Connie!!

[Guest guest]

Dearest Desplinted Connie,

I'm so glad you enjoyed your cruise! That is wonderful and much

deserved! And Thank Goodness you got that splint out in time!! Yea!

The compromise definitely sounds workable. I'm glad they are being so

cautious with you.

I read your post about your concerns about tmj surgery now. I'm

really sorry about that... I wish I could answer your questions but

I'm not knowledgeable on that front. Good luck!

Yep, my kidney ultrasound was miserable too- it was really painful,

not because she was deep down in there (that sounds horrible

though!), but because as it turns out, I have a pretty serious

situation as I AM basically carrying around a crystal quarry (I

thought I was just joking) and am now facing all kinds of kidney

stone treatments. I have significant blockage that has probably been

going on for years, unbeknownst to me, and as a result I have

sustained irreparable damage to my kidney, thus why the U/S was

painful. All of this is the fault of my negligent former pcp that did

zero follow-up care after my first incident of stones in 99. Uh oh,

you also mentioned how painful kidney problems can be. I am really

freaked out about that aspect. I've had so much medical stuff this

year that my boyfriend is calling me his medical miracle. Jaw surgery

is better than this- at least I chose it and wanted it and knew what

I was getting into.... Anyway, thank you for your well wishes for

that appointment- unfortunately it turned out to be far worse than I

expected and I was then rushed two days later to a specialist. Now I

am awaiting to have my first of several procedures scheduled Asap. I

wish I had gotten better news- So, I'm sorry I've again taken forever

to write back. I've gotten sidetracked from everything because of

this whole kidney stone ordeal.

Good luck with the whole situation taking in your sisterinlaw's baby.

What a load to take on and also exciting! I hope it all works out

beautifully for you. I can't believe that we're the same age (or I

think I'm slightly older) and you're married with three kids, the

oldest 9 years old!! Oh my goodness! I'm at least dating the man I

know I'll marry someday.... I can't imagine already having even one

child right now!

Let me know what you find out about your tmj- I'll be hoping for the

best for you-take care.

Jellified Katja

> >Dear Jellifying Katja,

>

> I checked back in for the first time yesterday and saw your post.

> Thanks for the welcome back.

>

> My cruise was great. Good food, good shows, some great dancing.

> The islands were beautiful. When we got back we watched that new

> movie " Into the Blue " and it was filmed on one of the islands we

> were on! We got some great deals bartering at one of the islands.

> I came back much tanner, and only gained a couple of pounds, thank

> goodness, as I am trying to keep off the 25 lbs I lost from surgery.

>

> When I went to my ortho right before I left on my trip he said my

OS

> had told him he still wanted my splint on because he wanted my bite

> to continue to be stabilized for a while. WHAT?! As if 10 weeks

> weren't a long time already. My ortho, however, removed my splint

> (bless the man) because he felt confident about the position of my

> teeth. And we struck a compromise. He said he would take it off

> for my trip, and I am going back into see both him and my OS on

> Wednesday morning (their offices are right next to eachother). If

> they feel that my bite needs to be further stabilized, my ortho

will

> make me a new splint, one that can pop in and out so I can remove

it

> to eat, and most likely would only wear it at night. Do I really

> think that is a hard compromise? I think not. The best of both

> worlds, still being extra cautious, and still being able to eat,

and

> brush my teeth like a normal person.

>

> Sorry to hear about your kidney stones. I've never had them, but

> had serious kidney infections during pregnancy and right after with

> my oldest daughter, so I know how painful anything wrong in that

> area is. Also know how " fun " those great kidney ultrasounds can

> be. I swear, I thought the technician's hand was completely sunk

> into my back while she was looking around.

>

> I'm hoping to, with my husband's help, upload some pictures thin

> weekend. I'm not sure what's going to happen. On Friday, as soon

> as we got back to Florida's airport to fly home, my sister called

to

> tell my husband that his sister had got in some trouble with the

law

> and had her baby taken by the state. We called child protective

> services, and they are interested in having us take his neice for a

> while, even though two other family members are fighting to gain

> custody. The social worker felt we were the most stable ones, and

> had reserves about the other family members. So, by the end of the

> week we may get our 2 and 1/2 month neice to care for. We already

> have three kids, 3 and 1/2, 7 and 9 and thought we were done with

> babies, but are excited with the prospect of getting to help out.

> So right now we are getting our home ready for possible

inspections,

> and getting everything lined out just in case. Amazing how this

> time last week on our trip we would have never thought that in just

> a week our family could grow by an extra member.

>

> Hope all goes well today at your appointment. Talk to you soon.

> Signing off.

>

> Post Cruisin' De-Splintified Connie

>

> > Dear Cruisin'Connie,

> > I'm imagining that you'll be returning from your cruise any day

> now...

> > Can't wait to hear about it and to see some pics posted of your

> new

> > smile!! How does it feel to be splint-free? (I'm assuming your OS

> went

> > ahead as planned and removed the splint right before the cruise,

> > right??) I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write you back....

I

> was

> > house sitting for an elderly neighbor, and lately I've been

> dealing

> > with kidney stones. I'll find out what kind of a crystal quarry

> sits

> > in the left side of my back after my ultrasound Tuesday. Always

> such a

> > joy for the local medical community and my insurance providers!

> > Anyway, I thought of you at the end of the month. I want to hear

> all

> > about your desplintification! How was it? How is eating coming

> along?

> > Are you happy? And I want to hear about your wonderful cruise

too!

> I

> > hope you were able to eat to your heart's delight, especially at

> the

> > chocolate bar (they had one, right??!!) Take care and again I'm

> sorry

> > for taking so long to write,

> > Katja

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My dear cruiseaddictedConnie,

Hearing about your cruise has made me start dreaming about a cruise

myself! I've never been taken with the idea until now! Sounds

marvelous! Now look at what kind of monster you've created, Connie.

I'm glad physical therapy was fun. That's wonderful-I hope it is

really helpful for you too. The heating pads and massage sound really

nice and relaxing (I guess my cruise will have to have a spa!)How did

your jaw feel afterwards? How often will you be going to physical

therapy? Have you noticed a difference yet? Does it seem to be

helping? I'm so anxious for it to help you so you can avoid any more

surgery. I really hope it works out!

Thanks for your good wishes for my procedure.... I had my pre-op

tuesday and this past thursday I had " surgery " . It is called a

uteroscopy. They basically stuck a scope up my ureter and located a

kidney stone I had imbedded in my ureter. Then they did what is

called a laser lithotripsy where they stuck a fiberoptic laser up my

ureter and " lasered " the stone to break it up into small passable

pieces. The stone was 12mm!! Anyway, it is considered an out-patient

procedure so I went home the same day. Recovery was just miserable

and today is the first day I've started to feel a little bit more

like myself. In some ways, the recovery has been much worse than

recovery from the jaw surgery if you can believe it. I've been lying

very low and miserable. This is just the first procedure of several

procedures I will need to resolve my kidney stones. I will need to

have more " things " done to me since I have more stones in both

kidneys. The procedure done thursday just fixed the blockage due to

one stone in my ureter. Does that make more sense??? Needless to say,

having this done has left me feeling a tad sorry for myself!

But, some good news too!!! My procedure was thursday afternoon.

Thursday AM I had an appt. with ortho. He took an xray checking root

placement on some of my teeth and I got to see the xray. I'm

DeJellified!! Now, there are just holes in my jaws where there used

to be screws!Now the holes just need to fill in with bone! In less

than a year, you won't even be able to tell on an xray that I had the

surgery! I could see the cuts in my lower jaw from the bsso and genio

and that was really interesting to see. I had to tell you about

becoming dejellified! And, after thursday's adjustment, my bite is

really finally coming together. My midlines, for the first time EVER,

finally match up! That's all that's kept me going through this kidney

stone ordeal. Ok, I'll stop boring you already!! Tell me how your

physical therapy is going and how your joints are feeling!

Your Dejellified,holyjawed,uteroscopiedKatja

>

> Jellifying CrystalQuarry Katja,

>

> Physical therapy was actually fun! Can you believe it? Well, at

> least it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. They had me lie

> down with heat pads on my face. After that they did some kind of a

> massage on my head, face and jaws (he gave it a real professional

> sounding name that I can't remember), and then he did a stretching

> technique. Wow, I said, this is like a day at the spa. Really,

the

> therapist said, then my day at the spa turned into an afternoon

with

> a true massicist (spelling?). Anyways, the stretching was pretty

> intense, but hay, I can handle it. He also said that with TMJ

> problems they usually do neck massage and stretching as part of the

> therapy. I say, BRING IT ON!!!

>

> I hope all goes well at your appointment tomorrow. I'll be

thinking

> of you and sending you best wishes all day. Let me know how it

> goes. I didn't really understand exactly what they're doing, is it

> a surgical procedure? Will you have to stay down for a while?

>

> Take care,

>

> Cruise Addicted Connie

>