Deja Vu....

So we are 6 days out from my last (both most recent and final...no matter what) jaw surgery.  This surgery only involved my top jaw (unlike the last, wherein they operated on both the top and bottom).  All that said, half the surgery does not equal half the recovery.
If I had to liken it to something, it might be to the intervals of a reward point program.  I haven't crossed the 1 million point threshold, where I get full-face Stay-Puft style swelling and mustard yellow bruising from my eye sockets to my underwire and pain that requires multiple narcotics.  I am, however, beyond the 500K point mark of my first surgery (having my pallet split), which included two black eyes and chipmunk cheeks. I'm hanging more around the 750K mark...bonuses at this level include a face the shape of Frankenstein's monster's, black, blue and yellow mottling where my freckles used to be and an overall look that suggests I should have gotten the license plate of the truck before it sped off.
All that said, I am improving each day, same as last time.  Yesterday, I was much puffier than I am today and on top of my regular meds, I took a dose of Dilaudid.  Today, I have stuck to my two scheduled pain killers/anti-inflammatories and have been able to tolerate the discomfort so far.  I stopped using heat/ice two days ago because, like last time, I started to find the significant increases/decreases of the 20 minutes on and off and then the time without either to be far more uncomfortable than just sticking with a moderate, but stable amount of swelling. I'm also finding myself able to eat more volume more regularly earlier in the process than last time, so perhaps I won't lose quite as much weight as last time.  Still pretty tired...sleeping a lot and resting even more.  A shuffle to the kitchen and back is enough to wind me, but hopefully as I eat more, I will become more energetic.
Overall, I feel pretty positive - I hope that things continue in this direction, but after last time, am prepared for regressions.  I found steps backward really difficult last time, so I am going to work at keeping my spirits up through them this time.
In case you are interested, some pics of the mug.

Messing around on my phone while I wait to be taken into surgery.

Post-surgery - Moved from recovery to my room, looking like  a hot mess.

Day 1 - All rigged up and looking a bit bitchy about the whole thing, but the ice and humidity made me much more comfortable than I would have been without.

Day 2 - Bits of bruising started to emerge.  Feeling tired...can you tell?

Day 2 - Flowers from Dr. Rinehart's office. A nice surprise.

Liquid diet is bullshit guys....

No really though....bullshit.

Day 3 - Ditched the humidity for a bit, but not long...not a lot of obvious difference between my appearance in these pics, but the difference in feeling over these days was significant. 

Day 4 - Finally escaping! Late in the day, but thrilled to be out all the same (can't you see the excitement in my face ;) ). 

Day 5 - A SHOWER! Not helping a lot, but I felt better at least.  Hanging out at mom's is much better than the hospital!

Day 6 - Blackie is *so happy* to finally be allowed up in the chair with me.
She acted so dejected over the last couple of days.

Day 6 - A field trip to Teacher Appreciation Day at Chapters.  Even just 1/2 an hour of shuffling around a bookstore at a sloth's speed was invigorating!