Jaw Surgery!

Message From Accent

2009-11-30T23:23:00.007-05:00

I thought my jaw-surgery adventure was over. After all, I had my jaws broken last summer. And though the healing process took several weeks, by the time my braces were removed, I celebrated the finale by posting goofy pictures on this blog.

The End....right?

Not exactly. One random morning while having breakfast, Sean asked if I had opened my mail. I hadn't, so he picked up some letters while I continued to eat. There were the usual credit card solicitations, which I generally ignore. But there was an unfamiliar letter in the pile. The return address stated the company was called Accent. "What's this?," Sean asked. I had no idea, so I opened it with curiosity. It was a bill from Anthem, my former insurance company, that came to me via Accent, a bill-collecting agency. There wasn't a letter to explain the charge. It simply stated that Anthem over-covered me last year for my surgery, and that I am to pay them $4,575 for the difference in their clerical mistake.

What a shocking, unpleasant surprise. Must I state the obvious in that I always pay my bills on time? Why am I being hounded by a debt collecting agency? How can an insurance company cover a person and then renege on their obligations a year later?

There are so many questions. I had 30 days to respond to this claim. I called Accent, but didn't hear from them, so I wrote a letter rejecting the validity of their claim and sent it through certified mail.

This is a blundering mistake on their part, and I will not be paying for their errors. I am not sure how this process will develop, but it's certainly not the end of my jaw-surgery adventure.

Sean's last word

2009-07-09T13:21:00.003-04:00

Of course, it wouldn't be fair for me to leave without posting at least one great final picture I took at Dr. Wong's office today. This is Michelle spreading her smile for all to see how nice her new grill is.

I remember when Michelle first had these braces installed in two years ago. I remember her going through anguish when her gums were torn and worn raw from the metal in her mouth, the pain in her teeth after each tightening of the wires in preparation for the surgery, and the apprehension she experienced in the weeks and days leading up to the hospitalization. I remember visiting her in the recovery room after her surgery, watching her recovery over the course of the past year, and now the moment arrived for this ordeal to be over, and for us to move on to the next challenge life throws our way. Glad this is one is finally behind!

I have to thank Dr. Wong and Dr. Asdell for their professional medical and dental skills - they treated Michelle beyond well, and I can't imagine her being in better or safer hands. Anyone living in the South Bend vicinity would be wise to seek their expertise if you are about to go through what Michelle had to go through these last two years.

Well, I'd write more, but I think I'd rather spend the time with Michelle's new smile! It's begging for kissies!

Good luck to all of those facing jaw surgery, and to your loved ones and friends as well.

Sean

Finally Brace Free!!

2009-07-09T12:44:00.006-04:00

The impossible has finally happened - my braces were removed today!!! It feels positively glorious to have a new and improved smile. And eating food is a real treat now. No more fighting with food in my brackets or having to worry about my lips going over the wires. I feel like I crossed the finish line, and it feels great. Now, time for the glamour-shot photos!

This is how I looked this morning.

Taking braces off one's teeth is a little complicated.

But this is a walk in the park compared to what I've been through this past year! And now, time for the happy ending - a picture with Dr. Wong!

Jinx???

2009-04-13T00:23:00.003-04:00

I'm probably jinxing tomorrow's ortho appointment, but last month Dr. Wong said that he's pretty much done making adjustments. He said that he's happy with the results and the latest activation would basically "seal the deal."

So I interpreted that cryptic message as him saying that he would be taking my braces off in April. And tomorrow's my appointment, so maybe I'll get super lucky with some good news. Maybe...but I am also known for totally jinxing myself, so I probably just cursed myself for another two months.

We shall see...my appointment is at 10am sharp. If I get these darn braces off tomorrow, I'll be sure to post a quick update. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, well, you'll be able to figure out that I jinxed myself. Fingers crossed for good news, though!!!

Scalene Triangles and Three-Week Intervals

2009-02-23T18:46:00.004-05:00

Today I had another ortho appointment, and learned a couple of things: First, I'm now sporting two scalene triangles in my mouth. Dr. Wong can do wonders with rubber bands! I actually never knew what a scalene triangle was, but apparently it refers to triangles that have uneven sides. It was nice to review my geometry!

Second, and most important, Dr. Wong wants to start seeing me in three-week intervals. So I'm really getting towards the end of my orthognathic journey. I am so encouraged and giddy about this closure. Yes, I'm a broken record - I can't wait to be brace free!

And another thing - I told Dr. Wong about my lower jaw. I don't know why, but I can move my lower jaw to the left, but I can't move it to the right. So when I'm not sporting my cool scalene triangles, I'm supposed to be exercising my lower jaw so that I'll be able to move it the right. If I don't, Dr. Wong said that it will affect how I bite. Which means I'm doing my jaw exercises while blogging! :0)

At the Finishing Wires

2009-01-26T21:05:00.001-05:00

If this were a race to the end, I'd be losing. Rachel would have gotten first place, and Kam would have come in second. Me, I haven't even crossed the finishing line yet. Boo hoo!

The good news is that I'm now sporting a set of finishing wires, so I must be at the home stretch. I'm still wearing bands, and Dr. Wong has me wearing heavy-duty bands on my left side, which hurts so much. My mouth is basically clamped shut, which is great when I don't have to teach. But on Tuesdays and Thursdays, there's no way I can have those things in my mouth. I've already had several near accidents with my front-row students. I had a student last week get nearly hit in the face with one of my bands that popped out. That's so not cool!

Even though I know that I'll be getting my braces off this semester, I've given up asking Dr. Wong when exactly that date will be. I'm getting antsy, though, that's for sure. I can't wait to be brace free!

2008-12-12T20:41:00.008-05:00

Somehow, three months flew right off the calendar. The last time I blogged, it was the start of the semester. At that time, I was worried about my voice not sounding back to normal, and my face was still slightly swollen from the surgery.

It's amazing what a semester can do to a person, though. I found myself reemerged into the academic lifestyle: teaching three classes, publishing research, participating in service. I advised students on what classes they should take, attended a research conference to present my current projects, and wrote letters of recommendation for three students who aspire to continue their studies. And it's still not over! I have a paper deadline on Monday, as well as more committee work so that we may hire a new dean for the College of Arts and Sciences.

And somewhere in that mix, I received a very endearing note from Kam to "come baaaack". I'm sorry it's taken me a week to respond. I just finished posting final grades this afternoon. So phew! Maybe now I can try shaking the cobwebs off this old blog of mine!

Of course, as promised, I checked out everyone's blog from time to time. It seems like almost everyone has gotten fancy with their blog decor! I was relieved to find out that Holly is recovering well from her second surgery. And I was green with envy when I heard that Rachel and Lotti are getting their braces off soon. I had made the mistake by asking my ortho about my "big day." He seemed fairly annoyed by the question, and he told me it would take an additional six months. Doing the math now, I think that puts me into March since I asked him that dreadful question.

But all is well with me, thank goodness. I'm happy to report that I sound completely normal. The swelling is mostly gone, although I don't think it's entirely gone. I don't experience anymore muscle spasms, but on rare occasions, I do feel a slight tingle in my lower jaw muscles. And sometimes my jaw is a little tight in opening up. But these are all minor incidences. I really do feel blessed for having a successful orthognathic experience!

So, okay, I feel obligated to post a photograph. Now, granted, I look a mess. I guess this is what happens to academics who are so focused on their work, they forget to take care of themselves! My other excuse is that because I'm a nerdy professor, I can hide behind that lofty title. Professors are nerdy, right?!!?

Ok, enough joshing. I hope you enjoy the picture of me and my little kitty, Claudio!

Back to the Grind

2008-09-17T20:58:00.004-04:00

This is totally predicable - now that school's in session, I'm utterly consumed by my teaching, research, and service duties. Such is the life of an academic. At least, this is my excuse for not blogging recently.

Last week I had an appointment with Dr. Asdell. He said my recovery is going so smoothly that he doesn't need to see me again until my braces are off once and for all. I still don't know when that's going to be (I'm too chicken to ask Dr. Wong).

So, I've been thinking about what to do with this blog. I never meant to blog about having braces. I guess that's because it's a boring story to tell: Have an adjustment, experience some pain and discomfort the first few days, and notice your teeth have moved a little bit. Repeat story line. Of course, I'm only speaking for myself here and I don't mean to offend anyone who wants to blog about having braces. It's just not a story I want to tell.

Long story short, I'm signing off for now. But I'm not saying goodbye just yet. I still read everyone's blogs!! And I'm always available online if you ever want to leave a comment. You can also email me at mverges5@yahoo.com.

I figure that I'll write one last post when my braces come off. And I promise to be in all my toothy glory, sans braces! :0)

First Day of Class!

2008-08-25T20:01:00.009-04:00

Today was the first day of the semester. It was such a blast meeting my students today! I'm really looking forward to teaching them all about psychological research and statistics. I know that I must sound like a geek for having this enthusiasm - a lot of folks tell me how much they loathe statistics, but I absolutely love it. At least I found a profession that fosters this zany passion of mine! :0)

I was concerned today, though. I worried about having to speak for nearly 4 hours. You see, I teach 3 classes on Mondays and Wednesdays that are each 75 minutes long. I haven't had to speak for this long since before my surgery. Of course, I told my students I had jaw surgery this summer and explained to them that I have random muscle spasms and shooting pains, which I affectionally call "face aches". They were shocked to hear this, but also sympathetic. So that was helpful because the other worry I had was with my voice. The pitch is no longer so high, but my old voice...well, that may be a thing of the past. Some of my former students commented on how I sound different. Not bad, but different. Oh well, there's nothing I can do about this.

But other than my voice, I have to say that I don't look much different than before the surgery. The swelling has gone down considerably. It's not 100% gone (I can feel it especially when I do my facial exercises), but it's certainly not as bad as it used to be.

For posterity, I took a couple photos:

After I took that photo, it occurred to me that every single photo I've posted on the blog has been of me with my hair pulled up. I just couldn't be asked to deal with it over the summer. And plus, it's been since May since I've had a haircut!! So before I changed my mind, I took another photo, but this time with my hair down:

Argh! I need a haircut before people start mistaking me for Cousin It!

Humble Pie, Anyone?

2008-08-20T09:43:00.006-04:00

I'm having withdrawal symptoms from all my blogging friends. I took a quick trip to Philly this week so I could visit Sean before the school year officially begins on Monday. It's been fun spending time with him and his family. I also like hanging out in a big city - there's so much good food over here, it's ridiculous. But of course, I'm still having my egg sandwiches for breakfast. Sean thinks he's becoming a short-order cook for me. That's really not a bad idea...

So food has been a central theme for me out here. I've made a clear distinction between public vs. private eating. It can be awkward sometimes when we're dining at a restaurant. Nope, I can't have crunchy french fries. And the only thing I could eat at Sean's family dinner was a slice of bread, a few roasted potatoes, and a large helping of ice cream. No kabobs for me just yet! It has been a bit humbling to have a restricted diet. I hate feeling like I'm imposing on others just because I still can't chew proper foods.

But that's okay, especially when I put everything in perspective. When we're not planning soft-food meals, we've been painting pictures of dogs and hanging out with his friends. Reality is starting to sink in, though. Sean's attending a thesis defense this morning and I've got a lecture that I need to finalize. I miss you guys, though! I hope everyone is doing well!!!

Good-bye Surgical Hooks, Hello Power Chain

2008-08-13T21:32:00.008-04:00

I finally saw my OD this morning. I could hardly wait for the surgical hooks and ties to come out of my mouth once and for all. And no more steel wires! I was so happy to brush my teeth and floss without the wires, too. That's always a treat for me. It was kind of weird, though, because my OS had broken a bracket off my front left tooth. So brushing that tooth felt like I was brushing my gums; it was so smooth. I guess I've gotten used to scrubbing those ceramic brackets. I can't say I'll be missing these braces when they finally come off. But unlike Rachel, I didn't have the guts to ask Dr. Wong when the big day would come. Although I thought about asking...In the meantime, some kid got his braces off while I was there. The techs all sang a cheerful song to celebrate the occasion. I was green with envy.

So now I have a lovely power chain across my four front teeth and a rubber band on my left side. The activation hurts so much! But no pain, no gain - so bring it on!

Today also happens to be my 7-week post-op anniversary. I have to say that I'm feeling back to normal. Ok, so my teeth hurt and it took me an hour to eat one serving of lasagna (in stark contrast to my friends who only took 10 min to chow down). After what I've been through, however, this is a piece of cake to deal with. And school's about to start soon, so my thoughts have led me back to academia and away from the orthognathic world. That's a good thing, I think. I'm looking forward to having closure someday.

A Midnight Snack?

2008-08-06T23:39:00.001-04:00

This is the look of a desperate woman who's 6-weeks post-op and absolutely starving:

And this is the look of a very contented woman who managed to eat her late-nite snack in *only* 25 min:

Woo Hoo!! There is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness!!

Clean Bill of Health

2008-08-06T13:38:00.005-04:00

Good news! This morning I had my 6-week check-up appointment with Dr. Asdell. He gave me the best news ever - my jaws are now fully healed, which means I can eat anything. Sweet! Of course, however, I can't eat everything. It still hurts to chew, so I have to take things very easy. Nonetheless, I'm so encouraged. Dr. Asdell still wants me to wear bands until I see my orthodontist. And that'll be next week. I actually can't wait to see Dr. Wong because he's going to take off the surgical hooks and ties then. I'm not going to miss my metal mouth, that's for sure!

My Money Tree Has Blossomed

2008-08-05T12:42:00.007-04:00

For a while, I've been quietly hoping that my insurance would fully cover my surgery. But working with the insurance company is anything but simple. There are many, many hoops to jump through, and you have to know which hoops to ask for - meaning, you had better learn the lingo. So as you can imagine, dealing with the financial aspects of this surgery has had its stressful moments.

For starters, my OS is not in my network, which adds a layer of complication from the get-go. Luckily, however, the financial person at Dr. Asdell's office gave me some pointers on how to navigate the system. She told me that if there's not another doctor within a 50-mile radius who could perform this kind of surgery, then my insurance will reclassify my surgery as an in-network benefit. But I had to request this, she said. She also advised me to get it in writing. So I called my insurance company, and sure enough, they said they would cover it as an in-network benefit, but I couldn't get it in writing. Okay...I guess, although it made nervous that I didn't have any proof this would be covered in this way. So, I've been holding my breath, hoping this dream would come true. And it did - last week, I received a hefty check in the mail that will cover the entire surgery. Phew, what a huge relief!!

At the Home Stretch - 5 weeks post-op!

2008-07-30T13:51:00.010-04:00

Today marks my 5-week anniversary. Hooray!! That means one more week and my jaw will be fully healed. Of course, my recovery is far from complete. Dr. Asdell said that it will take a year to reach a 100% recovery.

So how does it feel to be 5 weeks post-op? In a word: fabulous. Let me count the ways:

1. I can smile. Doing my facial exercises really pays off - not only do I freak people out like Rachel, who likes to do hers in the car at traffic stops, but you really do get noticeable results. This helps me when I speak, too. I'm starting to sound less childlike. Nice!

2. I can eat soft foods. In addition to eating soups and smoothies, which I still do on a regular basis, I can now eat soft foods, like scrambled eggs, pancakes, casseroles, and lasagna. Hallelujah! I am rejoicing over this change in my diet.

3. I can breathe. Of course I can breathe, you say. Well, sure. But the first week after my surgery, I couldn't breathe out of my nose. I constantly had nose bleeds and congestion. I would have to take hot showers just to open my nasal passages a bit. It was pretty annoying to always have to breathe out of my mouth. And especially at night because I would wake up with a dehydrated tongue and scratchy throat. Gross!! Having this experience made me realize how much we take our bodies for granted. Now, please do me a favor and take a deep breath. Enjoy the passage of air as it enters and leaves your body. It's tremendous!

4. I have more energy. I was really tired the first few weeks after my surgery. And for good reason: Having both of your jaws broken and realigned is no picnic! This surgery is really traumatic to the body, so it does take time to bounce back and feel like a normal person again. But now I feel great! I'm back to riding my bike and hanging out with friends. I go out to public places, like the public library and Heather's coffee shop.

5. I feel relaxed. Since my surgery, I haven't had any coffee. For those of you who know me, that's perhaps a surprise to hear. I was the type of person who required at least two cups of coffee to get my day started. Now that I don't drink it, I feel more relaxed. I sleep like a baby at night, too. We'll see if I can forgo drinking coffee once Fall semester begins, though.

But, there's still room for improvement!! Here are some areas that still need more time for recovery:

1. Numbness. My chin and lower lip are still numb. This makes my lower lip look crooked sometimes.

2. Bruising. I still have a very faint bruise on my lower right jaw. The bruise continues on my neck, near my vocal cords.

3. Voice. Although I don't sound like a 5-year old anymore, I still don't sound normal. Maybe now I sound like a 10-year-old.

4. Swelling. Yep, I still have swelling on my face. That will take time to heal.

5. Jaw. I have a limited range of motion when it comes to opening my jaw. I need to do keep doing Rachel's aggressive and exaggerated facial exercises - they really do help!

Trying Rachel's Aggressive Facial Exercises

2008-07-27T16:45:00.013-04:00

After knitting this afternoon, I became curious about Rachel's "exaggerated" and "aggressive" facial exercises. Whatever she's doing is obviously working because she's looking like a million bucks these days! Plus, wearing this t-shirt gave me the confidence I needed to experiment with these ultra-intensive exercises.

So I kept toying with the idea of doing aggressive facial therapy. Maybe Rachel scrunches up her face into a ball, or something like it.

No, that didn't feel too aggressive. Maybe she tries opening her mouth as wide as possible to stretch her muscles.

Well, that's definitely exaggerated. Or maybe she opens her mouth plus scrunches up her nose (hey, I have swelling on my nose, so this combo could work!)

Wow, that looks scary. See, it even scared my dog, Willy.

Bingo! That's aggressive! And I can already see a difference. Thanks, Rachel! Hopefully, I'll start looking like a million bucks soon! :0)

At Home Spa Treatment

2008-07-26T14:26:00.001-04:00

Well, it was bound to happen. My face and neck have broken out with acne. I have a long history dealing with acne, so I have all the preps I need to pamper my face and make it disappear. I know Holly recently dealt with this issue by using Pro-active, but sadly those products just don't work on me. (Case in point, I completed two 6-month long treatments of Accutane when I was in my early 20s. Not fun!)

So I pulled out my face steamer this morning; I added a few drops of my favorite rose water to it. While that was warming up, I washed my face, put on some background music, and drank a glass of water (that helps to get your skin to sweat). Then it was time for the steamer. I forgot how warm and relaxing this is, especially smelling those fragrant wafts of roses. After about 10-12 minutes, I finished with the steamer and then exfoliated my face using an apricot scrub. After the scrub, I used an astringent (made for sensitive skin) to remove the remaining dead skin cells. Last but not least, I put on a face moisturizer.

I'm going to incorporate this into my routine, maybe 2-3 times per week. That should take care of the flare-up. It's really not that bad, but I do want to be proactive and nip this in the bud!

Four-week Celebration - Yay!

2008-07-23T20:06:00.003-04:00

Today I joyfully celebrated my four-week anniversary! For breakfast, I enjoyed two Birthday Pancakes - basically they're buttermilk pancakes with a few chocolate chips thrown in the batter for good measure. What a marvelous way to start the day. It was phenomenal to use a fork again. Seriously.

Then Heather and I took a short trip to Saugatuck, MI this afternoon. (It's about an hour from where we live.) We had lunch at this little Italian pizza shop. I wanted to order pizza so bad, but the crust looked a little too crispy. So we decided to share a veggie lasagna instead. Oh! It was so delicious!!! The tomato sauce was tangy and a bit sweet. And the lasagna was covered with mozzarella and ricatta cheese that was layered with zucchini, squash, onion, and carrot slices. And I managed to eat a few bites of bread soaked in the sauce. Of course, it took me twice as long to eat my portion. But Heather was totally cool about it. Thank goodness!

After lunch, we moseyed around the shops and enjoyed the gorgeous weather. It really was a beautiful day to take a stroll in a quaint town. When our food finally settled, we made a pit stop at a gelato shop. I ordered a vanilla gelato, which was excellent. And Heather got a mint chocolate chip gelato, which was also very tasty. This is life, I thought. To bask in the sunshine with a good friend and Italian ice cream.

But we were here for business purposes, actually. Heather owns a local coffee shop in South Bend called Chicory Cafe, and she needed to pick up an order of gelato for her store. So we headed back into the car to another small town called Fennville. Believe it or not, this little town houses a huge warehouse that makes gelato from scratch. It was pretty cool to see the behind-the-scenes action in making gelato.

What a perfect way to celebrate my four-week anniversary. I really feel elated. And for posterity, I've taken two photos to chronicle how I look today (with the hope that one day this will be a distant and cheerful memory!):

And in case you missed the memo, Rachel, Kam, and I have joined forces to launch a sister blog called Jaw Dropping Blends. That's right, we're sharing our blended-diet recipes with other folks who are in our shoes! Please check it out and give us a slurp! :0)

Dr. Asdell - A Man of Several Talents

2008-07-22T13:24:00.009-04:00

I met with Dr. Asdell this morning for a weekly check-up. The nurse usually escorts me to the "motorcycle" or "plane" room. That's right, when Dr. Asdell is not performing oral surgery, he's riding his Harley or flying a plane around the Midwest. Amazing, right? He's definitely a daredevil in my book (of course, what do you expect from a bookworm!). But today, I was led to another room. Immediately, my curiosity was piqued to discover how the room was decorated - he really does put his personality on the walls. And I was not disappointed. This room was covered in music memorabilia - there were autographed photographs, drums, a painting from the Chicago Jazz Festival, and tickets framed on the wall.

"So, Dr. Asdell likes music," I said to the nurse.

"Oh yes," she replied. "He's a drummer in a band called Alteregos. They're all doctors. Have you heard of Viagra Falls?" No, I didn't. "Well, they're another local doctor band, but the Alteregos pride themselves on being the first local doctor band in the area."

Who knew? I certainly didn't! Of course, when Dr. Asdell came into the room, I mused about discovering this aspect of him. He laughed, of course. I think it's so awesome that he has a variety of interests. Just by observing those walls, he's taught me that life is too short to just do one thing. It's clear he has several passions in life - I hope to one day broaden my passions as well, although it won't involve aerodynamics!

The check-up went well. He told me to continue wearing the bands. Now that I've worn them for two weeks, it doesn't feel uncomfortable, so it was no bother to hear that. He also said he wants to see me in two weeks. Oh no! What am I going to do not seeing these folks next week? ;0)

Surprisingly, the best news I received today came from the receptionist - I was talking to her about my blended diet, and she said that now I'm nearly 4-weeks post-op, it's okay for me to eat scrambled eggs (and cheese!). My heart soared in elation! I couldn't wait to get home and make this for brunch. And it was oh-so-good! Three cheers for scrambled eggs - hooray, hooray, hooray!

Take it Easy

2008-07-19T13:45:00.003-04:00

This past week, I've managed to take it easy by reading novels and moseying around the house. Sounds hum drum, I know, but I must confess that most of my friends and colleagues would consider me to be a workaholic. (That's nothing to be proud about!) So in addition to revising a manuscript for publication, I read Life of Pi and The Alchemist. Life of Pi is my all-time favorite book and it was my second time reading it. And I would quickly put The Alchemist on my top 10 list. It's fabulous. I'm currently The Shadow of the Wind, which is a complicated and engrossing story about a young boy who discovers a book from the Cemetery of the Forgotten Books, which turns out to be cursed - and of course, reading that book gets him involved in a thrilling adventure.

Ok, so I'm a bookworm. What can I say, I love entertaining my imagination!

But I'm also a member of Netflix, so I've been taking advantage of my membership these days, too. Last night, I watched a foreign film called Caramel. Check out the trailer below. You may be surprised to know it's a Lebanese film. I don't know much about that culture, so I felt like my eyes were opened a little bit by watching this flick.

I also watched a quirky documentary called Run Granny Run. It's about a woman affectionally known as "Granny D" who decides to run for Senate at the tender age of 94-years old. She's actually really inspiring. When she was 90-years old, she walked all the way from California to her home state of New Hampshire. That's quite an accomplishment!

I'm Halfway There

2008-07-16T20:26:00.003-04:00

Today marks my 3-week anniversary. I should be more ecstatic about this, but my mind has been focused on other matters today (like writing a journal article). So time to recharge my batteries and reflect on this jaw breaking moment. First, I must say that I still experience pain in my jaws. I take this as a sign of healing, but I'm still taking pain meds to offset the discomfort. During the day, the pain is relatively minor, but the greatest pain I feel is usually in the mornings. I figured it's because I slept throughout the night and missed taking a 3am dose of pain meds. It's really not a big deal, though. I just take another dose around 8am, wait for the magic to appear around 8:45am, and then take the dogs out for their morning walk.

In terms of swelling, well...it's still present. But I think it's finally going down some. Yeah!

And my voice still sounds rather childlike. Someone was telling me that men like women having higher-pitched voices. Immediately I raised my eyebrow in disbelief. Who are you kidding, buster? And then they pointed out how Donald Trump likes women with such voices, as though that would change my opinion. I thought this person was completely nuts! Plus, it doesn't help when the neighborhood guys chastised me last week about my voice. So I'm not buying it.

Oh, one last thing before I forget - my lower lip and chin are completely numb. Sometimes it tingles (and it feels great!), but I've noticed no real improvement in this area of my face. I remind myself to give it some time. Patience isn't exactly my virtue, but I'm working on it. :0)

Another Visit with Dr. Asdell

2008-07-15T12:11:00.001-04:00

I went to see Dr. Asdell for my 3-week post-op visit. The nurses said the swelling has continued to go down, which was nice to hear (although once again, I'm not fully convinced by their report!). Dr. Asdell said my bite was improving, thanks to the bands. So he wants me to continue wearing them for another week. He said that maybe next week he'll consider repositioning the bands elsewhere in my mouth for further improvement. Because I want the best care possible, I'm not going to complain about this. I don't want to take any short cuts and regret those decisions later!

Dr. Asdell also asked me about my voice. Now I have noticed a slight improvement, but it's still not 100% back to normal. He said he was puzzled by it - he told me that he's dealt with hundreds of patients and I'm the only one to have been marred by a high-pitched voice. That's not exactly reassuring, but he told me to try doing some vocal exercises. I'll give it a try because I don't want to have to go to physical therapy just to restore my "old" voice. I promised him I wasn't toking on any helium as part of my pain management, and he chuckled. We both suspect the voice change is due to the intubation. But really, I'm less concerned about what caused this to happen in the first place, and more focused on my recovery. So later today I'll look online to see what kinds of "vocal exercises" I should be doing. Thank goodness for this blog so that no one has to suffer from hearing me toot my broken horn! :0)

smoothie, Smoothie, SMOOTHIE!! Yeah!!

2008-07-11T19:38:00.007-04:00

I hit a home run in Smoothie Land today. Heather and I went to a local health food shop that featured a smoothie bar. I ordered a strawberry smoothie with a dash of whey protein powder and flax seed oil. Scrumptious!! I also picked up cinnamon for my Cream of Wheat breakfasts. It's really the little things in life that make life so worth living. :0)

Later this afternoon I also experimented by making a peanut butter cookie milkshake.* It was so yummy! All I did was add a few scoops of peanut butter cookie mix with ice, milk, and a bit of chocolate powder to simulate the hershey kiss that goes on top of those cookies. I blended it for less than a minute, and voilà - you have a delicious (but *not* nutritious!) peanut butter cookie delight!

I think I'm back on track with making smoothies. Excellent! I'm feeling good about this now.

Also, on a totally unrelated note, I was thinking about the purpose of pain today during my afternoon walk with the pups. It would be a lie for me to say that I enjoy feeling pain in my jaws, but I'm grateful for this information. Feeling this pain reminds me to take it easy, that I'm not fully recovered yet so don't try anything stupid, like eat a chicken sandwich or chew gum.

(Those acts by the way, were recently discussed by a member on the Yahoo! Orthognathic Support Group. Someone who hadn't fully recovered from their jaw surgery decided to eat a sandwich and chew gum 4-weeks post op and complained how much their jaw hurt afterwards. I'd rather not venture down that path and regret it later!)

____________
*I think next week I'm going to experiment by making a chocolate chip cookie milkshake. Good-bye weight loss, hello weight gain! :0)

Odwalla Try Some? Hmm...Do I Have to?

2008-07-10T12:32:00.004-04:00

I know Melissa was raving about Naked Juice earlier this week, and that idea got me craving a smoothie. But not just any smoothie - I really wanted one from Planet Smoothie. Unfortunately, however, there's no Planet Smoothie in Indiana. Grrr!!!

So I called my friend Heather who owns a coffee shop in South Bend. She suggested that I try one of the Odwalla smoothies. I've had their lemonade before and it was excellent, so what the heck, I thought. If I can't have a decadent smoothie from Planet Smoothie, then this ought to be second best.

I bought two Odwalla drinks - the lemonade, of course, plus another one called Superfood. It sounded healthy and packed with calories, which I desperately need. (I've lost 5 pounds since the surgery. I really don't need to lose any weight!) But when I opened the Superfood bottle, I immediately regretted this decision. Although it smelled fruity, the drink was so green!

Ok, I told myself not to look at the juice while I drank it. It tasted fine (there was a bit too much apple juice for my liking, so I kept chanting 'mango, mango, mango' to myself to trick my brain into enjoying this drink more than I actually did). I slurped it until it all gone. Phew! Next time, I'm just going to make my own smoothie. That took a lot of mental energy!

Two-week anniversary - ooh yeah!

2008-07-09T13:54:00.009-04:00

Two weeks ago at approximately 7:30am, I was trying to hop off the operating table and avoid having jaw surgery altogether. Thank goodness I was given a "cocktail" to slow my responses, otherwise I would've gotten the heck out of the OR room and sprinted back home. (So much for being called "brave" by my friends!) I remember seeing my favorite nurse, Terri, in the operating room. "Oh, good," I thought. "Terri will rescue me!" But no, she didn't. She just waved to me as Dr. Schroeder, my anesthesiologist, gently nudged me to lay down and to breathe in some oxygen. It was more like me hyperventilating into the mask, but three puffs later, I was down for the count.

Fast forward to today. I'm feeling great, despite these rubber bands forcing my lower jaw into compliance. The swelling is still around, much to my chagrin, but what more can I do? I use my heating pad religiously and I sleep upright. There's nothing else to my knowledge that will make the swelling disappear more quickly.

And I feel so lucky to have made friends in the blogosphere. Rachel has given me several good ideas on what to make (I'm still enjoying my cream of wheat & bananas breakfast, thanks to her!). And I'm going to make a pit stop at the grocery store later today to pick up some sweet potatoes. I'm looking forward to trying this recipe, Rachel! I'm also glad to be connected with Kam, Holly, and Melissa. I really do feel like we're all in this together, sharing our ideas, experiences, and tips with each other. It makes the healing process all the more enjoyable and manageable.

So here's how I look like today, still sporting the cabbage-patch kid look (although my friend Jessica said I resembled John McCain. What?!?!? That's crazy talk!). I've decided to forgo wearing make-up until the swelling has gone away. And as you can tell, I have zero motivation for styling my hair. "C'est la vie," as the French say, that's life for me these days, and I'm so happy to be two-weeks post op. Hooray!!!!

Rubber Banded!!

2008-07-08T19:25:00.002-04:00

I like the title of Rachel's post today called Silence of the Bands, but I have another perspective about rubber bands. They hurt!!

Dr. Asdell put two bands on my teeth today because my lower jaw was jutting too far to the left, thanks to the swelling. He told me that wearing rubber bands is different than being banded shut. I didn't know there was a difference - I've heard people talk about wearing splints and getting banded shut following their jaw surgeries, but I didn't have to go through that. I think it's because he used rigid fixation (meaning he used really strong screws to hold my jaws together, I guess).

The nurses at Dr. Asdell's office were happy to see me. They noticed that the swelling has gone down. Of course, I thought they were just being nice. I'm still fairly swollen and jealous of Rachel! She's looking like one hot momma over there in Texas and I'm still looking like a cabbage patch kid! ;0)

After my appointment, I went home, took some Tylenol and enjoyed a long nap. That has been my general approach in dealing with this pain. And man, oh man, wearing these rubber bands is not pleasant. Dr. Asdell wants to see me again next week, so I'm hoping he will free me of these bands real quick. Cheers to wishful thinking!

Brotherly Love

2008-07-07T17:47:00.005-04:00

Remember I called my brother and left him a message on his voice mail a few days ago? Well, here's his response, which I've copied verbatim from Facebook:

"You sound like a mouse.....in a good way! I had no idea who you were on the vm until you said it was you! Bet you look like a million dollars!"

So I told him to check my blog for pictures. And then he responded by sending me a note and photo on my phone:

"Is this what your face looks like? Get it fixed!"

Now that's what I call brotherly love. He's lucky to live in Atlanta while I'm here in South Bend. Otherwise, I might return the favor by punching him in the guts! ;0)

Glamour Shot Photos!

2008-07-05T18:29:00.008-04:00

Just kidding, no glamour shot photos here. I look like a cabbage patch kid, after all. But Rachel has inspired me by putting up her pictures so quickly, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon.

As with most things in life, we need to be able to make comparisons to see if there's a difference in an outcome. And we want to make fair comparisons, so the photos you're about to see were all taken using a web cam.

Here's a "before" picture taken on June 9th:

Ok, drumroll please......................................................................

And here's how I look today:

My face is obviously still swollen, which provides me with this nice asymmetric look. I'm still bruised on my neck, too. I'm 10 days post-op, so I just need to give it more time for the swelling to go down.

In other news, my friend Jessica had a good laugh when she heard me speak on the phone today. I decided to spread this joy by leaving a message on my brother's phone and then calling my friend Dawn. When Dawn picked up, she was naturally startled to hear me. She said I sounded like a 6-year old. I took that as a complement. Apparently, my voice has already aged by a year and it's only been a day since I complained about sounding like a 5-year old. Ooh yeah!

Voicebox Vandal

2008-07-04T19:17:00.001-04:00

The last time I went for a teeth cleaning, my dentist and I had a pleasant chat about a friend of his who also had jaw surgery. Dr. Campbell went on about the wonderful outcomes from that surgery and how a surprising thing happened with his friend - her accent changed. Apparently, her family was of European descent (maybe from Sweden, I can't remember exactly where), and guess what? Her new accent sounded like she came directly from that country.

So we laughed about that for a bit because although I was raised in Georgia, I really don't have a southern accent. (I would say it's fairly neutral.) And I certainly wasn't going into this operation with any optimism about acquiring a southern twang or drawl.

Well, before you jump to any conclusions, let me first say that I had completely forgotten about the conversation I had with Dr. Campbell. I suppose there were larger issues about this surgery that consumed my attention.

And no, I don't have a southern accent now. But my voice box has been tinkered with because I sound like a completely different person. If I had to describe this alleged person, I would quickly put her at about 5 years of age. That's right, I sound like a kid. Somehow, my pitch has risen a few notes from my normal range of speech. I'm hoping my voice will drop as the swelling goes down.

Oh, for the love, is this some kind of twisted puberty joke?

When I took the pups for a walk this afternoon, three guys across the street asked me what kinds of dogs I have. I told them I have a miniature schnauzer and a bichon, in my kiddie voice, of course. They all laughed at me. "Can you say that again?," they asked.

Now I'm a college professor, but I was in no mood to lecture them about being polite to strangers. "No thank you," I said as I continued walking. "Wow, that was a high-pitched voice," they all chuckled.

I felt indignant, but I didn't think that giving them a piece of my mind would be worth the effort. But now I'm getting a little worried about this new-fangled voice of mine. I really want my old voice box to come back before fall semester begins. I don't want my own students to tease me about sounding like a kid.

One Week Post-Op!

2008-07-02T22:24:00.002-04:00

Yay! I'm starting to feel like my usual self again. I had been on Acetaminophen-Codeine and Penicillin this past week, and I just felt like a zombie! But no more. I finished taking the Penicillin and I'm now managing the pain with extra-strength Tylenol, which is a great alternative because I'm not sleeping all day and all night as I have been. This switch has also given me enough energy to walk the dogs today. I tried doing that yesterday, but had to hobble home after walking half a block. Thank goodness Sean was able to finish walking the dogs for me.

I feel so blessed. Sean has been an angel making me pot after pot of nutritious (and delicious!) soups! I have plenty of soup to last me 6 weeks because he's converted my freezer into a fortified soup kitchen.

If you find yourself in my position (that is, having jaw surgery), then please convince a loved one to make the chicken soup recipe he posted on the blog yesterday. It really is so good!!

And to celebrate my one-week anniversary, I had my favorite ice cream. Yum!

Food for a jawsome recovery

2008-07-01T22:55:00.003-04:00

So this is Sean here. An update on Michelle - she is doing great, although the recovery, like many aspects of life, has its ups and downs. One minute Michelle is feeling great, the next she is once again in pain. Such is the road to recovery. Michelle's swelling has gone down considerably, and I assure you no one would now mistake her for a chipmunk.

One of my duties over the past week or so has been cooking for Michelle. This gave me the opportunity to try some recipes for soups. I myself am a fan of the soup - any meal you can eat entirely with a spoon is entirely okay by me. Who wants to chew, especially after having both your upper and lower jaw broken and held together by some IKEA-like screws? I don't, and neither does Michelle. So I have made a few tasty soups that are worth trying for those of you who are looking after a loved one who has gone through orthognathic surgery. And who knows? Maybe with a little inspiration you can improve on these humble recipes and become the next Wolfgang Puck or that asshole on Hell's Kitchen.

Let me preface these recipes by saying that there is one item completely indispensable to any person helping someone through this surgery. The one thing that you need to get through this period is a hand-held blender like this:

OF course, and as is usual, it was not my insight that led to this handy gadget. It was a post-surgery gift from Dr. Wong, Michelle's orthodontist. He rightly stated that this implement would be more useful than flowers, because flowers die, but you'll need a blender for at least six weeks. And this guy must be an angel - having one of these devices has made life easier for all of us. Thank you Dr. Wong - you were definitely not wrong!

So far, my favorite recipe comes from my mother, who for the past year has been making chicken noodle soup like its no tomorrow. I modified the recipe (not wanting to give away her secret) but I believe this is a nutritious meal that Michelle really enjoyed, which freezes well and provides vitamins and minerals that will help in the recovery process. So here is the basic recipe.

Chicken soup for the orthognathic soul

About 3 pounds of split chicken breast, with bone
About a half dozen carrots
About a half dozen stalks of celery
About three small onions, chopped
About a tablespoon of garlic powder
About a handful of parsley
About a teaspoon of salt and pepper, to taste
About 1 big can of crushed tomatoes
Anything creative you find in your friend's cabinet (oregano, basil, curry)

Clean chicken. Put in stock pot, skin and all. Cover with water to about 2 inches above the chicken. Put to a boil. While waiting to boil, chop up carrots, onions, and celery (leaving the leaves on the celery). Once chicken comes to a boil, skim the scum on the surface. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic powder, parsley, salt pepper, crushed tomatoes, and other inspirational ingredients you find in the cabinet (don't use anchovies). Simmer for 2 hours while you play with your friend's dog. Occasionally stir. Then take out the chicken and break off the meat into a tupperware container. Then use a spoon with holes in it and transfer the vegetables in the stock pot to a sieve. Save the carrots into a separate container and place in the fridge. Use a spoon and crush the vegetables through the sieve into the stock pot so that the resulting soup has all of the nutrients from the vegetables. Then take off the stove and allow the cool considerably. After cooling, place in the fridge over night, allowing the fat to rise to the surface. The next day, skim the fat off the surface. Now you have your stock. When making the soup, combine chicken and carrots and stock. Heat on the stove, and once warm, take your hand held blender and grind it into a pulp that can fit through a straw. Bring it to your friend who just had orthognathic surgery, and I promise, he or she will enjoy!

Save a little for yourself, too. Remember - you might be looking after someone who went through the surgery, but you need nourishment yourself. Don't forget to eat!

Michelle and her jaw

2008-06-29T09:42:00.005-04:00

Here is Michelle about to leave the hospital. She looks pretty beat up but in good spirits.

Here is a photograph of Michelle's X ray. Notice the screws and wires holding her together - if it were not for them, her jaw would be literally be hitting the floor.

Starting to Feel Better

2008-06-29T09:07:00.002-04:00

I'm starting to feel better, at least a little bit normal now. I have been doped up on so many medications that I could not think straight. But now my body is getting used to all these drugs - oh dear.

There are so many people I have to thank while I was at the hospital - all of the doctors and nurses were so good to me. They gave me the best treatment I could have ever asked for. Crystal was probably my favorite nurse because she took care of me immediately following the surgery. She was so sweet to me. I also remember this other person who was not in charge of taking care of me, but we recognized each other from going to Fiddler's, which is my favorite restaurant. He held my hand and said "God bless you" many times and told Crystal that I was so sweet. I told Crystal that he sang at Fiddler's and anytime he sang, he captured everybody's attention because he has so much soul. It was so nice to hold his hand when I was in the recovery room.

I also remember Crystal asking another nurse about whether she should call my doctor at that time. Before she got her response, the phone rang. It was my doctor, Dr. Asdell. She told me how rare that was for the doctor to call the nurse about how the patient is doing. That was good, I thought. Dr. Asdell also gave me a bouquet of flowers. So nice!

And there was a team of nurses that were excellent when I was sent to the regular patient room. I remember Jessica, Claudine, Trudy, Yvonne, Dee, and Kate, although there were more nurses that took care of me. Jessica was meticulous about giving me my medications and water, and she was so kind. Claudine helped by removing my catheter and the hose that was in my nose (sorry, I don't know what that thing was called). Yvonne was gentle and patient with me when I had to walk to the bathroom for the very first time. I walked like an old lady, about 100 years old. And I held on to Yvonne while we shuffled to the bathroom. And when I could walk better, Dee held my arm for that walk down the hall. I always made sure to say "thank you" to my nurses.

Dr. Wong also came to see me at the hospital. And he surprised me with two presents: a hand blender and mouthwash. Perfect! He really is a great person, not just a great orthodontist. I told him that he and Dr. Asdell make a good team. He agreed.

Ok, well I think I will ask Sean to put a picture of me on the blog. But he is walking the dogs right now, so that will have to wait. I will ask him not to put a picture that is too scary!!!

Day after surgery

2008-06-26T12:36:00.002-04:00

Sean again. I just came back from the hospital this morning, where I spoke with Michelle. She seems to be doing remarkably well. She reports being relatively low in pain (a 3 on a scale of 1 - 10). They removed the stomach tube from her nose. She is wearing some kind of head contraption containing ice to keep down swelling, but her lips are still quite swollen. But she was in a good spirits, was laughing and smiling (at least her eyes were smiling - she still can't move her lips much), and was able to get up and walk herself to the bathroom. I read to her a bit, and left when she got sleepy again. Her sister will visit her this afternoon, and I will again later in the evening. Tomorrow she is set to go home, and she will most likely begin reporting herself then. Till then, she says hi to everyone.

Michelle is okay!

2008-06-25T19:34:00.014-04:00

This is Sean, here.

I'd like to write a funny or clever post, but it's been a long and stressful day. This morning, at 7:30, Michelle's surgery began. It is now 8:00 PM, and I just came back from the hospital, where I spent a few hours with Michelle and her sister Erica. So the big news is that Dr. Asdell informed us that the surgery was a complete success! No jaw wired shut or other complications! Michelle is cogent and in great spirits, apart from the fact that just a few hours ago, she had both her upper and lower jaws broken and put back together.

I took some pictures of her but I will let her decide whether she wants to post them, because she looks like someone just elbowed her in the lips in a pickup basketball game. Apart from the fat lip, she is not very swollen, no bruising, and she is looking great.

But enough from me. Michelle has a message for you. I am sure she will have much more to blog about in the coming days, but for now I just would like to say that Michelle is okay and that everything went according to plan. Thanks to both Dr. Wong and Dr. Asdell for their extraordinary treatment of Michelle, both today and over the past year. And thanks to the good people at Memorial Hospital for making Michelle's stay so positive. If you gotta get your jaw broken, you might as well do it at Memorial.

Here's Michelle's message in her own words. (Click to enlarge)

Out of Commission

2008-06-25T04:41:00.003-04:00

This will be my last post for the next few days. We're all up getting ready to go to Memorial Hospital (or the Spa, as I like to call it). I need to check-in by 5:30am. The surgery begins at 7:30am sharp.

Not only have I been nervous about the very near future, the last two days I've had a runny nose, sneezes, and a sore throat. For the love, this is the last thing I need right now. Dr. Wong called Dr. Asdell about this yesterday and relayed the message to drink plenty of fluids while I could (but not after midnight). So I did. My throat is still a bit scratchy, but methinks this will be the least of my worries.

So it's almost time to go. Hopefully, Sean and Erica will be able to blog about how I'm doing later today.

Tomorrow I Will Have a New Bite

2008-06-24T17:21:00.004-04:00

This beautiful metal heart was sticking out of my mouth this morning. That's right, I got the surgical hooks and ties put on my wires today. It was a huge event for the staff members because they rarely see this procedure happen. Dr. Wong warned me of their excitement. "So I'm the freak show for today," I said. But I was just being silly. I figured I might as well have some fun with this process, which took over an hour to complete.

Hence, the metal heart. There were a dozen or so of these wires sticking straight out of my mouth. Why not make some art out of this mess? So after they were finished, I crafted this heart. The girls loved it - they called for Dr. Wong's attention. "Michelle ♥s Dr. Wong!," they chimed in unison. It was pretty funny, though maybe you had to be there to enjoy it. They also took a picture of the heart while it was still sticking out of my mouth. I haven't seen it yet, but if the tech person emails it to me, I'll post it on the blog.

So how do the ties and hooks feel and look like? Fine. They don't hurt, which is a real blessing. It just looks like a bunch of metal stuck in between my teeth. No big deal, though I'm not really going to go out of my way for any glamour-shot pictures at the moment!

Michelle Makes Spectacular Shakes!

2008-06-23T18:19:00.007-04:00

Hi, this is Sean. In preparation for Michelle's Wednesday surgery, I helped her clean house and went food shopping today. Armed with a book humorously titled "Dinner through a Straw" we bought everything required for a healthy and hearty liquid diet. This includes frozen fruit and vegetables, protein powder, ginger ale, and so on.

When we had put everything away, we decided to test our mixocological skillz by trying to blend a liquid recipe. We quickly realized that we had forgotten to get so many things that we couldn't even do a complete recipe from the recipe book. So we decided to improvise. We came up with a tasty beverage that we call "Michelle's Malty Maxillacious Mocha" (Note: The Maxillary is the technical word for the upper jaw.)

"Michelle's Malty Maxillacious Mocha"
About a cup and a half of 2 percent milk
Half a dozen ice cubes
1 packet of Jello Singles instant vanilla pudding
Heaping tablespoon or two of Ovaltine Chocolate Malt
1 scoop of 100% Whey Protein (vanilla or chocolate - whatever you have laying around)

Blend on high for a minute and BAM! You have a hell of a good chocolate shake. Perfect for sipping through a straw while recovering from orthognathic surgery. You could probably throw in a few bananas or strawberries to fruiten it up a bit, or a dash of instant coffee for that cappuccino flavor, but start with the basic - I promise it won't disappoint!

Michelle makes a major faux paus by choosing a red over a white wine glass. Don't quit your day job to become a Sommelier, Michelle!

It's Down to the Wire

2008-06-23T13:07:00.001-04:00

I feel the sands of time closing in on me as Sean and I are getting prepared for Wednesday. We're currently working on our shopping list, which is still in progress as I write. We also cleaned the house this morning in anticipation of my sister's arrival. She was able to catch a flight to CHI this morning on standby, thank goodness.

Gosh, this deadline is quickly approaching. I was able to distract myself this weekend by hanging out with friends, going to Eco Fest on Saturday, and going on a garden tour yesterday in my neighborhood. All of this has been really great to take my mind off the surgery. But the irony is that when I'm distracted and having fun with friends, time really flies. So I've sped my way through the weekend and here I am, shaking my head that it's Monday.

Ok, so the shopping list continues. Unlike Kam, I've not put a Nintendo on my wish list! Maybe it'll be a good time to catch up on some reading. If I'm lucky, I may be able to continue writing academic papers. On second thought, maybe I should put that Nintendo on my wish list!! ;0P

Prediction: Dreaming about Jaw Surgery

2008-06-20T22:14:00.004-04:00

I was reading Kam's blog today and I think she planted a thought into my head: dreaming about jaw surgery! Her dream wasn't exactly pleasant, but hopefully the jawbone dream catcher she made will filter out any bad dreams for me. Just to play it safe, though, I've had a beer and one passion-fruit margarita, so I should be covered! :0)

The anxiety I've felt recently has manifested itself in strange ways. Sometimes it hits me like a Mac truck, suddenly and with great impact. And just as it strikes, the anxiety quickly dissipates. I'm having a tough time with this. When I feel that anxiety, it's because I imagine how I will feel after the surgery. And when the anxiety flutters away, it's because I've mentally removed myself from the picture (it's as though I were imagining someone else having the surgery, not me). The mind sure knows how to play tricks with stress.

And now, a toast to Kam's jawbone dream catcher. Cheers!

I'm Not Alone

2008-06-19T11:10:00.010-04:00

These last few days have been really good for me in terms of preparing for the surgery. I joined the Orthognathic Support Group yesterday and I've already met two people who are having surgery on June 25th.

One of those people is a woman who's blogging about her jaw-surgery experience, too. I'm hoping that we'll be able to support each other through this process. This reminds me that I'm not so unique after all - there's someone else having surgery on the same day as me who's also blogging. Sweet!!

Despite the fact I'm not unique (and that's okay!), my friend Heather did make me feel special yesterday. We met for dinner last night at Fiddler's, which is my favorite local restaurant in South Bend. Heather surprised me by presenting me a cute bag filled with goodies for my post-op recovery. I have several crossword and sodoku puzzles, straws, two bottles of ensure (one vanilla, the other chocolate), foot spa treatment (for Sean to rub my feet - ha!), and several dog-walking/errand/housecleaning coupons that I can redeem from her until I'm able to eat solid food again. Amazing! I am really touched by this - I certainly wasn't expecting anything from anyone, and Heather was so thoughtful and kind. Aww, I do feel special!

And Sean is taking a train from Philadelphia en route to South Bend today. That's a 17-hour train ride, so it's not for the faint-hearted. My sister Erica will also be coming up to South Bend from Atlanta on Sunday. She's flying stand-by so hopefully she'll be able to easily catch a flight.

It's so awesome to have these friends and family in my life. I do feel lucky and supported by them. This helps keep my spirits up and I think it will help my recovery. A toast to them and to the power of positive thinking!

Other Reasons Why People Get Jaw Surgery

2008-06-18T16:33:00.001-04:00

I called the nurse this afternoon to ask about the AqueCool Device that's supposed to reduce swelling. She said that they'll be using that in conjunction with ice, gauze, and corticosteroids, and that I won't need it after I'm discharged from the hospital.

The nurse also told me that another person had surgery today, using similar procedures as my surgery will be next week. And that person is recovering just fine, thank goodness. I asked her about another fellow who had surgery last week because he got his jaw busted in a bar fight. He's apparently doing fine, too.

And then she told me about this other guy who had surgery this week because his own son broke his jaw on Father's Day. Now that takes the biscuit. There are many reasons why people get jaw surgery, but the one thing they all have in common is that noone died from it. Yeah! But a couple of those guys could benefit from taking anger-management classes or seeking family therapy. Good grief!

Surface Features vs. Deeper Issues

2008-06-18T10:15:00.004-04:00

When I see the photo of myself on the sidebar, I think to myself that on the surface, everything looks fine. I don't need braces, and I certainly don't need jaw surgery. (Well, that's what I wanted to believe.) But just because something looks okay doesn't mean there's not an underlying, deeper issue lurking beneath the surface.

That realization can be a rude awakening, at least it was for me.

Two years ago, I had my wisdom teeth extracted. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience because I was getting local anesthesia for the first time and that scared the bejeezus out of me. In fact, my last words before going under was, "I'm so scared." I know, I'm a chicken!

Of course, the procedure went without a hitch, but in replacement of my wisdom teeth was paranoia. I was sure my teeth were going to move now that the wisdom teeth were gone. So I figured an orthodontist would put my fears to rest. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Wong two weeks after my wisdom teeth were removed.

Before divulging The Revelation, I have to say that Dr. Wong is a cool guy. He has a positive and informal demeanor that can put anyone at ease. And he's very clear at explaining information, which is important to me. He's also from Hawaii - that may sound like a non sequitur, but it was relevant to me because he was open about explaining the role of genetics and heredity in Hispanics, Asians, and other non-Caucasian populations - all of those factors correspond to the structure of the teeth, lips, and mouth, which in turn, affect alignment.

So, The Revelation.

As I was laying on the examination table with my mouth wide open, Dr. Wong told me that I didn't need to worry about my teeth shifting due to the wisdom-teeth extraction. I had a much larger problem on my hands, he said. I had suffered some kind of trauma in my childhood that affected my jaw development. That is, my jaws never developed properly, which created a host of problems I was already aware of, but would only get worse with age if untreated.

When he said those words, a memory immediately came to mind. It wasn't the first time I conjured up that memory, but it freaked me out nonetheless. Now, as a cognitive psychologist, I know full well how fallible memory is, so naturally I hedged when I told Dr. Wong about this memory. But I do believe this memory offers an auspicious clue to my current situation.

When I was three-years old, my parents and brother lived on a military base in Texas. One evening, my parents were having an argument in the kitchen. I was in the kitchen, too, and I wanted to go to the living room, which meant I had to sneak in between them to get there. It was bad timing: My father accidentally hit me on the back of my head (I think he was using his hands in a gesture; I don't think he meant to hit me deliberately). I fell to the ground face first. Next thing I remember is a white cloth being put into my mouth; a cup of milk with my teeth in it; and the last thing I remember is sitting in the back of the car being whisked away to the hospital. That's it - that's the end of my memory.

Crazy, right? Well, the memory really is irrelevant because it doesn't solve the current problem. Dr. Wong presented me with three options: 1) do nothing and in another 10-15 years get my teeth replaced because they're too worn down; 2) wear a splint to maintain the status quo; or 3) have jaw surgery to fix the problem. He elaborated on each point, but when I heard the word "surgery," I lost the ability to process language. I felt like he just delivered the biggest sucker-punch to my gut. I felt nauseous and faint because I realized that getting my wisdom teeth removed was basically a walk in the park in comparison to the jaw surgery he was talking about. And I had been so scared. Good grief!

I told Dr. Wong I had to think about it, and I stumbled out of his office. I was stupefied; I immediately called my brother and told him what happened. He was shocked. When I told him about my memory, he said, "Michelle, I don't remember that happening to you." Well, my brother was two-years old at the time, so that might explain it! :0)

I did call my father that night and asked him about it - true to form, he said he didn't remember that ever happening to me. It took another year before I was able to ask my mother. When I saw her last summer in Puerto Rico, I took the opportunity to ask her. In shock and amazement, she confirmed that memory. "Yes, Michelle, that did happen to you," she said. And she provided me with a few more details about the event - that I fell so quickly I didn't have time to use my hands to break my fall, hence me hitting the floor face first. She also told me I lost all four of my upper teeth, which I presume the doctors somehow put back into my mouth.

Anyway, that's the back story. You already know that I choose Option 3. I hope I've made the right decision because there's no going back now!

Physical Exam: After

2008-06-17T12:35:00.003-04:00

The doctor's appointment went well this morning, although I did feel like a lab rat. The warm-up procedure began by checking my vitals (blood pressure, heart rate, breathing). Then I had to wear a gown for the EKG test. Ugh, I thought. I don't like wearing those gowns. But it's important to keep a positive attitude, so I tried to dismiss that initial negative thought. The doctor was vague about the EKG results, only to say that they're "fine." I'm happy with that. Then there was blood work to be done.

The technician asked me if I had a cough. I said I didn't and she asked me again. "Well, I did cough this morning," I said suspiciously. "Then that's good enough," she replied. Oh, that's right - health insurance. Apparently, health insurance won't cover X-rays and blood work without a reason (i.e., cough). As if having surgery next week is not a good excuse for these people!

Once again, I had to wear a robe for the X-rays. I better get used to feeling like a lab rat, I told myself. It is a strange feeling to wear a gown that's barely put together. But this is merely a preview for next week's performance. Better get used to it!

Physical Exam: Before

2008-06-17T08:03:00.003-04:00

As I walked the pups this morning, it dawned on me that I should start blogging about my upcoming jaw surgery, which is scheduled for next week (June 25th). Why? Because when I'm not thinking about the environment or my job, I'm thinking about this surgery. So as opposed to ignoring this reality, I'll instead chronicle this experience using Blogger as my medium.

I have an appointment at 9am this morning for a physical examination, so the back story is forthcoming. But hopefully, blogging about this experience will be a therapeutic exercise for me, and who knows, maybe it'll be helpful for someone else who's also going through a similar dental experience. But that's okay if only the former is true and not the latter.