ready for the next year

I have goals. Before my surgery, I am determined to do the following:

1) Keep healthy. I have been more susceptible to colds and flu's this year than ever before. I know it's probably due to all of the new germs at a new school, but I would like to be better about taking vitamins to do some preventative work.

2) Get healthier. I'd like to get back into running - I ran a 10k just two months ago, but then with my new job and all this illness and jaw pain and migraines I've let my training slack. I'm not terribly overweight, but I know that excess weight can hinder recovery and your reaction to anesthesia.

3) Stop complaining and focusing on pain. Now that I am in an upswing and have started to be able to control my migraines and extreme jaw pain, I need to stop focusing on it. It has [unfortunately] become a part of my life, and I need to get over it - it'll make me a happier person.

4) Find foods that are both sore jaw friendly and healthy OTHER than soup or anything that resembles soup. I am 6 or 7 months away from surgery and I already despise the stuff. I eat it every day for at least one meal, sometimes two. I need to figure out how to get more vegetables and fruits in without causing more pain. (And of course, soup is the best way. UGH!).

5) Become more familiar with the surgery I am about to undertake. I'd like to know exactly what's going to happen inside of my mouth so I can prepare myself as best I can. I especially want to research more about wind instrument playing after surgery.

Here's to a good next six or seven months.

tired of braces

I've been really tired of my braces lately. I'm ticked off that I can't eat all of the yummy holiday candy (between the jaw and the braces, I seem to be out of luck for most of my favorites), I am beyond tired of brushing my teeth, I am sick of fishing out food for hours every time I decide to be brave and bite into something head on, and I am for some reason developing more and more little ulcers in my mouth.

For a while the braces didn't bother me - in fact, for a good six months I barely noticed they were there! But suddenly, in the past month they feel huge in my mouth - almost like when I first got them on. No real pain coming from my teeth, but my lips don't seem to fit around them as well as they used to. And combined with all these random sores inside of my mouth, it's really annoying!!

And I'll probably be in braces for the next Christmas season as well. Sucky.

'tis the season

It's the season of performances for musicians and music teachers, so I'll admit to being a blogging slacker - but I have a good reason. I performed or conducted seven times last week PLUS I'm dealing with the car wreck, continued jaw pain, and a huge cold. But now I'm only three and a half days away from winter vacation, so things are looking lovely.

I'm fine from the car wreck, I've just got nasty little whiplash in my neck. My jaw did not take to a car wreck lightly, but the stronger muscle relaxant for my neck has made it manageable.

Odd braces story (which we all love).... I was working at the 'bux last week, helping customers and putting away the order when a lady came up to me and asked for help. She was deaf, but could read lips: however, she could NOT read mine for some reason - after about three solid minutes of trying to explain that she needed a gift receipt for any returns with no luck I got my manager - it took Jen less than 30 seconds and all was well. I can't figure it out except for that I stretch my lips over my braces when I talk, and it must have muddled my "speech."

Weird, huh?

ugh

After all of that "I'm not getting headaches!" and "Hurray for less pain" I go and get myself into a car accident. I have a stinkin' concussion and my neck and back are already stiffening up and I'm frankly pissed.

My fault, too. Ugh.

doctor visit

I had an intake appointment yesterday and had a long conversation about my jaw pain and headaches with my new primary care physician. She has decided to prescribe me the same muscle relaxants for the next 7 months until my jaw surgery. She is worried about my body adjusting to the medication and addiction, but we both decided that those risks were smaller than dealing with the long, intense migraines of the past few months. I guess I'll deal with the addiction bit once I get past the surgery....

I have REALLY noticed a difference now that I'm on muscle relaxants and doing acupuncture... I have less jaw pain than before, especially while playing my clarinet. I have only had three migraines in the two weeks since getting started on them, and each of those migraines lasted less than a day. I am able to get through my 5th period class without being in considerable pain (it is my last period of the day, and usually the most painful).

Good news.

thanksgiving time

I am thankful for many things.

• I am thankful for the lack of migraines since my last one (still! hurray!)
• I am thankful for my rapidly moving teeth, despite the discomfort it causes.
• I am thankful for my wonderful husband that takes the brunt of all of this jaw pain and headache pain and everything else.
• I am thankful for the means to get braces and jaw surgery. There are families at my school that have trouble putting food on the table, but I can afford 10k for braces and probably that much more for surgery.
• I am thankful for heath insurance and dental insurance.
• I am thankful for a steady job.
• I am thankful for all of my friends and family.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

x-rays

I just found out my orthodontist puts our pictures in a database online. Look at the difference in my x-rays from the first initial appointment (prior to braces and extractions) versus the x-rays that he took last week.

I know they're small (can't make them bigger), but look at the difference!

I hate to get ahead of myself....

... but my jaw was not especially sore today, nor did I have a headache! Usually Tuesdays are my worst days for jaw pain and headaches due to my 2 hour rehearsals on my clarinet on Monday nights.

The funny thing now? I don't know what is actually giving me relief. I didn't play as much as usual last night (nightmares of migraines), I am trying acupuncture, I have those new muscle relaxers AND new day-time pain medications (sodium naproxen).

Still, I have a glimmer of hope [again]. Hopefully it's not a fluke this time.

more mirgaine fun!

I ended up in the Urgent Care on Thursday because the migraine had surpassed all migraines before it. It actually ran out of room to inflict pain on my [normal] left side, and began aching and pulling on the right. I couldn't hold food down, I couldn't see straight, I was sleeping for the entire day (we're talking, I'd wake up, moan, turn, cry a little bit, and finally fall asleep because the pain was so bad I couldn't see myself getting out of bed).

At the urgent care, they gave me an anti-nausea shot in the hip and a hardcore painkiller shot in the hip, along with some prescriptions to try for the jaw (a muscle relaxant for at night, a painkiller for the day, and a super-pain-killer for days like the last few). Hopefully something works!

I missed 3 days of school. Unheard of.

Acupuncture today with a crazy needle configuration on my left side (the ouchy migraine jaw pain side).... I again feel less tension already. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be pain free for a while!

He says that a week between visits is optimal. I'm seeing him again next Friday. Hopefully no record-breaking migraines before then.

acupuncture and adjustment

Acupuncture was this past Friday. I had needles. In my FACE (and neck, shoulders, hands, and feet). It was a bit scary. The acupuncturist was very good - he made me feel very relaxed, asked me a lot of questions, told me he thought acupuncture would help (and he can also fix my I'm-suddenly-getting-old-or-something weird stuff going on like my hip being weird). The needles stung a little bit going in on my face, but nothing more than a pinch and a sting and it was over. He left Nick and I in a nice warm room to hang out for maybe 20-25 minutes with the needles in (good picture time). I didn't feel any immediate relief, which was a bummer because I was coming off of a doozy of a migraine, but the next day I woke up to no pain. Not even a little. In fact, I didn't really notice anything was different until I went to yawn and I winced and grabbed for my jaw joints like I usually do and realized it didn't hurt. It didn't last long, maybe an hour, but I now have confidence that it can work. He says that the relief will be more immediate and more long lasting as treatment progresses.

Then the next day I got the worst migraine I've had in a long time. Hopefully not connected... I still have it now and I'm contemplating missing school tomorrow it hurts so bad.

Adjustment was today. They x-rayed my teeth and took off a maybe 7-8 brackets on my lowers and 1 on my uppers for replacement. She put the same wire back in and I was originally disappointed (no pain no gain!) but immediately I felt the results.... and 8 hours later my teeth are singing Wagner. Whoo-eee! I was sad, he made a comment on my teeth getting a little discolored. I drink coffee. I LOVE coffee. I'm not sure how I'm going to give coffee up, but he's right. My teeth aren't as lovely as they once were. Any ideas?

Oh, and progress pictures. The gums keep swelling (the splints make it worse, I think), the overbite keeps growing, and the gaps keep closing. On and on.

great news! (maybe)

Over the past few months Nick (the husband) has been getting lots of conflicting information about his school dates for the Natl Guard. At first it looked like he would leave in January and not really come back until both schools were finished (which would total a bit over a year).

NOW, we have a tentative date from early February to July 2nd! If I scheduled my surgery for the 5th or 6th, I could have Nick take care of me instead of my mom! I hate having to make my mom take time off of work - plus it's a hassle for my brother Jake at home, who'd have to take care of things while Mom is gone. (Did I mention how grateful I am to have people to take care of me?)

I'm REALLY crossing my fingers. The problem is, is it's the army. And the army is full of schedule changes and setbacks. Since I'm not scheduling my surgery until March, we'll know whether or not he is gone and when he'll be back.

benefits

Even though my district is now offering a "basic" plan, it will still be financially wise for me to chose the more expensive plan. This coming year, it is $267.00 a month for health and $20.00 a month for dental.

Now, it's looking like
Health Insurance Total: $3204
Hospital Co-pay: $300
Out-of-Pocket Max: $500-$2000 (depending on in-network status)
Surgery Downpayment: $1000
Genioplasty: $500.00

My husband and I just got out from under 4.5 years of major credit card debt. As of yesterday, we are debt free (well, except for my student loans)! But now, looking at all this money I'm going to spend in the next year, things are looking down. Because this doesn't include co-payments for visits ($20 each), co-payments for prescriptions ($10-$30 each), or the stuff I'll need to buy - blender, zip-n-squeeze bags, etc.

I know I need this surgery (after two more days of migraines while teaching band and orchestra, believe me I know), but at the same time I can't stand that it's so expensive. And I don't know that I'll even be covered when it comes down to it.

This is all so frustrating. I was really hoping the basic plan would help me out.

acupuncture, part two

I didn't realize that I had a mandatory district laptop training on Monday (my district is giving me a laptop to use though! Hurray!).... and the next appointment open is on Friday. So a week from today, I'll know about the acupuncture. While I'm scared out of my wits about it (I really don't like needles), it seems like a last resort - I mean, what else can I do? I don't see very many options.

The past few weeks I was wondering what was going on with my splints - it seemed as if they weren't working as well, and I was wondering if my jaw had perhaps adjusted somehow to them.

Well, I fell asleep during a movie last night and didn't put my splint in - and I would rate my jaw pain today at an 8. Edging higher and higher as the day progresses. Luckily it was an inservice day, not a teaching day - but I went out to lunch with my staff, ordered a bowl of tortilla soup and only was able to drink the broth. Thank God I didn't have to teach - I mean, I can't really talk.

Hey, but it's probably for the best - now I can't eat any of the yummy Halloween candy sitting in a bowl by my front door. Heh.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

acupuncture

I'm biting the bullet (not really, it would probably hurt my jaw too much). I've been complaining about this stupid jaw pain for weeks now. Despite massive amounts of tylenol and ibuprofen, massages from my talented husband, eating only soup and very soft foods, AND my amazing splint, nothing is changing for the good.

I was talking to two friends a few weeks back, and they discouraged me from getting surgery, saying that acupuncture fixed all of Mishka's TMJ problems. They even recommended a clinic here in Tacoma. I've been putting off making an appointment, though, mostly due to fear of the unknown.

But today I had another puking migraine at school today and am being forced to skip my band rehearsal tonight. I have shooting pains that are making my eyes water through my left jaw joints. Enough is enough.

My appointment is Monday at 4:30.

jaw pain

The pain from my jaw has been continuing to worsen over time. I'm keeping daily track of it in a notebook (hoping to build evidence for the appeal process). In the last 30 days, I have only had two days where the pain has been a 3 or less (on a scale of 1-10). I've had 18 days where the pain has been a 6 or more. We're talking, some days I can't chew food. I can't open my mouth (or close it once it's finally open). I've had 12 migraines.

At some point, if this continues, it won't bother me at all to be on a no-chew diet. I'm getting closer and closer every day.

This sucks.

Oh! But good news! In an update from my school district (insurance provider), they have decided to cut the UHC plan completely and to offer a less-expensive, more basic plan from the "good" insurance company that I have to go with to possibly cover my surgery/surgeon. I don't know how much it will cost yet (in fact, they're re-evaluating all costs before open enrollment starts next month), but it gives me a shimmer of hope. Hurray!

and...

My insurance has to be the insurance that costs 237.00 a month. To save me some money, I am able to use the "normal" 45.00 a month insurance until January - because I can change to the expensive insurance during open enrollment in November. But I'm stuck with that expensive insurance for an entire year.

Bummer, to say the least. But I called my oral surgeon and she said that I can schedule my surgery in March. Wahoo!

Does anyone know - is that enough time for the appeal process? Or should I start appealing come January?

decisions, decisions

I have to make my insurance decision by Monday.... I think, though, that if things go terribly wrong I have the chance to change them when open enrollment comes in November. I called the other insurance choice, and they have a similar policy for orthognathic surgery - it is simply not covered except for in specific cases, but you can appeal.

Now that THAT is over (finding out that surgery could possibly be covered in two of my insurance choices), now I need to figure out which one covers the hospital and Dr. Lee. Hopefully in-network.

I left (another) message for Dr. Lee's patient coordinator, and I'm sure I'll talk to her tomorrow.

Keep your fingers crossed that the UHC insurance covers the hospital/ surgeon - because it's only 45 dollars a month, as opposed to 237 dollars a month. With everything else, coverage wise, being pretty much the same.

PS. Ran in to get some more splints today because mine are all wearing through - ended up getting a 20 minute appointment where my two orthodontists chatted with me about what's going on! I love my orthodontists. They are also trying to get me off of the splints and onto something different that isnt' so expensive OR so chewable. We'll see how it works, although it doesn't seem promising to me. I'll post pictures soon.

short quip

True story: Dancing in San Francisco last weekend, I ran into someone I had met in the summer of 2005 dancing in California. The first thing she says to me when she realizes it's me? "Ohh, you didn't have braces then!" like they were a permanent fixture on my teeth.

No kidding, super sleuth.

blogger is a pain!

Blogger issues = I didn't post the picture of the splint itself yet can't put it in there now, after the fact. So here it is, in it's splint-y glory:

And for the heck of it, a picture of my friend Heidi and I after running our first 10k! :) (In all of our sweat-y glory, ah hah hah!)

splint and new progress

Progress pictures! My front teeth are finally starting to look straight! A few nights ago I looked in the mirror while I was brushing my teeth and I realized that my front tooth was no longer sticking out at such an angle. Hooray! My overbite doesn't seem to be getting much worse this time (thank goodness... it's awful).

As I get further into teaching, my jaw is getting less and less mobile. Today during my beginning band class, the last class of the day I teach, my jaw actually locked closed for a little bit. Luckily, the kids were working on note reading, so I didn't need to talk. OUCH! The headache of tonight is incredible.... today was also probably due to the fact that I played my clarinet last night for band rehearsal, the first one since the spring.

I wish you could see it in this picture of my bottom teeth, but my front teeth are starting to get slight gaps in between them. Crazy! The big gaps from my extractions are closing up with a quickness... which is good, but they are becoming quite good at trapping food. Ugh. No more rice cakes for me at lunch. ;)

Anyway, tomorrow during my lunch time I'm going to try to call my oral surgeon's office so they can help me make my decision about insurance. Hopefully they know what kind of a time frame I'm looking at for appeal processes, how likely or unlikely each company was to accept the appeals, etc. Two insurance choices cost me around 250 dollars a month (OUCH, especially when last year it was free), one insurance costs me overall around 50 dollars, and one 30. I'm voting for the lower cost ones, of course, but I'll do whatever it takes to get my surgery to happen. Money might get really tight, but that's okay. We'll manage.

And last but not least.... my beloved splint. It's got water in the pads that go between my back teeth at night, and it rests itself on my upper gums right above my braces - my braces kind of anchor it in place. It's impossible to talk while wearing it, so wearing it while teaching is out. It makes me sleep with my mouth wide open (well, just forces my mouth to be wide open, and if I try to force my lips over it for long periods of time I get worse headaches than I had before the splint). So I have to have water around while I'm wearing it, or I get sore throats. The last negative thing is it's irritating my gums something fierce - which my orthodontist warned me it might. I switch it from upper to lower jaws, but it works best when it's on my uppers. I LOVE it. When I'm wearing it, it feels like my jaw just settles into where it's supposed to be, and instantly I lose tension all the way from the top of my skull into my shoulders. It's amazing. I'm in heaven.

Apologies for the fairly disjointed post... My mind is swimming with an upcoming dancing trip to San Francisco (Friday), missing instruments, teaching stuff, staff stuff, teeth and insurance stuff.... I decided I'd come home tonight and go to bed at eight :) Yay.