Hi from yet another pre-opper

[Guest guest]

Hi All

I'm so pleased to have found this site. I'm due to have surgery

later this year. I have a facial assymetry and underbite. I'm

currently 10 months into orthodontics. I'm told the procedure is

called a sliding osteotomy.

What has been people's experience of employer attitude to this

procedure as I'm being told (by my manager)that although the surgery

is being performed under the NHS, it is cosmetic and as I've survived

the last 45 years of my life with this, there is no reason why I

shouldn't survive the next 45 years - like this. Therefore the month

off that I will need to recuperate should be unpaid.

I also don't really know what to expect post-op. Whilst my

orthodontist and surgeon are brilliant in their fields, they are not

the greatest of communicators!

I've had a look at some of the before and after photos and I am

really inspired by the results so many thanks to all out there for

putting these onto this site.

Kind regards

Mandy

[Guest guest]

I'd ask your OD and OS to write a letter to your employer regarding medical

necessity. Good luck.

>

>Reply-To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>Subject: [Orthognathic Surgery Support ] Hi from yet another pre-opper

>Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 22:59:47 -0000

>

[Guest guest]

Mandy,

From your " NHS " and " whilst " I'm guessing you're not American --

Canadian or British, maybe? I don't know what the laws are where you

are. But here I believe that while we aren't entitled to sick leave,

if we do get sick leave we are entitled to use it for any medical

reason or for taking care of sick family members or attending

funerals, etc. I don't really know what the laws are, actually, but

that's the way things are at my work. You might want to look into

whatever laws apply to you. Do you have a Human Resources person you

could talk to at work?

Your manager sounds like a snot. Pardon my saying so. An ignorant

snot. My surgeon wrote a letter to insurance explaining that this was

a " skeletal deformity, " and while I thought that sounded pretty

extreme, it's true. My jaw didn't grow enough, and I wasn't lucky

enough to have it corrected as a child with orthodontics, like most do

these days. Yes, there is a cosmetic benefit, but the primary benefit

is functional -- having teeth that work properly are vital if you

intend to keep them in the last 45 years of your life. Tell him/her

that you don't want to end up in dentures in 20 years, thanks.

Good luck!

Luna

[Guest guest]

Hi Mandy,

I chose to go private and not NHS although it was offered on the NHS.

My work has the attitude that if it is offered on NHS then you should

be entitled to have the time off as sick leave.

Explain to your manager that it is never just cosmetic...but

functional... if you need surgery then the problem with you bite is

big enough that it may cause all sorts of problems in later life, if

not already.

Most people are pretty ignorant of the procedure, and thought I was

being pretty daft(including my manager) until I explained it all....

As for post-op, I can comment.... Give me another 6 weeks and I'll be

able to let you know!

Suzy

x

> Hi All

>

> I'm so pleased to have found this site. I'm due to have surgery

> later this year. I have a facial assymetry and underbite. I'm

> currently 10 months into orthodontics. I'm told the procedure is

> called a sliding osteotomy.

> What has been people's experience of employer attitude to this

> procedure as I'm being told (by my manager)that although the

surgery

> is being performed under the NHS, it is cosmetic and as I've

survived

> the last 45 years of my life with this, there is no reason why I

> shouldn't survive the next 45 years - like this. Therefore the

month

> off that I will need to recuperate should be unpaid.

> I also don't really know what to expect post-op. Whilst my

> orthodontist and surgeon are brilliant in their fields, they are

not

> the greatest of communicators!

>

> I've had a look at some of the before and after photos and I am

> really inspired by the results so many thanks to all out there for

> putting these onto this site.

>

> Kind regards

>

> Mandy

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzy and All

How come you're having it done privately? I'm having my orthodontics

done privately but was told the surgery would be on the NHS as it is

a dental health need which is just as well because I'm probably going

to need to have my nose done too after all of this - and that I

probably will have to pay for! I haven't approached my private health

insurance at all on this as they are probably still squirming at the

12 months psychotherapy they paid for which eventually led to me

deciding to go through with this (with full support from my

psychotherapist).

Like you , most people think I'm pretty daft and say that I should

accept the way I am - especially at my age, or they can't see what

the problem is. I suppose it doesn't really matter what they can

see - my dentist, orthdontist and surgeon can see the problem as well

as me. So I haven't got a great deal of support around me for this

procedure.

Please do let us know how surgery goes and how you're feeling on the

lead up to the big day. I understand that the whole thing is a

pretty emotional experience - even if we are saying " Goodbye " to

something that has had a pretty negative impact on our lives.

But if I don't hear from you before, take care and the very best of

luck!

Mandy

x

---

In orthognathicsurgerysupport , " Suzy "

<suzy.robins@b...> wrote:

> Hi Mandy,

>

> I chose to go private and not NHS although it was offered on the

NHS.

> My work has the attitude that if it is offered on NHS then you

should

> be entitled to have the time off as sick leave.

>

> Explain to your manager that it is never just cosmetic...but

> functional... if you need surgery then the problem with you bite is

> big enough that it may cause all sorts of problems in later life,

if

> not already.

>

> Most people are pretty ignorant of the procedure, and thought I was

> being pretty daft(including my manager) until I explained it all....

>

> As for post-op, I can comment.... Give me another 6 weeks and I'll

be

> able to let you know!

>

> Suzy

> x

>

>

>

> > Hi All

> >

> > I'm so pleased to have found this site. I'm due to have surgery

> > later this year. I have a facial assymetry and underbite. I'm

> > currently 10 months into orthodontics. I'm told the procedure is

> > called a sliding osteotomy.

> > What has been people's experience of employer attitude to this

> > procedure as I'm being told (by my manager)that although the

> surgery

> > is being performed under the NHS, it is cosmetic and as I've

> survived

> > the last 45 years of my life with this, there is no reason why I

> > shouldn't survive the next 45 years - like this. Therefore the

> month

> > off that I will need to recuperate should be unpaid.

> > I also don't really know what to expect post-op. Whilst my

> > orthodontist and surgeon are brilliant in their fields, they are

> not

> > the greatest of communicators!

> >

> > I've had a look at some of the before and after photos and I am

> > really inspired by the results so many thanks to all out there

for

> > putting these onto this site.

> >

> > Kind regards

> >

> > Mandy

[Guest guest]

Many thank Luna (Yes - I'm in the UK), , , Suzy and

Mira for your advice! I shall be employing all these tactics over

the next couple of months. The joke of it is my manager didn't get a

promotion last year that he had been expecting and consequently threw

all his toys out of the pram and took 7 months off sick! Only

returned to work when they threatened to stop his pay! His concern

is that he will have to cover for me - pretty difficult when he

hasn't the foggiest idea what I do! I have no doubt that even HR

will see the funny side!

Many thanks All!

Mandy

x

> Mandy,

>

> From your " NHS " and " whilst " I'm guessing you're not American --

> Canadian or British, maybe? I don't know what the laws are where you

> are. But here I believe that while we aren't entitled to sick leave,

> if we do get sick leave we are entitled to use it for any medical

> reason or for taking care of sick family members or attending

> funerals, etc. I don't really know what the laws are, actually, but

> that's the way things are at my work. You might want to look into

> whatever laws apply to you. Do you have a Human Resources person you

> could talk to at work?

>

> Your manager sounds like a snot. Pardon my saying so. An ignorant

> snot. My surgeon wrote a letter to insurance explaining that this

was

> a " skeletal deformity, " and while I thought that sounded pretty

> extreme, it's true. My jaw didn't grow enough, and I wasn't lucky

> enough to have it corrected as a child with orthodontics, like most

do

> these days. Yes, there is a cosmetic benefit, but the primary

benefit

> is functional -- having teeth that work properly are vital if you

> intend to keep them in the last 45 years of your life. Tell him/her

> that you don't want to end up in dentures in 20 years, thanks.

>

> Good luck!

>

> Luna

[Guest guest]

In pop psychology terms, I think that your boss's problem is called

" projection. " He's projecting his own BS onto you! Good luck! L