Hell week
So I’m 2 weeks post-op from my tongue split, and I just wanted to share my experience. First off, I went to Shawn O’Hare and I want to point this out because it meant a lot to me — he actually pronounced my name correctly 😅 So many people don’t even try, so that alone made me feel really seen. He was super welcoming and I instantly felt relaxed. He walked me through everything he was going to do. I believe his wife was there too (I didn’t ask), and Frankie was also there — she was so sweet, giving me compliments and hyping me up a bit haha. Overall I just felt really calm going into the procedure. Afterwards, I realized I hadn’t paid the full amount. I felt really bad and emailed him, and he was super cool about it. I sent the rest that same day. Overall just a really respectful and calm experience. I’d definitely go back for a coin slot in the future ☺️ Healing (“hell week” haha) It was a 3 hour car ride home, and within about 45 minutes I already started feeling pain — it felt like a toothache and ear infection at the same time. The drooling started almost immediately. I used an ice pack around my neck which helped a bit, but my biggest mistake was taking liquid pain meds instead of pills. I barely slept the first night and ended up sleeping on my couch. I never lost the ability to swallow though thankfully. Day 2: Couldn’t really close my mouth yet. Pain wasn’t terrible, but the drooling was insane. So many towels, rags, and a spit cup constantly. It was thick and gross, but I kept drinking water which I think helped a lot. Day 3: This day was worse mentally than physically. I felt really weak. The drooling wouldn’t stop and drinking water just made more saliva. I tried swallowing but it made my stomach hurt so I stopped. Big advice here: get protein in. I didn’t eat enough and that’s a big reason I felt so weak. I eventually made super soft eggs and had to eat like a baby bird 🐦 Day 4: Still rough, mostly from swelling. The white coating on my tongue made my breath smell so bad. I didn’t want to talk much. Just brushed my teeth and drank water. I also noticed some kind of blood buildup (not sure the exact term), but I was told it’s normal so I didn’t stress it. Day 5: Left side started going down, right side was more stubborn. My middle stitches came out before the sides, which I think caused a bit of early regrowth before I could stretch properly. I was upset at first, but I’ve actually grown to like how it’s healing now. Day 6: No pain anymore. Started eating soft foods again, like sandwiches, carefully chewing with back teeth. Still being mindful of the tips. Day 7: Tongue started turning pink again, which felt like a good sign. Overall It was definitely hell week, but would I do it again? Yes. Just make sure you listen to your body mod artist, don’t compare your healing to others, and have a good support system during recovery — that part really matters.