That's a pretty smart move with the cartoons. I've seen a lot of patients use nostalgia as a distraction, and it genuinely seems to help. When I had my own oral surgery a few years back, I thought I'd be fine just toughing it out—big mistake. Halfway through recovery, I ended up binge-watching old sitcoms from the 90s, and honestly, it made a huge difference. Something about familiar characters and predictable storylines just takes your mind off the discomfort.
One thing I'd add though: don't underestimate practical prep either. Stocking up on soft foods beforehand and having ice packs ready can save you from scrambling later when you're feeling groggy or sore. Nostalgia is great mentally, but pairing it with some solid physical prep makes recovery way smoother overall. Just my two cents from seeing both sides of the chair...
Totally agree about the sitcoms—Friends reruns got me through my braces tightening days, haha. Did you find any specific soft foods that worked best? I'm prepping for surgery soon and could use some fresh ideas...
Friends reruns are a solid choice—definitely helped distract me during recovery too. On the food front, I found smoothies and mashed potatoes got old fast, so I started experimenting with savory oatmeal (sounds weird, but trust me, it's surprisingly good). Also, scrambled eggs with cheese melted in were easy to eat and pretty filling.
One thing I'm curious about though: has anyone tried meal prepping soups or stews ahead of time and freezing them? Wondering if the texture holds up after reheating...wouldn't want to end up with something unappetizing when I'm already feeling rough.
"has anyone tried meal prepping soups or stews ahead of time and freezing them?"
I tried freezing some homemade chicken noodle soup before my surgery, and honestly, the noodles got super mushy after reheating... wasn't great. Maybe stick to soups without pasta or rice if texture's a big deal for you.
I ran into the same issue when I froze beef barley soup last year. The barley soaked up all the liquid and turned into a thick, mushy mess after reheating. Still edible, but definitely not ideal texture-wise. Since then, I've had better luck freezing soups that are mostly veggie-based or blended, like tomato basil or butternut squash. Chili also freezes really well—actually tastes even better reheated after flavors meld together.
One thing that's worked for me is freezing soups in smaller portions (like single-serving containers or freezer bags laid flat). That way, if the texture does get weird, you're not stuck eating a giant batch of sad soup for a week. Plus, smaller portions thaw quicker, which is handy when you're recovering and don't wanna wait around too long to eat.
