Jaw Surgery - Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Fabio

Yes, this picture actually does have something to do with my surgery. Just keep reading. 

*I am having a bit of difficulty trying to figure out how much to share. I might be erring more on the side of under sharing. If you have any questions I am happy to answer. *

So, as I mentioned in my first post about my jaw surgery Dr. T wants me to get a sleep study done to see if I have obstructive sleep apnea. I had never even heard of sleep apnea until a few days prior to meeting Dr. T. I looked it up and ready a bit about it thinking perhaps I had it. Then after Dr. T brought it up I researched a little more and I'm almost positive this is explains my tiredness and a lot of other stuff too!

First, if you don't know, sleep apnea basically means you stop or have pauses in your breathing while you are sleeping and therefore don't get enough oxygen.

Here I was going to list the symptoms, but decided against it. If you really wanna know you can look it up. If you feel you are more tired in the day than you should be, look it up! and go talk to your doctor! Sleep apnea can be extremely detrimental to you health (like heart failure). I wish I would have known years ago, but I am really glad I know now and am working on getting it resolved.

Lets just say I am pretty much a picture perfect patient. Not fun. But I am so excited to maybe finally (after 7 years) have an answer to a lot of my health issues!!! Also, if this is the answer, it means my health issues are actually more serious than I thought, really have been beyond my control, and I can stop feeling guilty for not being able to function like a normal person. 

Anyway, I need to have a sleep study done to officially diagnose sleep apnea. 

I scheduled my sleep study today. The technician watching me sleep for a Saturday night next May... his name is Fabio. No joke. 

If it is confirmed I have sleep apnea than I will for sure need double jaw surgery. This will not only align my bite properly, but also open up my airway (hopefully) enabling me to breath at night.

People with smaller jaws, like me, are in the group of those more likely to have sleep apnea. Another cause of sleep apnea is swollen lymphoid tissue due to the Epstein-Barr virus. The swelling usually goes down after mono, but occasionally does not. Since I really haven't been well since I had mono, I also want to talk to my doctor about the possibility of removing my tonsils and/or adenoids.

I wanna BREATH! I wanna SLEEP! I wanna LIVE!

Jaw Surgery - It is Official

I have known for two years now that I might need jaw surgery. I got scared and didn't purse it further. Finally, in big part to the insistence of my husband (I kept saying "IF I need surgery." My husband would say "WHEN you get surgery." I was pretty much just in denial.), I made an appointment with a surgeon and got a consultation. I think it took all of 60 seconds and just a bit of prodding around in my mouth before the surgeon told me surgery would be, "reasonable."

The surgeon, we will call him Dr. T, explained to me I had the option of of trying orthodontics, but it wouldn't be nearly as beneficial. He wasn't pushy at all. Just very matter of fact in sort of a friendly way actually. He then told me that if I were to go forward with surgery I would need to get pictures, x-rays, and models of my teeth. I looked at my husband, looked back and Dr. T and said let's do it now. I don't think the office was prepared for that at all! It took another two hours before we got out of there. Lots of waiting, they must have been squeezing us in between all the other appointments. I guess most people aren't so ready to move forward with surgery as soon as they find out, but I had been thinking this over for years and it took enough courage to get me in that office once I wasn't about to leave!

Most people who read this blog or know me in person are probably wondering why I need surgery. So, here is the most apparent reason I need surgery:

My teeth do not come together in the front! In both these photos I am biting down in the back. This makes it incredibly difficult and frustrating to eat a lot of normal foods like burgers, sandwiches, pizza. 

Biting down in the back and I can stick my tongue through my teeth. At least I don't have to worry about biting my tongue off. 

Dr. T first said I just needed lower jaw surgery. That was a relief! But then he went and looked at my charts and the x-rays, came back, asked me some questions about how I sleep, gave me a sleepiness quiz (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and then concluded that it is probable I have sleep apnea and would therefore need upper and lower jaw surgery. The purpose of moving the upper jaw as well would be to open up my airway. He prescribed me a sleep study to find out more. I have to get that done before we can do anything else. 

I hadn't considered sleep apnea before as a reason for my tiredness, but now it makes so much sense! I think I will write about that in another post. I am still very scared of all the risks involved with surgery, but I am also really excited that it may be able to help me with a lot more than just biting through foods. 

I guess that is it for now. I will keep up-dating about my experience. I like reading other people's experiences with jaw surgery, and I can't find very many that have the same problem as me. If you have any question please ask and I will do my best to answer them! Thanks for reading. 

Candlelight

Dan and I have this candle... sconce thing... in our room and I finally got some candles for it! 

I also have some candles on my dresser. 

The candlesticks are teal. I got them at a garage sale for 50 cents. Love. 

Candlelight is so tranquil. I wish it was safe to sleep with candles burning. 

Everyone should have candles in their room. Especially married people. 

Sorry this is such a short shallow post. I am tired. Very tired. 

I am super excited that tomorrow is Saturday and I don't have to work! 

Follow me on Twitter? twitter.com/ToBeHisWife

Flat Expectations and Other Shoes

Excuse my absence the past few weeks. I normally only work a part time job, but I recently took a full time job and I had to work both jobs for two weeks. Now I am just down to the full time job, but I am still very busy. And tired. Anyway...

Pretty sad looking, huh? I got these shoes probably 5 or 6 years ago and it has come time to say goodbye to them. Somehow some oil got on the right one and stretched it out so it no longer fits. As you can see they were looking pretty ratty anyway. They probably should have been thrown out a few years ago. I just haven't been able to find a suitable replacement. 

You see, I only paid $30 for that pair of flats and they are actually leather. I got a good deal. And now I don't want to settle for less. The only thing I can find (and I have done hours upon HOURS of searching, shopping and trying on) that I think would be an equal replacement in terms of quality and comfort is the Cole Haan Air Bacara Ballet.

Cute little detailing on the back. Actually leather! Comfortable! In short, perfect. Except one thing of course. The price: $148. 

>_<

Just can't do it. No matter how perfect they. So alas, I am without flats. Oh well... I should be able to get through the summer without them. It is pretty hot down here and I could use a bigger sandal collection. 

Speaking of which... I used some birthday money to get myself these:

Born Geralyn

Real leather! And look at the wedge, flowers!

These appear to not exist on the internet as I can not find them anywhere. They were the only pair I saw at the DSW I bought them from (and I found them on the clearance rack), but today at a different DSW I saw a bunch. So, best wishes if you want a pair for yourself! 

I wasn't sure about keeping the Geralyns, but I decided I would as a birthday gift to myself. Sometimes I can be too practical. I need to learn that it is ok to have some things just because I think they pretty. As long as I am not spending excessively of course! Birthday money is a perfect opportunity to buy something just because I want it and not because I need it. 

 I still need some flat sandals for everyday wear. And I really would prefer sandals over flip-flops. I have been wearing skirts and dresses a lot more often this year and flip-flops just do not go. 

I think I might end up getting the B.O.C. Keiko Sandal

It is not real leather, but it a great brand. I don't doubt that they will last and a cushioned footbed is something I would really prefer. Why are most the flat sandals available right now so terribly flat? You know what I am talking about? 

Anyway... there is also this pair... OH! And when I looked at it a few days ago it was only shown in black, but now I see a gold pair! Hmm. I think I like the black better, but I already have a pair of black sandals. 

B.O.C. Cersei Sandal

And then their is this pair of shoes which I just totally adore. These could count as sandals, right?

Miz Mooz Darla Flat

Real leather! And... more than $100. Yeah... but I am gonna keep my eye on these and see if they go on sale, because I really like them. 

To wrap up this post look what my mother in law got me for Christmas!

Christmas was like... you know more than three months ago and I just got my gift this weekend. My mother in law is notorious for doing things late. But good things are worth waiting for. ;)