LESSONS LEARNED

Everyone keeps asking me if the last year totally changed me as a person. It’s funny, because when people asks this, they're clearly wanting you to say yes and explain why you’re so different. At first I wanted to tell people that it did, because I guess I thought that if everyone kept asking, it really should have. I don’t want to sound dismissive about the whole process, because it was a huge ordeal and is still ongoing, but I think more than changing me into a different person, it made me more myself. This surgery and healing process solidified who I am, what I stand for, and most importantly, it made me appreciate the people who love me unconditionally even more. So, my pain is gone, which has totally changed how I feel, and thus changed my lifestyle, but I don’t really think I am a different person at the core. Today, I am just a stronger, more blessed and appreciative version of myself.

THE BEST LESSONS LEARNED

1. For better or worse and in sickness or health, can sometimes get very ugly (aka wearing a splint for a year), so marring my best friend was the greatest decision I ever made.
2. Patience truly is a virtue.
3. I am stronger than I ever imagined.
4. Sometimes only siblings can make you smile and help you laugh at yourself.
5. There is healing power in positivity.
6. I only get by with a little help from my friends.
7. Tears heal you as they flow.
8. As a child, my parents gave me the greatest gifts in the world… faith and confidence.
9. A dog really is a girl’s best friend.
10. Nature heals and running outside refreshes the soul.
11. Even during the darkest times, a bright light can shine from within.
12. And finally, that there is a plan for my life and that everything truly happens for a reason. There is no point in asking why things happen, only how and what one can do to turn negative circumstances into positive situations.

1 Year Post-Op

December 18, 2012 
DR. PIPER APPOINTMENT- 8:30am

My appointment went as usual... CT scans, explaining how I was feeling, measurements, etc. After looking at everything Dr. Piper concluded that, although my condyle bones are stronger, and my left side is much more defined and my right side is becoming more calcified, the bones are still very small and fragile and not finished calcifying. In addition, my ball and socket still don't line up perfectly on the right side yet, but the left side looks good. Sadly, my open bite was also 1mm larger than at my nine month appointment, because of the seeding of the bone into the fat graft. So unless some miraculous bone growth occurs, I will have to have the bite corrective osteotomy (lower jaw surgery) for sure now. Bummer! At this point Dr. Piper just doesn't feel that the braces will be able to move my bite as far as it needs to go.

Next, I was disappointed to find out that I couldn't get the Incognito braces. Dr. Piper said that I should get regular braces because of the need to use rubber bands on the fronts of my teeth to keep the pressure off of my joints. Without the rubber bands, he felt that my fat grafts would get unduly compressed. By keeping the pressure off of my joints my bones will have a greater chance of continuing to calcify. Regular braces would also be needed for banding into the splint again when I have the bite surgery. Although I was wishing for anything other than regular braces, I knew that it was the best thing to do, and above all, I will always follow Dr. Piper's advice. The best news was that getting the new braces meant an end to my year long partnership with my splint. YAHOO!!!!

So for now, Dr. Piper wants me to stay on my vitamins and nighttime prescription (to prevent clenching while I sleep), and also remain on a moderate, soft diet. The good news was that I now get to chew the soft food at every single meal. I still just cannot bite with my front teeth and I have to always be sure to switch from side to side while chewing. With more time on a soft diet, we are hoping for continued progress and healing in the joints.

DR. JACKSON APPOINTMENT- 2:30pm
For my orthodontic appointment I got X-rays taken and then had the braces put on. I was sure to take a muscle relaxer and an anti-inflammatory before the appointment, just as Dr. Piper directed. They worked quickly and were good about letting me rest my jaw as needed. They placed six brackets on the top and eight brackets on the bottom...

Dr. Jackson did say that he would like to see me every two months, rather than every three months as was first discussed. My jaw was sore and I had a "normal person" headache after the appointment, but it wasn't anything a nap on the flight home couldn't fix.

BYE, BYE SPLINT
I no longer have to wear the splint (HALLELUJAH) and I only have to place one rubber band on each side while I sleep. Of course, a random thing did happen to me, though. By the time I got home that night, my two front teeth had separated and I had a huge gap...

I called Dr. Jackson and sent him photos. He said that it is something that can happen, but it usually doesn't happen so quickly and make such a large space. Normally, he would have just had me come back into the office that next day, but since I had already flown home, he told me to wait a week and then go to a local orthodontist to have it fixed by adding an elastic chain to close the space. I followed his advice and it worked like a charm. My teeth were sore for about a week and I took Aleve to help with the pain.

FUTURE SURGERY
As far as a timeline for bite surgery goes, Dr. Piper said that it isn't even an option until my teeth fit together properly again. Thus, he doesn't want to see me again until June, when I have had the new braces for six months. At that point he will assess my joint and orthodontic progress and he will have a better idea of when the surgery might happen. However, he did say that even after six more months, my bones still might not be strong enough to withstand bite surgery. We shall see...

February 18, 2013

DR. JACKSON APPOINTMENT- 2:00pm

During this trip to Florida, I only went to see Dr. Jackson. He was very pleased with my progress and said everything was looking great. They changed out my wires, replaced one of my front brackets, and added more wire support between my two front teeth so that the gap would thankfully never return. 

He wants to see me again in two months.

March 15, 2013

PROGRESS UPDATE

At first it was so strange not having to always worry about my splint schedule. I constantly felt like I was forgetting something, because it had become such a huge part of my daily routine. But now I feel such freedom. The new braces have been such a breeze compared to the surgical braces. They don't shred the insides of my cheeks like the other ones did, which is so nice. I have also gotten my pills down to only taking them with meals and at bedtime, so this simplifies things, too.

Overall, today I feel really FABULOUS. My muscles stay loose as long as I do Pilates and exercise five days per week. I no longer have any pain or soreness when I talk or smile a lot, I don't clench, and soft chewing at every meal doesn't make my joint or muscles fatigued, either. I would say I now feel like I never even had surgery, but I cannot really say that because I feel so good now and I felt so bad before. So I guess now, I just feel fixed and totally back to normal. Whether I have to have another surgery to correct my bite or not, I am open to and ready for whatever the future holds for the rest of my recovery.

9 Months Post-Op

I FINALLY reached the 9 month mark on October 4th!!! Originally, this was supposed to be the end of the road for my splint and pureed/soft chew diet. But, as most of this has played out on my journey of recovery, I am on my own path and an exception to the rule.

September 17, 2012
9 Month Appointment

 {Waiting for Dr. P and the last photo of me with -b-r-a-c-e-s-}

10:00 am
My checkup started off as usual with a CT scan. Next, I met with Tonya and Dr. Piper to discuss my progress. I let them know that I was feeling really great, but that I had experienced some achiness with the cooler temperatures and rain. Dr. Piper assured me that it was normal for changes in the weather (barometric pressure) and altitude (from flying or going into the mountains) to cause discomfort, but that this would subside and then totally go away in another year or so. This was great news, as I thought that I would have to deal with this soreness forever.

Dr. Piper took measurements of my widest vertical opening and side-to-side movement. He was very pleased with my range of motion, as it was even better than my last appointment. My right side moved from 5 mm to 7 mm and my left went from 7 mm to 8 mm. My vertical opening increased from 37 mm to 39 mm and my protrusion decreased from 5 mm to 3 mm. However, I do still have a Class II anterior open bite with molar occlusion of about 1 mm on the left and 2 mm on the right. Next, we were off to view my CT scans to see what was happening inside the joints.

CT SCANS
In viewing my scans, we saw that the condyle on my left side had increased in height, but the best news was that the bone on my right side had finally started to grow, as well. You might remember from my last post that my left side showed boney remodeling with expansion of bone dimension posterior and superior to the original condyle, but my right side had no such reaction. Thus, Dr. Piper said if I gained no new bone on my right side, that I would have to have another surgery, this time to lengthen the jaw bone, to get my bite back together. However, with the latest progress, he said it is much less likely that I will have to have that bite corrective osteotomy.

At my 6 month appointment, both condyles were slightly forward positioned. The left condyle has now centered itself more in the fat graft in the joint, but unfortunately, the right condyle isn't completely centered. This is why it is forward postured along the slope of eminence and why the occlusion on this side is more Class II than the left side.  

In all events, Dr. Piper said I will still need another surgery (in about 9 months) to pull my chin into a normal forward position, because it receded so much with the original condylar bone loss. But hey, one more procedure is much better than two!

SPLINT + EATING
Since my right condyle just started to grow, and is very fragile because it has not totally calcified, Dr. Piper decided to keep me in my splint for three more months. He also increased my splint time to 12 hours per day (8 at night and 4 during the day). I also have to stay on the soft diet with only one soft chew meal per day.

This news was a let down, as I had gotten used to my freedom from the splint and I was so ready to finally eat real food again. When you start out on a huge journey like this, you get through the tough days by having an end goal in sight. Nine months was my mark. After one deep breath, I accepted that my finish line was pushed out. No matter what, I totally trust Dr. Piper and I have chosen to look on the bright side and do whatever it takes to fully recover.

BRACES

After a little bad news, the WONDERFUL NEWS came next. Although I had to keep wearing my splint, Dr. Piper said that I could still get the braces off, except for eight brackets in the back, top and bottom, around which I would just wrap the bands. So, I was off to Dr. Jackson's office to have the ugly metal taken off. HALLELUJAH!

12:00 - Dr. Jackson Appointment
Getting the braces off only took about 35 minutes. The little wire cutters were a sight for sore eyes. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, but it wasn't horribly painful either. Basically, the orthodontist just put a ton of pressure on the brackets until they popped off. And several of those little guys didn't want to go. She also buzzed off all of the discolored glue. Although all of the noise made my skin crawl a little, it was music to my ears. She let me take breaks as needed, and I took a 1/4 of a Klonopin and Advil beforehand, so I was fine.

Here you can see my NAKED TEETH and slightly-off bite right after.

 

Overall, I'm hoping that my right side will continue to grow and that my bite will start to come back together enough that my Incognito braces (which I'll get in December), will be able correct my bite enough that I won't have to get the jaw lengthening bite surgery. I don't need to take the Klonopin anymore either, which is great. I've made it through so much and progressed so well thus far, so until then, I'm just going to...

So it's back to wearing the splint for half of the day, three more months of not eating regularly, continued therabite and jiggle exercises, and remaining on all the vitamins and supplements... but the braces are gone, and I am feeling so much better that it is all totally worth it. And really, what is three more months in the grand scheme of things?

I am just so thankful to be where I am today. For the first time in 5 years I can smile and talk to my heart's content without having pain! What a true gift and immeasurable blessing. 

7 + 8 Months Post-Op

August 1, 2012

NEW SCHEDULE

SPLINT: I only have to wear my splint for one hour during the day and all night. I am also always sure to wear it when I am doing Pilates or running. This may be a little overkill at this stage in the game, but I don't want to risk any damage to my joints until I get the "all clear."

FOOD: I'm still on the soft diet with one soft chew meal a day. I never really was one to have super strong cravings for food, but I get them pretty badly now. And, I have found that not wearing the splint all day allows me to eat more often. Ha, I have gained back all of the weight that I lost due to the surgery. But I am still exercising daily and doing Pilates, so everything is still in check. (I'll report back once I get the clear to actually eat normally again.)

THERABITE + JIGGLES: As a result of wearing my splint so little during the day, I got word from Dr. P's office that I could scale back my Therabite and jiggle exercises to three times/day. This has been helpful, because it is harder to remember to do the exercises when I'm not taking the splint in and out all day long. Now I just do my mouth exercises when I remove the splint when I wake up, in the afternoon, and before bed. 

JOINTS: I have noticed crunching sounds and occasional popping noises in my left joint when I do my Therabite and jiggle exercises. Dr. Piper assured me this was a normal part of the healing process and could be from the new growth on my left side. Noise or no noise, both of my joints are still pain free!

September 4, 2012
8 Months Post-Op
I cannot believe I am only one month away from the 9 month mark. The first four months seemed to last forever, but these last four months have really gone by quickly. I think it has been the combination of being super busy and leading a normal life again. Thank goodness for the summer!

Fall Weather
I'm not sure how it has been where you live, but the summer was super dry in Arkansas. We got very little rain and tons of 100+ temperatures. Over the last few days I have noticed a little facial muscle and neck achiness that I have not experienced in quite some time, as the temperatures are starting to drop and rain has finally come our way. It's nothing that an Aleve cannot rectify, but I thought it was worth noting.

For me, everything else is going well. I'm just plugging along and continuing to do Pilates, exercise, eat a healthy diet, and take all of my vitamins and supplements. I cannot wait for my 9 month appointment with Dr. Piper. I just want to know if I can be finished with this splint and surgical braces and move on, or if I will need to keep them for three more months. The suspense is killing me! I am a planner and I just want to know one way or the other. I keep telling myself that patience is a virtue...

5 + 6 Months Post-Op

Hello, Friends. I'm sorry for the delay in my posting! This summer has been unbelievably busy. But the good thing is that I am out living life again (and not sitting at home on my computer).

In the beginning, I must confess, because of having to wear my splint and ugly braces I cringed every time I had to go to a party. But, I had to get over it. There were way too many wonderful events to attend this summer, because... MY BABY BROTHER GOT MARRIED!!!!!

June 1, 2012
NEW SCHEDULE- 
SPLINT: 2 hours twice a day, and all night.
FOOD: Soft diet and one soft chew meal every other day.

In addition to my 6 Month checkup in St. Pete, this month I had a Bachelorette Party Weekend to attend, an island vacation to enjoy, and a week in Florida packed with parties, dinners, lunches, brunches, and a beautiful Rehearsal Dinner and gorgeous Wedding for my brother and his bride. I was honored to be a bridesmaid... b-r-a-c-e-s and all! 

Next up was celebrating our 6th Anniversary and a vacation to St. John, USVI. Dr. Piper said I couldn't snorkel because my right joint was still too fragile, so I just wore a mask and swam around the reefs. Swimming in the sea throughout the week was really very good for my neck muscles which always get really tight from traveling.

We also went deep sea fishing. At lunch time, I got some strange looks from the captain when I pulled my jello and mac-and-cheese from the cooler, but once he saw the splint in all its glory, he put it all together. He may have thought I was a weeny to begin with, but in the end, I caught the BIGGEST fish! This girl is back in the game.

After all of the traveling this summer I have become a pro at brushing my teeth and changing my splint in every place imaginable. I can do it at restaurants, in a car, on a plane, aboard a boat, in public restrooms, in a truckers lounge (don't ask), and pretty much every place in between. All this splint stuff really becomes second nature. You do what you have to do if you want to stay on schedule, and by now, you should know that I like my schedule. No matter where I was, I wanted to be sure to stick to my soft diet, so my magic bullet has also become very well traveled!  Okay, enough with the fun stuff, I just wanted you all to know I am doing well :).  Here's the latest with my joints...

Monday, June 18th

Dr. Piper- 6 Month Checkup

My appointment started off like my last with a new CT Scan. Next, measurements were taken of how wide I could open and move my jaw from side to side. Dr. Piper went over my measurements, answered my questions, asked how I was feeling, and we talked about my progress. He was again very pleased that I was meticulously sticking to my daily medicine/break schedule, and that each week I continue to take two private Stott Pilates lessons, run/walk at least 5 times, and perform daily neck + shoulder exercises from my PT and therabite + jiggle exercises for my jaw.

Finally, we reviewed my CT Scans together on his big screens. Here are the results...

My neck has regained curvature!

My neck is still not back to normal, and it may never be, but it is so much better. I still get some tightness and soreness at times, but using my heating pad works wonders. Being proactive and always doing my exercises, limiting my computer time, and going to bed with my spa wrap eases the strain of the day.

My fat grafts are healthy. 

Everything looked good with my fat grafts. I have no pain in my joints at all. Occasionally I hear noise on the left side, but other than that, I really cannot even tell I had joint surgery.

I still have a Class II Occlusion.

My bottom teeth are sitting behind where they should be, so my top and bottom teeth are stacked on top of each other rather than being altered. Braces will be necessary to move my bite back together.

I have condyle bone growth.

Some of you might remember that at my 3 month check-up Dr. Piper believed he saw new bone growth on my condyles. Well, he was right. My left condyle has grown a lot. It actually looks round! The bad news is that my right side is not growing. It still looks as flat as a pancake. Dr. Piper said that it is rare for one side to grow and not the other, because the exact same procedure was performed on both joints and they have been healing in the same environment. While the left side looks healthy and strong, my right side is still weak and fragile. Dr. Piper thinks it may take an extra 3 months beyond the normal 9 month calcification period for the calcification process to be complete.

That being said, I may not be able to be finished with the splint and surgical braces at the 9 month point. At my next appointment in September the results of the CT scans will dictate whether or not I move forward with having the surgical braces removed and discontinuing the splint schedule, or continuing with the splint for 3 more months. Dr. Piper again reiterated the importance of continuing to take all of my vitamins and supplements for bone health and to be very careful while eating so not to injure the right side.

A second surgery may be in my future.

If my left side continues to grow and my right side doesn't catch up, I will be lopsided again. They will try to correct this with orthodontics, but braces may not be enough. Thus, there is a likelihood that once all of the growing and calcification is complete, I will have to have a jaw lengthening surgery on my right side. 

For now I am trying not to think about it too much. All I can do is all I can do. I am continuing to do all in my power to promote health, keep a positive attitude, and pray that right side will G.R.O.W!!!!

Dr. Jackson- Orthodontist
12:30 PM
After my appointment with Dr. Piper, I went upstairs to consult with the wonderful Dr. Jackson, as it was time to start planning for my next set of braces. Since Dr. Piper recommends him, I have chosen to continue traveling to St. Pete and doing my orthodontic work with Dr. Jackson. I don't want to risk anything at this point, so I am sticking with The Man.

Dr. J looked at my latest scans, examined me, and took more measurements. He informed me that he can easily get a bite completely back together with braces when the open bite is 2-3cm. However, my bite needs to move 5cm :(. Thus, he thinks that I will need to wear the next set of braces for at least 18 months and after that it still might not be enough. After 9 months of wearing the braces, we should know if the orthodontics can complete the job or not. If they cannot,  I'll have to move forward with the right side jaw lengthening surgery. But we're going to give it our best shot!

When I started this process, I thought I would only have to wear the second set of braces for around 9 months. So, when I heard it would be at least 18 months, I was a little bummed. Then, Dr. Jackson made my day by showing me the latest and greatest INCOGNITO BRACES! I would like to kiss whoever invented these little golden jewels. If you haven't heard about them, they're placed on the back side of your teeth, so they are completely hidden from view.

Incognito braces are made one patient at a time, one tooth at a time. They are 100% customized to follow the contours of your teeth for comfort and performance. The wires are bent to a precise shape with robotic technology to ensure the desired results. This allows teeth to be moved in the most efficient manner possible. Dr. J said that the only problem is the braces can cause a bit of a speech impediment while you're getting used to them. Heck, that is no problem for me... I've learned to speak pretty clearly wearing a giant splint.

FYI- Once I get the braces on, I will only have to visit Dr. J every three months for checkups.

OTHER UPDATES

The GOOD

All of the physical signs of my surgery are pretty much gone. I no longer have to wear any bandages over my stomach scar, because it really isn't sensitive anymore. My ear scars are totally faded and my sideburns are finally long enough to tuck behind my ears.

I have no headaches and very little pain, with none being in the joints. Over the last few months, I have experienced some deep aching in my ramus bone or masseter muscle (I cannot really tell which it is), but it hasn't ever been there for more than a few hours for a couple of days.  A few times it was on the right side when I awoke, but mostly it has been on the left. Lots of talking and smiling can also make my masseters sore, but this is so much better than it used to be. I usually just take Aleve and it makes it feel fine again. But, around 10 times I've taken 1/4 tab of Klonopin to treat the ache/soreness.

The BAD

Brownish teeth are not attractive. I panicked a little as I thought my bottom teeth were starting to rot, but Dr. J told me that it was just the braces' glue, that got in between my bottom teeth, which has started to turn brown. I brush all of the time, but he said that there really isn't anything that can be done until I get the braces off and have my teeth cleaned. Luckily, I don't think it's really noticeable to anyone but me, when I'm staring at my teeth one inch away from the mirror, but still. EWWW!

The UGLY

My chin has receded. After surgery, my profile was almost back to normal, but not anymore. This was to be expected. Dr. Piper let me know that I would have some compression of the fat grafts during the healing process. I was hoping that it wouldn't be noticeable, but it has become visibly apparent. People say they don't notice, but it bothers me. So, if I want my old profile back, I will have to have the Genioplasy surgery to move my chin forward in order to make up for the pre-surgery condyle bone loss. If I plan to move forward with it, Dr. Piper will do the surgery. I'll keep you posted.

July 1, 2012
NEW SCHEDULE-
SPLINT: 1 hour twice a day, and all night.
FOOD: Soft diet and one soft chew meal each day.

July was almost as busy as June. We've gone to two friend's out of town weddings, celebrated our nephew's big 5th Birthday, attended a concert in St. Louis, and hosted an Engagement Party. I love life, and now that I am feeling better, I don't have to miss any of it. HOORAY FOR HEALING.

W-O-W
The most amazing and unexpected part of this whole journey has been receiving emails from people who have read this blog. In the beginning, I was just hoping that a couple of people would have a resource that I wish so badly would have been there for me. To each of you who have written to thank me, I want to THANK YOU. Your kind words and genuine expressions of gratitude have given me a sense of purpose, restored my faith in my belief that everything happens for a reason, and blessed me in more ways than I could ever express.

The Zen of Zebras

I LOVE ANIMALS! I took this zebra photo, blew it up, and hung it in my home, to remind myself to BREATHE...

Feeling stressed about your jaw issues? It's not just in your head. The rest of your body feels it, too. My  step-mom is a physician and she sent me the great article below. Dealing with TMJ and other jaw problems is really hard. And while you may think you're handling it fine, your body might have other ideas... 

Believe it or not, the same physiological mechanisms that made the zebra run away after being attacked by a lion are at play when you have psychological stress. Lance Luria, MD, vice president and medical director of Mercy Health and Wellness, noted,“When you're under stress, it causes real biochemical changes to take place in your body. Stress is a survival response that was geared to get us out of harm's way. We weren't designed to live with it for years on end."

Because our bodies are a network of interconnecting systems, stress can have an effect on all of them. Over time, it can cause, or aggravate, all kinds of physical and mental issues – including heart disease, depression, sleep disturbances, weight and metabolic disorders, and stomach issues, to name a few. While we may consider ourselves superior to animals in some ways, they have a definite health advantage over us when it comes to their response to stress. 

“Humans have the ability to imagine, react and relive stress. Because we're able to think abstractly (anticipating a problem at work or health issue), we're susceptible to a chronic stress response – which may have serious health consequences,” Dr. Luria stated. “The zebra doesn‟t do that. When the zebra is being attacked by a lion, its stress response is activated. If it survives, the stress response resolves.”

Dr. Luria's reference to the zebra is a nod to the work of Robert M. Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. In his book, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Sapolsky explained: 

“For the vast majority of beasts on this planet, stress is about a short-term crisis, after which it's either over with or you're over with. When we sit around and worry about stressful things, we turn on the same physiological responses – but they are potentially a disaster when provoked chronically. A large body of evidence suggests that stress-related disease emerges, predominately, out of the fact that we so often activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies, but we turn it on for months on end, worrying about mortgages, relationships, and promotions.”

In Constant Fight/Flight Mode
So what turns on a stress response? Your brain. If it perceives danger, whether real or imagined,it sends out signals releasing chemical messengers and hormones (including glucocorticoids). These signals instantly activate our body's fight, flight or freeze response. But if the stress doesn't end (the lion isn't vanquished or you still have to face family or financial issues), your body doesn‟t return to normal. Can't we just tell our brains to turn it off? Not exactly. Our conscious brain isn't in complete control. The unconscious and primitive part of our brain runs the stress response and we may not be able to control it.

Here's why: Our nervous system is divided into a voluntary (conscious) system, and an autonomic (unconscious) system. The autonomic system kicks into high gear when there's a perceived danger – whether physical or emotional in nature.

This autonomic system also has two parts. When we're under stress, one part (the sympathetic nervous system) is activated, and the other (the parasympathetic nervous system) slows down. The sympathetic system releases chemicals like epinephrine (adrenaline) as part of the emergency stress response. It increases heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar, for example, maximizing resources that can save your life.

At the same time, the parasympathetic system (the alter ego of the sympathetic system), which normally promotes digestion, energy storage and relaxation, slows or shuts down completely so your body can use all available resources to survive the emergency. In the modern-day world, this may simply be a traffic jam.

“For instance, if you're being chased by a wild beast, your stomach automatically says, "I don't have to process food; I'm more worried about becoming food." So your stomach stops digesting,” Dr. Luria explained. “Your brain directs blood away from some regions, sending it to other areas needed to help you stay alive.”

Warning: Danger Ahead
Although a stress response may be lifesaving in the short term, it can be very detrimental if it becomes chronic. Although stress impacts each of us differently, it's important to know how to recognize signs of stress in ourselves and those around us. In addition to more serious medical issues, stress can also cause:

Cognitive: Memory problems, poor concentration and judgment, increased negative thinking.

Emotional: Moodiness, short temper, irritability, agitation, complaints of feeling overwhelmed, general unhappiness and isolative behavior.
Physical: Frequent colds, increased physical complaints such as feeling worn out and headaches.
Behavioral: Procrastination, neglecting responsibilities and taking unscheduled days off.

Go to Your Happy Place
While we can't all be like zebras, letting go of our stress response as soon as the predator disappears, there are lots of simple things you can do to reclaim your cool when you're feeling frazzled. Here are a few:

Exercise. It helps reduce stress, improves your health and even promotes the growth of new neurons in your brain. 

Try a Relaxation Technique like yoga, meditation, visualization or tai chi – and practice it often. 

Eat a Healthy Diet high in antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. These may help neutralize toxic free radicals that form in the brain under stress.

Get Enough Rest.

Work at Being an Optimist. People who handle stress well tend to have an optimistic attitude. Try exchanging negative thought patterns and self-talk for a more positive outlook.

Spend Time with People You Enjoy.

Embrace Challenges, have a good sense of humor and believe in a higher purpose. 

Nurture Others: helping those in need can make you feel better about life.

Strive for Control in Your Life: set goals for the things you have control over and follow through with them.

Don't Over-Schedule Yourself. You need unstructured time, too. 

With everything I've been through with my jaw issues, I know I've earned my stripes. Each morning I remind myself to channel my inner zebra ;).

4 Months Post-Op

May 1, 2012

SPLINT
As I said last month, I get to focus on the time I am in my splint, rather than the time I am out. I now wear my splint in 2 hour increments, 3 times per day, and all night. I try to evenly space out the time throughout the day by keeping it in for 2 hours, out for 2 hours. Only wearing the splint for 6 hours a day has allowed me to do a lot more going out to eat and hanging out with friends. This being said, for the first few weeks after I switched to this new schedule my facial muscles were pretty sore by the end of the day. But now I am not getting sore at all. Overall, the new schedule has given me more freedom and a sense of normalcy that I needed.

May 14, 2012

MEDICATION

After five weeks of weaning off 1/4 of a pill of my Klonopin per week, I am completely off of all of my daytime prescription medications. Now I only take Trazodone at bedtime, to prevent clenching in my sleep, and all of my vitamins and supplements. Here's a picture of what I take daily...

One of my fears going into the surgery was that I wouldn't be able to get off, or that I would have a whole lot of trouble getting off, the muscle relaxers. There were a couple of days when I didn't feel so good, I got a headache, my teeth were abnormally sensitive, and my braces started rubbing the inside of my mouth raw in spots. I had some facial and neck muscle tightness, and a few spasms/facial twitches as I reduced the levels. These side effects never lasted more than an hour or so, and I totally expected them, as I have been on different muscle relaxers for years. I won't lie, I got in one good 10 minute meltdown/cry, but once I got over the hump, things have been great. I have really tried to stay positive and focus on looking ahead. Working out has been the biggest help in relaxing my tight muscles. I cannot say enough good things about how much Pilates and walking/running continue to aid in my recovery. 

I do still have my Klonopin to take if needed. Although I would like to say that I will never need it again, there have been two occasions, when I really overdid my activity level, that I have taken a 1/4 tab since stopping it. I had to promise myself that I would listen to my body and take it if I felt I needed it. There is no point in being stubborn and suffering. The only thing that hasn't been so great, since I got off of the Klonopin, is that it takes me a lot longer to fall asleep at night. I wake up pretty easily during the night, as well. The interesting thing is, that I am getting less sleep, but I don't feel tired all day like I used to. I think my body is finally getting back into its own natural rhythm. I sleep about 8 hours per night now. 

It is truly amazing how being free of chronic pain has made me feel like a new person.  

Major Accomplishments this Month

I'M A BIG GIRL
I graduated from using baby spoons and a baby sized toothbrush. I'm back to normal sized items. I also moved up to #5 on my Therabite.

A NEW DO
Since January, I have not trusted someone with scissors, a hard plastic comb, and a hot hair dryer anywhere near my healing ear incisions. However, my ears are finally less sensitive, and I was way overdue for a haircut. I was very adamant about telling my stylist not to touch my ears and she did a great job of steering clear. My sideburns have grown out a lot, too. They are down to my earlobes now and are almost long enough to tuck back behind my ears.

PILLOW POWER
I can lay on my side and even sleep with my ear on my pillow without pain. However, I still try to sleep on my back as much as possible, and keep my chin off of the pillow when on my side, to reduce the pressure on my jaw.

BELLY LAUGHS
Towards the end of four months, my stomach incision has finally become less sensitive. I can wear shorts and some pants without having to wear a gauze patch over my scar. However, there are still some jeans with which I have to wear a patch, because of where the button hits the incision.

TOTTY TIME
I totally stopped drinking alcohol for the first 4 months after my surgery. I was on so many medications that I didn't want to risk any side effects. I also didn't really want to put anything unhealthy into my body while it was trying so hard to heal. However, after getting off of my Klonopin, I decided that I was over the hump and a nice glass of wine was in order. I'm not drinking much, but the experts say red wine is good for your health, right?

BIG EVENTS
I've started hosting parties at my house again, and I've had lots of great events to attend over the last month! I flew by myself for the first time in mid-May and everything went well. My brother and his fiancee had a Couples' Shower for their upcoming wedding and also on that trip I got together with my extended family and a group of high school friends who I haven't seen in years, and we celebrated Mother's Day. The next big weekend was when my sister had her High School Graduation. All of these events have involved travel and lots of activity and talking for several days in a row. I thought I might start to feel bad, or get a few headaches, but no such luck. I felt way better than I could have ever imagined!

I'm the oldest of 5 kids, so when we all get together (with our significant others in tow), there is a lot of action and nonstop laughter! Even with all of the interaction, I cannot believe how great I felt! I am so thankful to have made so much progress over the last month.