Tomorrow is the day!

I can't believe it's already time. I am very anxious/nervous.
Going to the orthodontist today to put surgical hooks on.

Hopefully everything goes as planned and I will be back home Wednesday.

Wish me luck!

Getting Closer & Closer...

I can't believe how fast time has been flying by. My surgery is approx a week and a half away!

Last week I had to go give blood at a blood donation center in case I will need a transfusion post op. Yesterday I was at the hospital for a checkup, medical history and more blood testing. The doctors also took new pictures and all these different types of molds of my teeth and other weird things involving metal headgear lol. I got my prescriptions already, just need to fill them. They gave me 6 - an anti-biotic (amoxicillan), peridex (mouthwash), afrin allergy & children's sudafed (for congestion), ibuprofen 100mg & acetaminophen/codeine (for pain). I don't know why they didn't prescribe something stronger for pain but my OS did mention a while back that there isn' that much pain involved in this so hopefully I will do fine with what they gave me.

I asked whether the breathing tube and urinary catheter will be out by the time I wake up and they told me that the breathing tube will most likely be out but the catheter will probably stay in -- eek, I was hoping all that stuff would be out so that I don't have to feel them taking it out =/ I am scared of that part...

I still have a dental cleaning next week and getting surgical hooks at my ortho the day before surgery and that's it... ready to go!

I am starting to feel a bit anxious about the whole process but trying to stay positive and think that everything will go smoothly.

My naturopath gave me a some supplements/vitamins (in powder form) to take before and after surgery to help with recovery.

I still need to go shopping to stock up on stuff I will need during recovery.

Oral Surgeon Visit #2

I just came back from the Oral Surgeon's office to discuss the operation and answer any questions I had. I expressed my concerns about weight - as I'm only 96lbs and 5'2". He said he's operated on people who were skinnier than me and that he expects me to do fine. He said that most people lose 3-5lbs, more only if they want to. He told me I will be on a no-chew diet for 6 weeks and said that if I get a good blender I can blend pretty much anything and get it down.

I also asked the OS about supplements for bruising & swelling post surgery (I read that some people take bromelian, arnica montana, etc) and he said that some of his patients use arnica montana but he doesnt think it is necessary and is not convinced that it makes a difference. So I am thinking that I will probably not take it but I will still do some more research and see about that. I also asked about what medication I'll be on post-op and he said that he'll prescribe an antibiotic (I expressed concern about nausea with this and he said to take with food) and pain meds if I need them. My surgery is supposed to start around 8am and last 3-5 hours. I am required to stay 1 night.

I went so see a Naturopath - she suggested some vitamins/supplements for a better recovery and gave me some tips on diet.

Next week I have to go to the blood clinic to donate blood (just in case they need it post surgery for me). And I'll also need to get the surgical hooks on at my orthodontists office sometime between now and the surgery. On April 26th I am seeing the OS again for more molds of my bite and pictures.. and also medical history and complete physical, etc.

I asked him what things I should get for a good recovery and he said:
-good blender (i'll probably buy the bullet)
-humidifier (got it)
-baby toothbrush
-ice packs
-heat pad

I will look over the lists of what other people found useful and probably get that too. He said I should have someone with me for 1-2 weeks.

At this point I am both excited and a bit nervous, but trying not to think too much about the surgery and instead focus on gaining weight and getting all my stuff together.

Oral Surgeon Visit

I just came back from the OS. They basically just took new x-rays, new molds and pictures. I am supposed to see him in 2 weeks to go over the new x-rays, etc and finalize everything. He gave me a long list of people on which he performed the same or similar surgery to mine over the past 5 years. He said I can contact them and ask questions but I don't know if I will do that - he just provided phone numbers so I feel a bit weird just calling these strange people and bothering them. They gave me a written letter stating all my deformities and what needs to be done to correct it, etc. It states that I have apertognathia (open bite), maxillary cant and retrusion (top jaw assymetry and anterior under-growth) and mandibular prognathism and cant (bottom jaw anterior over-growth and assymetry)! I guess my case is a lot more complicated than I thought...

They are planning on doing a Lefort I - leveling the maxilla and advancing 3.5mm to correct the cant and retrusion and begin correction of the apertognathia. And the BSSO - moving the mandible 3mm back and 4mm up, with leveling, to correct the prognathism, complete correction of the apertognathia, and establish framework for a stable and functional occlusion.

I have started a probiotic and cleaned up my diet to nutritious, whole foods to prepare my body for surgery/recovery. I am disappointed that I still have not been able to put on any weight and I doubt that I will. I am praying that I don't lose too much weight during this whole process...

Surgery date!!!

I saw my orthodontist for the usual adjustment on 2/22 and she took new molds of my bite. She still hasn't gotten back to me about how they look when the oral surgeon's office called - they wanted to know my progress because they said they are booked through June and if I will be ready anytime soon I need to let them know because they are filling up fast. Then they told me that they have May 4th date available and suggested that they put me down for that date now, confirm with my orthodontist that it will be okay and in case it's not, we can reschedule.

So I spoke with my orthodontist and she said that my bite (from the molds) is showing more progress and that by May 4th I should be ready. So as it stands now, it's May 4th! Even though I was hoping my surgery would be around March/April, I am so excited that I finally have a date and know that things are moving forward =)

8th Adjustment

I had my 8th adjustment yesterday. Got my top wire changed, that's pretty much it. She talked to me about the surgery some more - she said that based on the last molds they took in Oct/Nov, when she positions my bite as they will during surgery, my right side bite leaves an open space and she says we need to fix that before surgery. She said that she doesn't think that has been fixed yet but that during my next visit they will take new molds of my teeth and see how it looks then - if it looks good, then I am good to go for surgery!!! I am praying it will look good because I want to get this done already so bad.

She also said one of her patients had the same type of surgery recently with the same Oral Surgeon and that he looks great and is recovering well.

7th Adjustment

I had my 7th adjustment a few days ago. So far I've had my braces on for over 9 months. The space on my top right is almost closed and the space on my bottom right is getting there. My underbite is looking horrid! It has become a little difficult/weird to talk - I sort of had to learn to form certain letters all over again lol... I think I am talkign better now but a few weeks ago a lot of people were havign a hard time understanding me - it was embarrassing when I had to repeat myself like 3 times when ordering a meal at a restaurant...

Anyway, at my last visit she was supposed to discuss my bite molds (they took them at my 6th adjustment) but she didn't elaborate really. She just said that it's not going as she thought it would - that the teeth are still some way from being aligned properly for surgery. She told me that they will take molds of my bite again in the next few visits and see where things are then. When I asked when I can expect to have surgery she said sometime in Spring. I was really hoping to have the surgery done in March but I think it may be more like May or even later now... every time I see her it seems to get pushed up. Darn teeth.