Preparing for the Big Day (or at least trying)

So, I went out to Target with my Mom and my sis last night, trying to start buying some of the things I know I will need. I used a list Stephanie created (as it just seemed so thorough). Thanks Stephanie!! (Oh and thanks to the other Stephanie - from Kentucky- for attaching the link on her blog!) Here is the link to this list if anyone else might want to check it out. http://mycorrectivejawsurgery.blogspot.com/2008/09/t-minus-8-days.html On a side note, about a week and a half ago, I bought and started taking the following Vitamins: 1,000 mg Vitamin C (twice daily), Vitamin B12 with Folic Acid (once daily), and 30 mg Zinc (once daily). Hopefully at the very least all that Vitamin C will keep me from getting sick or the swine flu (knock on wood).

So anyway, I feel like I spent a lot of time in the store and did not buy much. I got Aquaphor for my lips (which I found some not only in the lotion section, but also the baby section), baby spoons (one with long skinny handles), baby toothbrush (the littlest and skinniest one I could find, as I have heard it is very difficult to brush your teeth at first), sippy cups, hydrogen peroxide (for cleaning mouth and nose), Biotene mouthwash and Afrin. I did not buy any of the medication that was on the list because I felt I should speak with the surgeon before doing this. I will be seeing him on Monday for the pre-surgical visit and I will ask him about the medications then (I would REALLY like to have some sort of decongestant to take, like Sudafed, as I take that a lot now for all my sinus problems and I can only imagine how much worse the congestion will be after the surgery).

Also, I am really frustrated to hear about all the issues with the Zip-n-Squeeze company. I never even bothered ordering anything from them b/c I have heard they went out of business or something and nobody is getting their money back from them. I am dissapointed b/c I wanted to get the Zip-n-Squeeze bags and jaw wrap. Did most of you (who have already had the surgery) get a syringe from the hospital? I am thinking about getting a baster, as Stephanie mentioned, if I am not going to get a syringe. Also, do you know of a good substitute for the jaw wrap?

And finally, the most important question. I was thinking about getting the Magic Bullet as I have seen that some people have gotten this and I like that you can just make one serving at a time. But, then I was reading reveiws on this product and a lot of them were pretty bad. If you guys could give me some opinions on this or make any suggestions as to better food processors that you might have gotten, please let me know. I have been doing a lot of research and I am still not sure what to get. Also, if there are any other items that you really used a lot that are not on my list, please let me know. I just want to be prepared as possible! Although I know if necessary, my Mom would run out in the middle of the night to get me something if I really needed it and didn't have it. I am just so glad she is going to be here to take care of me 24/7. Love you Mom!! No offense to Dave, my boyfriend (or should I say husband - we've been together almost 8 years and have had a house together for 5 years - common law marriage, anyone? lol) but it's just not the same as Mom!! I think all you girls know what I mean. :) I love him too though and I am sure his humor will help me get thru a lot of this. Here's a couple pics of me and him (from a few years back - pre-braces). First one - cute, second one - making me laugh like usual. :)

Well, I will probably post another update after I see the surgeon on Monday. I can't believe it's only a little over 2 weeks away!!

Some Pictures

Ok, I am finally adding some photos so you guys can at least have an idea of what I look like. My camera is currently not working so they are not close up braces photos. I am adding some recent ones and then some from before braces (when I was skinnier and looked better - ha!!)

The first one is me and my sis at Ocean City, MD this past summer. Next me and a friend from last summer. Third one is me and a friend about two years back. And me and some girlfriends at the same event a couple years back.

Sorry, I am new to adding pictures. Not sure if these are big enough to really see very well.. Although I feel like you can see "the chin" in all of them. haha

So much to talk about!!

It has been a while and a lot has happened since my last post. There were times that I really wanted to post but was so afraid I would jinx myself (stupid, I know) so I waited. Well, to start at the beginning of all that has happened in the last couple months.. in August (I believe), I was told by my ortho that I was getting close to being ready for surgery and that I could make an appointment with the surgeon so that he could check things out and look at the progress and see if he thought I was just about ready as well. So, I call up the University of Maryland (this is where my surgeon works) and come to find out, he no longer works there. He had just left and started his own practice. Ok, no reason to panic. I just got the new telephone number, called him and set up an appt. Of course they told me I would have to have all my medical records transferred so I paid to have them delivered to me. So, long story short, I took a half a day off of work and went down to see him to find out that he does not accept my insurance. I was devastated and almost broke into tears right in the middle of the waiting room. I was told I could still see him that day, but I would have to pay out of pocket and it could be hundreds of dollars. Not to mention, if I switched insurances (Dec 1st, when my company renews insurance), I was afraid that seeing him that day might screw up my insurance approval. And yes, I had already gotten the authorization from my insurance co. to have my surgery with him when he was at UMD. So, I basically decided even though I wasted all that time to drive down there that I would not see him that day. And after talking it over with my insurance person at work and speaking with my ortho, I decided it would be best to just go with another surgeon at UMD. My ortho reassured me that any surgeon there would be excellent. It took me a while to get over this (I mean I had been planning this and believing he would be my surgeon for over a year and a half at this point!!), but after a few days of calming down, I was finally ok with the switch.
So I spoke with the insurance person at UMD (I mentioned this in a previous post, but just have to say again that she is amazing and has basically guided me thru most of this process) and I told her I wanted to set up an appt with one of the other surgeons there. She said this was not a problem, but I wouldn't be able to see him for a consult until mid to late October!! This was not good since i wanted to have my surgery by late Oct/early November. She said if I scheduled the surgery with her right then, I could schedule it by mid November. So, I took both appts right then. I thought it seemed a little odd to schedule the surgery when I hadn't even met the doctor. It made me quite nervous actually. But, I knew if I didn't schedule it then, I had no chance of getting the surgery before tax season which would mean I'd have to wait till next May!!! um, I don't think so. ha!!
So, anyway, I finally, today, had my long awaited appt (and very first meeting) with my surgeon. I really did like him a lot and he seemed to only need a few minutes of looking at my teeth and the x-rays and molds that I brought in order to tell me exactly what I will need done. One thing in particular I really like about him is that he is also a cosmetic surgeon. I mean his focus is on orthognathic surgery, but he is a cosmetic surgeon as well. Can't hurt, right? :) So, he took molds of my teeth (which i had already endured two of these in the last two months) and honestly I have never had so much trouble with them. I gagged sooo bad on the top one. :( And they used that weird tool (I forget the name) that they stick in both your ears and it wraps around the front of your face. It's really strange, but it's used for all their measurements. And the best news of all, he says there should not be any problem to have everything ready to go for my surgery which is scheduled on November 17th!! I have to come back in two weeks for the pre-op appt and I will have the surgical hooks put on 6 days prior to the surgery. So, it sounds like things are all set.
Honestly, I think now that I know that things are set in stone (or as much as they will be), I am getting really nervous. I have calmed down at this point some, but earlier today I kinda freaked out. It's really happening in 4 weeks! AHHHH!!! Well, I have let this post drag on too long.. so I will save all my nerves and other feelings and more details of today for the next post. I will probably be updating much more frequently now. But please feel free to comment me with calming thoughts!! :)