pearly whites and a big belly

I love, love, love having my braces off!

I finally purchased a new camera. With our new gadget in hand, our family has been snapping photos everywhere...here are a few of my pearly whites and my sweet daughters.






The first week or so was painful as my teeth settled. Wearing my retainer brought unexpected discomfort around my upper jaw, but only where I have metal screws holding the maxilla in place. I admit to freaking out a bit about this...my right jaw joint is making frequent grinding and clicking noises - NOT what I wanted to hear after undergoing jaw surgery - but until I deliver our baby I am unable to have an x-ray to examine the cause. Thankfully, the pain receded along with a cold...so perhaps it was only sinus pressure? Not really sure.

Right now, I am trying to enjoy the freedom from crazy elastic configurations and not focus on the minor imperfections I see. Honestly, this is difficult after almost two years of orthodontic mania.

These photographs remind me that my daughters won't remember if my teeth have small calcium deposits on them...or if my gums are still puffy pink...they'll remember the love and joy and security of growing up in a our family.

I am immensely thankful to enjoy the benefits of braces....

• "To God be the glory, great things he had done!
• So loved he the world that he gave us his son,
• Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
• And opened the life-gat that we may in. "

psssst....

As of 12:10 pm EST today, I am de-banded!

Woohoo!

I was totally NOT expecting that to happen today, but of course, am quite pleased. There was a small space in the middle of my lowers that developed after the last adjustment (and change to a wider wire, 72Steels). Well, my dear OD just held these teeth together while he inserted my new permanent retainer along the bottom six teeth. Phew, I won't lie, it was pretty. darn. uncomfortable.

My blog is titled Babies and Braces, two subjects on which I have thought much since being banded in January 2008. Now 37.5 weeks pregnant with my third baby, and memories of giving birth on my mind, I was determined not to let a little pain prevent those arch wires from coming off. :)

It worked!

I am wearing my new Essix retainer on the top 24-7, and will return to the OD for a positioner in 3 weeks to put the finishing touches on my bite. Of course, our baby is due in 3 weeks, too, so this next step will likely be delayed. He he he. It feels marvelous and bizarre and anti climatic and dreamy all at the same time. My face once again looks subtly different. My lips rest differently without the brackets. Hmmm. I am still in a state of mild shock...I mean...can the last big hurdle really be over?

We'll see. I 'll post pics as soon as I can.

Banded together - 8 months post op

Has it really been almost four months since my last post?

I have not had much orthodontic news to share recently. My OD is trying various rubber band configurations to "settle my bite". Neither of us expected it to take this long, though I admit some compliance issues. :) My current zig zig pattern is so tight I cannot eat/speak well when they're in, which shouldn't be a problem except for the 1st trimester when I was vomiting frequently, and now the 3rd trimester when I am snacking frequently.

The extra metal hooks for bands irritate my gums. My waterpik has been wonderful, helping me keep the pink puffies to a minimum.

When the bands are in, the general tooth achiness reminds they ARE working. I pray these pearly whites settle soon. Wouldn't it be lovely if the braces came off before le bebe arrives in October?

Eight months post op - a little update

I LOVE that jaw surgery no longer occupies every waking thought! That, my friends, is awesome! I LOVE having my lips come together when face is relaxed. I feel more composed, elegant even, knowing my mouth is not hanging open. I love how broad my smile is.

My new smile continues to grow on me. I no longer expect to see the old smile & profile in the mirror. The changes to my nose are more difficult to accept. It's like the nose widened where the screws were inserted, on the side along my bridge, and above both upper canines. Some days I actually long for the old nose. Which surprises me, I didn't think I'd still be wasting energy that way.

My smile continues to relax despite the lingering numbness on my chin and lower lip. My husband and sweet children are benefiting from my improved kissing, too! Honestly, it is not the same as before surgery but it is sooooo much improved, and for that I am thankful.

...I hope to upload some better "Before & After" photographs soon....

rebellion

For about ten days, I have rebelled against wearing my band configuration (see Susan's blog for close ups). It's not that I have intentionally decided to reject the "ostrich" and "fox" buddies, rather I was too busy eating or talking to bother with them. Staring tomorrow the bands go back in. Each day of bands is a day closer to debracing, right?

I just returned from a weekend trip to Texas to visit family. It was a really good trip. My mother flew with me & the girls, and we reconnected with relatives we haven't seen in years. One of my cousins married a girl a few years back, and she had lower jaw surgery for a Class II back in December. We finally met at a big birthday party for one of my uncles. Though she wasn't nearly as excited as I was to relive the experience, we did connect as the only adults at the party in braces. :)

Here is a snapshot of my two daughters riding a horse for the first time at one relative's ranch.Their hot pink cowgirl princess hats are from the rodeo...yeah baby! Texas rocks.

where's photoshop when I need it?

I have been thoroughly enjoying the Photography lessons over on Pioneer Woman. That woman does amazing things with her camera. Her bridal portrait post reveals how to make one's skin glow...which my skin does not do in the natural light. It used to glow, but I once I reached age 8 or 9, it started to show signs of aging.

Please pretend I am wearing my Chantecaille foundation, which I would have, but my zany 3 year old decided to "play dress up" with it, and let's just say my toiletry budget does not include Chantecaille purchases, at all, during 2009.

Anyway, I snapped these shots at the Target parking lot yesterday hoping to update my smirky photo. I'm not sure they're any better. Perhaps resting camera on the dashboard is not the best way to take a picture?

I am now resigned that one cheek is fuller than the other, surgery or no surgery. It matches my bigger eye on that side, and now that I think about it, my bigger bosom and my bigger foot. As feeling has returned across my chin and lips, it has moved from right to left (reverse for photos, please). The left side of my smile still sags a bit too. Some days I am more self-conscious of this than others. Sometimes, I manage to concentrate on that little facial muscle and really work it wide open. It's better, but not yet where I hope it to be. Come on optimism...hang in there with me.

Interestingly, profile shots reveal that I still subconsciously lift my chin higher than necessary. Ironic how my lack of confidence can look like arrogance. Hmmm. Years of posturing is a difficult habit to break.

Besides the awesome improvements in breathing, o-surgery did erase a few laugh lines. Ooh, and check out those centered midlines. Sweet!

checking in

I have my first Ortho appointment in over 5 weeks in about an hour. I'll admit I'm nervous. Will my orth be pleased with my tooth movements? Will he tighten my metal bands again? My teeth are kinda achy this week.

My bands have been out more than in due to constant nausea and little nibbles of food to help with the nausea. I'd really like the extra rubber band hooks out since they make flossing virtually impossible and irritate my gums, but since I've mainly been wearing bands at night, I'm pretty sure they're here for a while. Thank goodness my trusty Waterpik is never far. :)

We'll see what Dr. B. says today....

Is it too soon?

Following Bella's model of sharing reader's questions, here is a recent question (paraphrased) I received. I included my initial response to the question. I welcome comments - it could become an excellent resource for others looking into the same situation.!

Q: How soon after surgery is too soon to conceive a pregnancy? Do pregnancy hormones cause joint changes and lead to relapse? I read somewhere that one should wait 12 months post surgery to conceive.

A: I'm not really sure. Hormones are powerful, though it is virtually impossible to predict to what extent joints may change. Ideally, the more time one waits the better to provide the body additional healing time, boosting one's nutritional reserves, etc.


Thanks for the comment. I read that post somewhere, too, though I've since forgotten where. I looked up what research was available and found it was mostly applied science. Helpful, but by no means prescriptive. Other readers may be wondering the same thing so I decided to reply with a detailed answer. Hope its length doesn't offend you. I understood your question to be kind and pragmatic. :)

My surgeon and I discussed this very question. He's been practicing since the early 1970s, and he said wait 3 months. I made it just over 2! A second oral surgeon consult also said 3 months - primarily to buffer the estimated 6 weeks it takes bones to heal. My orthodontist had been concerned that my jaw showed signs of condyle sagging at one point. Boy, that bothered me for weeks. But you know, I decided that my jaw was better than it had been, I survived the surgery, and there was NO way I was going to do it again...so it didn't really matter. The nagging worry was debilitating until I released my anxiety. I did check with my ortho about waiting another month or two, and he said in December he didn't know of a medical reason not to get pregnant. I think he knew what I was asking since it's all I ever talk about during my visits. :)

What's interesting to me is that it wasn't until after my second child was born that I noticed my midlines shifting so much. Were the increased levels of relaxin to blame? Or was it the passing of a few more years (I was 29 when she was born, now am 31)? Or the fact that teeth keep on shifting if left unchecked? Not sure. Though my dress size shrank back, my hips never did return to their pre-baby position. Hips are affected differently though than one's jaw.

Below is how I came to my decision. I share it in case it helps someone else...God knows how much time I've spent agonizing over the decision!

My husband and I were both aware of my cycles (I've been charting for about 9 years now). We'd be actively avoiding pregnancy for over a year while we sorted through surgery stuff. We were ready for another baby on just about every level, but perhaps more important, we were open to the idea of life. In particular, this was the real blessing of a quick conception. I trusted my long-held, well-tested beliefs, I submitted to my husband's eagerness for another child (rather than my over-the-top desire to control everything "just so"), and was open. I NEVER expected to get pregnant last month, yet I was overjoyed at the discovery. For us women, there are just a few years during which we can bear children if we're blessed. He is 8.5 years older than I am. Over the last year of waiting, I've been really aware of our ages and the effects of time on biology. Pursing my MBA and this surgery likely means I will not have that extra baby I could have had...

In the end, our openness to life was greater than my fear of a relapse. I hope this doesn't sound naive. Both of us spent much time in prayer.

Now for the science part. I was REALLY scared of being undernourished post surgery. I boosted up prior to surgery, tried to maximize my recovery diet. That fear also led me to take liquid vitamins until I could swallow my prenatals. I continued to supplement with additional iron, since my body likes anemia. :) Some families struggle with birth defects as they welcome more children into their families; I believe some of this can be prevented through proper nutrition. So, I specifically checked my folate levels back in October when I had all my blood work done. Of course, we cannot prevent everything. Therefore, a part of me wanted to wait another 6-9 months to boost my nutritional reserves and order my life "just so". We never did finish our renovation projects or buy that family van I worried so much about...

I know my decision is not the right one for everyone. Even with the "best" circumstances, I understand I may be passing along THE very genes that led me to orthognathic surgery in the first place. Doesn't that catch your breath?

Which leads me back to the beginning....from Psalm 139
v.1 "O Lord, you have searched me and know me,
v.2 "You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar,
v.13 "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb,
v.14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
v.15 "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
v.16 "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.the end.

October it is

Two lines. Happy thoughts. Constant fatigue.
















That's right, I'm pregnant!

I never thought I would conceive so quickly. Go liquid vitamins! I picked up a bottle of outrageously expensive, whole food, gluten free, yada yada liquid vitamin back when I was recovering. Anyone else having horrible flashbacks of liquid baby tylenol? I stopped drinking that green murky goo over the weekend, and my energy plummeted, my nausea skyrocketed, and I couldn't keep any food down. I was sick every 20 minutes for almost 2 days. Thankfully, I was only a few hours from home, where I slept for a day and resumed my vitmain regime. Tonight, I read on the vitamin bottle it contains something like 1200% of my B6 daily requirement. Lightbulb moment! Pumping up on B6 really does help with all-the-time sickness.


Just another reminder of how jaw surgery supplies can be good for you. ;)



I'm about 7.5 weeks pregnant, and with my nausea under better control, my rubber bands are back on. They make for achy teeth but they're really effective. I can totally chew well on my right side, left side is coming along. More feeling is returning to my lips and chin, with stabbing pains growing less frequent. My mouth feel kinda tight in general, hard to describe. I can almost feel it if I bite the inside of my lips. Let's be honest though, the extra metal hooks for bands are never forgotton. Sometimes I can't see my teeth for all the hardware and rubber in there.

I do love that my jaw doesn't click anymore. I love love love that I haven't had a migraine since surgery. Not a single one. Woohoo! Will the pain when yawning diminsh, too?

My little issue with mouth breathing
I stopped taking my nasal spray because I was concerned of birth defects; without the spray, I catch myself mouth breathing again, especially at night. I know I clinically need to use the nasal spray to shrink my turbinates, and I know pregnancy hormones can make my nose stuffier-than-normal, but catching myself mouth breathing makes me feel like I've failed or something. Most everyone I see says I look the same, or that they cannot remember what I looked like before, but sometimes I miss my old goofy smile. It was so big and so happy! My new smile is fantastically straight but a bit unbalanced. When I'm having a doubting moment, I remember how much better I can now breathe. So if I'm feeling mopey, and think about recent mouth breathing, then I really feel bad. I think some of what I notice is the muscles pushing against all the band movement. Wearing bands does seem to help, so, for now, I'm trying to give myself some slack and not worry to much about it.

I need to end this post with a happy thought. By the time I celebrate my one year surgery anniversary, I'll have a sweet little bundle in my arms! Here is a memory of number 2 in my vintage handsewn top and vintage moses basket. Owhhh. :)

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.

comparing smiles before & after

I'm still working on a better before & after compare. Here is a quick version for the curious...

1) In braces for 5 months, May 2008

2) In braces for 11 months, 6 weeks post op, Dec 2008

I think you can see how the braces straightened my teeth, widening my smile even before surgery. As my teeth straightened, my overbite (and over jet, too) appeared larger. My teeth should lighten up again after my next scheduled cleaning. The surgery shortened my face, especially noticeable (to me, at least!) across my cheekbones. My cheeks are fuller. My jawline is now more square. I knew one eye was larger, now I can see the very subtle difference in cheek fullnesses prior to braces. Also, now that my lower jaw is in place, my laugh lines have softened. That's good! I still expect to see face #1 in the mirror...when I see face #2 instead it seems strange. Bit by bit this sense improves. My smile is slowly relaxing and broadening as the muscles in my face come back. My lower lip and chin improve daily. The constant buzzing & twitching nerves lead me to believe this feeling will return, too. :)

Yes

As I approach the six week mark, my attitude is shifting. Finally!

• Am I feeling better? Yes.


• Can I eat more food? Yes.


• Do I like my new smile? Yes.


• Is my energy returning? Yes.


• Is the mild depression lifting? Yes, mostly.

Isn’t that good news?
Yes!

...here I tried to recreate a shot from last Christmas.

gastronomic bliss

Our family visited my in-laws today. My sweet MIL pick up some smoothie mixers for me. Also, we dined at a local pizza spot where I experienced a moment of culinary bliss...ravioli in pesto sauce. Hmmm hmm good!

4 weeks pics...it's getting better

...I actually put on foundation and my favorite top for this...:)

I poured over other's before & afters for hours. It totally helped calm my nerves. Then again, nothing prepares you for looking into your own face in the mirror. Bizarre, really. I've lost 10 pounds now, but since my cheeks are fuller, I actually feel like I've gained weight. Is there such thing as a post-surgery eating disorder?!

Perhaps it is the permanence of the experience that feels so strange.

The fourth week marked the end of my pain, per se, though I still describe my general state as uncomfortable. Something is always achy, twitchy, sore, etc. I am truly a joyful person - don't let the pessimistic sound of my posts fool ya. :) Also, I can now swallow tiny motrin pills, woohooo, so no more liquid motrin cocktails for me! My energy wanes after lunch big time. Most days I try to sneak in a nap...how do you working folk do it?

The best sign of recovery this week is that I cooked an entire meal for my family. We were all thrilled.

So, for any other orthognathic-obessessed folk out there, here is what I think 4 weeks out. I'm uncertain whether one side is more swollen or if my face is that lop-sided. Everything feels swollen, and my husband say I look better in person that in these photos, but I do continue asking myself,"What if this is my final look?" The tip of my nose has come down a bit; it's likely in it's final spot. I love where my upper lip falls against my upper teeth when I smile, though the uneven muscle tone creates a very crooked smile.

At an ornament swap this morning, I totally covered my smile when laughing because a) it hurt to laugh and b) I was aware of how weird I looked. O confident self, where art thou?

Lastly, and I admit to being apprehensive about writing this, but I wish my lower jaw had been moved further or my chin moved out. My new lip compentance is fabulous - truly - doesn't the profile need some balancing? Right now, I'm trying to trust the surgeons who do this sugery all the time, on lots of different bones, and be thankful for the lack of complications I've experienced.

3 weeks pics

....premiering fresh from the shower, sans maquillage...

It feels so strange to post these. I don't completely like the results yet and feel very self-conscious about my new look. Sometimes, I think there's no difference at all and wonder if it is all worth it...I guess this is where the conviction that one's long-term health is more important than a short-term aesthetic change.

Here is how I felt at 3 weeks post op, written the night I snapped these photos:

Christmas music? Check. Haagan Daas? Check. Feeling better? Hmmm, can I get back to you on that?
When friends ask me how I'm doing I don't know what to say. Yes, I can talk, but it aches. Yes, I'm sleeping better but I wake up swollen like Humpty Dumpty. I am constantly frustrated eating. I miss kissing my husband. Most of all, I miss my optimistic self.

I admit, it has been really difficult to stay positive. I'll be minding my own business, and BOOM, a gigantic zap of pain attacks my chin. Each zap means another nerve is waking up. Thankfully, this stage, too, shall pass. Isn't there some improvement around the 6 week mark? Feeling under my eyes, around the corners of my mouth and around my upper lip has returned. Every couple of days another part of my mouth regains feeling. Swallowing remains strange.

Of course, having any surgery during the holidays is challenging. I miss the aromas of good & good-for-you-food filling the house. I'm at home again tonight instead of celebrating with friends. I miss arriving places with lipstick applied correctly....my lips are still kinda wonky. As the swelling under my nose improves, my upper lips are slowly unfolding. My moods are settling down. The mild depression seems to be lifting more each day.

My father kindly asked me today if I was pleased with my new look. I think so...

Honestly, I’m still growing into this softer face. I liked how Million Dollar Smile phrased it, "getting used to new angles". My fuller cheeks make me look younger – that’s a plus, I guess. They also hide what little cheek bone I do have! I don’t yet like my nose angles. It’s funny how looking at other’s photos I can see the little difference is just that, little, but when I examine my own face in the mirror the difference seems E-normous.

Running holiday errands this week, I ran into several neighbors, each of whom asked me if I had had my surgery yet. This was weird. It‘s good still look like myself, right? Is it good that they don’t see the improvement. Or maybe they see a difference, it registers as "not an improvement" and so they ask? I’m not sure.

OS follow up 23 days post op

My Monday check up with the surgeons went well. The entire visit was over in 10 minutes. In short, they were both very pleased with my results, smiled at me a lot, and told me to come back when my braces were off, for a final x-ray and photo. OS even said with a warm grin, "Lady, you're healed." ( he said lady in a pleasant tone, not that middle school slang tone)

I was rather surprised.

When I mentioned that my OD thought there was condoyle sag, my attending OS laughed slightly, and asked the chief resident who assisted the surgery to come check out my bite. Right on. Midline? Right on. Next, they reviewed all my x-rays. Again, right on. I was delighted! I reminded myself how far my jaws & teeth have moved thus far, and even if every tooth wasn't perfect, my current smile is a huge improvement.

There's still some tweaking to do for sure.

A funny moment occurred while looking at the x-rays. The attending reminded me how much tooth I used to show when my lips were at rest. He said the normal range is between 2-3 mm or something. I interrupted him to show off I knew my own measurements, that I had shown 7 mm. Well, he laughed and said more like 157 mm! Humor seem much more appropriate now that the surgery is behind me.

At the end of my extraordinarily brief appointment, I wanted to hug both men (and find the other 2 lady surgeons who cared for me in the hospital). Alas, the clinic was busy. I settled for a handshake. All the appointments, and the fretting, and the blood work, and the drug effects, and late night calls to the dr...all of it seemed over too soon.

This is a huge generalization, okay, but since both of my performing surgeons are men, and both are well, surgeons, they weren't too big on the whole touchy feely aspect of me processing the experience. :) Oh, I wanted to tell them all about it, but I could tell they didn't really want to hear. They've likely heard it before.

The attending did tell me I was too critical of myself (I already know that sir!) and reiterated how pleased he was with the surgery. The resident didn't say much - he leaned in close to measure my new upper lip angle, checked out my jawline scarring, told me that would go away in a bout 3 months, and smiled at me really big! With their combined positive energy, I left the hospital on cloud nine.

Of course, once I was in my car driving the 100 miles home, I thought of all the questions I had intended to ask. The only advice given was to be sure not to chew until I was 6 weeks out. I am to call if I have any concerns, but otherwise, the attending surgeon didn't think seeing me biweekly would do much good. Who knew I could feel so relaxed in the hospital again? Just walking down the hallways at previous appointments had shaken my confidence.

I've been pondering how best to say thank you. How does sending a large box of citrus to the office sound?

First OD visit, post-op

I went to the OD twice this week. I initiated the appointment, and am so glad I did. I wanted to remove the surgical lugs. Yippee!

Bad news? My OD is concerned my condoyles have sagged. Uh huh. NOT what you want hear after surviving two weeks of what I’m coining as “the darkness”. His concerns worried me for several days. Really, though, what can I do except wear my elastics and wait for the swelling to go down? I think this is pretty common. I’ll speak to my surgeons about it on Monday. My assessment is that the OS was very pleased with my bite while the OD preferred my teeth to be set end-to-end to compensate for the settling in process.

My left side looks great. My right side is slightly class II, so that side has stronger elastics. The plan is to correct my bite while the mouth is still settling. Then, around the six week mark, we’ll start tweaking rotations, mid lines and such.So, new flexible wires are in as well as a lower power chain. My little persistent gap finally seems to be closing. Prescription is to wear the Fox elastics on the left & Ram elastics on the right 24-7 for the next three weeks. I feel more pressure than pain from these, though my cheeks are still puffy and catch on the elastics whenever I speak.

Since I cannot chew any food, the additional pain hasn’t slowed me down. Well, perhaps it’s made me grumpier than usual. I am definitely more focused on comforts than I used to be: warm socks, smooth puddings, hot showers, fresh sheets. As long as I don’t have to chat much, excursions help me distract myself from the discomforts.

Last night, my husband and I taught an NFP class. Oooh, I paid for all that talking today. Every muscle in my jaw aches, even under my chin. My face also swelled back up. Grrr.

Oh, I cannot for these babies to come off!