup and chicken, he also had a lot of polenta with cheese, Ensure drinks ready if hunger took over. Take care and let your family take care of you!

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I’ve had gum grafts twice. I went to my med school classes the next day the first time and only needed Tylenol the second time. Hers sound much more intense!

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I had a complicated wisdom tooth removal when I was 18 and got so sick of smoothies and yogurt that I had my mom buy me jars of baby food so I could get some veggies, haha. Also, I used to work at a surgical center and I once had a patient use her pulse ox as a finger puppet. She turned to me and used it to say “you’re very pretty,” so needless to say she was my favorite patient ever.

Janae, I hope you recover quickly and get to run again soon (and eat pasta!).

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Oh Janae, I hope you’re feeling better soon. I had gum grafts over spring break when I was a junior in college. There are all the soft food choices like eggs, pasta, pudding, oatmeal, applesauce, jello, etc. I will echo another comment: do not purée meat. Just no. I will say puréed vegetables are better than baby food. Smoothies are a savior as well.
Andrew – awesome job taking over the blog today!! Oh – good call on not posting the post-anesthesia video LOL!!

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Ahhhh. Give Janae a hug. I’ve had gum surgery but hers sounds much more intense. Hope she is feeling better soon. ❤️❤️❤️

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Thinking of all of you as Janae recovers! I have had surgeries but never in my mouth. 6 weeks of mush sounds challenging, but I know she’ll do just fine. I bet she’ll be very tired of smoothies and ice cream by the end of it. Please give her a big hug for me!

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You’re so funny, Andrew. And so kind to fill in while Janae recovers. :)
The last time I woke up after surgery, I remember saying, “Wow was that good sleep.” I remember wishing I could “sleep” like that more often so I could feel rested.
Feel better soon, Janae!!

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You all are the sweetest family and are so lucky to have each other. It is so refreshing to read your positive blog every day. thank you.

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Praying for a speedy recovery Janae!! And really enjoyed the post Andrew! The master has taught you well. :)

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I had salivary gland surgery, and I wasn’t restricted to soft foods as long as Janae will be, but even after a few days, I was SO TIRED of sweet stuff like smoothies and ice cream (didn’t know that was possible!). A friend brought carrot ginger soup and it was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I still remember how good it tasted 16 years later! So, pureed soups are great. Also, what about savory oats, polenta, and/or tofu?

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Peanut butter or almond butter and jelly on mashed potatoes is delicious ! An idea to make the mash more versatile?

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Those were great comments after anesthesia! I kinda get mean afterwards. Like once I had outpatient surgery and the nurse asked if I could get dressed by myself and all I wanted to say was “I’m 21 (beep beep) years old, of course I can dress myself” but I was too wobbly and sore so I had to have help. But I would not let the nurse know it….I had my friend come help me.

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Puréed soup, pasta with a sauce that’s not tomato based (it stings like crazy), yogurt, cottage cheese (or ricotta), pudding are all easy on the mouth.

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I liked Cream of Wheat, grits, split pea soup, pureed bean soup, refried beans, jello, pudding, ice cream, yogurt, and soft scrambled eggs when I had my wisdom teeth out. Maybe tofu could provide some protein?

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I’m so sorry you are having this ordeal, Janae. Please take all the time you need to rest and get ready to shine for us all again! Bless Andrew for being the knight in shining armor, not just right now but always—what a find he is.
A suggestion re food: at Super Target here in Dallas you can get Greek-style yogurt that has 25% protein. It is called Ratio and comes in vanilla, coconut (my fave), blueberry, and strawberry. To eat, I find it really is very little different from other Greek-style yogurts. I use it in marathon training as I don’t care to eat much meat and this helps with getting protein, so I thought it might help Janae at the moment (if available in your area.) sending along hugs for speedy recovery ❤️

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