Day 22

Woke up this morning and found the red rash on my face to have almost completely subsided. Also, a lot of the pimples on my chin have disappeared, too. If a shot in my ass can do this, I’m absolutely willing to take another one. I also received a white cream that’s supposed to be gentler on my skin (aka, not give me red rashes), and I think that’s helped with the zits, too. Now I feel fit to walk outside without feeling overly self-conscious.

Another new issue that’s arisen is that my gums are now attaching themselves to my braces. Also, I keep chewing on my gums, and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of kanker sores when this is all over. The thing is, I can’t feel the gums on my left cheek (and possibly the right as well) so I have no idea whether or not a piece of my gum is clamped between my teeth. Struggles.

I mentioned in my last entry that I was only popping bands on my left side. Well, I popped the right one today. I’m trying to figure out if I’m supposed to change both of them at the same time, because right now my right one is super tight and my left one is a bit more lax.

There’s this show on TV that highlights individuals in various workplaces who perform a certain manual skill with flair. Like, last week they showed this man who worked in a pizza parlor and could cut and spin raw dough like no other. Today they’re showing people who work in an alcohol factory. It reminds me how much I miss drinking. More than the alcohol itself, I miss the conversation and camaraderie that comes with sitting at a bar with a nicely poured pint.

To wrap up today, I’ll share a recipe.

Recipe:

I love rotisserie chicken with baked beans and cole slaw. On those days when I don’t feel like cooking, I’ll stop by the grocery store and pick them up for a feast. With the left over chicken, I make a chicken salad with pesto, capers, and mayonnaise. I’ve discovered a way to have one of my favorite meals in a no chew or little chew fashion.

Boil a chicken in a pot with vegetables. You get a good broth that you can later slurp.

Shred the chicken. I usually like the breast because there’s a good chunk of meat. Shred the chicken very finely. Use scissors if you must. I wouldn’t recommend blending because it doesn’t look that great, but if you must, you can. Mix in pesto sauce and mayonnaise. Add a bit of salt for taste.

Heat canned beans over the stove. Mash with a spoon. You can swallow the concoction whole.

You can also add mashed potatoes for a full dinner.