Day (Negative) One

Today is Tuesday, July 27, 2010. I feel like I need to accept the fact that I am having Orthognathic (jaw, lower jaw, to be specific) Surgery tomorrow. TOMORROW! This is something that I have been anxiously awaiting since 8th grade when a fellow classmate jokingly called me "Jay Leno". While he has his funny moments, I'm totally cuter than Leno. I've been planning this for more than a year, but I still haven't come to terms with reality that it's less than 24 hours from now. I've been reading (and reading, and reading) others' blogs and while I wanted to keep this experience strictly private, I've been thinking it will do me 'good' to post daily "yacking" since I can't well, "yack", after tomorrow. Oh boy. What have I signed myself up for.

I know you are excited and would probablyPAY to see my face looking like it took a bad 12 rounds with Rocky Balboa, I'm pretty positive I won't be posting pics of this experience. I'm a pretty good BS'er, so I think I can color you a decent picture of what I look like without actually showing you. If I recover smoothly, I may change my mind. But I doubt it. Truly :)

I won't get all "medical" on you and try to explain exactly what this surgery entails, so I will give you the Kristin version. I wore braces for 2 years (age 12-14). At the time, my orthodontist, Dr. A. Wright Pond, suggested jaw surgery to correct my underbite and asymmetrical bottom jaw. This was in 1998 and this particular surgery was "unheard of". At the time, the surgery involved cutting my skin which would leave a significant amount of scarring, etc. My parents opted out of this option. So I wore braces for 2 years with the result of shiny, perfect teeth, with the exception of a crooked bite! Around 2007, I began to notice my upper teeth shifting. I consulted Dr. Pond again because I became really self-aware of the over-lapping teeth and he highly reccommended doing the surgery...again. I read and researched to the point where I thought I could perform the surgery on somebody :) I weighed the risks and decided it was definitely worth it. We began doing molds, impressions, pics, etc. and I had braces put on for the 2nd time (WAY TOO MANY TIMES IN ONE LIFETIME) in August of 2009. I met with my surgeon, Dr. Michael Miller, Commonwealth Oral and Facial Surgery, and we developed a game plan for surgery the summer of 2010...

Which brings me to this day! For now, I must be on a liquid diet for approximately 6 weeks, thus the reason why I OD'd on Krispy Kremes and Ukrop's Chocolate Chess Pie a little while ago...No wiring of the mouth, just rubber bands on my teeth for about 2 weeks. No scarring--everything is done on the inside of my mouth. I haven't had the chance to let myself get nervous quite yet. I try NOT to be a worrier, because I know whatever happens is supposed to happen. So if you're worried from the sound of this surgery, please don't be. Don't pray for me (I'll know I'll be a decent patient), pray for Dr. Miller, my surgeon. I'd hate to see what happens to my lovely broken face if he accidentally sneezes about an hour into the surgery :x I'll keep you posted...