The official CM support group thread

[thirdhour]

thanks

[beautiful liar]

anytime. hugs are always free.

they're all i have to give.

[Dr. Hobo]

claire rocks

[Hope]

[thirdhour]

[Kathy]

[afealicious]

[Soozy]

[Kathy]

[nikki4982]

[Kathy]

[nikki4982]

[Rusty]

[Kathy]

[nikki4982]

[Kathy]

Sorry to be using the support thread again... I'm having a rough time lately and I need to put my thoughts down somewhere. If you don't want to read or respond to this, that's totally okay!!

I just got back from an oral surgery consultation appt and I've been bawling ever since I sobbed the whole way home and almost got in an accident because I couldn't see straight through the tears. Driving while crying is not a good idea.

My jaw pain needs to be addressed because I've been dealing with it my whole life... living on painkillers that are becoming less and less effective, and are affecting me in numerous other negative ways. In December I was told I'd need braces, 7 teeth extracted, and a surgery which would require a couple of days & nights in hospital. I was upset and stressed by this, but didn't know all the details. Since then my husband and I have talked about it a lot and determined we'd be able to deal with it together (financially, emotionally, etc)

Today I had an appt where we finally got down to the exact details of the surgery that would be required. And that's why I've been crying.... they would put on the braces, and once I got comfortable they'd schedule the in-hospital session. At that time I would have 7 teeth removed (4 of which are high-risk impacted wisdom teeth), they'd cut my upper gums to release them from around the bone, then they'd cut the bone that holds the roof of the mouth in one piece (it's two pieces, fused together at the front by bone), and they'd pull apart the left and right sides of the roof of my mouth to expand my upper jaw. This would form a space between my front teeth (keep in mind I am also missing 7 teeth so there are various other gaps). These spaces will gradually fill in AFTER a few months

So essentially I need 2 weeks out of work for the surgery and recovery. And I still won't want to go back to work, or out of the house for that matter, because I'll be an ugly jack-o-lantern! I can't go to work like that!!! I was self-conscious and upset about having to get braces.... this is much, much worse! Esp for someone who already has no self-confidence and suffers from chronic anxiety and depression. OMG I'm gonna cry again...

So because of all the gaps being created, I'll need 3 years of braces... after that I'll be completely healed from the surgery, my jaws will line up correctly, I shouldn't be living on painkillers, my teeth will be straight for the first time in my life, I might be able to sleep through a night without waking up in pain, I might be able to eat without thinking constantly about what will/won't hurt, I won't be so self-conscious when I smile, etc. The straight teeth are a side benefit... the whole purpose of this treatment is to fix my jaw.

Here's an example from the web of what one guy looked like right after the surgery that pulls apart the roof of the mouth:

http://idisk.mac.com/brent9/Public/Teeth/IMG_1526.jpg

It took over 100 days for this guy's gap to fill in, and he didn't even have other gaps from extractions.

I thought I'd feel better to get this written down but I'm feeling more depressed by the minute. I can't live in pain every day anymore, but I'm not sure I can go through this treatment plan either!!

:crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:

I'm extremely sorry for writing so much about this. If you managed to get through it, thank you If not, I don't blame you cuz I'm not sure I'd have read it either.

[Johnny]

[afealicious]

[Kathy]

Thanks for the hugs

I wish this would have been taken care of when I was a young teen! My real anger and frustration is directed at my parents. They got estimates and then turned them down because it cost $4000. Then they put money into a crappy used car (not to drive, for my dad to play with), and also into a get-rich-quick scheme my dad was interested in and got nothing out of. So their excuse to me was that they had no money, but that wasn't really the case.

Compare to now, when the total cost is $10,000, it's more invasive (surgery required), more painful, more risk (of nerve damage in surgery), I have to apply for short term disability to get that much time off work, and I still have to go back to work and look like a jack-o-lantern. My colleagues are rich, all have straight teeth from braces when they were kids, etc. I'm already the odd one out and this is going to make it sooo much worse. I just wanna scream but I've been crying so long I've lost my voice

[closeyoureyes]