oops, forgot

yes, yes ive forgotten to write in 4 months:( been very busy as we all have, and not too much new things, just a tad here and there.

So the bites still amazing, eating is fabulous. Range of motion still sucks, but im dealing with it...i still do my exercises but i dont seem to be able to open more than 3 fingers. Its quite annoying with hamburgers, and suchi (my fav recently) but i manage!

Feeling is still coming back, its the worst in my chin and lower lip which doesnt seem to be going anywhere at 13 months post op, im still hoping it will come back magically though!

I had a scare there when i got sick...the left plate beside my nose was doing something funky. My tooth directly under(eye tooth) was being affected and going crazy, so painful. I was quite swollen and it hurt like hell. Turns out it was related to the cold and sinus, but still to this day to touch beside my nose doesnt feel right...im hoping its just nerves growing back, but again i have another cold and its going all weird. I MIGHT have to get the plates out, it was an option before because of this, but im starting a new jb and training, so it will have to wait. It only annoys me when im sick, but to have it do this every time im sick just wont cut it for me.

Ive heard gettint he plates out is easy, quick recovery so if we get to that im not really concerned.

As for everything else, fantastic, love it! And im still happy i did it! Ill try to post some new pics soon, just crazy with with my new job starting soon, and the wedding is 4 MONTHS AWAY!!!!!!!!!! yipee!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to all the supporters out there who have continuously been checkin in on me!

its that time

wow its been a while! So nothing really new. Saw the surgeon again, he doesnt know what to do with me and my lack of jaw movement...still not comin along, so ill see him in another 3 months then well decide, but im thinking physio is in my near future!!!

I also lost the glue on my top wire on the front 2 teeth, so i live 1.5 hrs away from my ortho and of course the day i was gona be in town, he was on vacation, lol...so im dealing with it...its cuttin my tongue, but im getting used to it...so well try to get it donw next week or so,

Other than that, just pluggin away!!! Hope everyones summer is going fantastic!!!!

finally getting there

PROGRESS!!!!!!!!!! NO MORE PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now having said that i hope i didnt just jinx myself.

So i have finished my anti-inflammatory med's and gotten my night mouth guard and i am doing great...no pain!!!

I have 2 different night guards...the place thought since i had a strange case that they would give me 2 to see which one i like better in a study...i have to get back to them next week...

I will take pics of the 2 but to describe theres the one and new one...the old i prefer...tis more plastic that sits under the teeth and hooks on at the side with 2 hooks...so its small in the mouth, great for my nitetime clenching...takes all the stress off my jaw. I LOVE IT

The other u have to put in warm water before and its like a hard sports mouth guard...i personally HATE it...its way too big and my teeth dont hit right, so it actually hurts my jaw....again with pics it will help...i will try to post them early next week

But for now, all i care about is NO PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when will this all end..????

I SHOULDN'T be saying this at this point in the game, 7 .5 months post op...u'd think id be in the clear....anyways heres an update on my pain situation.
Last week if became unbearable, the stabbing feeling in my ear drum that i called the surgeon after I passed out from the pain, yes it was that bad...and luckily i was at home near my couch. I have never felt anything like it in my life. So what do they say...oh well call you in some anti-inflammatory...WHAT thats it.....oh and u should call your dentist to get a night guard made because it sounds like you might be grinding or crunching during the night...GREAT, MIGHT BE....they have no clue....but i don't really blame them, how are they supposed to know whats going on when everyone heals differently....

So ive been on those...pains still there, but nothing like that one day last week.

Yesterday i went to the dentist...600$ later, lol. Anyways i got the tooth that the surgeon chipped fixed finally, which of course had a cavity in it cuz it was chipped anyways, also got my eye tooth on the left fixed as it was a funny shape after the bracket and glue came off.....got my impressions made for my night guard....and lastly i had this lazer treatment done to my joints...more on the right where its giving me a problem. It lasted all of 5 mins, didn't feel anything, but once i was done i could open wider, A MIRACLE...I went from 15 mm to 22 mm....isn't that bizarre.

So my dentist says to leave it another 2 months like the surgeon said, and then if the surgeon wont offer me help with finding a physio or someone who can do this lazer or ultrasound treatment, he will do it or pass me on to physios he knows.

So at least theres some hope...NO ANSWERS, but hope...lets hope the tylenol 3's don't run out before the next 2 months....

Yet another surgeon visit

So I saw Dr. Tocchio, the surgeon again yesterday. It had been 2 months since the last appt, and first seeing him since my braces came off. Again he is very happy with my bite and says it is holding nicely.

I explained to him that my range of motion is a problem and im having quite a lot of pain on the right side...way more so than before the surgery...to the point that ive been to the dr's 2 times now thinking i had an ear infection because of a sharp pain in ear drum. Turns out theres nothing and its just from my joint. So i told Dr. T and he said to STILL give it some more time and that because its my 2nd surgery it IS going to take longer to heal...and it will definitely be 1 year before im even close to a normal range of motion. He wants to keep an eye on my situation so im back to see him in 2 months to re-assess. He said to continue doing my exercises, and see if it helps.

So no good news again...I just wish i wasnt in pain, cuz that was the point in going in for the 2nd surgery...yes my bite is perfect and its easier when chewing, but still painful i d say 4 times MORE painful...even more:(

So guess well stick out 2 more months and see!

We finally made it...brace free

So the day has come and gone...and i can say i am brace free....

I havent felt the full advantages yet as i really dont notice they arent there until i run my tongue across...otherwise im still so numb i really dont notice a difference, hehe...at least it will be more pleasant for others to look at.

So i have to say it wasnt the easiest process.....those suckers HURT comin off....mainly the lower ones as my nerves are wanky, but i have to say i did have a tear or two in my eyes.....once they were off the rest was pretty tame, as i couldnt feel anything....only problem was opening wide enough, but we managed.

So im brace free...have a glued in retainer on the bottom and top and a retainer to wear on the top at night only, YIPEE...so i really am brace free and MAN do my teeth look HUGE.

There are still a few concerns i have, like the little triangle spaces on the bottom, but ill see my dentist about that when i go in to see about whitening...why not do the whole shabang at this point right!

So overall i am a happy camper....i will post more pics tomorrow night once im all dolled up for my party to celebrate...for now i have a few posted just so u can all see!!!!!!

6 days and 1 hr to go

So i have broken the 1 week margin until these braces come off....i am so happy but honestly they have become such a part of me over the past 8 months, i might actually miss them. I really dont feel them now, cuz the inside of my gums are so numb still, however i do as some pointed out, HATE them when im eating....u cant do anything without checking them first for leftover lunch, haha.

So this week's gona fly by and it will be thursday i bet before i even realise it....everything seems to be good...i notice my teeth are in-line, midlines are together, but the lower is slightly recessed....should be alright as this is a usual bite, but of course, since my lower jaw recessed before, im freaking out that its moving again...so well double check with the ortho on thurs, but im sure he will say its just me being picky, hehe.

Anyways, thats it for now...ill try to post some teeth pics before the braces come off...hopefully sunday or monday for comparisons after...will be nice to compare all before, after, and after braces pics!

Wishes do come true, 3 weeks baby!!!

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS de-bracing day is now set for Thursday April 10, 2008 at 10:30am, yyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiippppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Guess it doesnt hurt to ask does it.

Anyways, the appt yesterday went well as you can tell. They did some weird wire configuration on the top, like a powerchain of metal to hold it all together at the front...and added a hook since im missing the one on my eye tooth, no idea where it went or when it broke off. So i can say i am full of wire....new elastic configuration again...right side just the back 2...left side back 2 molars top and bottom, so a square...those are 24/7 then at night i wear up and down both eye teeth. Its only been 24 hrs but so much has pulled together nicely. I can finally say i have THE PERFECT bite...EVERYTHING touches, even the back molars that i was affraid would never touch....i am sooooooooooo happy i cant even believe it.

So they are comin off in 3 weeks less 1 day...they said be prepared to be there 1.5 hrs at least, since i still cant open more than 3 fingers and im very sensitive, I will probably have to take breaks...but whatever to get them off right.

I cant believe this is all finally over...i know its only been 8 months since the braces went on, then surgery, but this is my 2nd time through, this should have been the results last time, when i was 17...lol...but whatever u cant rush perfection right, hehe.

YESSSSSSSSSSS baby, so happy....cant wait, and they come off just in time for my photoshoot for my furrylegwarmerz small business i run...pics without braces, yipee.

The weirdest part is that they are comin off but i am still sooooooo numb, feels like they almost should still be on, but heck if the bites dead on, get these suckers off right.

Anyways just want to wish wired lady good luck tomorrow on her surgery and all those fellow bloggers with upcoming ones!

mmmmmmm subway

So eating has been adventurous as of lately. I would say i am no where near 100% and still have trouble eating a lot at 5 months post op...but its getting easier. I ate a sub for the first time from Subway. Now it was only a cold cut trio on very fresh bread so i was able to squish it down a lot. I had to take out the green pepers and tomatoes i ordered, cuz that was pushin it and they were too crunchy, but i managed it. My fiance said i should blog immediately as he felt it was a big hurdle i had jumped over, lol.

Does anyone know when one is expected to have full range of motion or close to it back again...am i counting my chickens too quickly at 5 months??? I mean braces come off in just over a month, wouldnt one expect it to be near perfect by them...not even close for me......its so annoying, lol.

Anyways thats my piece for the day...next up is ortho appt in 2 weeks...until then VEGAS BABY....bye by Canadian winter weather, snow, snow, snow...and hello 20-24 degrees!!! Never been and im going for 5 days, should be fun!!!!!!!!!

The end is in sight....April 17, 2008

So a lot has happened in the past few weeks and i have definitely been slacking in the blogging department. I will start at the beginning and hold you all in suspense as to what exactly my title is all about.

So it starts last week, went for my first dentist visit since surgery for a cleaning. They said i was doing a really good job considering i can only open so wide...coulda fooled me, but if they say its ok, then i guess ill agree. The hygienist just used the regular polisher, didn't even try to use the power washer (i call it) as im still really sensitive. I didn't mind the scraping, it was actually more pleasant than usual as my teeth and gums are still completely numb, all i felt was the creepy noise it makes, like finger nails on a chalkboard, YUCK. Everything was fine for cleaning though, i was pleasantly surprised. Then the dentist came in and must have looked at my bite and me in every angle possible. He is extremely happy with the results. I have had his as my dentist since i started going, so he knows everything in and out with my teeth and bite. He says im perfectly symmetrical now(well except for left over swelling) and i FINALLY have a normal functioning jaw...YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next on the list is the surgeon appt. He says everything looks great, fine, and i don't have to see him for 2 months now.!!!!Yippee, great news, means my recovery is going as it should. I still get some tenderness in my earlobe and joint on the left side to touch it, but it seems to be going away...and theres a notch on the left side that sits out a bit...but again he says give it time and it will fix itself...i hope so cuz my face seems to be sunken in more on the left...ill have to take a pic sometime of it to show you all what im talking about.

Next is acupuncture i was SUPPOSED to have on my face...thought it would help the nerves, but the appt was canceled, BUMMER...so ill try to rebook it within the next few weeks.

And LASTLY, the GREATEST NEWS IVE HEARD IN A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!! I get my braces off in 8 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isnt that amazing...i kinda knew going into the appt that the ortho would say that as i feel my bite is dead on after the last set of elastics. So i go in 4 weeks for one final adjustment and molds...and 4 weeks after, April 17th to be exact its all over...well braces, are over. So excited. So now i have 2 medium elastics on each side..yes 4 elastics...just pulling all my teeth together, its a pain, but i will tolerate it for the next 4 weeks if it means these babies are comin off.

Swelling still lingers on the left side, boooooo....and feeling has yet to return in my chin, lower lip and left cheek up to my eyelid....i get tinglies, but i think with this cold weather its more numb than it has been, bummer again, but all in time!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I'm ENGAGED!!!!

YEAH........................my boyfriend proposed to me today...its about time, after over 4.5 years together, and 2 in our house....guess he was just waiting for the right timing.!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know! Wedding will be in 2009!!!! YEAH ME!



Oh and we got a new puppy a maltese/yorkie mix....morkie named Juno.....shes 9 weeks old born nov 27th. She's not even 2 lbs, but will be around 6 lbs fully grown, so same as gizmo. So he has a little sister..ill post pics tomorrow of juno

no buttons for me!!!

Oh how i loved to hear those words, NO BUTTONS FOR ME...what a relief!

My teeth are really coming together! Thats what the ortho says, yipee. So 24 of the 28 teeth in my mouth are contacting...not perfectly, but they are touching at some point. Its amazing, i never thought this would be possible again, i can already feel that big juicy steak im gona eat once im healed more from the surgery, man its been years!

Anyways, so 24/28 not bad right. The last time i had elastics i only got to wear them for 2/4 weeks as i was in sever pain. But the teeth moved together so well on the left side even at that. The elastics must have worked overdrive, and it also helped that the wire didnt go all the way back, allowing the teeth to settle more, and come back into place. They were too wide on the upper jaw after my jaw was widened. I thought i was gona have to wear those nasty buttons, but the teeth seem to have settled.

So this time the newest mission for the next 4 weeks is elastics again, but on the 7's, so the VERY back teeth. The ortho wants me wearing the strongest possible elastics, fred's again, but he gave me medium as well so we dont run into the same pain as last time. I have been using the heavy at night, but im not quite up for the daytime ones yet, but i think ill try starting wed as my teeth have setted from the adjustment, which is a story in itself.

OH MAN i am not looking forward to the next one if its anything like this last one. My teeth werw super sensitive, so bad i was almost crying from the elastics going around the brackets to keep the wire in place. Its good cuz feeling is coming back but it was HORRIBLE!!! I dred 4 weeks from now:(

Massage went well, got the kinks outa my neck. 3 weeks from now were gona try acupuncture on my face and neck. The massage therapist thinks it will work wonders as it stimulates the nerves, which im my case are damaged or are regenrating, so i think it will help give them a slight kick! Well see.

I see the surgeon on friday so i still have to ask about the physio if he thinks it would be beneficial and ill ask about the acupuncture, just to be on the same side.!

But i can finally say the bite is coming along very nicely, just wish the numbness would go away, the animation to my face would return faster, this damn swelling thats lingering would just leave me alone and i want more range of motion dammit, Subway is calling me!

physio and concerns

So I had my physio consultation on Monday there. The ideas are good, seems she wants to do some guiding, where she will stand behind me, stick her hands in my mouth and guide my jaw open, to stretch the muscles and joints. Felt weird, and was hard for her cuz im so still she could barely get her hand in there, lol. Also she wants to use popsicle sticks and stack them, then u go to the max, leave for 20 secs, etc, that supposedly helps to open. Now there would be some pain and discomfort, but i guess its supposed to help the joints, as mine are very stiff. The physio said that she usually only sees jaw ppl that DONT have surgery, shes never seen anyone post op? So the plan is to go ahead, why not its covered through my benefits, but we have to get the ok from the surgeon first.

That was supposed to happen tues, but my appt was cancelled as he had a family emergency, so i dont see him until the following friday, almost 2 weeks later, no biggie though, i still have a massage booked for friday, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, and ortho on friday as well.

So my question is this...........maybe this pain im feeling is normal now. Id definitely was not before, nut that issue was addressed by not wearing elastics for a bit to help my jaw...but now the pain im feeling, maybe its normal, so i ask you all do you have pain...maybe im just over-complaining, thinking i shouldnt have any pain u know...i just had MAJOR surgery, i guess there would be some pain and disconfort, but mine seems a little more than tollerable, so anyone ahve any suggestions?

Lastly im slightly worried about my ortho appt friday as i havent really been wearing elastics recently, well i do at night as im sleeping with my jaw at a weird angle and open so i need the elastics so i dont wake up with a really stiff sore jaw and a migrain..., but i wonder elastic wise what he will do....hopefully not the thickest again, i definitely dont want to go through that again. More pics added, and one of my mouth opening, which u can see im in a bit of discomfort, anyone else?

TING

So pain is still lingering, but its moving around. The left joint seems to be ok again now, THANK GOODNESS, however i get this weird ting feeling just under my ear, where the jawline goes down to the chin. I have been trying to figure out how to describe it and thought i would stick with my candy reference like the last one with the chocolate toothpaste. This one however is more of a sour reaction. Like when you are sucking on sour balls and you get that TING sour taste in your joints..thats what its like...its not bad, just like a quick zap.

The newest REAL pain is actually on the right now, but inside. Its on the roof, near my back molar and i get it when i chew, so its really annyoing trying to eat. Not sure what its from, but the pain is at its worst when i open to the max i can. So i havent been exercising too much, and eating has slowed again cuz i cant open more than a finger without it hurting. Hopefully in a week this one too will dissapear and could relocate.

But due to all this pain ive been gettin i decided to call a physiotherapist. I have done 3 back/shoulder/neck massages and they arent really helping too much. So im gona try jaw physio. I know the surgeon recomended it before, but im just waiting to hear back if its ok at 3 months, or if i should wait a bit. The surgeon appt is tuesday and the physio will call me back tomorrow. Hopefully that will offer some comfort

Other than that, things are good, im back in the gym, swelling still lingers a bit, but u can only notice it from certain angles, like a 45 degree angle....ppl at work say im storing nuts for the winter, haha, right. CUTE

Anyways, thats about it for now...hope everyone is enjoying their new year so far!

Learning experience

So I have finally come to realise this whole surgery recovery thing is definitely a learning experience. Every day offers something new and exciting, not necessarily in a good way.

I have been off my elastics now, like the ortho and surgeon suggested and really don't have that much pain relief. I dont think the medication is working much either...I'm pretty much taking it AND Tylenol on a regular basis. The pain is not severe anymore, but it is definitely still there, but I'm living with it. Wonder what it could be since its not the elastics. I'm still wearing them at night, as i sleep with my mouth open so it offers comfort.

I almost feel like my jaw is shifting though, sideways. Hard to describe, but when I'm sleeping i think I'm moving it left or right, because the bite feels off, so the elastics i think are holding it together...wouldn't that be awful if my jaw upper or lower moved to the side...OMG. Don't even want to go there.

Range of motion is improving, but its still only at about 2 fingers width is max i can open, hopefully this is normal. The only other thing that could be causing problems is eating because after i eat im quite sore, so i might be overdueing it, trying to eat normal again...maybe i should still eat softer stuff...ill try that, but really I'm SICK of softer stuff, aren't we all at this stage.

I see the surgeon next Tuesday then the ortho on Friday so hopefully the pain will have stopped by them or there will be some answers. Honestly the 2 don't seem that concerned, but they aren't feeling this pain, right...but to put it into perspective, id rather have the 1st week post op annoyance again, even the breathing problems, rather than this pain in my left side....!

More pics to come on wed.

Joint pain sucks

So I havent posted in a while, been very busy with the holidays, as i work shift work and we dont get that 10 days off like most people. I have to continue with my regular shifts, so all days off have been madness with trying to fit everything in.

I have however been in quite a lot of pain recently, id say since the 23 or 24. It's my left joint that is very sore. It was tollerable but for the past 2-3 days it had been unbearable, pretty much stopping me from everything, eating, talking, even sleeping offeres no comfort as i get woken with severe pain. I was holding off on calling the surgeon as i was seeing him today, Thank goodness.

So he says its probably due to my elastic configuration. I have Fred on my left side 24/7 and when imsleeping he also visits my right side. So Dr. T saw him on the left, where the pain is and asks " did the ortho give you this elastic" Me being in the grumpy state im in was about to say back " no i really like fred being a pain in my @%*, but felt it was more appropriate to say "yes" So he says that elastic is way too thick and strong to be wearig 24/7 by itself on one side, and i should wear "bear" now, which is at least half the size of fred. He also gave me Toradol, which is a mild pain killer and anti-inflammatory, to take 4 times a day for 5 days i believe. But honestly ive taken 2 and i have no relief...well a bit cu zits tollerable again, but i knw as the day progresses ill be in great pain as i get more tired.

SO i have had the elastics out since my appt at 11, trying to offer some relief, which is IS, however not as much as id like. My ear, is killing, my neck, all the way down to my back that the whole left side is complete knots. Its also giving me a constant headache, switching to a migrain occasionally. Im on nights now tonight and tomorrow and i can tel lu if it wanst for my 8 hrs stat im gettin from the 1st, i WOULDNT BE HERE....its not much fun. I now have to see the durgeon in 2 weeks to make sure this pain is gone and that its the elastics causing it and not something else...yeah for another possible 2 weeks of pain

So i think it best tocall the ortho tomorrow to fill him on and make sure what the surgeon says is ok....its hard cuz u dont know who to listen to right...but considering this is the braces possibly causing this pain i think it best to see what the ortho says.

So other than that not much new....not eating too much due to pain and talking has goten slurred again cuz of the pain...PAIN overall, and yes it SUCKS....sorry for being so grumypy and unpositive here but i really am not seeing hte benefit of this surgery thus far. Sure my bite is great, but i still cant eat properly, im SICK of the slight swelling and numbness, and lastly the joint pain SUCKS!!!!

Hope everyone else is doing better and had a good NY, Happy 2008....and i PROMISE ill be beter for my next entry!