Day 23: Bloody Mary, no Bloody Mouth

This morning, after an uneventful night of playing cards with my grandparents (I didn't end up going out with friends), I woke up extremely sore. I immediately ate and took some Ibuprofen. This is really keeping the pain at bay. But it comes with its downfalls, bleeding. Ibuprofen thins the blood and causes more bleeding and well, my mouth has been bleeding all day. The constant taste of blood caused me to put gauze in my mouth to catch what it could. I seem to be bleeding from an incision above my gums on my top jaw. The blood is also really thick, thick enough that a q-tip was used to get it out of my braces and off my teeth. I guess I will have to deal with the bleeding rather than deal with the pain.

My parents came home today from being gone for almost 2 weeks. I told my dad about the pain and he asked if I think it's because "things are beginning to wake up." I thought this was a great way to word it. I am really hoping that things are starting to "wake up" because I am getting tired of these numb limps and chin. (My nose is no longer completely numb!)

The last few days I have had what I am calling "phantom itches." These are itchy sensations I get on areas of my face that are still numb. It feels like I have something on my face and when I go to itch it I can't feel me itching it so it keeps itching. It's like someone is putting a feather to my face and I can't do anything to stop it. It's very annoying but at least they don't last long.

Tonight, for dinner I went with my parents to a Mexican restaurant and figured I would try to eat an enchilada. It was a success! I cut them up into small enough pieces that didn't need any chewing. My plate looked as if it had be licked clean when I was done. It tasted so good to have something other than spaghetti, mashed potatoes, or macaroni n cheese. There were several points during the meal where my mom had to tell me to wipe my lips because there was sauce all over. This reminded me of when my friend Ashley told me I probably shouldn't go on any dates quite yet because of the spaghetti sauce being all over my face (and tablecloth). But when you can't feel your lips, there isn't much you can do about this.

This is my last week at home before moving and starting school so I am hoping there is a lot of improvement made in the next week. I am going to the oral surgeon on Monday and I hope he says I can try chewing soft foods or something like that but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Mumble to you later (It's almost not a mumble, anymore!)

Day 22: Emotionless? No, Expresion-less.

Yesterday, realized that due to the numbness in my face I can't make nearly the number of facial expressions I once could. It made me feel like one of those women in the movies that has had so much Botox that their face is stuck in that one expression. I hope this changes soon because that would not be ideal as I am about to begin school and meet a whole new class of students. At the same time, it might be pretty funny.

I woke up today with a reasonable amount of pain in my upper jaw. After breakfast and the moderate amount of jaw movement it takes, I was pretty sore. I took some Ibuprofen, which seems to be doing the trick. I was comfortable enough to go out to my cousin's and her boyfriend's place where they have a lake. Over the phone my brother had mentioned it probably wouldn't be a good idea to get in the lake because of the bacteria and the chance of it getting in my mouth and infecting things. He made a good point so I stayed out of the lake but not the dogs. They wore themselves out. When we got home a few hours later, the two dogs and I were all worn out and I feel asleep for over an hour. I woke up without any pain or discomfort so I'm happy about this. I did ice before and after the lake outing. Both times really felt good.

After my power nap, I'm hoping I have enough energy to make it out tonight with some friends. This would be my first time "out" since the surgery. I'm not planning on drinking, except for one beer, but I would really like to get out and see people and have some fun before school starts in just over a week!

Mumble to you later!

Day 21: Three Week Anniversary

It's been three weeks since the big surgery and it's felt longer! To "celebrate" I decided to go visit a friend for the day and get out of my house. I got up early and drove about 2 hours to my friend's in the outer Chicago suburbs. We then went to the airport and picked up her younger sister who was visiting for the weekend, her last time away from school for almost 6 months because of the riggers of being a student athlete. Then, we went to lunch at a nice Italian food restaurant. I had the spaghetti, which was really good. The girls got a kick out of me eating, because every time I stopped eating to cut up the spaghetti my mouth and chin would be covered in sauce (I still can't feel these areas). It also looked like a 5 year old had just eaten at the table when I was done. There was sauce stains and noodles all over the table linens surrounding my plate. But, it tasted great!

Later, after DQ for dessert and some rest at her place I began to have more pain, similar to yesterday. I decided I should take some Ibuprofen to make me more comfortable, which it did. This helped as we went putt-putt golfing and I beat both of them, but I only beat Ashley by 2 strokes. Since her sister lost, and is incredibly competitive, we had to find another "activity" for us all to do so that she had a chance to win. We ended up playing cards back at Ashley's place, where Ashley beat us both, badly. Then, I ate my left over spaghetti from lunch and hit the road to get back home before it was too late. It was great to see Ashley, Courtney, and Ted before I start school and am bogged down with school work. As I was driving I realized how much that Ibuprofen helped, because it was starting to wear off and I was getting sore. I

t wasn't too bad just an annoying pain. It probably didn't help that I had a 20 minutes phone conversation, either. By the time I got home I was exhausted and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, maybe slightly before if that's possible. It was a good day, despite the little pain I had.

Day 20: Swelling?

Today, started with swelling. That's right, swelling. I woke up and just felt and looked swollen. I wasn't comfortable and a little upset that the swelling was back. But, this is the nature of the beast so I can't be too mad. Despite being swollen and uncomfortable I didn't do a good job of icing, which probably resulted in more swelling after a nap. This convinced me to ice and get the swelling down.

I also had some pain. Again, most of this pain was in my upper jaw and deep (below the skin). I didn't take anything for it but thinking back on it, it would have made me more comfortable so I probably should have. Other than these couple of "negatives" I didn't have many other changes, and unfortunately no "positives." Hopefully this is just a one-day thing!

Mumble to you later!

Day 19: Half Price Milkshakes

Another day without any noticeable improvements. I continue to ice my mostly numb face to get the remaining swelling down. I had another nose bleed today and coughed up more blood. I haven't had a headache in a while, now that I think about it. Otherwise, everything is the same. I'm still sleeping well, still numb, still "eating" mostly liquids with the exception of noodles and cheesecake.

Since I have begun eating spaghetti I noticed that I'm not hungry ALL the time. I just realized it's about time for dinner, but I'm not hungry. This hasn't happened in quite some time. It's a feeling I guess I have missed. At the same time, I might be so sick of spaghetti when this is all over I may never be able to eat it again. But, I doubt this as I have a big place in my heart for the classic Italian dish. I might not be hungry quite yet due to the milkshake I had about 2 hours ago. As the title of today's post implies, it was half price. It came out to a mere $1.93 for a "Very Berry Strawberry" MIlkshake from Steak n Shake. What a deal!

Today I also realized that I forgot to include a key solid-food on my post the other day. That food would be Hyvee Chinese Orange and Sesame Chicken with plain fried rice. Just thought I would add that as it crossed my mind several times today.

Mumble to you later!

Day 18:Doing Well

I had another appointment with the oral surgeon today. He was probably in the room with me no more than 3 minutes. During our brief meeting he said that everything looked good and that I'm doing a great job keeping everything clean, and to keep it up. He asked me a few questions and before I knew it, it was over. I didn't ask him about when I move and push my tongue on the top of my mouth and the looseness I feel since he said everything looked good. I'll see him and the other oral surgeon that was involved with the procedure again in a week.

With each passing day I am beginning to feel more comfortable and more motile with facial expressions. The nurses at the oral surgeon's office even noticed my smiling as I walked in. I could even hear them talking down the hall from me about my smile and the fact the swelling is down so much since the last time they saw me. This made feel good.

I haven't had much of that discomfort today like I had yesterday. I tried to sleep more on back to avoid sleeping on my jaw last night just incase this was the cause of that pain. I just noticed that the cheek implants didn't feel so foreign today. Normally, I'll notice them several times a day, but not today. I'm still numb in most of the areas but I think its beginning to wear off. The left side of my top lip and part of my cheek is beginning to regain feeling. My chin to lower lip area is still completely numb.

Day 17: It's me, Jake!

Sleep no long seems to be an issue so I will stop boring you all with my stories of normal amounts of sleep that seem so heavenly to me.

I did have an abnormal amount of discomfort today in my upper jaw. I think that as the numbness wears off and I begin to regain feeling in my nose and upper lip, I also begin to feel the "damage" done. This discomfort was nothing more than an annoying throbbing with periodic flashes of less-than-mild pain. It wasn't enough that I needed to take anything for it and I don't think I will have to. I did notice that it started after I woke from a nap, during which I slept on the side of my face. Maybe this positioning was the cause of the pain?

I also noticed that if I press on one side of the top of my mouth with my tongue, and then the other side, I can feel a looseness and hear a cracking. This has me kind of worried. I will definitely be asking the oral surgeon about this tomorrow!

For the second time since the surgery I saw someone I know, this person I went to high school with, that didn't seem to recognize me. In both incidences I either waved or said something like "Hey, how've you been?" with little acknowledgment back. I'd like to think it was because of the swelling. However, my cousins told me that I look very different in general. I don't think I look unrecognizable, though. Time will tell.

I've finally come to the point where I'm getting bored just sitting at home not doing much activity. When I get up and do something I find I don't have near the energy I use to, and tire quickly. I can't wait to be able to workout, and eat solid foods so I can get back into shape and regain some energy. Hopefully, this will be in the next couple of weeks. I'll have a better sense of time after tomorrow's visit with the oral surgeon.

I've had what I call "solid food cravings" more recently and have begun to make a mental list of the things I tend to "crave" the most. Here are a few that top the list:

Q'doba Chicken Queso Burrito

Pizza, at this point in time from anywhere!

Cilli's or a Khaki Jack's (local place) cheeseburger (cooked medium, cheddar cheese, plain)

& last but not least, a Belgium Waffle or a stack of pancakes.

Still mumbling, but not as bad.

Day 16: I Can Feel My Nose...Almost.

Another great night of sleep followed by another great afternoon nap. After both bouts of sleep I noticed and felt some swelling in my lips, again. I think this is just the result of lying down. I've decided that until school starts on August 10th, I am going to sleep whenever I feel tired enough to sleep. I hope that this will make up for all the sleep I've missed and get me ahead for all the sleep I'm going to miss.

Today was another day with no pain in my jaw. I managed to snap a rubber band while attempting to eat a doughnut (I pretty much put tiny pieces of it in my mouth and let it sit there until it was soggy enough to swallow). I also managed to replace the rubber band all by myself (the oral surgeon gave me a bunch incase this happened, but forgot to show me how to put them on). Since, the rubber band was off I figured I would try chewing a soft piece of doughnut. Let's just say I don't think I'm quite physically ready for chewing, despite how mentally ready I am. The whole chewing motion just felt weird, too.

I noticed some feeling at the tip of my nose and top lip, but not much. I'm still numb in the lower lip and chin. With each feeling in these areas, I get more excited that this whole process is coming closer to its end. The other day I went to kiss my dog on the top of her head before remembering I couldn't feel my lips. I was reminded of this incident today while my cousin kissed her horse, and I thought I'm lucky not to have a girlfriend at this point in time because there would be a lot (hopefully) of wasted kisses. It was really weird knowing your lips are touching something and not feeling it. I've wondered how many times I've burned my lips in the last 16 days while drinking hot broth. I can remember a couple of times where I swallowed some extremely hot broth and was thankful I couldn't feel my lips.

Day 15: Maintaining Weight

Another great night's sleep, followed with a mid afternoon nap for an encore have me feeling really good. I did notice that I was slightly swollen after each bout of sleeping. This quickly went away after a little icing.

I feel like I'm at a standstill with the recovering. I haven't had any noticeable changes in the last couple of days. My speech might be the only thing improving at this point-that I can tell. My bones may very well be healing and making improvements with each day, but without an x-ray I have no way of knowing this. Otherwise, I still have all the same issues: numbness, coughing up blood, little headaches, bloody nose, and random tingling.

I weighed myself today and have maintained my weight since the last time I weighed. I weighed in at 171 lbs. This is the lightest I think I have been since my early high school years. Being able to "eat" cheesecake has really helped with this. I am able to get so many Calories from it. I'm not eating it all the time, but I am having about a piece or two a day. I've also been eating a lot of noodles from the Asian/Italian Sides packages from the store. These make for great meals that are relatively Calorie dense.

I had my first beer since the surgery last night. I had a pint, but it was more like a stein, of Boulevard Wheat. My friend and I figured one beer wouldn't hurt, and it didn't, but I could definitely feel it. Between not having one for a while, losing weight, and not having much in my stomach, these all made me quite vulnerable to the drink's effects. By no means was I drunk after this one beer but I could feel a lot more than I usually would feel a beer. I can only imagine what the waitress was thinking as I ordered the beer with my mumbling.

Two Week Anniversary!: Sleeping In My Own Bed

I was able to sleep through the whole night, again. But this time, I did so in my bed, not the couch! It felt great to be able to sleep through the night in my own bed. That is about all that's been different in the last few days. Still on the liquid diet, still having no pain, still numb. But the swelling continues to go down as my grandpa noticed today. I did move my jaw around a little bit and it felt fine. I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm readying for chewing, though. I also noticed more motility in my bottom lip.

I went to a friend's house to watch a movie last night and we ended up watching a movie I watched shortly after the surgery, one I didn't fall asleep during. But I might have well have fallen asleep during it because I didn't seem to remember about a quarter of the movie! It must have been the vicodin!

Do I have a lazy eye?? I hope this is temporary!

Day 13: Feeling More Like Normal

Last night was the first night I slept through the entire night. I slept for 8 straight hours! I probably could have slept more but I woke up to one of my dogs snoring in the car next me. I thought it was pretty funny so I didn't mind.

I had my typical foods of blended cereal, mac n cheese, mash potatoes, apple sauce, V8 fusion, and a milkshake today. I had a tiny headache today and that was the extent of any pain I had. That quickly went away during an hour nap in the middle of the day. My speech is improving with each day. The swelling seems to have gone down quite a bit. It feels like I'm only swollen under my eyes and upper lip. At least I hope I'm swollen there and that's not the size of my cheek implants! I can actually feel the cheek implants when touching slightly under

my eye. They still feel so foreign!

My nose seemed to bleed slowly all day today. I also coughed up a massive wad of mucus and blood, mostly that thick, mucus-ey blood I have talked about before. It felt good to get it out, but it kind of worried me.

I still have all the same numbness but today I had a lot of tingling in those areas. This excites me for some reason because I think the tingling will lead to me regaining the feeling but the doctor never said anything like this. Once this numbness goes away, I will feel so close to normal (besides the mumbling) and I can't wait!

Day 12: Amazing Night of Sleep!

As the title of today's post hints, I slept the best I have in 12 days. I imagine I would have slept through the whole night but my dogs needed out early in the morning. Other than that, I was lights out for a combined 9 hours! I even slept through my dad making and eating breakfast in the nearby kitchen.

After my glorious slumber, I had my typical blended cereal and followed that with a shower. I brushed my teeth with a little more effort as I was about to go to the orthodontist. As I have mentioned, I have been excited to show the results of the surgery to my orthodontist. Once I got there and was seated at my chair, I had several assistants come and see how I was doing. They were so excited and thought I looked so different. When my orthodontist came by, she too thought I looked great. She looked around my mouth and thought everything looked good. She mentioned that I was doing a really good job brushing. This was good to hear because I can't feel most of my mouth still and when I'm brushing I'm doing it without seeing or feeling what I'm doing. She asked if I'd like to have one of her assistants brush them really good with some "peroxide gel" while I was there. I figured, "why not?" It actually felt great to have someone else brush my teeth. I know that sounds weird, but don't knock it until you try it. That ended my visit to the orthodontist.

Later today, I went to the grocery store by myself to pick up some things for myself and my dad before he left for South Carolina. While I was there, I was forced to "converse" with a couple of the employees. I am about 85% sure that both the employees that I had to mumble to thought I was either mentally handicap or deaf. Both of them responded to me in an overly friendly, loud, and slow type of speech. It didn't dawn on me that this could be the case until the cashier told me, "You. Have. A. Good. Day. Now!" with a big smile on her face. I thought it was pretty funny.

Besides the sleep I have had no other real big improvements. I'm still numb in all the same areas. I have very little to no pain or discomfort in my jaw, even when yawning. I only seem to drool when I least want to (such as telling someone I have the drooling under control). And swallowing is about as normal as it can be with numb lips.

Day 11: 17 LBS Lost!

Last night's sleep wasn't as good as the night before, but not bad. I'm happy to be getting 7 or 8 hours combined a night though!

I woke up this morning with a lot on my mind, mainly whether or not to go on vacation. But my day started off with a visit to my family doctor. While there, I weighed myself on their scale, the same one I was weighed on for my pre-surgery physical. As a reminder, I weighed in at 191 pounds at the physical. Today, I weighed in at 174 pounds. If I did the math correctly, that means I have lost 17 pounds in 11 days! I didn't think I had that much to lose in the first place. The first thing I did when I got home was eat a piece of cheesecake- a big, soft, fat-filled piece of cheesecake. But the crust is still too much to handle at this point so I wasn't able to eat it.

A few hours and a several hundred Calories later, I was on my way to the oral surgeon for another post-op. Before the doc even got in the room, many of his nurses had complimented on how well I looked (swelling wise) so soon after the surgery. I must admit that the surgery feels like it was weeks ago! The doctor gave me a quick look over and said that I am doing really well and to keep doing what I'm doing. He said that I can drive now which was good to hear. He told me to have fun on my vacation (if I go) and to see him when I get back.

After some deep thought I've decided to stay home and not go on vacation. I may do a weekend trip to San Diego or Scranton to see some family at the end of the month. But in the meantime I just want to heal and get things ready for moving and starting school.

I haven't had any progress with regaining feeling in my chin, lips, nose, and cheeks. I almost have the drooling under control, enough that I don't need to carry a drool rag or wear a bib anymore. This makes going out in public much less embarrassing. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with my orthodontist, my first since the surgery. I am looking forward to showing her the results! I can't help but to think how much further along I would be if I hadn't caught a back paw to my mouth, but I can't complain at this point.

Day 10: No More Penicillin!

Last night I slept the best yet. I got a combined 8.5 hours of sleep with just two brief awakenings. The first time I woke up was due to some discomfort in my jaw. I took a small dose of Motrin and iced my cheeks and read until I feel asleep. The second awakening was the result of falling asleep with ice on my face. I managed to sleep a straight 6 hours after these awakenings! It felt great not being the first one to wake up in the house!

I had my usual blended cereal mix, and my last morning dose of Penicillin. With all the advances in technology and food supplementation one would think they would be able to make Penicillin taste better than it does. I'm happy this is my last day of having to take it!

After breakfast, I showered and attempted to brush my teeth. In the shower I coughed up more of that nasty blood. When I got out of the shower I used a q-tip to clean out my nostrils as I could see some dried blood. As I cleaned them, I pulled out a huge scab. I asked my dad why

I am still getting nose bleeds. He said that when I take Ibuprofin (Motrin) it could thin my blood enough to cause some nose bleeds.

The rest of the day I iced my face but not as much as usual. I noticed the swelling is down a bit from the other day. Every other day I seem to notice a change in my swelling. I managed to go to a movie and hang out at my cousins with very little discomfort. Speaking is becoming less of a chore, along with drinking. Today, I tried to "eat" every couple of hours. I noticed when I went outside, I quickly become tired. I think my poor diet and the sun were having their way with me. I'm looking forward to weighing myself tomorrow and finding out what the "damage" was. If I had to guess I would say I've lost between 10-15 pounds. I'll let you know the true number tomorrow after my appointment with my family doctor. I also have an appointment with the oral surgeons tomorrow. I'm interested in seeing what they have to say.

Last night, while trying to brush my teeth, I noticed my teeth were touching in the front when I gently bit down. I also noticed I no longer had an under-bite. This spawned me to take a profile picture, above. So much different!

Day 9: To Go On Vacation, Or Not To Go?

Last night was the first night I was able to sleep fully reclined without any discomfort. Up to this point I have had to lay in a way that left my head above my chest. This was to help prevent swelling. Last, night I decided to take it upon myself to try to sleep like I normally would. I slept on my stomach. It was so much more comfortable. I was also in my bed for the first half of the night so this may have added to the comfort. I woke up after about 3 hours of sleep before falling back to sleep for another 4 straight hours. This felt great! And, my tongue didn't feel like it was super glued to the roof of my mouth, but it was still pretty dry.

I woke up to my mom scurrying around the house as she was about to leave for South Carolina. My dad is leaving Tuesday after work, with or without me. I was just there with them in late May/early June but our house wasn't finished, yet. Now, it is finished and all the furniture is set to arrive Monday. I'd like to see the finished product. If I went, I would have a friend meet me down there (he works for an airline so it wouldn't cost him much, if anything). But, I would have to ride in a van with my dad and a family friend-17 hours! I'm not sure I can handle 17 hours in a van at this point in my recovery. The doctor has okay'd it but I think the ride would be miserable. After all, it wasn't any fun when I wasn't recovering from surgery. This decision is occupying a lot of my thoughts. Today, I was home by myself (except for two dogs) all day except for a trip to my Grandparents' house, next door. I was pretty bored. I figured this is how it is going to be if I don't go to South Carolina. Decisions, decisions...Any suggestions?

Back to my jaw. Surprisingly, my jaw didn't give me any pain while I slept on my stomach. I can't wait for the night I sleep straight through. I woke up extremely hungary. Like usual, I had my blended cereal for breakfast. I have felt fine pretty much the whole day. My jaw is a little sore, almost like the soreness you might feel after chewing a laffy-taffy for a long time or something. Weird, considering I can barely move my jaw. But, I have noticed more mobility. I have been spitting up thick, dark red blood, though. I wonder if maybe I coughed too hard and it opened an incision or something like that. I have had a tiny headache. I'm on my last two days of taking Penicillin, thankfully! I don't particularly like the way that stuff tastes.

I have been eating every few hours. Today, I tried some Bob Evans macaroni and cheese. It went down without much of a fight. I'm glad to have found another option for a meal. I have noticed that I am cold most of the time, now. I think this is the result of my weight loss. I cannot wait to eat solid foods! I'm already planning my binge. Thinking about it alone increases my drooling. And yes, I'm still drooling quite a bit. I still have no feeling in my lips, chin, end of my nose, and part of my cheeks. i have also noticed that my nose is still crooked, hopefully due to swelling!

Mumble to you later.

Day 8: What a Difference a Day Makes

After last night's post I had a friend come over and we decided to run some errands. We picked up another friend, who hadn't seen me since the surgery, and returned some movies and ran another errand. It felt so good to get out of the house, and not be going to a doctor's appointment.

For the second night in a row I slept pretty well considering how bad I had been sleeping. I was exhausted come midnight and I fell asleep fast. But, not for long. I was up at 1:30 am 2:30am and 4:00 am. After 4:00 am I slept pretty well. But just as the night before, I woke up with the driest mouth ever! My tongue felt as if it had been super glued to the roof of my mouth. I finally got out of bed (actually the couch, still) around 7 and had my blended cereal breakfast.

I had to go to my family doctor for some vaccines for school. While there, my looks alone practical made a young girl cry. I felt like an ogre or the hunchback. On top of that, the nurses had lost some of my paper work and had to ask me what shots and titers I needed, like I knew off the top of my head. Luckily, one of the nurses understood my mumbling well enough that I was able to get the necessary info off a computer.

After getting home and doing another round of icing, I noticed my speech was becoming a little better. Then, I began to feel more tingling in my lips. I was getting excited. Then, my cousin texted me. We had planned on going to see Despicable Me in 3D with her boyfriend who is just coming off an intense battle with Lime Disease. At the last moment, he began to nauseous and thought a 3D movie might not be the best idea. I agreed. They still wanted to do something though. As I waited for them to come over I was "reading" some Facebook statuses when one my friend's statuses made me smile. It hurt. Then, I realized this was the first time I was able to smile since the surgery! (Notice the smile in today's pic, and the fun background my computer added for me.) Immediately, I was excited. Then, I realized I hadn't been drooling that much-maybe due to lack of my attention to the food commercials on TV. No, this wasn't the case because I could feel part of my lower lip!!! This last sentence was meant to be read in the "excited Oprah" voice. My cousin and her boyfriend got here and I showed them the x-rays (people are always impressed by them) and mumbled them the story of my dog busting my lip. I give my cousin a lot of credit, she can understand everything I mumble just as well as my Mom can. It's rather impressive.

With so much improvement in one day, I began to wonder if the heating was helping that much or if it was a coincidence. The heat feels good for a short time, then I begin to get a headache and feel uncomfortable. Also, I wonder if my improved appetite, or rather-my ability to eat, had any role in this improvement. Today, I was able to drink in a much more civilized manner. I was able to drink a whole smoothie and milkshake since yesterday's post. I also had more mashed potatoes, V-8 Fusion, and cereal. I'm really tempted to try some cheesecake. I figure if I can handle mashed potatoes I could handle a fluffy, crustless piece of cheesecake.

I got some mail today. I enjoy getting mail (that isn't bills). My friend, who I went to the DMB concert with, sent me a card and Andre Agassi's Open. This was a good idea because I am getting tired of movies, or at least starting them. I've also been reading The Sh** My Dad Says. It is hilarious, but it won't last long as it is a pretty small book. I also have 60 pages of introductory material for my clinical anatomy class that needs to read in the next three weeks.

Well, I am getting hungry and haven't decided what I want to drink for dinner. I'm going to change this. Mumble to you tomorrow!

It's now been several hours since I originally posted this. And a few things have changed. The drooling came back in full force. I also began to feel sick. I got nauseous, felt really hot, then really cold, had a headache and became dizzy.This lasted for about an hour. I immediately tried getting some liquids in my system by having some V-8 and beef broth.

Later, I was able to have some cheesecake. It wasn't as easy as I thought but it's comforting to know I consumed roughly 400 Calories from that one piece. After looking at myself in the mirror today before getting in the shower, I realized I have lost quite a bit of weight. Unfortunately, I can't quantify this right now due to the fact that I forgot to weigh myself with my scale at home before the surgery. Next time I go to my family doctor (this will be on Monday), I will have them weigh me. I weighed in at 191 pounds on their scale for my pre-op physical.

Official One Week Anniversary!

First and foremost I would like to mention that I slept for a combined 7 hours last night! I cannot express how great this felt. I still woke up at about 1:30 am for a little while but i was able to fall back asleep until 6:30 am! Turns out that the narcotic hydrocodone will keep patients up, as well as the Sudafed I was taking. Once I found that out, I quit taking them (after the doctor said it was okay to do so) and bam! What do you know? I got some quality shut-eye!

After that quality (relatively speaking) night's sleep, I only wanted a big breakfast to top things off. I unfortunately was out of my normal cereal, Special K. I poored the remaining crumbs into a pool and then added some multi-grain cheerios. I added the milk and wheat germ and then blended it all together. It went down real well.

Next on the list was to call the oral surgeons' office to schedule an impromptu follow-up. They got in me and took an x-ray. This is when I got nervous. I was so scared that yesterday's accident had moved something needing fixing that would either involve a lot of pain or surgery. The doctor pulled up the x-ray from the day before and the one from today, side-by-side. They didn't look the same...to me anyway. But luckily I didn't know what to look for as the doctor said that I had survived the incident. He had me bite down to double check and he said everything looked good. Well, I was more swollen, so maybe not everything.

When I got home, I could see there was a box at my door. It was my new laptop! I immediately opened it and began loading everything from my old computer. Because of the program/software on Macs called Time Machine, I was able to load everything from my old computer that I wanted onto my new one in less than 20 minutes. I spent the rest of the morning playing around on my new computer and synching the iPod that I got for free with it. I must mention that I love back to school shopping and this was to me the grown up version. Now, I'm almost ready for school to start-almost.

Back to the jaw. Today, I am noticeably more swollen from yesterday's accident. Otherwise, I have very little, if any pain. This is good because it will make not taking the pain meds easier, allowing me to sleep. I am still drooling out of control. I find it weird how I can drool so much during the day, but last night I woke up with the driest mouth ever! I also have had a little bit of a headache today but nothing bad. My jaw isn't hurting as much when yawning as it did a few days ago. I still can't feel my lips, chin, nose, and part of my cheeks, but I do get occasional tingling in those areas. This made for an interesting shave. I managed to get it done, for the most part. It was a very weird experience. I could feel the hairs being ripped of my face but couldn't feel the razor going over my skin. This was the case for another guy who had the same surgery. This guy mentioned that he would use heat on his face to control the swelling. I am trying that as we speak (well, while I type). It feels good on my cheeks under my eyes, but not any better than the ice does on my jaw. But, time will tell.

As far as the eating goes, I need to be getting more calories. I have a feeling my lack of food was causing yesterday's weakness and dizziness. Last night I had a twice baked potato. I'm having another one tonight. I also had mashed potatoes for lunch with some V-8 Vusion. I'm going to be tired of potatoes if I keep this up, but for the time being it will suffice. A milkshake sounds good so I will probably have one later on.

Comments

Hey guys, I know there has been a lot of confusion about the commenting. I was having trouble myself, and I operate the blog so I knew something must be wrong. Turns out it doesn't support FireFox, at least for me didn't. Once I tried it using Safari, and I used my google account (I have a google email) I was able to comment on a friends blog. I hope this helps some of you. I will continue looking to make sure I have all the settings correct, but I believe I do since a couple of you were able to comment as "anonymous."

Post Op Day 6: Blood, Sweat, and Chills

Today was an extremely eventful day and I don't know where to start, so I guess I go in chronological order. For starters, I got the worst night's sleep I have ever gotten, or not gotten. I got a combined 4 hours, maybe. I tried sleeping in my own bed, which worked for all of a hour. Then, I was wide awake again. Then, I spent the next six hours trying to fall asleep on the couch. I tried falling asleep to a movie, that didn't work. I tried walking around the house to wear myself out a little, that didn't work. You name it, I probably tried it last night. Finally, at 4:30 am after watching a movie and a half and 2 espisodes of The Tonight Show (apparently they play re-runs at 3 am), I took a dose of Vicadin and was able to sleep for a good 3 hours. What a miserable night!
The day started off with me blending my cereal again, but I didn't have an egg this morning. I took all the meds, did the nasal spray, and mouth wash and spent the next couple hours trying to get some more sleep before I went to the first post-op appointment with the oral surgeons. Before I went, I wrote a note of everything I wanted the doctor to know so I wouldn't have to mumble the whole time I was there. This ended up being a good idea, I think. The first thing they did when I got there was take a new x-ray of my jaw. This is what I posted several hours ago. It was so cool to see! I could see the titanium plates, the screws, and the wires they told me I was getting. I could also see exactly where my jaw was broken, and still is broken. Next, they undid the rubber bands and let me try to brush my teeth. This wasn't easy. I could not feel the inside of my cheeks and my lips. I also tried to do this without a mirror. I finally got it done and the surgeons moved my jaw around a little bit before replacing the rubber bands. The did put on stronger, thicker rubber bands. In the process of doing so one of the utensils slipped and dug into my cheek bone near where it's broken. It was the worst pain of this whole experience, but not for long. After the rubber bands, the oral surgeons talked to me and my mom and what to expect and they gave me permission to travel with my parents to our new vacation home in South Carolina in a week. (I haven't decided if I want to make the trip yet or not.) But, they told me I need to be more aggressive with brushing my teeth (easier said then done) and that they were REALLY impressed with how little swelling I had. Overall, they said I looked great. They did tell me I needed to eat more and should be having 5 or 6 small meals a day.
Shortly after getting home, I began to feel very weak and tired. I was getting hot, then would be chilled to my bones a second later. I decided I needed to eat something. This seemed to do the trick, for a little while. Not more than 2 hours later, I had another bout of this hot/cold stuff, plus I had a headache and was slightly dizzy. I decided to eat again, and more this time. I also drank/syringed as much water as I could. I felt better almost instantly. At this time I decided to take a picture of me for the day, and of my shirt to show you all what it typically looks like after "eating" a meal. Those spots on my shirt would be the "food" that doesn't make it down my throat. It's gross I know, but it happens.
Then things got interesting. My mom ran an errand and I decided i would check my email while my laptop was sitting on the floor, charging. While doing so, one my dogs came and laid next to me. I took a break from checking my email and laid with my dog and pet her. Shortly later, my other dog, a German Shepard, came and laid near us. It was all good for a few minutes and then the dog I was petting started growling at the other one. The German Shepard stood up and started walking towards us. At this point my mom came in door, surprising all of us, especially my German Shepard. Before I knew it, she was jumping over me, but her back legs were coming right for my face. I was able to block one of her legs from landing on me, but the other caught me square on my top lip. Immediately, I had blood pooring out of mouth and excruciating pain. I was screaming and army crawling with my blood soaked hands covering my face as my mom came in the room. Long story short, after several attempts of trying to get a hold of the oral surgeons office (it was after hours, barely) we just went there. One of the surgeons met us there and checked me out. He said it looked like my dog caught one of my stitches and ripped it out and that my top jaw still seemed in good shape. I have to go back tomorrow for another x-ray to confirm this. I left the office with a even more swollen face and a massive headache. Needless to say, I'm spending the rest of the night on the couch. This last picture is of me after the dog incident. As you can see, my top lip is more swollen as well as the right side of nose. What a day!

My Old Jaw

This is my old jaw, taken in 2005. It's the best I could do. But you can still see the difference especially between gaps between the front teeth vs. gaps between the back teeth in each picture.

My New Jaw!

My new jaw!

You can see where its broken, the screws, the plates (look like dots), and the wires.

I'm working on getting my old jaw pic of the same angle so that a comparison can be made.

Post OP Day 5: Cabin Fever

Last night I got the worst sleep, yet! I fell asleep at 9 and was wide awake at 10. I tried falling asleep again at midnight but with little success. Finally, at 2 am I took some Vicadin (the second dose that night) and was able to get 4 hours of shut eye. I'm not sure exactly what is it but something is causing me enough discomfort to keep me from falling asleep. I had ice on almost the entire night, which feels good on my cheeks. Tonight is the last night before I see the surgeon for my first post-op, so if I don't sleep well tonight I'm going to ask him for something.
Both my parents had their typical breakfasts, which made me want my normal breakfast so bad. So, I went for it. First, I tried just the cereal with a lot of milk with some added wheat germ. I let it sit just a bit to let it soften up. But this didn't work. The pieces of cereal were too big so I resorted to blending my cereal. That's right, I blended my cereal. This has been my first act of solid food deprivation, blender intervention. It worked! Next, I tried an egg. I just cut it up into extremely small bites. I was able to muster about half the egg down before I got tired of losing half of what I tried to put in my mouth from it falling out while trying to swallow.
Swallowing continues to be a chore. I continue to drool like a St. Bernard. Swallowing is still slightly painful but mainly because I'm trying not to move my jaw when I swallow. If my jaw moves the slightest, the pain can bring me to my knees. Also, my throat is still sore from the surgery, which doesn't help. And then there is the fact that my lips, chin, and part of my nose are all still numb from the surgery. So, I can't even feel the saliva pooling up and spilling out of my mouth until a string of it touches my arm or something. It's gross, I know. I should be wearing a bib but I carry a rag with me everywhere.
I was so bored and stir crazy today, that I went with my dad to get his haircut right down the street. Luckily, it was a family affair as my aunt cuts our hair and my grandma had the appointment before my dad. I was happy I didn't have to see or speak to anyone else. That was until my mom left me at home and FedEx came and needed a signature. I felt bad for the lady. Here she was at my house, getting barked at my what sounds like two ferocious dogs (but they aren't really), then I open the door, drooling and mumbling the words, "Sorry, I just had surgery on my jaw." I precede to sign for the package at which point she notified me that I was drooling all over her signature device, for which I apologized. She was a good sport and realized I couldn't tell if I was drooling. Unfortunately for her, she will be delivering a package here for the next 2 or 3 days as my laptop, printer, and messenger bag are all to arrive on different days according to the tracking.
The rest of the day I watched a movie and took an hour and a half nap, which felt great. My cousin stopped in to see me and we arranged for us to catch a movie sometime this week. I
For lunch I almost had an entire smoothie until I coughed what looked like all of it up. And for dinner I had a bowl of broth. I have only taken Motrin today and at six hours apart. There really isn't that much pain unless I evoke it. There is still a lot of swelling but I think it's less than the previous days. One side of my face tends to be more swollen than the other side, leaving my nose looking crooked. Overall, I feel much better and less groggy. The cheek implants haven't bothered me much today. I just can't wait to stop drooling at this point!

Sorry for the lengthy post.

Post Op Day 4: That Smells Good

Well, last night I was able to sleep for a combined 8 hours but, again, they were interrupted every couple hours. I managed to get four hours in a row after taking vicodin at 2 am. That was the last time I took it. Since then, I have been fine with just the Motrin. I think the swelling has gone done a little because I feel a little more comfortable, unless I'm just getting use to the swelling. I've only had a few bouts of sharp pain in my jaw and those have only come when I have had to yawn. I have noticed I have had to yawn a lot today. My poor sleep must be catching up to me. I have been keeping a lot of ice on my cheeks and I think it has really helped. I start to feel uncomrtable shortly after I take it off. But, when I put ice below my eyes (where I think the cheek implants are) it feels so foreign. Heat really seems to help that area. I spend a lot of time going back and forth between the ice packs and a hot wash cloth on my face. That's me with my ice packs.
It's funny how much food commercials seem to stand out when you can't eat! I have seen some commercials for Chili's new burgers and I almost instantly start drooling. Also, my parents have been eating carry out since the surgery. Whenever they bring it home, I get a good whiff of it and wish I could just take a big bite out of it. Tonight, my mom is making spaghetti and I can smell the noodles. They smelled good enough that I had to eat while she was making them. I had a lovely strawberry milkshake with added protein. I drank the whole thing out of the cup, no syringe! It didn't last long, needless to say. I saw on Twitter that someone was going to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I am so jealous! I honestly think I could handle a piece of cheesecake right now. I mean, they are soft enough, right?! I think what this whole rant on foods is suppose to mean is that I am already tired of the liquids, although the broths have treated me better than expected.
I'm also getting tired of day-time tv, and movies. I fell asleep for a whole movie again today. I am looking forward to some of the new ones coming out tomorrow so I might have to ask my mom to pick them up for me. I'm really hoping my new laptop comes soon because that will give me something to do for a while. I guess I could always read, too. I want the book called "The SH** My Dad Says." I've read a few exerpts from it and they were hilarious!
My lips are getting really dry, or at least I think. I still cannot feel them but the are looking and feeling (when I touch them with my finger) dry. I had my mom put Vaseline on them. I forgot how much I hate the smell of that stuff!

Post OP Day 3

Last night's sleep went better, but by no means great. I still woke up every couple of hours but I managed to cap it off with four straight hours. This felt great! Last night I was able to watch most of the Hot Tub Time Machine, but I have yet to finish a movie without falling asleep at some point during it. Last night I also started The Green Zone and I must have fell asleep as soon as it started because I sure don't remember much of it. My parents seemed to like it though.
The pain has been a little more sharp around my jaw. I noticed a couple times while I tried swallowing breakfast that I winced in pain. My lips are still numb, so I am still drooling. But I'm almost glad my lips are numb because they are going to be (if not already) really chapped and that won't be fun as big and swollen as they are. I haven't had much pain around the cheek implants yet today but its still early. I'm trying to make the transition from the Vicodin to only Motrin, but it may be too soon. Time will tell.
But to give myself something to do, I finally ordered a new laptop for school since I was recently notified of my financial aid I was awarded. That was fun to do and I was able to expedite the shipping so hopefully it will be here in a few days so that I can play with it while recovering. I think the rest of the day I am going to try to take a long, hot bath (bubbles optional) and wait for the world cup final game. Although, I'll probably fall asleep during the game. There is just something about the English accent that puts me to sleep. And apparently, my dog needs something because she is pulling the covers off of me and barking. This will have to continue later.
Sure enough, I fell asleep during the World Cup game shortly after my bubble bath. I had a funny thought cross my mind as I was looking for more of the bubbles. I thought about yelling, okay-groaning, loud enough to get my mom to bring me the bubbles. I pictured me yelling "Mom! Bubbles, now!" Similar to Will Ferrell's lines in Wedding Crashes when he yells at his mom to bring in meat loaf. The bath felt good but I just get bored sitting there. Like I said I slept through most of game and had a few family members stop by to check on me. They insist I look better than the other day, but I feel the same. The swelling is down a bit but as you can see, not much. I have also noticed some tingling in my cheeks and right side of my lips. I've only been taking the Motrin today but tonight I may have to go back to the Vicodin so that I can try for a good night's sleep. I'm getting tired of watching TV but at least there is some good HBO shows on tonight. I just had some beef broth and Sprite for dinner, and it looks like I will be camping out on the couch for the rest of the night.

Post OP Day 2

If you have been following, then you know last night did not go well in terms of sleeping. It seemed like as soon as the medicine wore off I would wake from the discomfort. There hasn't been any severe, sharp pains except for a couple of mishaps with trying to eat. Most of the pain can be described as uncomfortable, until today. Today's pain has been shaper and in general more painful. I also feel as if I am more swollen, although the picture doesn't show it because I just got icing. Due to the pain from last night and today, I have strictly been taking the Vicodin all day. I realized in the wee hours of the morning that my mom had not been giving me the correct dosage of the Motrin, but rather only half. So, I may try the correct dose tonight, but if not definitely tomorrow. Today's pain has also been more localized in my cheeks, close to my nose. I think this is where they put the cheek implants. I'm not sure I will ever be able to say I have cheek implants without thinking about some other "cheeks," it must be the 22 year old in me.
Eating has been a chore. Everything I "eat" is liquid and injected into my mouth with a syringe. I've mostly have had chicken broth and smoothies with added protein, but I did add in a milkshake today. I've also tried V-8 juice, apple juice, jello, and warm salt water (for cleaning). The broth has by far been the best and most filling. It just takes forever to squirt a cup of anything in your mouth 10mL at a time. The other problem with eating is that I tend to drool for an extended period of time afterwards. This makes me feel like I'm losing the stuff I was trying to eat, which is frustrating.
I just got cards from family and friends. They all mean a lot to me and I have already sent my mom on a Blockbuster run.
Now, its about 1:00 am and I having trouble sleeping again. I'm just watching Hot Tub Time Machine. I know I am tired of my whacky sleep schedule I have going on, but I think both my dogs are even more tired of it. The last time I got up to get another ice pack, I head a moan from both of them, almost in sync with each other. It was as if they were telling me just to go back to sleep so they can sleep. Well, I guess I'll get back to the movie.

PS: I know there were some problems with leaving comments, I hope that I made the correct changes so that anyone can comment. Let me know.

Post Op Day 1

I was released from the hospital! Because of the fact my mouth didn't need to wired shut and because my doctor knows how uncomfortable the hospital is for patients, he released me. But, here's the catch: the worst is yet to come. He said I will continue to swell for the next couple days. I find this hard to believe because I feel as if I am already swollen to the max. The pain hasn't been too bad until I started writing this. I've mainly just been talking Motrin (in a liquid form) except for two (now three) doses of Vicadin (also in a liquid form). I haven't been able to feel my bottom lip since I woke up from the surgery.
It is now 2:00 am and I am having trouble sleeping due to the discomfort and swelling. I was just laying on the couch with my dog next to me but I decided to get up and take action. I just took another dose of Vicadin and have ice packs on both cheeks. And don't worry, its been four and a half hours since my last dose. It also feels as if my lips are swollen shut but I know they aren't as I just looked at my reflection in a window.
The worst part so far has been the drooling. I am drooling like a St. Benard dog. Every time I stand up or tilt my head, I drool. Cute, huh? I'm pretty sure this is just the result of not being able to feel my bottom lip, at least I hope so.

Surgery Day: Two Faces in One Day

I arrived at he hospital at 6:30 am and was "under the knife" at 8:00 am. I was told it was a 5.5 hour surgery. But, despite the lengthy procedure they came out with good news, although I didn't find out this good news until the day after. Turns out my jaw lined up so well that they didn't need to wire it shut. They said that between the plates, screws, and rubber bands it was stabilized enough. Hopefully, this will reduce my recovery time!
After the surgery, I remember waking up with a sore throat (from the anesthesia). I was in and out of it all night, mainly dueto the nurses coming in every two hours to give me medicine or help me use the restroom because they had me on some I.V. fluids just to get me hydrated. I shortly figured out that I had a catheter in during thesurgery. Luckily, I don'tremember them taking it out! As soon as my dad saw me, he was already saying how different I looked, not from the swelling but structurely. Most of my family that saw me today think I look a lot more like my brother and cousin.

T Minus 12 Hours

Today, I had an appointment with my orthodontist during which she put in the surgical hooks. These will be used to wire my mouth shut. While they are not as annoying and uncomfortable as I thought they would be, they are still not pleasant. The staff at my orthodontist have been great to me since day one and it was nice to see how excited they are to see the results. They were also kind enough to email me one of my x-rays, and it can be seen below. Sorry for the enormous size of it.
I also shaved my goatee completely off for the first time in a VERY long time. I feel so naked. I also got my hair cut shorter than its been in an even longer amount of a time. With these minimal changes, my parents were already saying how different I look.
I tried to do a lot of things today to keep my mind of the surgery because I am getting a little nervous. But it was hard not to think about it when I went to the grocery store with my mom to get tons of frozen fruit, ice cream, and other ingredients for my liquid diet. I also had to make a smoothie and write down the instructions for my mom because she knows I'm a picky eater (probably not for long). I did go to the local pound to help my cousin pick out a new cat and that definitely helped keep my mind off of it.
As I think about it, I'm not sure exactly what I am nervous about. I've been put under three times before this and rather enjoyed each time. I had no problem with the anesthetics. I also healed extremely fast both times I had wisdom teeth removed. I think the fact they are breaking bones in my face is what getting to me.
Tonight, my parents took me out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, where I had some pizza and the best cheese cake I have come across (and yes, I have eaten at The Cheesecake Factory). Later on, I went bowling with a good friend of mine and his sister. I had a good time. Now, the fun part-trying to fall asleep with all this excitement and nervousness. Here are some "before" pictures I took quickly using my computer.

T Minus 3 Days

I just got back from spending two days away for a concert with a good friend of mine. I had a great time, and I hope she did, too. Both bands were great. The Zac Brown Band opened for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). I've seen DMB several times but they never cease to amaze me. I was extremely impressed with the Zac Brown Band's performace, although they played the same songs both nights. I was also able to spend a day in downtown Milwaukee between shows. I was very impressed with the city.



Now, back to the matter at hand-my jaw. There hasn't been any new developments as I have not gone to the oral surgeons or any other doctors since my last post. I have decided to go ahead with the "cheek implants," and when I say "I have decided" I mean that my dad said it would be okay (thankfully).
I am getting more and more excited, but a little more nervous with each day as the surgery approaches.

T Minus 6 Days

I am home and getting settled, and just got back from another meeting with the oral surgeons. The first thing brought up was the fact that because my top jaw is so deficient, or so far back compared to my top jaw, that when the surgeons move it forward it is going to create an even more "hollow" look because I have rather narrow and small cheek bones. The surgeons asked if i would be interested in having, for a lack of the precise word, cheek implants to "complete" the look. However, this will come at a price of roughly $1500 because it would not be covered by insurance. But, it would be cheaper to have it done while they were already "in" there rather than me having it done later in life if I didn't like the way my new jaw made my face look. This will be something I will have to discuss with my parents, more importantly my dad, as they are paying for whatever the insurance doesn't. The cost of this whole procedure is a whole other story.
Now back to the appointment with the oral surgeons. After discussing the possibility of cheek implants, they took more measurements of my lips and the symmetry of my face. Unfortunately, I have a slightly swollen top lip from busting it open last night moving furniture. But, this didn't seem to affect his measure taking. After taking the measurements, they took another bite impression. I think the last one they took didn't turn out right because this time they used a different technique. They covered the tops of my bottom teeth with a blue goo then had me bite down. A minute later that goo was now solid and what looked like a mouth piece of my bite. I think I continue to surprise them with how bad my bite is because after he took out the blue mouth piece and looked at it, he asked if I was for sure biting down. I reassured him that I was, and he took another look at my bite and a look at the mold, and said, "Yeah, that looks about right." Before I left, one of the surgeons asked me if I had any plans for the up-coming holiday weekend and I told him about my plans for the 2-night concert. He responded with, "Well, be sure to live it up this week, and enjoy all the treats you can." This reminded me of the treats one of my co-workers had made for me the previous day-"Ooey-gooey Butter Cake" and some Blondies (brownies without the chocolate because I don't like chocolate). This was my last appointment with the oral surgeons before the big day.
Later, I had an appointment with my family doc to get a physical and a history from him for the surgery. All checked out well, and I weighed in at 193 lbs- up about 10 lbs more than my normal weight. I'm still concerned that I will lose a lot of weight, weight I don't have. But the oral surgeon reassured me that I should be fine as long as I get the necessary calories in my smoothies and shakes while I'm wired up. Time will tell.

T Minus 1 Week

In exactly one week I will be having the big surgery. I couldn't be more excited! I still have most of the things I mentioned in my last post to do, but I did have the pre-op blood draw at the hospital yesterday. I think they ran a CBC or something like that with the blood sample. Because I am in the middle of moving I don't have my pictures with me, but as soon as I get home and settled I will be posting some "before" pictures so that when it's all said and done we all have something to compare the changes to. Also, when I get home I will look at some of the paperwork from the oral surgeon and post the exact procedure that's going to be done. I remember reading it and it sounded very intense, not to mention the procedure description was roughly two lines typed in what seemed like a foreign language.
I thought I should let people know why I am having this surgery, or what some of the symptoms of this problematic jaw are. I believe the official diagnoses is a class 3 occlusion, but I'll have to double check on that. Some of my "symptoms" include talking with a slight lisp, spitting when talking (especially after a few drinks), my mouth almost constantly hanging open (especially when I sleep, or so I'm told), brief flashes of intense pain when yawning big, and the most noticable to me....only being able to chew with a couple of my back molars. This last symptom is due to the fact that the jaw is not aligned properly, which can be seen when I attempt to bite down. When I bite down, there is a big enough gap between my front teeth that I can stick my tongue completely out. And I am pretty sure only one side of my teeth touch, because my jaw is also slightly crooked. I hope to be able to get my hands on the x-ray from the orthodontist so that I can post it. Everything will make more sense to everyone else once they see the x-ray. It is a pretty interesting picture!