I am new to the group and need support please!

[Guest guest]

I am new to this group. More than 18 months ago I was told I'd need

jaw surgery to bring my upper jaw forward and center. I was so scared

that I had a total of 5 consultations before I believed it was really

necessary. I've had braces on - for the third time - since last year,

and the orthodontist finally says I am ready to schedule a date for

June. This has been such an enormous decision - emotionally,

financially and physically. I have a million still unanswered

questions. Finally got the approval today from the insurance company,

and I feel like a mack truck has been lifted off my shoulders. Now, I

just have to find out how much they will pay, and then I can choose a

date. My biggest fear is being wired shut for up to 8 months. I am

such a picky eater as it is, I can't imagine eating my limited

choices through a straw! Just wanted to introduce myself and get

myself known on the site so I can start chatting with all of you. Any

support or advice - especially on the eating thing - would be great.

Thanks. Laurie

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

Welcome to the list of folks who will be going to " the other side "

in June! If you'd like, I'm keeping a list of dates, procedures,

and emails separately that we are sharing among ourselves. If you'd

like to be added, email me.

Dammit

> I am new to this group. More than 18 months ago I was told I'd

need

> jaw surgery to bring my upper jaw forward and center. I was so

scared

> that I had a total of 5 consultations before I believed it was

really

> necessary. I've had braces on - for the third time - since last

year,

> and the orthodontist finally says I am ready to schedule a date

for

> June. This has been such an enormous decision - emotionally,

> financially and physically. I have a million still unanswered

> questions. Finally got the approval today from the insurance

company,

> and I feel like a mack truck has been lifted off my shoulders.

Now, I

> just have to find out how much they will pay, and then I can

choose a

> date. My biggest fear is being wired shut for up to 8 months. I am

> such a picky eater as it is, I can't imagine eating my limited

> choices through a straw! Just wanted to introduce myself and get

> myself known on the site so I can start chatting with all of you.

Any

> support or advice - especially on the eating thing - would be

great.

> Thanks. Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie-

I just had my surgery 1 week ago Monday. I had upper/lower/genio and

am still here to tell about it. Believe me, it totally normal to be a

nervous wreck, but you can do it...trust me. I've been wired for 1

week now of a total 4 weeks, and although eating is really tough, its

manageable. I moved back to my parents house for the 4 weeks to have

some help, but after the first few days, I was totally fine. Now I'm

really regretting being here as I have to endure watching my parents

eat some good home cooked meals, while I slurp up food through a

straw.

Some things I've been eating are Carnation Instant B'fast, Ensure

drinks, soups, yogurt smoothies, milkshakes, and plenty of juices and

water. Doesn't sound too bad to most people, but it gets tiring to

eat the same thing day after day. But seriously, you can do it. I am

going thru it RIGHT NOW and i just keep telling myself that the worst

is over. Before you know it, the surgery will be over and you'll be

on your way to a new you.

Just know that there are so many people here that have been where you

are now. Keep reading the posts, asking questions, and you make it.

Take care and best of luck,

> I am new to this group. More than 18 months ago I was told I'd need

> jaw surgery to bring my upper jaw forward and center. I was so

scared

> that I had a total of 5 consultations before I believed it was

really

> necessary. I've had braces on - for the third time - since last

year,

> and the orthodontist finally says I am ready to schedule a date for

> June. This has been such an enormous decision - emotionally,

> financially and physically. I have a million still unanswered

> questions. Finally got the approval today from the insurance

company,

> and I feel like a mack truck has been lifted off my shoulders. Now,

I

> just have to find out how much they will pay, and then I can choose

a

> date. My biggest fear is being wired shut for up to 8 months. I am

> such a picky eater as it is, I can't imagine eating my limited

> choices through a straw! Just wanted to introduce myself and get

> myself known on the site so I can start chatting with all of you.

Any

> support or advice - especially on the eating thing - would be

great.

> Thanks. Laurie

[Guest guest]

O-Kay.. Since being wired is your biggest dread, why wait? Call your

surgeon's office and ask whether he (still) wires his patients. (OK.

That reveals my prejudice: I was not wired, and had a really easy

recovery. I also had minimal surgery -- lower only, advancement and

sideways.) But I know several of the OS guys here, and none of them

wires folks shut anymore, routinely.

For clarity: I would have agreed to be wired, if they needed to do it

that way. Sometimes it is inescapable. But you may be worrying about

something that's not likely to happen! Get rid of the worry if you

can, but keep in the back of the brain that nobody knows,

irrevocably, what will happen in the OR, once they get in there.

Honey, if you get hungry enough, you won't be " a picky eater " any

more. Or at least you need not be. Think about Scarlett O'Hara eating

the turnip. Or think about all the starving folks who dine tonight on

boiled greens or rice gruel and are grateful to have it. Eating, and

eating well if you can do it, are important responsibilities in the

recovery.

I have tried to nurture someone who was so sick that he had to be

fed through a tube in the tummy, so I have little patience, I

confess, with folks who won't try the many excellent alternatives

available today, especially if you are not wired. Be picky if you

want, but you get no sympathy in this quarter on that count. Help

about how to find tasty things, yes. But if you browse at the counter

and decline, that's your problem. Sorry.

Now, as for how to cope, there are many excellent suggestions. One

good one is to go to the ZNS site, check out the food bags, the

recipe book. (if you can't find something that appeals in there, you

need to talk seriously with your doc -- there's everything from tuna

casserole to a slice of pizza, honest!) Baby food. Smoothies. Soups.

Hell0!

Not trying to scare you, but trying to reassure you. this is not,

honestly, the biggest problem anybody has ever faced. It probably

seems to you that it is. It did to me. But honest, you can do it! You

can even learn some things while you do!

I'm with you. I'm in your corner, and will help you any way I can.

But start out believing that it's not so bad, truly. And it really

isn't!

Cammie

> I am new to this group. More than 18 months ago I was told I'd need

> jaw surgery to bring my upper jaw forward and center. I was so

scared

> that I had a total of 5 consultations before I believed it was

really

> necessary. I've had braces on - for the third time - since last

year,

> and the orthodontist finally says I am ready to schedule a date for

> June. This has been such an enormous decision - emotionally,

> financially and physically. I have a million still unanswered

> questions. Finally got the approval today from the insurance

company,

> and I feel like a mack truck has been lifted off my shoulders. Now,

I

> just have to find out how much they will pay, and then I can choose

a

> date. My biggest fear is being wired shut for up to 8 months. I am

> such a picky eater as it is, I can't imagine eating my limited

> choices through a straw! Just wanted to introduce myself and get

> myself known on the site so I can start chatting with all of you.

Any

> support or advice - especially on the eating thing - would be

great.

> Thanks. Laurie