Snapped Elastics and Pancakes

drumroll, please....


I've eaten pancakes! Twice! The first was at McDonald's, which I haven't been to in...possibly over a year. But their "hotcakes" were very soft and yummy w/ syrup.

And this morning, I ate part of a pancake from that food bar thing downstairs from my office building. It was a little crummy...in more than one sense. But I paid $2.50 for that single pancake (they weigh the food and charge an index finger per pound) so I attempted it. The "crust" was too hard, and I snapped an elastic band while eating it. I hoped it would last me the day. I don't have any at work...
...should I remove all of them and go w/out for one day? I don't want my bite being skewed b/c I'm only wearing elastics on one side...

So I've decided that since I'm up and walking around during breakfast hours at Micky-D's, I should go in and get just their hotcakes once a week. It'll be a treat for me until I can eat real food.
My main concern about food continues to be protein. I was never a big protein eater, but I am getting worried that I'm not getting enough of it b/c most proteins come in hard-to-eat formats like steak, cottage cheese, protein bars, eggs or in icky protein shakes. I have been fastidious in thinking about how to consume more protein but haven't been fastidious in trying out new ways. Scrambled eggs are doable now that I'm more capable of swallowing bigger bits of solids, but still a couple spoonfuls are about my limit before they get stuck in my braces or spat out.

My left joint area has been in alot of pain recently and I've reverted to sleeping w/ my hand pressed against whichever side jaw is on the pillow...


....later that night....
I was forced to work past 9 pm. I worked more today than I have any other day since the surgery. Over 10.5 hours! And it feels like I haven't slept in 2 or 3 days...even though that's not true. My body isn't really what it used to be, maybe in a few more months I'll get my energy back.