My daughter went through a bone graft last year, and I completely understand how tough this stage can be. She was really sensitive to temperature too—she'd cringe even at room temp water, saying it felt icy. We ended up using lukewarm broth and smoothies (nothing too cold, just slightly chilled or room temp) for the first week or so. It seemed to help her nerves calm down and made her more comfortable overall. Honestly, the first few days were the hardest, but each day got just a tiny bit better. Hang in there, you're doing great. It's totally normal to feel frustrated or worried at this point, but trust me, it does get easier bit by bit.
I totally get the temperature sensitivity thing... after my graft, even room temp yogurt felt like ice cream. Did your daughter also have trouble sleeping at first? Nights were rough for me, kept waking up uncomfortable and anxious...
"Did your daughter also have trouble sleeping at first? Nights were rough for me, kept waking up uncomfortable and anxious..."
Yeah, sleep was definitely a challenge for my daughter too. The first week or so after her graft, she was tossing and turning constantly. She described it as this weird mix of discomfort and restlessness—like she couldn't find a comfortable position no matter what she tried. We ended up stacking pillows around her to help prop her up a bit, which seemed to ease the pressure slightly. Not a miracle fix, but it helped enough to get her a few hours of uninterrupted sleep here and there.
The temperature sensitivity thing is spot-on. She basically lived on lukewarm soups and smoothies for a while because even slightly cool foods felt painfully cold. I remember once I handed her a yogurt straight from the fridge without thinking, and the look she gave me... you'd think I'd handed her a bowl of ice cubes, haha. Lesson learned.
One thing we found helpful was keeping a heating pad nearby—not directly on the graft area obviously, but just close enough to provide some comforting warmth. It seemed to ease that anxious feeling at night, too. Anxiety was definitely part of the package, unfortunately. She'd wake up feeling jittery and unsettled, probably from the pain meds or just general discomfort. We tried calming teas and even some ambient noise apps, which surprisingly helped her drift back to sleep faster.
Honestly, it took a solid two weeks before things started noticeably improving. Hang in there—it does get better gradually, even if it feels like slow progress at first.
Sleep trouble sounds pretty common from what I've heard. My sister had a similar experience after her bone graft—she described it like her jaw was "buzzing" with discomfort, especially at night. Pillows helped her too, but she actually found more relief by sleeping slightly elevated in a recliner for the first few days. Not ideal, but it cut down on the tossing around.
"She basically lived on lukewarm soups and smoothies for a while because even slightly cool foods felt painfully cold."
Temperature sensitivity was definitely a thing for her as well. She got hooked on room-temperature oatmeal and mashed potatoes for a bit—anything colder or hotter just wasn't worth the pain.
The anxiety part makes sense too, probably a combo of meds and just general discomfort. She swore by podcasts to distract herself at night; said it helped quiet her mind enough to drift off again.
Hope things ease up for you soon...sounds rough right now, but it does improve bit by bit.
My son had a bone graft last year, and honestly, the recliner thing didn't really work for him. He tried it one night and said he felt too stiff and restless. What actually helped him more was just stacking pillows under his mattress to create a gentle incline—less awkward than the recliner. Also, weirdly enough, he preferred slightly warm foods over lukewarm...said it soothed the ache better. Guess everyone's different with this stuff...
