10 weeks post op improvements

A quick post to document the changes:

Each week is better than the week before. Chewing is better but by no means normal yet, perhaps because my teeth are still shifting in my wires. My arches continue to widen. My elastics are now my friends. The whole insert elastic technique is improving also - I'm down to 3 minutes from 12 or so. The front box pattern has totally moved my front teeth in place. Very cool. My guess is that I have another 6 months of braces.

Feeling is slowly returning to my lower lip and chin. I can feel my finger if I drag it across the chin, but the tingly sensation is kinda painful. Kissing is better, but again, not yet normal. Feeling has returned faster on my right side. When I smile, my left side doesn't quite wake up. I have to concentrate to make my smile, well, smile. Weird. I am hopeful this is not permanent.

My husband has either been working or out of town the last few weeks, and with my attention focused on disciplining my children, blogging has taken a back seat, for sure. Hope to correct that trend! And I hope to take a new picture tomorrow. My current pic looks so smirky.

my new smile

This week my OD instructed me how to "settle my bite" with elastics. I had been wearing light elastics in a classic Class II position for the last month. Since only my eye teeth have been touching I look forward to feeling an improved bite.

In order to configure the trio of elastics, additional wires were added. Little ones, sure, but really, who wants more metal in their mouth a this point? They don't bother me that much, except when my lower lip is accidentally caught. Ooo-weee! When I wake up, I still feel like someone hit my face with a baseball bat, happily though, this unique feeling is not visible to anyone else! The best part of the new config is the super tight box across the front. I teased my husband that this must have been his idea, to keep me from eating my way back into my old clothes! :)

Now, for the lighter side of dental hygiene. My youngest loves to imitate me wrestling with the pesky little bands. If I open wide, and growl with these babies on, giggles erupt for everyone. Once big sister saw me pull out the camera to capture the cute moment, she, too imitated my antics.

Braces and babies, don't you love 'em? :)

disturbing the peace

Awake at 5:15, well, make that 6:20...oh, who forgot to set the alarm! Make coffee and feed the children while hubby showers. Is the bag packed? Good. No, you cannot eat a brownie for breakfast, even if they are GrandmaMac's yummy ones. Gulp a carnation breakfast shake, fuss with some makeup, turn down the heat while we're out. Everyone in the car...please...in the car...NOW. Thank you. Golly, it's cold this early. Honey, did you grab the girls' hair bows? No worries, I'll run in. Would you reopen the garage door please? Thanks. And we're off...

My family and I dashed down to Charleston this morning to celebrate the baptism of a special young boy. My youngest's godmother had asked my husband to be a godfather to her much-longer-for son. It was important occasion, and important we arrived for the service on time. The rhythm of the highway and light rain mellowed our young children into delightful traveling companions. One hundred miles later we arrived refreshed.

Quietly, I inhaled the surroundings. Old friends ,who never thought they'd marry, now sitting in pairs here and there. Childless couples, embracing new deliveries. Estranged families, now reconciled and singing together. It was quite a picture! I was happy to sit on the fringe, enjoying the service.

"...and just like the surgeons took a hammer and saw to my jaw a few years ago, and replaced it with a better one (and yes, this is the best they could do --laughter--), Jesus shatters our false suppositions with his sWORD, and replaces it with a true sense of peace..."

Jaw surgery in the sermon? Seriously! How often does that happen?

I perked up instantly. The pastor discussed a passage from Matthew 10:34-40. One point of the sermon was that God refines us through difficult circumstances, crushing our clouded, limited understanding of truth to lead us to Him. This idea totally reminded me of my first weeks after surgery. I was humbled by what my body wouldn't do, surprised by what it did. My comforts were completely disturbed.

I had peace prior to my surgery because "I" had done enough research, "I" had purchased supplies, etc. Post-operatively, I have a richer peace, in part because my peace was disturbed. I realized my dependency on someone other than myself.

Here is a picture of my husband holding his new godson...may baby Joe grow in wisdom and stature with God and man.

Cheers to sermons with surgery references. :)

Babies and braces and babies?

I am now officially TTC baby number 3! It feels absolutely wonderful to be here, after all the praying, hand wringing, and researching.

I'm am very happy with my decision to postpone #3 until after having surgery. The timing has been good, not just for me but also for my family. I would be dishonest if I didn't share that I've longed for another child for months now. And there have been some big bumps along the way. Certainly, many people face the same longings without the clear hope my husband and I share for more children. I am immensely thankful to be where I am. Truly.

Thank you to anyone who has listened to me ramble through my heart workings over this past year. It has been quite a journey. When I review previous posts, I cringe at the poor grammar, unnecessary anxieties, and nonsense ramblings...and yet, this blog has served me well as both a journal and a fantastic way to connect with other ortho-bloggers.

Oh, and Holly, in case you're wondering who checks your blog like 8x per day, it's me. I know you have great links to everyone. :)

7 weeks post op - edited

Six weeks has been a grand milestone. I'm feeling more like myself each day. The daily progress remains slow, yet, when I reflect upon where I was a week past, I notice big improvements. Today, I had an adjustment at the OD. It went really well. Elastics have shifted my bite closer, we moved some brackets, and the OD even bonded a front tooth for nicer shaping. Midlines are mostly together. I love how my teeth are lining up in front, how my lips fall across my upper teeth, how wide and happy my smile is. The fullness in my cheeks and the little upturn in my nose are growing on me. By the summer, everything should settle into place.

I'm officially on soft chew foods! I've stopped shedding pounds so I must be eating enough. While I am thoroughly enjoying the new foods, chewing remains frustrating. My ROM is improving - my OD gave me some tongue depressors today to move it even further.

I've resumed my exercise routines. Surprisingly, I'm more into exercising than usual. So much of my recovery feels out of my control, but when I'm doing leg lunges to upbeat gym music, I'm in total control. (I am monitoring this so it doesn't get out of control (ah, puns!)) I'm now sleeping with just 1-2 pillows. My right jaw, the swollen side, is too tender to rest on but otherwise feels fine. Sleeping feels more comfortable in elastics. Feeling continues to come back in my lower lip and chin. Buzzing with occasional stabs of pain on the outside, insides are still numb. Kissing remains strange...think awkward teenage antics!

...some thoughts on the Body Image conversation...
My fuller cheeks remind me of an engagement photo from 2000, when I was 23 and wore a size 10. Marriage slimmed me down, unexpectedly, and over the last 8 years my face thinned as well. The second photo is me in December 2006, age 29, wearing a size 6 (and 5 months pregnant with #2). I think this is why when I see the fuller face, I feel heavier than I am. Just a hunch.