Navigating jaw surgery: top topics

Thank you everyone who has written me to say that my site has helped you through your own jaw surgery decisions and experiences. Even though it's been almost two years since my surgery, I still get a fair number of emails and questions from people doing research. I thought I would give you some links that will make it easier to find what you're looking for on my blog:

• Acupuncture
  
  
• Anemia
  
  
• Ask Bella
  
  
• Blogging
  
  
• Bruising
  
  
• Complementary Medicine
  
  
• Depression
  
  
• Homeopathic
  
  
• Jaw Surgery
  
  
• Lymph Drainage Massage
  
  
• Numbness
  
  
• Orthodontics
  
  
• Physiotherapy
  
  
• Pictures
  
  
• Preparations
  
  
• Range of Motion
  
  
• Recipes
  
  
• Screws
  
  
• Singing
  
  
• Supplements
  
  
• Swelling
  
  
• TMJ
  
  
• Wired Jaw

Don't forget about all the links in my sidebar, including links to other jaw surgery bloggers. If you don't see what you're looking for in my posts or links, feel free to email me at smilingbella at gmail dot com.

Ortho-don't-ist

Last week, I went to the orthodontist only to find the door locked and a sign saying that all appointments were cancelled due to "sterilization issues."

Being involved in animal rescue, I immediately thought this meant my orthodontist was being neutered. He couldn't keep his appointments because he was currently under the knife, or he had just had the procedure done and had acquired some kind of unspeakable infection.

And now, the mental image of him holding a big bag of ice to his crotch is traumatizing me to no end.

Ew.

On the plus side, the appointment was rescheduled for today, and to my surprise, he took my braces off!

Freedom, finally! I am whitening my brace-free teeth as I type! Hooray!!

Zip-N-Squeeze debacle

Just wanted to warn all the jaw surgery buddies who are having surgery over the next few months that something seems to be up with Zip-N-Squeeze.

According to Carrie at The Winnipeg Teeth/Lower Jaw Surgery Transformation, the company has been accepting orders online but hasn't been sending them out, leaving a lot of people scrambling to try and get their money back from PayPal. I checked Dinner Through a Straw, the site I ordered my Zip-N-Squeeze bags from, and it states that all of the Zip-N-Squeeze products are "temporarily out of stock."

So, anyone wanting this product is out of luck for now. It will be interesting to know if this is truly a temporary situation, or if the company is done like the pureed dinner we wish we could put in their bags.

If anyone hears updates, drop me a line.

Ask Bella: Sleeping after jaw surgery

Q: I have a question for you that I don't recall any mention of in your blog - How exactly did you manage to sleep through the first few weeks of recovery? I'm reading a lot of comments from people about the necessity of sleeping in an almost upright position. I've been on the hunt for some kind of reclining chair, but I would hate to buy something I'll never use again. What did you do to manage? Any suggestions/tips?

A: Thanks for the question! You're right - I don't think I've talked about that at all on this blog.

In the hospital, they'll have the upper part of your bed elevated. At home, you can do the same thing by putting a stack of pillows behind your head/shoulders. No need for a special chair at all, or to sleep in an upright position - just propped up. I think some people get carried away with getting all kinds of accessories for this surgery!

I bought a pillow with arms on it, which is sometimes called a "Bed Rest Pillow." It works really well at keeping your upper body elevated without being completely upright. It looks like this:

Image via www.smarter.com

It was inexpensive - something like $30 - and should be available in department stores. It makes more sense than buying a special chair for just a few weeks. Plus, I'd rather sleep in my own bed than in a chair, wouldn't you?

I slept propped up for a month or so after surgery. I found that I got used to it, and that after I started sleeping without the bed rest pillow, it was strange to get used to the "normal" way again.

Good luck and sweet dreams!

*To ask Bella a question about her jaw surgery, email her at smilingbella at gmail dot com or leave a comment on this post. Go ahead: ask away!!

Don't count your brackets before they've been removed

Remember when I said my braces were supposed to come off on August 8?

Well, scratch that. One of my brackets came loose before my last appointment and a gap opened up big enough that food was getting impacted in it every time I ate. Fun!! Also, there are some other gaps that need to be closed as well. When I asked if my braces will come off at my next appointment, I was told with a laugh, "Oh, no. It will be longer than that."

I may not make corn on the cob season this year. Oh well, I may have to head down to the Farmer's Market, buy a bunch of corn, and freeze it until I'm brace-free. I am determined to have corn on the cob, and I will have corn on the cob, damnit!!

In other (good) news, I went to the Folk Festival again this year and had a pleasant surprise. Last year, I had to leave once Michael Franti took the stage, as the heavy bass in his music vibrated the screws in my jaw and gave me a raging headache. I was less than impressed, as Michael Franti was rocking it. Not fair!

This year, I was weary of the same thing happening, but when k-os played, with just as heavy bass, if not more, I was fine! So, no more worries about loud, rock concerts with generous amounts of rumbly bass - my jaw and I are good to go!

Wooo hooo! Bring it on!

One month?

I went to my orthodontist yesterday and got some good news: the braces will come off on August 8!

I'm a bit paranoid about getting them off, as last time they were removed (July 2008), large spaces opened up within a few months, and I had to get them put back on in October. Even though I was wearing my retainers. Religiously.

So, we'll see what happens. I'm willing to put aside my paranoia in exchange for eating a bushel or two of corn on the cob this summer!

Yay!

Mind the gaps

We're slowly inching toward the day when my braces will come off (again). My orthodontist sent me to a dentist to see if the gaps in between my teeth can be filled, as he is unable to close them this time around.

The dentist said that because my teeth seem to be moving around and that the retainer was unable to hold them in place last time around, that he will probably bond a permanent retainer (light wire) behind my upper teeth to keep them anchored.

He's going to talk to my orthodontist over the next while to come up with a plan. So, we'll see what happens.

I am starting to get tired of the train tracks, not because they get in my way, but because I like smiling with my teeth in pictures, and when I do that now, it looks awful!

Cross your arch wires for me...

Calling all jaw surgery bloggers

I've been updating my links and have realized that many of the people I link to have now gone through the surgery, are moving on with their lives and have stopped blogging.

I would like to keep my blogroll as up-to-date as possible, so if you're reading this and you have a blog about your jaw surgery journey (pre- or post-op) that is not already on my list, please leave your URL in the comments so I can link to you.

Thanks!

Ask Bella: Numbness and nerve damage

Q: During my meeting with the surgeon last week, he warned me about the small possibility of damaging the nerves. I kind of knew the risks that exist with these types of surgeries, but as I sat there listening to him, I really had this overwhelming fear that I will lose feeling on some parts of my face. So then I started really to research more about it. Given that, I wanted to ask you the following questions:

1. Did you have huge concerns over nerve damage?
   
   A: I was concerned, but I did a lot of research, read people's stories on the Internet and talked to people who had the procedure done. I also looked into alternative health practices that would help with nerve repair, such as acupuncture, supplements, and homeopathic remedies. You can see my list of homeopathic/supplements that I took before and after surgery here. Also, all my posts that deal specifically with numbness can be found here.
   
   
   
2. What did your surgeon tell you about the risks involved and how likely it is that something will go "wrong"?
   
   A: My surgeon told me that there was a risk for permanent numbness in the chin/lower lip and that risk went up with age. So, at 32 years old, I had a 32 per cent chance of having permanent numbness. However, this guy had been doing this surgery for longer than I have been alive, so I had faith in his abilities to minimize damage and risk.
   
   
   
3. Did you hesitate about going through the surgery? If so, why did you decide to go ahead?
   
   A: No hesitation. Once I did all my research and felt comfortable with the surgery, I moved forward and never looked back. I did this surgery because I was having a lot of TMJ pain as a result of my overbite and knew that it would get worse if I didn't do something.
   
   
   
4. Do you regret having gone through the surgery because of nerve issues?
   
   A: No regrets. And no major nerve problems because of the surgery.
   
   
   
5. Has all the feeling gone back to your chin/jaw/lip areas?
   
   A: A year after surgery, I have almost full feeling in my lower lip and chin. It is more than 99 per cent there and improves everyday. I don't notice it unless I touch the area very, very lightly. If I use a regular touch, it feels like the rest of my face, and I can't tell the difference. The majority of the feeling in my chin/lip came back very quickly (within a month of surgery) and then slowed down, but improved on an ongoing basis. I have faith I'll have full feeling return, but even if I don't, I can live with the way it is - it's not weird at all.
   
   
   
6. Would you have done something differently?
   
   A: I would have taken iron supplements post-surgery. It was the only thing I didn't think about doing and I became anemic as a result. Of course, this isn't the case for everyone, but it was for me. I also would not have let my orthodontist take off my braces when he did - it was too soon and gaps opened up between my teeth and I had to have the braces put back on a few months later. Otherwise, no "what ifs". I was very prepared.
   
   
   
7. Knowing what you know now, will you do the surgery all over again?
   
   A: Absolutely. No regrets. I'm happy with the results, and I am looking forward to a pain-free life with a winning smile.

Of course, this is my situation and experience and everyone is different.

Thanks for your questions, and good luck!

*To ask Bella a question about her jaw surgery, email her at smilingbella at gmail dot com or leave a comment on this post. Go ahead: ask away!!

Free at last...kinda

I went to The Big City to see my surgeon for my one-year post-surgery appointment the other week and he said that my bite looks great and I don't have to go back to him anymore!

Yay!!

The only reason I would have to go see him is if the screws in my jaw get infected and have to be taken out, which he says is quite rare.

Double yay!!

Another exciting development is that when I go see my orthodontist today, I will not have to pull out my credit card to make my monthly payment. Because, last month, I made the FINAL one. After three years of monthly payments, I am done, baby!!

Triple yay!!

I did a little dance around the reception desk with my credit card, singing, "This is my final payment, this is my final payment" while the ladies laughed at me. My orthodontist didn't seem phased at all. Maybe he sees this a lot?

The only area where I am not free is in the upper braces department. But hey, after all I've been through, what's a bit longer?