Post Surgery X-rays!

Ok, these are pretty neat. First of all, the whole digital X-ray thing is awesome, they just emailed them too me! These are from the morning after surgery. Take a look at them, I'll tell you what I think is the best part about each one!

This is a general pan, they show the 4 L plates each with 4 screws holding my upper jaw on! See the three screws on each side for the lower jaw. Also, the outline you see on the upper teeth is from the splint, and the extra wires are from the ties holding it in place!

Ok, the coolest picture of any! Look at how LONG the screws are holding my lower jaw on!!! 12-14 mms!!!!!! They will be there forever!

Ok, the coolest part about this picture is that you can see how BIG my lips were the morning after my surgery!

The best thing about Winter!

So if you're reading this you have seen all the ugly from the last 8 weeks. I did take a hmmm.....Month off from posting I think, and I do apologize for that! I started a post a couple weeks ago but found other things to do besides sitting in front of the computer! I've been to movies, played soccer on the beach, started working out again, to Travis to visit the Orthodontist 4 times in 10 days, sick off my ass (I dont get sick so I was a wimp!), partied like I was 21 (If anybody remembers me after a night like that...I loose my voice for several days!), been out in the "city," to a tiki bar in Oakland and even to a Kings game in Sac! Basically, I'm back to me and enjoying everything there is about life in the Bay!

So on Friday, 23 JAN, I made my last trip to my Oral Surgeon! They took out the splint that had been holding my upper teeth in the proper alignment for the past 6 weeks, which meant many many great things! First of all, I could actually get to all my teeth to brush them! (Trust me, I got thanks...Alex would thank me I'm sure!) Next it meant that my upper jaw was healed well enough to be considered in one piece again!!! And 3rd, I was able to start running again....and as long as I didn't fall, I could even ski again! Basically I was told no trauma to the jaw area at all. For everything else I'm good!! I still have rubber bands in, but they are bearable, I have to take them out for each meal, but they are finishing up my alignment. Basically, as my orthodontist said today, you've never had this many teeth touching!! My entire right side of mouth is touching and all but about 3 teeth on the left!! In time the rest will come together also!

Here is my new ski look! Also, see the link, I've added lots of pictures of the two ski weekends in Tahoe in January!!http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16053&l=aac68&id=1261493975 (You dont have to be on Facebook to view these, just click the link and enjoy!)

One last thing to update....something you all know that is very important to me, I had a WHOLE Chick-Fil-A sandwich, waffle fries and sweat tee yesterday!! I was able to eat it all!! I cut nothing up, just ate it like a normal person!! (ok, not perfectly normal, I'm still learning how to chew haha but no knife, no fork no ripping it apart, just open, put in CHEW and swallow!!!) Hard, crispy and extra chewy things are still off limits, mainly because I cant chew that well, but slowly it will all be coming back!!

So I'm guessing this wont be my last post, I'll TRY to update this occasionally, but I am not good at these things, so no promises! Hope you have enjoyed the odyssey of my jaw...ski season is on so hope to see you out on the slopes!

New Pics!

So I hear people are still checking this, so figured I would post some new pics...Alex and Nell were intown this weekend so had to get Nell to take a picture for me! She wasnt happy with the lighting but I figured it would be about the same as the original...I'm not picky!

Also, I'm eating well, still all soft now chew foods, but its amazing how much good food you can find! My jaw is slowly opening farther and getting used to the new position, I even had to loosen my rubber bands some. They were pulling my jaw too far forward and I was having to hold it back! Hope my Drs dont care! I have another appointment on Wednseday, going to talk to them about what I really can and cannot do...I NEED to start working out again, I am actually getting more calories than I need right now, so the gym would be nice!

People who know me would also know that I am not good at following drs directions, and def not good at taking it easy after surgery....so I was very impressed with myself when I ended up at the beach New Years Day, hanging out in board shorts and a tee shirt and even doing the "polar bear plunge" but I did NOT go surfing! New Years Eve and Day was another holiday this year where good friends make it so relaxing and fun...nothing but laughing and eating and drinking! Happy New Years!!!!

On a side note....I am going back to work this week for 5 days (like most people), but the only thing is that it has been at least 2 months since the last time I had to work 5 straight days! I'm not sure how this is going to work! haha

Before and After Pics...Same shirt, Same wall, Same camera!

Before: The Jay Leno look

After: Yeah, Brad Pitt look out!

Here are some pics from New Years Day...

Look at all that junk in my mouth! When we went out last night, I went without the bands, I didnt slur near as much...and eating was much easier! They are back in today though!