Thanksgiving Post (a tad late)

Just wanted to check in, say hi, give updates, and share just a few of the things that make me thankful (seemed appropriate given the holiday and all). As of almost two weeks ago, I've been in braces for 6 months!!! In some ways it seems like I just got them on, but in others it seems like I've always had them (which is a weird thought). Anyhow, I'm very happy with how quickly my teeth have moved and for the patience my orthodontist has shown in the face of my frequently audible impatience. I'm less than two months away from my surgery date. I have my pre-opp appointments set and am starting to figure out how I need to prepare. Mainly, I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for the first week post-opp, which seems to be the most mentally challenging (not to mention physically painful) for almost everyone. Reading other blogs will hopefully help get me through that time. And, I plan to blog throughout it to help others who will be going through the same thing shortly.

I really am thankful to God for getting me to the place where I finally agreed to do this and am getting closer to finishing it. I'm thankful for my friends & family who have supported me as I've become pseudo-obsessed with the process . . . and I'm just generally thankful for them every day for so many other reasons. I'm thankful for my job for allowing me the ability to do this. Finally, I'm thankful for my fellow bloggers who help make this process a little less scary.

Happy (late) Thanksgiving everyone!

Pre-Op

I just received the email for my pre-op appointment today . . . eek! So, I didn't realize how long of a day it is. The first appointment is at 8:45, followed by another one at 9:45 and a "class" at 1:30. That's going to be a long, scary day! But, I'm happy it's getting closer! It'll take place about 2 weeks for the surgery and I have to have my molds done and surgical hooks (ick!) put on before then. That should be interesting. The only hard part is that I still don't know whether I have to have the chin reduction and was hoping to know this year so I knew if I needed to account for it in my health savings account for next year. I'm thinking I may not find out in time to include it. Bummer. But, at least things are moving along so I'm not going to complain.

I hope everyone is doing well and has a great weekend!

Just Checkin' In . . .

I don't have much to say but feel bad neglecting my blog for so long and wanted to check in. There are some updates. My surgery date moved up a week, so that's exciting! I was a little nervous when talking to the surgeon's office, though. I wanted to find out when I'd be having my pre-op appointment and was told that the surgeon's notes indicated I didn't need one. What?!?! I'm going in for major surgery and they're not going to see me or talk to me before I get there? I've only been there once -- for the initial appointment when they looked at my molds, x-rays and me and approved the procedure. I know I'll be getting new molds and x-rays and those will go to the surgeon before my surgery, but I'd still like to meet with him again and ask some questions. I mean, I feel like I should shake hands witih the guy who will be breaking my face and putting it back together one more time before he does it . . . wanna make sure they're steady hands.

So, I pushed and it looks like I might get one. They're booked through December and haven't opened up their January calendar yet so they're going to contact me as soon as they do to fit me in. Eek! That scared me a little. But, I'm trying to not let stuff freak me out. I've got a little more than 2 months before the surgery and so far I'm not freaking out -- which is very much unlike me. I've only had three surgeries in my life (if you count wisdom teeth) and they've all been outpatient procedures. The first two were when I was younger but the last one was a year ago this month. I freaked out so much that I wrote a letter to all of the people I care most about the night before (just in case I didn't see them again to tell them in person) and called my sister that morning to talk me through my nerves (my sweet friend who woke up to take me there at 6am also had to talk me through it). I like to think that experience will help me be much calmer this time around . . . after all, I already have the letter written now. :)

That's about it from here. I'm super excited for all of the people who recently went through surgery and are recovering so well and those who recently got their braces off or learned it'll be happening soon . . . and I look forward to posts from everyone in our little jaw surgery blog community experiencing those same successes!