Day 34...

Most recent picture...from 4/5/2008.

Day 25 and Zorro-ness, go figure.

So I've been finding things that I had packed away from the move. This is my lovely eye mask from Bath & Body Works. I don't even think they sell it anymore. Anyways, it really helps my cheeks because they go from not swollen to painful swollen throughout the day. What a great rediscovery. Oh! By the way, I think I look like Zorro. Good night.

Day 20, It doesn't seem like it's been that long

Here I am...Splint-less!!!

I think I'm going to bed soon. I was at appointments for over half of the day. It was pretty exhausting. When I went to Dr. Bates, Penni (his surgical assistant) removed my splint. There was a lot of wire pulling and cutting. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but I was just so happy it was coming out. After she removed the splint I had to take 2 more X-rays and talk to Dr. Bates and I was on my way. My teeth feel strange on the top but that will go away. They are very sensitive, and they feel like they are wooden and the roof of my mouth feels like slime. I then went to get some food because I was really hungry and I didn't want my stomach to grumble while Dr. Cope was working on my braces. I then arrived at Dr. Cope's office right on time. He did a whole bunch of different stuff. While he was working on me he was filming my mouth. That was a first and I thought it was kind weird so I just closed my eyes and let him do his thing. Once again this saw not the most comfortable and I was thinking while he was in my mouth..."Why didn't I take Aleve before coming here". I also thought I can't even say this is painful because I have experienced some PAIN!, so I'll call it discomfort. He attached some wire to the roof of my mouth and I am wearing 1 rubber band on the right side to shift one little thing. My bite is looking good, but still needs a little tweaking...After my day of appointments I went and got a milkshake from Burger House and came back to my bed to lay it down. The naps have really helped throughout my recovery. So now I go back to Dr. Bates in a week, and Dr. Cope in a month or so.

Day 19

The splint is coming out tomorrow and I can not be happier. I have not felt that great today because I'm super exhausted and was really nervous because I had my first closing today. I'll defiantly take a picture with me splint-less because it is a milestone in my recovery.

Day 13 Continued

I guess today is the first day that I'm actually seeing the change. I'm not really swollen any more. Still a little numb on under my left eye, my nose and above my upper lip. The numbness is pretty much gone under my right eye.

Today, Dr. Bates called me the poster child for recovery. He, his assistant and the office staff was impressed and surprised that I've already returned to work. Gotta make that money and good things are happening so there is no need to stay in bed. I'm pretty much off of all the pain meds and I will probably be done with them after I get the splint out. A piece of wire is stabbing me and since the numbness is leaving me I have to seek pain relief.

After my appointment I went back to the office for a bit and then I had lunch with Mother today. I had a baked potato from Jason's Deli was really good. We watched MSNBC while eating lunch. After going through what I went through with the surgery it give you a different perspective in life. I love my parents, I love my family, and I love my closest friends and they mean the world to me.

More pictures and updates to come!!!

Day 13

Day 13-Yip-ee!! Check out that jaw line!!!

Day 12

MySpace Countdowns

No picture tonight because I need to go to bed. But I did make a beautiful countdown clock for when I'm suppose to get the splint removed. Tomorrow early morning I go to Dr. Bates for my weekly appointment. I'll let yall know how it goes. Good night.

Day 11

Wow! This is me just a few minutes ago...

Went to Dr. Cope today. I have 4 brackets that are loose. He told me he can't fix my braces on my bottom teeth until the splint comes out. He also says everything looks good. I also went to Dr. Bates last Wednesday and he said everything looks wonderful. I took new x-rays there too. I go back this Wednesday for a similar appointment. I wish he would reward me for being a well behaved patient and take this miserable splint out. The splint is the most horrible/painful part about this right now.

Day 6

Still receiving nice messages. Thank you. Also thanks to all my friends that checked on me during the Great Flood of Lancaster: 2008. I guess I should figure out where Ten Mile Creek is located once I get up and going again. This was my first day home alone and it was nice and lonely at times. I slept a lot and had a great dream about eating tons of cookies.

I've been having a lot of dreams. The next time I need to try and remember am I dreaming of the way I used to look of how my face is going to look. Who knows? I also watched the Barack Obama speach. I thought it was pretty amazing and exciting. Tomorrow I'm going back to Dr. Bates and I'm very interested in what he has to say. Well off to bed to my newest guilty pleasure...Oprah and Friends on XM.

Catch Up & Complications

So this is the first evening since I've got home on Friday that I even felt like blogging. Thanks to everyone that has call and checked on me or left a message. It really means a lot.

Here is a picture of me before I went into surgery on Wednesday morning.

This is what I know and what I was told. After being in surgery for a couple hours the anesthesiologist was testing my blood. He learned that I had a condition called Metabolic acidosis. My blood pressure dropped and that caused unhealthy levels of gas in my blood (I think?) They were able to finish the most important parts of the surgery and then they closed it up and I was put in ICU on a respirator for over 24 hours on Thursday and Friday. This is strange because my days are all mixed up and it's as if I didn't live on Thursday cause I wasn't awake. The parts of the surgery that haven't been completed can be done in Dr. Bates office later. I was also referred to a Kidney specialist so try and figure out what went wrong. I knew something was up because I still had the cathader in and that was supposed to be removed by the time I woke up and my room was really small. I was very confused when I woke up and I remember a few visitors that came by. I'm still a little confused but I have an appointment with my surgeon on Wednesday afternoon and I'm sure things will be cleared up.

Since Friday, I've been chilling in bed for the most part. This recovery is grueling because eating is a tricky thing. Well it's not really tricky, there is no eating, I guess nourishment is tricky. I have a splint in that is wired to my top teeth for 3 weeks. This has mostly affected my speech but it will be off soon enough. I'm still swollen but that is expected after a surgery of the magnitude. Picture time... I will be showing the good, the bad and the ugly so close it now if you don't want to see.

Me after getting home on Friday. (3/14/2008)

Buckwheat (My favorite little rascal)

Me and my Buckwheat-ness/drugged out-ness. (3/15/2008)

A Mother's work is never done. Helping me with the Buckwheat-ness. (3/15/2008)

The lovely "Jaw Bra" (3/15/2008)

Still swollen but getting better. (3/16/2008)

Me today before going to Dr. Peri-Kidney Specialist. (3/17/2008)

Improving...slowly. Swelling is going down some more. Before blogging and bed. (3/17/2008)

So that's it for tonight. Feedback and comments are nice but I still plan on updating this regularly pictures and all. Pax.

On surgery...

On this early morning before surgery I am having mixed emotions. If I can recall them I will share them later. Before I went to bed I heard from not only 1 Anesthesiologist, but 2. The first one called and got a lot of on to but he was pulled onto a heart case so I'm getting this other one. When he asked about my concerns for the surgery I told him I just want to wake up. He said that shouldn't be a problem. Check on me...I'll have the cell, but I don't know how much I'm going to be up to talking.

Upcoming Surgery (more details)

So...though all the pre-op drama the surgery is coming faster then ever. What drama you may ask? I went in on Thursday, Feb. 28 for a Pre-Op appointment with Dr. Bates (my surgeon). First, it was a 4 hour appointment. Many of you all know I have a short attention span so this was very tedious. When Penny (the surgical assistant) did the upper models of my teeth i nearly choked and hyperventilated while the tray was in my mouth. Talk about traumatic!!! The mold debacle was followed by the not-so-lovely facebow (see picture). I think this was a torture device back in the day. I also think that they could use it in the school to control the bad kids. They use it to measure the dimensions of your face so they can recreate your face when you aren't in the office. The worse part of the facebow is that the part in your ears is placed so tight it hurts at times. Especially if you have it on for longer the 15 mins and you are waiting for the Dr. to come in. I was told everything turned out ok but that they would call me back if they had to. I ended up going back 2 more times after that 4 hour appointment. The first time they did the facebow again and I had it on for almost 30 mins. The second time I had to redo molds. 3 TIMES!!! Usually this is something the Dr. defers to his assistants but 2 of them I had to do with him and he didn't care about choking me. So yes that was not fun but when I was leaving I told them if they need to call me back let me know because I want everything done right.

I pre-registered at the hospital last Thursday. I'll be staying there overnight this Thursday. I should be staying somewhere on the 4th Floor of RHD Hospital in Farmers Branch. If this changes I'll let yall know or you can call the cell.

This will be my primary blog through this process. I hope to take a picture of my self each day through my recovery to track the progress. As I sign out for now I'll be posting my initial pictures and simulations of what I should look like after healing from the surgery. These were taken last April.