KimberlyH
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,485
Thanks Mara. Yup, I''m getting stocked up gradually with Boost and Ensure and will definitely pick up some Odwalla and Naked juice/protein drinks, and I have lots of soups and pretty much anything can be blended and then thinned out with water or milk (or almond milk, hee hee). My problem will be that even after recovering from the surgery portion of this whole "ordeal" I will still have this appliance up top and then braces so eating will continue to be impeded by those things...I worry most about keeping my energy level high enough to continue working full time as well as find strength to work out enough to avoid losing muscle. I do feel that in the past year or so I''ve gotten in pretty good shape and now I''ve been smoke free for 6 weeks which will definitely aid in my healing process (gosh I just realized I''ll have been "quit" for a little over two months when I have my surgery) and that is something I''ve wanted to accomplish for a long time now.Date: 4/4/2007 12:29:52 AM
Author: Mara
monarch wow you are going to be going through all sorts of fun stuff huh...ugh! i feel for you woman but you will make it and come out on the other side sooo much happier i am sure. i had an ex who broke his jaw while we were together and he was so happy when it was all done and better hehee. he drank a lot of baskin robbins ice cream shakes...mmm!!!! any excuse for a milkshake right? and he drank a lot of Ensure as well which has so many vitamins because he wasn''t able to get much else down unless it was liquid form. he also lost i think 15-20 lbs which he didn''t really need to. but after it all came off he put the weight back on as well.
anyway, hang in there woman and vent anytime you want to us on the WWT...!!!
Hi Kaleigh/Lisa! I did have one of these appliances when I was a kid, but it turned out my mom had been turning it the wrong way (like a key in a door instead of front to back) for 6 months and it didn''t do the job...by that time my older bro was in braces, my dad was self-employed (so everything was out of pocket as far as dental/ortho) and I had dance/piano lessons, proms, homecomings, etc. and all the other expenses that go along with being a teenage girl so my orthodontic treatment fell by the wayside. My point is actually that I basically knew what to expect from this appliance and it has lived up to my expectations so far, lol! I know it will get easier...right now my tongue and cheeks are just getting toughened up and the pressure is sort of annoying from turning the key every night, but I''m doing ok all things considered. Thanks for the hugs!Date: 4/4/2007 12:37:57 AM
Author: Kaleigh
Monarch,
Both of my kids had to have this. One had it longer than the other. I had the fun task of turning that key every night. It was super hard to get used to, eating was hard and speaking is hard. But after a week or two they DID get used to it. Hang in there, it''s worth it in the long run. HUGS!!!!![]()
Thanks DF! I don''t know if I''m brave or simply crazy. When people talk to me about this (co-workers or friends/family) they tend to look at me like I''m nuts!Date: 4/4/2007 12:34:12 AM
Author: diamondfan
Wow, Monnie, you are brave but I am sure in the end you will be loving the results. As a migraine sufferer it is nice to know that this may give you some relief, as well as help with your breathing etc. Once you get past this part, I am sure it will be so worthwhile! PS will definitely help with any boredom you feel!!!
Irish, core ball is a great idea, I keep meaning to get one. We have a pilates DVD we bought for DH that neither of us have been using but I think I could definitely incorporate those things into my workout routine because I think my only restrictions after the initial recovery will be not lifting anything over 10 lbs. and staying away from activities where I could potentially bump or hit my face/jaw area. I broke an ankle and had surgery on it about 6 years ago and was back on my feet within 5 weeks (walking cast/crutches) but got rid of the crutches early...it takes a lot to keep this girl down for long! Thanks again for the well wishes!Date: 4/4/2007 1:05:15 AM
Author: IrishAngel
Hey Monnie~I actually haven''t seen my grandma in a while but I''ll let you know.I was thinking maybe yoga or pilates will help you keep your muscle tone without doing any strenuous workouts? A core ball will do wonders, and it''s fun too. I hope you feel better soon!
Wow, Monnie, you are going through quite the process. And I am thinking of you, I''m sure this was a really hard choice for you to make. You don''t need excuses not to participate, but please come by and visit and update us on your dental progress. It''s always good to hear from you.Date: 4/4/2007 12:01:25 AM
Author: monarch64
Thanks Kimberly for your concern--it''s so nice of you to think of me!
Well, this past Friday I had my rapid palate expander device placed in the roof of my mouth...I tried to find a picture of one but didn''t have much success, and didn''t really feel like posting my own...maybe I''ll post before and after pics when all is said and done though. Anyway, I have this appliance which has a square center piece attached to four bars which are attached by metal bands around my teeth. It''s difficult to speak clearly and I''ve been practicing reading a passage often used for speech therapy at night, hopefully within the next week or so my tongue will figure out where to go! Eating and talking very much are a chore, and I never realized how much of a workout this would be for my tongue! Eating requires more prep and more time as I have to do smaller bites, no crunchy things (too painful), and be careful not to choke as food gets caught up in the whole contraption and if I accidentally sort of ''slurp'' the wrong way I could get something lodged in my throat. DH ''supervised'' all weekend--he made sure not to leave me alone when I was eating a quick lunch while he was trying to get an outside project finished, it was very sweet. I was all ready to plop down on the couch in front of the t.v. but he convinced me to eat at the table so if I choked and he couldn''t get to me right away I could give myself the Heimlich with a dining chair, LOL!![]()
So the next few weeks I am manually turning a key in this thing to see if my palate bones will actually ''pop'' apart without surgical assistance. It''s highly unlikely, since most people''s bones fuse together for good by the time they are in their late teens/early twenties, but my orthodontist says his niece did this when she was 21 and it worked. I''m 29 and I really doubt it will happen, but we''ll see. I have a surgery date scheduled the first week of May to go ahead with the surgical expansion, as well as getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed, and another procedure called a Lefort osteotomy which is where my jaw will be released to close my open bite. After I heal from that and finish the expansion (again manually using the expansion appliance for about 6 weeks, which will leave me with a nice ~6mm gap between my front teeth), I''ll keep the expander in to hold the bones open while everything heals for about 4 more months (6months total) and get upper and lower braces in the meantime!
Still with me? LOL! When I first saw this ortho about a year and a half ago, I had NO clue that I would have to go through any of this. I thought I just had a mild case of crooked teeth, but it turns out my bite is completely out of whack and if I don''t correct it I could face serious long term issues. I''ve suffered from migraines for years, and more recently TMJ issues to the point that the left side of my jaw pops almost every time I open my mouth. Not to mention I''ve always been a mouth breather and this whole procedure will also open up my airway a bit more to allow for better breathing. After much research and a lot of soul-searching I decided to go through with all of this because I know that a couple years of remodeling total will not only improve my physical appearance, but also my overall health.
Ok, so I hope this sort of excuses my recent lack of participation in the workout thread...I spent the last couple months knowing I would be on a very restricted diet as far as texture and consistency and had been indulging cravings left and right, and also anticipating some weight loss--if it is to be at all dramatic (average I keep reading as far as those who''ve gone through this type of surgery is 15-20 lbs.) I kind of wanted to bulk up just a little so I wouldn''t end up skeletal with a swollen face, ha! You may not see me too much on the workout thread, but I will definitely be spending a lot more time on PS during the month of May--I am taking a three week leave of absence from work to recuperate.
Thanks again for your concern, and your support, Kimberly. You are another great PS virtual friend and I always enjoy reading your posts! Oh, and btw I saw your pic on the thread in Hangout and you look amazing! Your weight loss and dedication to your health are impressive!![]()
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We''re 95% sure we''re moving, and I''ll be taking you up on that offer!Date: 4/4/2007 12:41:32 PM
Author: monarch64
Kimberly, I THOUGHT I saw mention of you maybe moving to Chicago! I hope that it works out and you do end up here and we can meet up sometime!![]()
I''m sure your DH thinks you sounds quite adorable! I''m so sorry you''re in pain, but really glad it''s not too terrible.Date: 4/13/2007 10:26:39 AM
Author: monarch64
Well, I had my expander placed two weeks ago and now I sort of have a speech impediment, lol! It''s sort of painful and eating is a bit difficult, but it''s not so bad. I don''t get braced until the 25th, and my surgery isn''t until May 2nd so right now I''m feeling pretty good actually. I will definitely let you know how everything goes when the time comes!![]()
How was your visit to Chicago, or have you gone yet?
I am thinking about you too.Date: 4/26/2007 5:56:08 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Just a bump to see how you''re doing monarch?
Ditto I am late to this thread, but I will be thinking of you Mon, take care of yourself!!!Date: 4/28/2007 2:32:33 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Sounds like you''re adjusting well! Will be thinking of you on Wednesday!