Starting the journey

In 3 weeks, I will have major surgery on my lower jaw - a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy or BSSO. I've known for a long time that I'd have to do something about my overbite. Even as a kid, I was called "Bucky the Beaver" and "Bunny teeth" (kids are cruel, right?). As a teenager, I played the flute and my strangely shaped mouth turned out to be an asset. My parents were told that getting it fixed would be the thing to do - they refused on the grounds that I didn't need to by "prettied up". Crap. They even had insurance for it.

As an adult, I saw three different oral surgeons who all told me the same thing "get the jaw fixed or you'll have trouble later" and "nice teeth -too bad your jaw won't support them and they will evenually fall out". About 9 years ago, I tried to start the process but I had to stop. My twins turn 8 next week. Finally, I'm in a position to go ahead. I've done the braces thing since October 2009. The orthodontist said, "It will get worse before it gets better". Yep.

I almost had to stop the project about a year ago. The oral surgeon questionned whether or not my jaw joints were stable enough for the surgery. Let me get this straight...I can't have the surgery to stabilize my jaw because my jaw isn't stable? Fortunately, I got the green light. Since then, I've had increasing jaw pain and tension as well as headaches. I really need this surgery. I'm not really caring so much about how I look after Although now that I mention it, I could sacrifice one of my two chins, really! And if I just happened to lose some weight from drinking all my meals and it stayed off, who am I to fight that? :)

In some ways, three weeks seems like a short time. I have three birthday parties to arrange, at least two hockey games every weekend until then, a business trip, and two more specialist appointments. Add to this, my daughter now tells me she can't see the board at school (eye appointment, here we come!) On the other hand, I'm not wanting to rush this. I'm really scared by the thought of anesthetic and someone messing with the nerves in my face. I'm very imaginative...I can think of lots of horror stories.

The weirdest thing I saw so far selling some type of jaw product. I wish I could remember what it was but I'm an old lady and the memory goes. They had different prices for one jaw, two jaws, and 2+ jaws. How many people do you know who have more than 2 jaws? Maybe you are supposed to bring a friend?

I almost forgot..why "just one jaw". I'm feeling a bit inadequate. I post on archwired.com, a support site for people with braces. Everyone seems to be having more than one jaw done (but not 3!!!). By comparison, my surgery seems almost...trivial.

Remind me of this in about...three weeks.