Intro

I'm starting this blog to help chronicle the process and my progress as related to a surgery that has been in the works for years. I was first sent to an orthodontist in elementary school where I was told I have a class III case of problems. This included an under bite, cross bite, and an open bite. Even at that age I was aware that my mouth didn't function quite right and I became hyper aware that my smile wasn't as cute as the other kids. Over the years I had a little work done but ultimately was told my problem would only be completely fixed with orthognathic surgery as an adult. When it came time to start the process in my late teens, I decided not to pursue the surgery or braces because our insurance company would not cover it. But early in my 20's my teeth problems became jaw problems and as a result of the way my jaws fit together I have a great deal of daily pain and have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my jaw. With this pain added to my previously cosmetic issue, I decided that to keep a decent quality of life and to preserve the health of my teeth I would start the process again. Insurance still will not cover it, but by doing it as an inpatient procedure and relying on the generosity of my parents I can finally see this through. So here I am at 24, braces on and just a few short months from the pivotal step of a journey I started thinking about more than 10 years ago. Its scary and stressful but I have a great support system in my life from close friends and my wonderful family.

My parents in particular deserve a big thank you so that anyone reading this blog knows from the start that my Mom and Dad are the only reason I can get this problem fixed. Insurance won't pay for the surgery as they do not see a medical need, only a cosmetic problem. My parents are able to step in and provide the resources needed so I can have hope of a fully functioning (and not painful) jaw. This means the world to me and they have my immense gratitude and eternal thanks for all their support.

As of now my teeth are in the proper position for surgery, so the braces just get to hang out for a few months. To be able to do the surgery as an inpatient procedure to reduce costs, I had to lose some weight. I learned that information in January of this year which was good timing as by that point I had already started to lose weight on my own and I have continued to be successful in that endeavor. I have some more to go, plus two jobs that need me for a few more months so I'm tentatively expecting a mid-late June surgery. I know reading recovery blogs has helped me feel more prepared for my own recovery so I'm looking forward to providing an easy place for friends and family to check in on me down the road, but also a nice place for people in my shoes who want an idea of what they could expect from their own procedure.

My next post will not be until I have my pre-operative appointment with my surgeon where we will take the proper x-rays, discuss technique, and finally schedule the procedure. That's when I'll post the "before" photos of my mouth and my face for the purposes of future comparison. Then I'll keep a log of how I'm feeling, what I'm able to eat/drink, and my physical condition. I anticipate this being a daily post for the first couple of weeks but I wont know for sure until I get there.