A Smile Connects Us You And Me

I guess I can tell I am getting/feeling better because I no longer have the urge to blog about every last detail of my jaw day...my jaw is starting NOT to rule my days/life. I'm taking my life back one ortho appointment at a time! Last week I had my first archwire change since surgery. It was done at 11 weeks, which Dr. Chira said was the earliest and surgeon had allowed her to change a wire post-op. I was a bit nervous going in because I wasn't sure how getting the wire changed would feel. I thought maybe I wouldn't feel it at all because my gums are still so numb, but it actually felt just like any other adjustment I've had (meaning it was a little uncomfortable, but in no way painful). Tomorrow I will have my top wire changed which is a bit more complicated because of the acrylic over my brackets where they segmented my jaw bone. She will have to take off the acrylic and the brackets and then replace the brackets and put a new wire in. I hope the removal of the brack...

So my soft chew diet is going well. However, my stomach is not pleased with having to digest actual food. It feels like a brick in my stomach. I hope this gets better as the eating goes on. It is very awkward to chew and I am really trying to get the hang of it. It is going to take some practice. I do have more energy now, which is good....but it makes winter and cabin fever that much worse! I have a space developing between my right canine and the tooth in front of it, I hope this is supposed to happen. There is acrylic on these two brackets that has been on there since surgery. This is supposed to stabilize the area and I thought it was supposed to prevent the teeth from moving....I am worried about this, but I see Dr. Chira for my first orthodontic adjustment since surgery (11 weeks post-op). She is going to take off the acrylic and change the wire. One step closer to getting these braces off (hopefully in May!). The pain is at a 2-3, my ROM is awesome (my official measurement is t...

The view from our hotel balcony.... Wow, so I'm having a hard time starting this blog because- a) I am very excited and; b) there is just so much to share! Let's start with the basics. Mom and I returned from Santa Barbara late last night after a long day of travel. We left the 70 deg. weather to come home to the 20 deg. weather...It really was a whirlwind for travel. Leaving on Monday and coming home on Wednesday was really something. We only had Tuesday as our one full day in Santa Barbara. Mom and I took advantage of the day and walked from our hotel to downtown, and then up to my appointment. One way, that was nearly 3.5 miles! We took our time and enjoyed a lot of window shopping up State Street :) For this appointment I was expecting Dr. Gunson to check my bite and clear me for my soft food diet. I was so excited to go in and get the clearance to chew!! However, I had no expectation of much more than that. My appointment started off with getting an iCAT scan to make sur...

Mom and I have finally made it to Santa Barbara...the 6 hour flight from Newark is killer, but I was able to sleep a little bit, but I was worried the whole time that my head was going to hit the window or something silly. I am very pleased to announce that my ears did not hurt too bad! They were and still are more clogged, but they did not had terrible sharp pains. My biggest problem with flying in this liquid diet stage is that I can't bring my own protein shakes with me. Smoothies and shakes are hard to come by and when I do find them they are out of this world expensive! Thank God for the soft chew diet starting tomorrow! Now I'm going to rest and have a smoothie then hit the hay a bit early tonight. I want to be able to enjoy our only full day in Santa Barbara tomorrow! Pain levels at a 4, exhaustion level at a 8, excitement for soft chew 10!! I also realized today that I have a lot more feeling in my chin and bottom lip. They are both more sensitive to touch and temperatu...

Finally pictures!! I just realized it has been since before Christmas that I posted any! My swelling had come down a bit since then. My left side is still more swollen. Tomorrow I fly out with Mom to Santa Barbara for my 10 week post-op with Dr. Gunson . I am excited to get out of this cold weather here in the North East to the warm 70deg. weather there! We are only going to be there a couple of nights, but it will be reallllly amazing not to have to put on 8 layers before going outside. Here's the ol ' profile! I have a jaw line!! Whoohoooo !!! The jaw clicking has been better the last two days, so I am feeling positive about that! My pain level is at about 3 at the beginning of the day, and by the end of the day it is a 4-5. I have been using heat on my face and neck. It makes a huge difference. I am very excited to start my soft-chew diet!! I have yet to decide what I want to have as my "first" chew, but I'm thinking mashed potatoes and gravy might be the winn...

Has it really been 9 weeks since surgery? In so many ways I feel like I just had surgery, and in other ways I know I have come a long way. In less than a week I will start soft chewing. I am hesitant about how exactly to chew. Hopefully it will be like riding a bike, and I'll pick it up again easily. Although, my teeth, jaws, and muscles have all moved so I think it will be more difficult. I have enjoyed this weeks freedom of no bands during the day, and am still so grateful I don't have to wear the band on the hook and screw at all! I think my jaw is more tired, it actually has to work harder to keep my jaw closed, and with the Botox in the lower jaw muscles I think it puts more strain on other areas. Overall my pain is still low, at a 4 usually. My swelling is going down. I was able to FINALLY get back in the pool for physical therapy this week. I think it was really beneficial to move! I noticed a difference in my swelling after. I know I haven't posted pictures in a w...

This just in, I no longer have to wear my bands full time AND I do not have to use the hook at all!! I feel like crying I am so excited. The stress and pain of the hook was so heavy I feel like I can breathe again! The official email reads, " Since you are 8 weeks post op Mary, you only need to have elastics on at nights. So sorry to hear that the hook is still bothering you, Dr. Gunson advised not using an elastic on that hook any more-YEA!!! " Victory is mine!! So this means I will be able to stretch my jaw all day and continue to increase my ROM. I am still on a liquid diet till the 13 th when I go on a soft chew diet which according to the email I just received means I can have mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, etc.!! WHOOHHOOOOO This is the greatest news of 2010 thus far. Also, yesterday (despite the blizzard that brought nearly 3ft. of snow) we were finally able to celebrate Christmas with my parents and my younger sister. They drove to us as Sam and I were not dari...

I hope you all have enjoyed my video. I am still quite amazed how every thing looks! I am very excited about going back to Santa Barbara in 10 days too get my OK for soft food and wearing my bands only at night! This week I started yoga, did light pilates, AND was able to go to physical therapy. It feels good to be active, even if it is light. For Christmas I got an indoor trainer to put my bike on, I am so excited! This week's appointment with Dr. Chira went well. My ROM is now 18.5mm!! That's a gain of 2mm in a week! My goal is 20mm by the time I go to California, I am confident I can get it done! My jaw is SO ready to chew. Dr. Chira is really impressed with my bite. She took pictures and said (in reference to my braces) "I don't think these are going to be on very long," so exciting!! On Tuesday I had my 8 week post-op iCat scan (advanced x-ray) @ Dr. Hardy's office. My plates and screws still look awesome. I could see that my grafting looks like it is hea...