Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Getting closer!

Okay, saw the ortho today and May looks like the month for my surgery. They took moulds and changed out the top wire (bigger) and kept that same wire on the bottom. He said that I was in the "zone" for surgery, but wanted to take moulds to see how the molars in the back are affecting my bite. My molars still need to move, I figure that by April they will be in ship shape! It was cool that the moulds were completed in the same visit so he was able to see how things are fitting. I asked him if he could determine how many millimeter forward and backward the jaws would be moved and he guessed 10 mm (ish) I am kinda freaking out about that much movement, but I am also trying to remember that he was just guessing and the real word will come from the surgeon! Next Wednesday is my sleep study...I check in at 8:30 pm and get out (assuming I sleep) at 7:00 am. That ought to be fairly strange in all ways, but I am game - what the heck.

Anyway, I will post after the sleep study...

Cheers,
Brent

8 comments:

  1. I think I will make you some new pajamas and a neck roll for your sleep study! XOXO ~me

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  2. I did the sleep study a few years back, and I absolutely hated it. I hope your experience is better than mine. I slept terribly hooked up to all of those wires, and you end up being forced into their set routine that I was not at all used to... I believe it was bed at 10 pm and up at 6 am. It is incredibly hard to fall asleep that early in a totally unfamiliar place!

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  3. Oh, and HOORAY for the May surgery date! Now there will definitely be 3 of us! :)

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  4. Congrats! I may not be May afterall... Apparently my ortho told me May would be okay but told my surgeon he didn't think so. I think he just didn't have the heart to tell me the truth! Lol. So if not May, I will wait until July because June is not a good time for me. Good luck with the sleep study! Sounds interesting to say the least!

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  5. Brent,

    Don't worry about the movement. I am also being projected at 10 mm and I was really worried at first but then I found several other bloggers on here who have had that much movement (Elishia and Mandy) and everything turned out for them. Is there anything in particular that worries you about that sort of movement? For me, it's the risk of nerve damage being permanent because the nerve will have to stretch so much. But I just try to remain positive when I start thinking about it and try to think of something else.

    May I ask, why are you doing the sleep study? Will the outcome have an impact on your treatment plan at all? I also have unconfirmed sleep apnea and have thought of having the sleep study although I'm not really sure what good it will do to have it in writing - I have plenty of symptoms and know it's there. Just hoping this surgery will help with it in many ways (breathing, snoring, exhausted feeling upon waking from 8 hrs of "sleep", choking...).

    Anyway, I look forward to following you over the next few months. May will be here faster than you know it!!

    By the way, how long have you been in braces? I'm sorry, I know you have probably posted this somewhere but I cannot recall.

    Take care,
    Tara

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  6. @ Dani -
    Ha! That is funny...10pm being too early to go to sleep! For me, around 9:30 and it's bed time for moi! But, I know that it will still be very wierd because of all the wires in my head...and I usually have a hell of a hard time sleeping!

    @ Tina -
    Bummer about the news, May is still several months away so perhaps you will get closer and still make the date! It needs to be the three amigos!

    @ Tara -
    There are a couple of reasons I am getting the sleep study done. One of which is that one method of acutally correcting apena is by have orthognatic surgery performed; my moving the lower/upper jaw forward etc it actually creates better airway. So, as a side affect of your surgery it will probably correct your apena. When I see my surgeon about the results, I will update further about what he says. Also, if I, or you have severe obstructive apena that can be very harmful to our health. (high blood pressure, diabetes, choking etc.) The correction of apena is covered better and more extensively than "orthognathic" surgery or TMJ. So, if by chance I have "severe obstructive apena" I can take another serious run at my insurance company.
    I got my braces on May, 2010, and this coming May will be my 1 year anniversary...UG...but I am glad that I am moving forward with this - I am soo tired of my bite!

    Also, thanks for the encouragement!! I really needed that...it is nice to know that I am not alone with such movement taking place. And, I guess the only reason I get worried is because the recovery (permanent nerve damage etc.) and the bones mending...I need to talk to my surgeon more about that bone mending and I will let you know what he says...
    Have a great week!
    Cheers,
    Brent

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  7. @ Tara,
    By the way...I can't get access to your blog. Did you change it to "invitation only?"

    Brent

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  8. brent, try it now! sorry about that. :-)

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