Well, the time has almost come! My mom is here and Brian is home... everything seems to be pretty much lined up so let's get this done!! I have to work today (and hopefully stay healthy!). I had a cold develop on Friday but after a lot of Zicam and Airborne I was able to keep that at bay and feel fine. Phew!!!! I will find out my surgery time late this afternoon so I will post that, along with some final pre-op photos.
I would appreciate your prayers!
Love to you all!
Terrell
Monday, September 30, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Surgery Prep
Greetings friends and family! I have created this blog so that I can keep people updated on my surgery and recovery. After my surgery, I will try to update this page daily so people can hear and see how I am doing.
Background and current status:
About 2 1/2 years ago I had some dental work done on my wisdom teeth (which are needed teeth since I was born without my pre-molars). After the fillings I began experiencing excruciating pain. I spent many long hours in dental chairs that year trying to figure out why my teeth were so painful. After probably 50 visits to my dentist, several to a prosthedontist, two root canals, a crown and a new mouthguard (b/c I started grinding my teeth) I was referred to an orthodontist to look at possible solutions to the bite issues that had developed. My bite was so bad that I was only hitting on my back teeth and therefore, intense pain. All of the dental professionals agreed that I needed to look at braces and orthagnathic surgery to correct my bite.
The braces were put on in January 2013 and we are now ready for the surgery (October 1st). For anyone interested in looking that up, it is called a Lefort 1 (but I wouldn't look if you are squeamish!). Basically, they are going to realign my upper jaw and put it back in place using titanium plates and screws. The surgery itself will be conducted by an Oral-Maxillofacial specialist at Yale and should last about 2 1/2 hours. I am waiting to hear if they are going to take out the wisdom teeth while they are in there. I will be in the hospital for one night and then home to recover. Post surgery, my lower face will be completely numb (and very swollen) and sensation will return over the next several weeks. I will be on a pure liquid diet for 3 weeks and then in week 4 I will be able to start eating some very soft foods- anything that requires minimal chewing. My mouth will be "banded" shut with super tight rubber bands instead of the old way of wiring your jaw shut. The bands will gradually be loosened as I recover.
That's the fairly quick summary. I will be out of work for 2 weeks and then on a part-time schedule for a short time after that. I would appreciate prayers as I go through this process! It has been a difficult 2 1/2 years and I am ready to be on the other side of this surgery and counting down until I get these braces off! Brian is out of the country right now but he returns on Sunday, just in time for the fun! Also, my mom arrives on Sunday and will be here to nurse me through this process while Brian takes care of Kenan!
Background and current status:
About 2 1/2 years ago I had some dental work done on my wisdom teeth (which are needed teeth since I was born without my pre-molars). After the fillings I began experiencing excruciating pain. I spent many long hours in dental chairs that year trying to figure out why my teeth were so painful. After probably 50 visits to my dentist, several to a prosthedontist, two root canals, a crown and a new mouthguard (b/c I started grinding my teeth) I was referred to an orthodontist to look at possible solutions to the bite issues that had developed. My bite was so bad that I was only hitting on my back teeth and therefore, intense pain. All of the dental professionals agreed that I needed to look at braces and orthagnathic surgery to correct my bite.
The braces were put on in January 2013 and we are now ready for the surgery (October 1st). For anyone interested in looking that up, it is called a Lefort 1 (but I wouldn't look if you are squeamish!). Basically, they are going to realign my upper jaw and put it back in place using titanium plates and screws. The surgery itself will be conducted by an Oral-Maxillofacial specialist at Yale and should last about 2 1/2 hours. I am waiting to hear if they are going to take out the wisdom teeth while they are in there. I will be in the hospital for one night and then home to recover. Post surgery, my lower face will be completely numb (and very swollen) and sensation will return over the next several weeks. I will be on a pure liquid diet for 3 weeks and then in week 4 I will be able to start eating some very soft foods- anything that requires minimal chewing. My mouth will be "banded" shut with super tight rubber bands instead of the old way of wiring your jaw shut. The bands will gradually be loosened as I recover.
That's the fairly quick summary. I will be out of work for 2 weeks and then on a part-time schedule for a short time after that. I would appreciate prayers as I go through this process! It has been a difficult 2 1/2 years and I am ready to be on the other side of this surgery and counting down until I get these braces off! Brian is out of the country right now but he returns on Sunday, just in time for the fun! Also, my mom arrives on Sunday and will be here to nurse me through this process while Brian takes care of Kenan!
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