Sunday...3 days to surgery

Dearest followers and devoted friends,

I just want to say thanks for all of the wonderful support you have offered me in the past few months. I started this whole journey I suppose the day I was born...its not like i chose an overbite but ya know life worked out this way so here I am. 

The first time I heard that I might need surgery was back in Aberdeen, MD when I was about 13. All I knew then was that it MIGHT be a good idea but would probably be completely unnecessary. Yeah right. haha. So After having braces a year and a half (in my freshman year of high school) to see if that would fix anything I was told that surgery would be necessary to fix my bite. I hated that option and decided that I could live with it as long as it didn't hurt and annoy me everyday. Well, now it does just that. When I came home to San Antonio to visit my family for Christmas we threw around the idea of surgery and met the head surgeon at the Army Hospital here, but I wasn't totally serious until new years, after I had read Leah's blog about her surgery (click to read)

It was then I called my parents and said "I'm going to do this!" "We are going to do this!" And away I went. 

I called up Dr.Trapnell my Orthodontist out at school and I got braces on 2 weeks later! It's crazy how fast all of this has gone and I am glad to say that it took a lot less time than I thought. Dr. Trapnell said that surgery is a great option for me and that I could expect good results and have my braces off a year after surgery. So...3 days after my initial appt I got my braces!! Woot! Then I came back for a break between terms and had my first surgery appt. I had to have my case submitted to the  board of the hospital and they decided that they could take my case. Little did I know they thought i was ready for surgery then...in JUNE!! I went back to school for summer term and my Orthodontist finally thinks that I am ready for surgery. YAY! 

My friend asked why I want surgery and I just have to tell you all so you know...My jaws lock up occasionally and everyday my jaws hurt and my bite sucks. I think that a lot of my pain is muscular because for the past 2 years it has gotten steadily worse. I get more and more tension headaches every month, from trying to correct the problem myself. Bringing my chin forward when I smile, trying to bring all my teeth together when I eat, etc. Trying to hold my jaw in the right place just puts a lot of extra strain on my facial muscles which I hope will be relieved after surgery and my bite is corrected. That and it will look better haha.  

I got back to San Antonio on Monday and Tuesday morning I had my second surgery appt. I went in thinking ya know I probably won't have surgery for a good month or so, so this is no big deal right? WRONG! After looking at my file the surgeon says, "well ma'am would you like surgery sooner or later?" Thinking that sooner meant like 3 weeks I said, "sooner." The next thing I knew my parents were calling me at the same time, my head was spinning, and I had agreed to have surgery NEXT WEEK!! I had no idea things would go this fast, but ya know why not just get er done! So Wednesday August 26th, 2009 is the date for my Mandibular Advancement Surgery. In doing all of the Pre-op work this week I have come to find out some great news about the post operative odds and ends:

-I will not be wired shut except for surgery!! YAY! 

-Instead I will have a metal plate in my mouth that will line up my bite, but I will be able to open and close it

-I will be hospitalized for the first day or so after surgery until oral pain meds are enough and I'm not bleeding and "oozing" profusely. A really nasty part of almost every surgery I have ever had. 

-I will be able to eat soup and stuff normally but its true, no solid food for 6 weeks!!! 

-I do not have to sleep sitting up for a week but it is recommended that I sleep up in a recliner to prevent swelling.

-I will have at least 6 screws in my face afterwards. 3 on each side of my jaw.

-If necessary they will cut my chin and bring it forward so I dont look funky after. which would involve an additional 3 to 6 screws. And no these will not go off in the airport haha. 

-There will be no outward scarring...its all done inside the mouth.

-Right after surgery my lower jaw should be completely numb and it will just be very very very sore to talk

-My face will be HUGE! I have never really minded that haha...those of you with me during chemo know that well haha. I am used to not looking like myself for long periods of time. For me its more amusing than weird or ugly haha. 

-My face and jaw should be back to "normal" and healed almost completely after 5 or 6 months. 

So thats about it for now. I'm a bit nervous about surgery right now, but that's really only because I have never had General Anesthesia before. I don't know how I feel about being completely knocked out for over 5 hours. I am also nervous about waking up and not being able to move my mouth or talk. My mom said we can get a white board so that I can still talk to people...because they just don't know sign language well enough to talk with me in it. Too bad, for once I thought I could really use it :)  The only other thing I am a bit worried about is the weight loss. It is estimated that I will lost about 20 lbs and being only 110 to start...well, that sucks. I have been 90 before but I really don't want to go there again! 

So I will post more tomorrow...its PICTURE DAY!! I will be having a photo shoot haha...of my face, many angles just to have awesome before and afters! I just keep thinking about how different it will be afterwards! Im excited to get it over and done with so that I can get back to school and the rest of my life! It will be an adventure for sure! :D Never a dull moment in the life of Abby Cox...I tell ya. So Thank you for all of your support and well wishing! I appreciate it! Pray for me, hope for me, and think of me, for I will be doing the same for you.  I love you all and hope that you have a great week. And thanks Jane for flying in to see me and being here for my surgery! I really want/need you here. Well its really really late so I will write later. ADIOS!!

Your nervous/excited/happy with life/funny little friend,

Abby