Jaw surgery.... 2 weeks later 

All I can say is . You are fcking strong Cheers to a speedy recovery

You are definitely talking way better now! That x-ray was incredible . . . there is so much stuff in your face now. I didn't realize it required so many pins and things in there, no wonder you're swollen!

You're relationship with your sister is amazing ! You don't need friends when you have a Monica lol

Great seeing the updates. Its good seeing you improve each day. Take it easy and feel better. Fun to see Oliver. My Roxy dog is 10 now.

That must be a hard surgery to recover from. I had jaw and sinus surgery when I was about your age and that was a *painful* experience. I hope your recovery continues to go well.

I hope you recover soon and the best you can 😊

How much does jaw surgery cost?

Shelby, if you want to be able to take more pain meds, alternate between ibuprofen and acetaminophen. I know acetaminophen is not as effective as ibuprofen, but you can take 1000 mg every 6 hours with 400 mg of ibuprofen in between (so pain meds every 3 hours, ibuprofen, then acetaminophen, then ibuprofen, etc. I had to do that after my tonsillectomy. You're an incredible human and I'm jealous of your twin sister Monica! Good luck!

Just take it slow. Healing requires a TON of energy after surgery. A few years back I had a tumor (fortunately benign) removed from my lower jaw. Medicare doesn't cover dental, so I had to go to a sliding-scale clinic at a dental school. I couldn't afford surgery at a hospital with general anesthesia, so I had to be conscious, on nitrous oxide and local anesthetic, while they cut open my jaw, removed the tumor, and ground away a safe margin of bone in case it was malignant. High anxiety. That side of my face looked like a bowling ball and was completely numb for quite a while. Just be patient, keep your mind occupied on other stuff during the healing period. A few months from now the pain and recovery period will be a distant memory. Hang in there, kiddo.

Feel better soon. I'm enjoying the updates.

You spoke of your energy level and blood loss from surgery. I recovered faster looking into iron-rich foods. I ate a lot of spinach for one (can put in smoothies).

Alternate Title: Shelby eating after a surgery where it’s hard to eat for 12 minutes and 40 second

Great to see you starting to feel better as these vlogs go on, not long now and you will be back to 100% Also those cupcakes look incredible!

You look so good! I had double jaw surgery and chin surgery four years ago and I highly suggest if you still feel tightness once you’re fully healed to seek physical therapy. I waited a year and half after and it was long overdue. My surgeon said I never needed it but after just a few sessions in PT that wasn’t true.

You are a trooper for real Shelby..... every time you cry my heart breaks (hope it doesnt sound creepy lol)... even though we cannot heal your pain i hope our support makes you feel better😅

2 weeks already? I was going to say "that went by so fast" but I suppose it's probably been a lot longer for you than me watching a few videos!

u already look so much better!! wishing u the best w the rest of your recovery ♥️

she is doing great 😍

Monica oOOoo so you want that? Lol I feel like she did NOT want Panda Express but she was being such a good supportive sister!

In the words of Kris Jenner: “You’re doing amazing sweetie!”

you're doing great - you have the rest of your life for the swelling to go down - easy girl

You could switch between Tylenol and ibuprofen if your doctor allows. I’m a nurse and that’s what we do for our patients 😁 that way you’re not overdoing it on the ibuprofen but you’re still covering the pain

Okay my question about the surgery - is there anything that your research did not prepare you for? What would you do differently if you'd had the knowledge you have now before the surgery? Glad to hear you're healing well, I hope it goes by quickly for you xx

Would love to hear a detailed over view of your surgery, how they approached your case, where they fractured the jaws, how they aligned your teeth back together, before and after's of your xray's (3d or cephalograms), -- basically anything in detail that you want to share I'm so interested to hear about!

Every time I'm about to watch one of your update videos I take 3 ibuprofen in your honor haha.... ok, maybe I missed this part but, how are you cleaning your mouth/teeth? Can you actually softly brush? I saw that you had a baby toothbrush but I don't know if you can use it yet

I remember recovering from wisdom teeth surgery was annoying. I can't imagine what this must be like! Glad to see you getting better!

Praying for your quick healing. Please don't take so much Ibuprofen. Really hard on your Kidneys.

Try taking Tylenol too and switch it between ibuprofen. That’s what I did when I had pain when they didn’t last long. Switching them let’s u take more often CNN

I know you're trying to do a withdrawal from it, but, caffeine is actually good for pain and inflammation reduction! It also will boost the effectiveness of pain reducers like Ibuprofen, Aspirin, etc, making them more effective and the pain reduction lasts longer but DON'T use more than the recommended dosage of ANY pain relievers while taking caffeine or you will feel a "medication overdose" and when the Ibuprofen wears off a headache will actually feel worse than before you took it, but it's not a problem if you stay in or under the recommended dosage, which is easier to do since then medication lasts longer and is more effective so you will want less of it. A sudden stop of caffeine can also cause pain and headaches so doctors recommend a slower transition to going caffeine free by gradually reducing the amount you drink! Also, lightly (very lightly!) blowing out your cheeks will help get some flexibility back in them and the muscles controlling them. Don't do it to the point that it hurts a lot, just some light pressure moving air around inside your mouth like you are swishing mouthwash or water around (which is another good mouth exercise and helps keep the teeth healthy when brushing is difficult) for a minute or less is effective! Hoping the pain and healing process will be quick and as pain free as possible! Also raisins, grapes, apples, and oranges are good for Iron production and increasing your blood count and red blood cell production! Low amounts of Iron in the blood (common after surgery) can cause extreme fatigue, headaches, and cold hands and feet.

Swelling is way down. You’re such a trooper and doing so great during your recovery and you have a great support system.

Thanks a great sign you started to get feeling back and the tingly/cold signs! I know nothing compared to what you have. But when I got my wisdom teeth removed I ended up getting permanent nerve damage on my chin. So I completely understand the “annoying” feeling! But signs of tingling/cold feelings mean the nerves are starting to wake up! You got this! 💜

Hey Shelby, love your videos, they really make my day and it inspired me to create my own channel. hopefully one day ill be able to meet amazing people like yourself.....haha someday GET WELL SOON

You could *gently* use a face roller or Gua Sha tool to help your face drain the built up fluid and swelling. (Esthetician here)

I think you're talking pretty well - honestly we probably don't even need the captions I think!

You’re dealing with the slow healing process, including the pain, and you still have time to vlog you’re progress. That is a lot of fortitude, that the rest of us might have difficulty doing.

Right. Alcohol and Motrin together very bad for your liver. Even alone, they aren't great for your liver...but together...no way.

you're looking freaking amazing!! i'm shocked your face is not bruised! I had yellow and purple on my face for a few weeks. not to mention that the swelling has gone down a lot. *AWESOME!*

I’m scheduled for Double Jaw surgery on 11/18. If you had to name 3 essential items to have post op what would they be?

Tumeric helped me a lot with the swelling and the pain after my procedure. Hope this helps 😊

Thanks for sharing this journey with us! :)

My good friend from high school got this surgery 6 years ago now and she still has a numb spot on her chin. My job is to tell her if she has anything on it because she can't feel it.

Be really careful taking the ibuprofen. That stuff isn't so great and really tears your stomach lining up. You're doing great!!!

Really enjoy these videos - I’m having the same surgery within the next 6-10 months. I’ll also be 25 when I have it so it’s encouraging to see your recovery go so well! Hope the next few days go well too! I’m curious if you have to sleep sitting up? Or does it hurt to sleep normally?

Use Arnica gel!!!! I got a rhinoplasty and had almost no swelling when I got the cast off because of the gel!! Most people are extremely swollen getting their casts off so I swear by it. You can also take it by ingesting the ones you put under your tongue.

Ibuprofen works 4-6 hours. If you need it every 4 take it every 4 hours BUT only take 400mg. The daily maximum is 2400 mg. You can boost ibuprofen with caffeine (I know you are trying to quit, but it will boost the pain reduction power). And if you can take acetaminophen, you can take it with ibuprofen. Follow package directions for the acetaminophen, and absolutely don't over do it. Ibuprofen isn't actually a pain killer, it's an anti-inflammatory. Acetaminophen is an analgesic, a pain killer.

I just had a major surgery on one of my eyes. I know how annoying the healing process can be, especially when it is something that is crucial to everyday life. Stay strong. You're still looking great! Maybe I missed the explanation in another vlog, but how did they perform the surgery? Was it all done inside your mouth? Or were there incisions that will leave a scar?

Could you talk about how much was done? did they move all your upper teeth as well? cut the entire upper bone structure?? I thought they would just cut a few mm of the lower jaw length, not full cranial rearrangement.

You are doing great! No problem understanding you at all.

Hi Sweet Pea, you look so very good! What a bummer that you're in the group of people that stays swollen longer. I feel for ya. ♡♡♡ I've kept quiet about this subject until now, but seeing you're still swollen, I feel the need to speak up. This is a very, very long comment, just warning you! Bcuz there are definitely certain foods that create more swelling, I just want to share what I've found out on this subject. I thought I might give you a few tips on how to diminish swelling. Not that you should take my word for it tho. Please do your own research. And if you don't want to hear about it, then just skip the rest of my comment! Bcuz truly, I understand. ♡ However, bcuz I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 12 years, I've had lots of time to experiment with the different foods that make my joints swell. Also, these results could be completely different for you, so you'll never know until you try it for yourself. Ok, one more thing - the foods I've had to cut out of my diet certainly make my food choices quite dull indeed. Sometimes I miss eating something soooo much, that I'll just decide to put up with the swelling so my taste buds can enjoy the treat! So yeah, it's all about making choices. Let me just say CONGRATS on cutting out the Caffeine & Alcohol too! Those 2 things will for sure hinder your healing process. And you'll end up feeling much better without them too. Ok, I'm going to give you the bad news first. All the stuff that is yummy, but certainly makes my body swell up. (You may be different!) Then I'll follow with a few things that help decrease the swelling. First thing is Sugar. Yep, the old sugar is bad for you conversation... It's a big bummer that sugar makes my joints swell within 15 minutes of eating it, bcuz I have a sweet tooth that just never quits! And I know our situations are completely different, don't get me wrong! You may have totally different reactions than me. Having said that, I did quit sugar over 5 years ago. Basically, that includes all kinds of foods with sugar added, which is bread, french fries, and most condiments too. Most all processed food has sugar added, unfortunately... 😥 it makes me sad to not be able to eat all those yummy things! But the trade off is I feel 100% better when I refrain. Plus, I can think better too. A lot less brain fog. Also, this category contains all the fruit that contains natural sugars too. Unfortunately. I love a good smoothie! And ice cream too! Ugh!!! Which is why sometimes I give in and have a little bit anyway! But afterward, I can always tell. My body reacts every time by my affected joints swelling up. I'm like a sugar barometer!! The 2nd thing is White flour. Yes, the next hardest thing to quit eating in America! Many, many processed foods contain white processed flour. Including one of my favorites, BREAD. I even used to make my own homemade bread. Sooooo yummy!!! But now my joints hate it. So they usually win that argument. 3rd - processed foods in general. Bcuz of all the added chemicals. Things like preservatives, etc. Processed foods are loaded with chemicals to make them taste better, and last longer. Really the only way around this one is to eat all homemade food. If you want to put a name to it - its called a "Clean Food Diet". Clean of all added chemicals. This one is tough when you're not feeling well, bcuz cooking can be difficult. Remember, I'm just letting you in on what keeps the swelling down for me, you may be completely different! 4th - the last think is Dairy. I cannot say that dairy is bad for swelling, but it IS bad for phlegm. For some people, it just kinda clogs up the digestive system too. So if you're having any issues with phlegm, or sinus problems, then staying away from dairy, and gelatin products (like jello) will help with that. Your probably wondering what's left to eat!!! Well - truthfully, not much unless you're cooking it all from scratch! So like I said before, it's all about your own choices, and how your body reacts to all those things. Now for some good news! There are natural supplements you can include in your diet that really do wonderful things for keeping the swelling down. 1.) Water. I'm SURE you know about this one, but it really is the most important, so I just have to include it! Drinking as much water as I possibly can not only has a good effect on my joints, but just for overall aches and pains, this has a noticeable difference within an hour (or less) after I chug my first big glass for the day. Now - how much should a person be drinking? I've always been told this formula: Take the amount you weigh, and divide that in half. That # is the number of ounces for your daily intake. Here's an example: A person weighs 120 pounds. So the amount of water to be drunk in one day should be 60 ounces. When you're trying to heal, you should drink even more than the normal daily amount. A person your size should probably be drinking 20 to 30 ounces more every day while healing. Water is going to flush out all the toxins the fastest that your body is dealing with from the surgery. The good news here is that any beverage (or soup) that's water based counts for your daily water numbers! And of coarse, anything with caffeine takes those same #'s and decreases them. Caffeine 101: Bcuz caffeine is a diuretic, it causes the body to expell water. Therefore the body is not absorbing the water, but loosing it. So for every measured cup of caffeine, you should replace it with 2 cups of water. (Most everybody knows this, I just couldn't leave it out.) Also - Lots of times people who don't feel well end up NOT drinking lots of water bcuz they don't want to get up to pee so often! It's no fun, I know. But those people end up feeling lousy longer bcuz their body takes longer to flush out all the negatives that come with surgery, or any kind of illness. So again, it's all about choices. ♡ 2.) Probiotics & Pre-probiotics. You probably already know about this one, but I'll include it anyway. I find the liquid probiotics, that are also organic, work best for me. Also, when the body goes thru a trauma, and especially when you've been taking antibiotics, and pain pills, those types of meds kill of the good flora in your gut. So replacing them daily as soon as possible will help your whole body get back to a state of running smoothly very much quicker. 3.) Tumeric. This is a really healthy supplement for lots of reasons, but it is a known herb for helping swelling. It certainly does help keep my swelling down when I take it regularly. Also it naturally contains Curcumin, which is big on fighting swelling too. You can get it in capsule form, as in the powder has been put into a gel capsule. So you wouldn't have to actually taste it if that's an issue. If you take it that way, I suggest taking it WITH some food, and drinking at least 8 oz. of water with it too. When I took it on an empty stomach, but with water, my tummy had a little bit of uncomfortable feeling. But that may just be me, who knows!? 4.) Ginger. Ginger ANYTHING! There is Ginger tea too. You can eat it in your food, if you like it that way. I don't care for it, so I take it powdered & shoved into a gel capsule, then down the hatch. Same thing as the Turmeric, take it with a bit of food at least until you get used to it. 5.) Macha Tea, or if you don't like that, then any good organic green or white tea is really good with swelling for me. Unfortunately, I have to add a bit of sweetener with this, so I try to use Palm sugar, or Date sugar. At least that's somewhat better than white sugar. And my joints don't have their usual big reaction of puffing up afterward! 6.) Aloe Vera Juice. I like to think this counts as some of my water numbers! I mix it with stuff like veggie smoothies, or anywhere I can fit it in. I only drink a half cup of this most every day. I always feel better when this is in my daily diet. 7.) Celery Juice. Again, I mix this with something else bcuz I'm not super crazy about the taste by itself. Altho, it's not something that I think tastes bad either. This one also makes me less prone to swelling when using my joints. And when I am already swollen, it helps the swelling go down a but quicker. Or at least my brain tells me that's true! Ok. That's all I'm going to list. Those are my main go-to's for help with swelling. I know this is a really loooong comment to post. But you having surgery isn't a normal situation anyway. I just thought maybe some of these things might be able to help you during this hard time. If you are interested in any of them, please research them for yourself! I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. !!! (Just a little joke there) As for your willingness to share this journey on You Tube, I think you are very brave for doing so. Not everyone would be willing to do what you've been doing. This shows you've got guts! Every time I see you since the actual surgery, you look stronger, and stronger! I think you're going to come out of this even better than before it all started. Which, of coarse, is the whole point of doing it!! Even if your swelling continues to take longer than the "norm", it WILL be worth all this bother that's happening right now. How nice that your parents, and sister are there for you during this time! You're a very lucky girl to have such love and support in your life. ♡ I wish you all the success in this current endeavor, you've been very brave, and you're looking wonderful. Hope this book I wrote has been helpful ♡♡♡

Makes me really sad though seeing one of my favorite RU-vidrs struggling! ** Although your family's support is amazing and overall it seems you are still having a nice time :-)

It’s so cute how Monica asking you what you want to eat! Glad you both have such a strong bond and totally sucks she can’t stay at your house. I give you props on staying with her at the hotel to spend more time with her and Oliver. My question for your next video... Where did they make the incisions for your surgery? Did they take out the stitches already?

2:00 Not everyone heals at the same rate. Just heal at your own pace.

Incorporate vitamin C & D with your daily meal its help with healing it also better to drink the fresh squeeze orange juice hope you feel better soon

You’re so brave! I remember when I was younger and an orthodontist told me that if I wanted perfect teeth I needed jaw surgery for both my top and bottom portions of my jaw. It was super scary and had no idea how to even proceed. My insurance probably would not cover it so I never looked seriously into it, but I looked online and the surgery is super serious. Some people mentioned that they didn’t get full feeling back around their mouth. Props to you for going through it and staying strong. Wishing you the best recovery.

Thank u for keeping us informed 😞💕

When you also watched Monica's vlog and knew Shelby was going to get croissant and scrambled eggs for breakfast 🤭

you and monica make me wish I had a twin, you two have so much fun and take care of each other. Sorry to hear the swelling is taking so long to go down, you're a rockstar for vlogging and taking us through this!

Shelby, are the screws and plates permanent?👀

Hate seeing you in pain, but appreciate you sharing this journey with us. Wishing you the best for the rest of your recovery.

I hope you feel better 😍

Shelby you are doing great !

I am so invested in these recovery vlogs!

thanks for sharing this entire process, it's preparing me mentally for this next year :( hope you get well soon!

i demand more oliver XD

Get well soon! Waiting for videos on it main channel!❤

You have a good sister there Shelby:-) get well soon

If you want new Item for your menu try taboolah it's like super chopped salad everything is in tiny pieces so you can chew easily ya btw gal you are doing great ahh don't stress or worry abt the swollen it'll go super smooth like your face looks a lot better honestly you are so brave & strong I just wish fast recovery for you gal you the real Queen 🙌💜

So inspiring how hard you’ve worked throughout this recovery, you’re insane! ❤️

Awh Shelby, I think you need a pup! (minus the roommate situation) It's so cute to see how Oliver is your little pick-me-up through all of this :)

Feel better !! Happy to see you uploading us still even through this healing process ❤️❤️ sending you much love ❤️🌟🌟🌟

still look as beautiful as ever.

glad to hear you're feeling better! what music do you use in the background of your vlogs? it's really nice!

Oooo wishing you the best Shelby!!! Also happy Halloween :)

Is it just me or her face looks like a completely different person

I hope you are doing better ❤️

Oliver is the cutest !!!

Feel better soon. I'm enjoying the updates. u already look so much better!! wishing u the best w the rest of your recovery ♥️ get well soon youa re so pretty

Thanks for the update!, hope you heal quickly!!

Omg Spindrift is made in Nova Scotia where I’m from!!

Looking better! hang in there!!

I’m 1 week post-op on lower jaw surgery and the swollenness is really affecting my self confidence. Seeing your videos and transformation is giving me hope that it will get better and look better, it just takes a lot of time and healing. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Ibuprofen actually slows down bone healing though just to let people know.

So how long is Monica staying? Will she have to be at the hotel the whole time?

Monica's face when you requested panda express cracked me up LMAO. That blue sweater is so cute!

OMG! The Xrays showing the titanium inserts....no wonder you have soooo much pain! Very courageous!

Get well soon!!

I'm day 14 post op right now and I'm like the same as you in this video! It's not just the swelling but I feel my face is dead... T_T

I can speak from experience, take the meds wether you think you need it or not, it's difficult to get it back under control, and ibuprofen is a anti- eflamitory, to keep the swelling down, the build will not hurt you, they prescribed me 1600 mg, 3x a day, just take your time, heal, relax, you are still beautiful!

Hi I am thinking of having upper Jaw and lower jaw surgery ,how long would it take before I could go back to work without it been obvious I had surgery ? I work in construction

Currently on post op day 6 and watching like eeevery video related to jaw surgery experiences 🙈 I was shocked by how far you could open your mouth at post op 7, I‘m only at half of it 🤭 So looking forward to regain all the feeling in my lower lip and chin back

What type of class did you identify with for your bite? I have an underbite, class 3 and have been on the fence about jaw surgery (as you may have experience-but really scary). it's really nice to see your vlogs and your recovery as it reinforces things will be okay if I decide to go through it as well.

Proud of you!

0:10 Hm weird. I don't know about your situation but I had orthognathic surgery on my lower jaw a week ago and I had pain meds for the like first 3 days. Afterwards I got no pain. But my mouth is sealed shut unlike yours. I've only been drinking through a straw, haven't eaten any solid food in the last 7 days.

Terrorized I'll be going through this and I won't be able to train for a month. Guess I bloathe myself with soylent during that time.

Did your insurance cover all the medical costs? I was going to get cochlear implants, but I guess my hearing loss isn't as bad as I thought. I still can't hear a soft voice indoors. My insurance said, "fuck no" basically.

First!

Did you research the surgery procedure in action on RU-vid before you got it because I looked up videos and ... you are brave. Was the healing process better or worse than you expected?

I love all your features. But because u really want it. Congratulations. Love love love

Wait...you have a twin? Did she need surgery too? (Sorry if you addressed this already)

Have u had to yawn or sneeze? If so how did tht work/feel. When did u stop icing? Can you brush ur teeth at all yet?