Almost time..

To mark the 1 year anniversary of having jaw surgery.  I'm still numb.  And I still have problems hitting my teeth and biting my lip but not too often.  The pain is still there and right now I've decided to just live with it.  I am very happy with my profile.

I am supposed to visit my ortho in about 2 months just to check everything.  I haven't decided if I'm going back after some comments my ortho's partner made last time I was there.  He basically told me that most people would just live with the jaw pain.  Well, duh!  I've been doing that my whole life.  It wasn't every day (not like it is now) but it was there.  I really just wanted to hit him in the jaw and tell him to deal with it! 

But jail is not really appealing to me so I decided to just cry to my husband and not schedule another appt.  I probably will go back eventually because I don't want to hurt any progress we made with the surgery.  I will just have to make sure I see my ortho and not the other guy.

In other news, we have moved to a new house, my oldest started kindergarten and my son started preschool.  I enjoy seeing them have fun!  I've also been introduced to the world of cheerleading.  My daughter is only 5 but it is a lot of work!  I'm including a picture of me at the Utah Olympic Ski Park in Park City, UT.  My husband and I went there recently to celebrate out 10th wedding anniversary. 

Profile pic

This was taken at my son's 2nd birthday. 

Long Time No See!

Time has flown by the past couple of months.  I've been so knee deep in things I forgot I HAD a blog.  Just to update you on everything.  I get my braces off in 11 days!  And the 18th marks 6 months post surgery.

I still have the same pain I had before so the surgery didn't help. And yep I'm still numb which is probably permanent.  It's more annoying than anything and I bite my lip sometimes when I chew my food. 

I've been eating everything I could before the surgery for awhile now.  Loving the jaw, not really loving the nose but it's not too bad.

I will see my surgeon again when I get my braces off.  I haven't seen him since the last post I think.  The best news is that I received a check in the mail from my surgeon.  I guess my insurance paid a lot more than the doctor's office predicted.  Gotta love when that happens!

Hope you are all doing well and hopefully it won't be 2 months before I post again.

Catching Up...

I've  been busy lately so I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  As far as my jaw goes, still numb on my lower left side and my surgeon recently told me it could be permanent.  Great!  I can live with it but it makes me mad that the side I'm having problems with is the side the other doctor did.  A guy I've never met.  I did see him talking to the patient in the office the other day and I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.  But the kids were acting crazy and I didn't get a chance.

The pain is back too.  I went to my ENT in one last effort to make sure my ears weren't the problem.  I saw a PA named Chad because my doctor was on vacation.  Chad suggested I try a cream that this company developed for TMJ pain that you rub in and numbs the area.  Where were you a year and a half ago Chad?  So I said I would try anything and he put in the order.  The company called me right away and told me my insurance does cover the drug and it would be $50 per month supply.  I ordered just one month to make sure it works.  I should get it today so I will let you know.

As far as life goes, lots of things are happening.  We are selling our house.  It's our first home we bought and before the kiddos.  We are getting granite and stone backsplash put in this week to sell our house faster.  Luckily homes on our neighborhood have been going pretty fast.  But on the downside we will have to live in an apartment for about 4-5 months.  We found a nice complex close to where our home will be and close to Maddie's school so we are hoping to rent there but they only have two bedrooms available.  I'm trying to look at it like an adventure and the fact I won't have much to clean!

I'm also working on my son's 2nd birthday party which is next weekend (his actual birthday is April 9th) and the Rotary golf tournament which is on April 14th.

Braces off in 2 months!  Yea!

Weeks 12/13 - The cost

I wasn't sure if I should post the cost of the surgery but that's the one thing I wanted to know when researching.  I hope I'm not violating any laws.  Well, here it goes.  And yes, it's a lot.

Braces- Just over $6,000
Surgeon's Fee- Just over $33,000
Hospital's Fee- Just over $81,000 (6 hours of surgery, 4 days in the hospital, 3 in ICU because of issues)
Total - $120,000+

I'm not sure if there are any other costs.  I let my husband deal with it because I just get stressed out.  My insurance covered $10,000 of the surgeon's fee (he was not in network, I don't think any surgeon was), most of the hospital cost and $1,000 of the braces.

I hope this helps.  Now to my progress.  I am using the jaw wrap every day for my pain.  Not pain from the surgery, the pain that was there before.  Surgery wise I'm doing good.  I still have that extremely deviated septum and numbness in my chin but other than that I'm doing fine.

Michelle, a blog follower, had surgery this week.   Please keep her in your thoughts.  Have an easy recovery Michelle!

New Profile Pic

Baby Shower Pics

Had fun doing a baby shower for my cousin's wife.  The guest of honor had the flu so she couldn't come.  Some of my favorites things are the wishing tree, shoe favors, cake balls and not pictured are the pink rimmed plastic cups.  Just dip the rim of the cup in karo syrup and then in colored sugar of your choice.  Here are some pictures.  The first one is me with a friend's Mom. 

Week 10/11

So I'm behind on my blog.  We've been iced/snowed in for 4 days here in the Dallas area.  And our Internet was down.  Talk about cabin fever!  I'm already ready for summer.  Flip flops, shorts and margaritas!  Who's with me? =)

Lots of stuff has been happening around here.  My pain is back.  Pretty much constant and exactly the same as before the surgery.  I was supposed to have an appt with my surgeon this week but we couldn't leave the house due to ice. So I will call next week to reschedule.  And I guess it's back to see my ENT for my pain and breathing issues.  The cartilage is still completely blocking my left side.  So breathing is difficult.

Even though my pain is not gone, I do love the way my jaw looks.  I'm more confident and now don't care which side people take my picture from or from what angle.  I just say cheese!  Speaking of pictures, I should have some to post soon. 

Ready for school to open again and for the kids to be well.  And for spring soccer season.  Maddie is our little goal scorer!  2 weeks until her first game!  Bye for now and stay warm everybody!

Week 9

Well I survived Minnesota.  Sort of.  I did come back with a cold.  I've never experienced cold like that before.  But it was fun to go somewhere new.

So nothing really new or exciting.  I did find out I'm still numb in a lot of places.  Last Thursday, the night before we were flying to Minnesota, I felt a wire poking me in the back of my mouth.  It didn't really hurt just felt uncomfortable.  Well, the wire was over 1/2 an inch long and was hitting my jaw bone. So I had a nice hole in my mouth.  Luckily my ortho was able to squeeze me in on the way to the airport the next day.  When they snapped the wire the back bracket came off.  I had no time to repair it because we had to catch our flight.  They will put it back on when I come back for my next appt.  I was surprised I didn't feel it.  I guess I'm still more numb than I thought.

So that's all for this week.  I was up all night with my daughter who is sick so I'm a little wiped.  I think it's a two cups of coffee day.

Chocolate Angel Recipe

Sorry but this isn't a liquid diet recipe.  I looked up a lot of liquid recipes before my surgery but just ended up blending soups and drinking protein shakes.  Nothing that involved too much work.  This recipe is for when you are able to eat soft foods.  Or if you just want dessert!  =)  It's from my Grandmother who is 90 years old.  She made this for us growing up and is one of my favorites.  My 4 year old likes to help me with this and loves to eat it.  So does the rest of my family.  I hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Angel Dessert
1 12 oz pkg chocolate chips (we use semi sweet)
4 egg yolks, beaten
4 egg whites
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
2 tsp vanilla
1 angel food cake

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler with 2 tablespoons water.
Slowly add beaten egg yolks.  Cool mixture.
Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff.
Add to chocolate mixture.
Whip cream, add vanilla, then fold in chocolate.
Tear half of the cake into bite sized pieces and cover the bottom of a large baking dish.
Cover with half of the chocolate.  Tear remaining cake and repeat layers.
Chill overnight.

*Before my surgery I would add additional chocolate chips or shavings on top for a little crunch.  Adding a strawberry sauce on the plate would probably add to it as well.

Week 8

Well 2 months have past.  I'm feeling good.  I'm feeling a lot of electricity and shocks in my chin so my doctor is confident I should get feeling back soon.  I know I keep saying it, just hoping it will come true.  At my 2-month check up on Tuesday my doctor said I look more and more like a normal person each time he sees me.  I'm so glad to hear it.  I guess I feel more and more like a normal person.  I do pretty much what I did before surgery now.  Just no hard foods.  And people don't look at my funny anymore.  Only when I talk.  They can't really figure out what's wrong so they comment on my braces and my bands.  I guess I still talk a little funny because of the numbness.

My only issue is that I still can't breathe.  The doc didn't get a chance to talk to my ENT but he says if it is surgery I need it won't be until my jaws have had six months to heal.  So I will just have to live with it until then.  And I forgot to ask about exercise.  I snuck in an Insanity workout yesterday.  My jaw didn't hurt after so I'm taking that as I good sign.  And he said I could play soccer again (eventually) but I would need to wear I mouth guard.  He said with any contact sport you should wear a mouth guard.  Yeah, that's not going to happen.

This week has been challenging with a sick baby, snow day and trying to get ready for our trip to frigid Minnesota.  We are going for my husbands work retreat.  I think I will be staying inside the resort for the weekend.

And thanks to my friend Melissa for finding me a new background for this blog.  She told me the old one drove her crazy and looked like blood.  Hope ya'll like this one.

Week 7

Yesterday marked week 7.  I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since the surgery!  I saw my orthodontist this week. He changed my upper wire and the way I wear my bands.  My jaws hurt the rest of the day and the next but feel fine now.  I used the jaw wrap to help with the soreness.  Still getting some painful shocks in my lips.  When I was at the ortho he poked my lip with a wire which made me cry out and brought tears to my eyes.  I thought half my lip was hanging off but it was just my nerves playing tricks on me.  He said they do that when they heal.  I will see him again in a month.  Still numb on my lower left side.  I do feel tingling there so maybe I will have feeling back soon.

I'm still having trouble breathing and a sinus infection.  Would love to breathe again.  Next week I have an appt with the surgeon and will find out what was discussed with the ENT. 

Even with the sinus infection, things are going well.  Nothing I can't handle.  And the inside of my mouth is healing well.

We have a busy weekend and then next week it's off to Minneapolis.  Brrr!