Thursday, April 30, 2009

kinda mean, i'nit?

My dentist’s office gave me a “goodie bag” after my cleaning last week…the usual toothbrush, toothpaste, floss…and bubble gum.  WTF.  What kind of jerk puts gum in the bag of a patient with braces?  That’s just cruel.

 

OK, I get that it’s a standard bag and it wasn’t done intentionally.  I just think it’s kind of funny. J

 

7 more days

I keep starting posts in my email and then running out of time to finish, so that last one was actually written days ago.  We got the paid leave situation settled, went grocery shopping for some things that will resemble food, and right now I'm concentrating on eating/chewing everything around me and doing as much activity as I can.  I am currently late for work, 'cause I stayed out too late at a concert and then had to get up 3 times in the night with our dog...  So tired!

9 more days...

I had my pre-surgical visit with Dr. Desa, my surgeon yesterday.  We took photos, xrays, molds and impressions, and he walked me through the surgical procedures.  Next Thursday I will go to the hospital for a LeFort osteotomy to correct my maximiliar hyperplasic and a sagglital split osteotomy to correct my mandibular hypoplasia.  Big words = they're cutting my bones and moving them around.

Dr. D. went over all the risks involved and answered all of my questions - what should I eat or not eat (soft foods and liquid, but no restrictions like I had with my tonsillectomy), do I need syrings to eat (yes and they gave me a couple, will my nose move or change?  Dr. D. seems surprised by that last one -apparently no one ever asks, but yes, it will move a little, but he'll be careful.  He's also going to clean out my si

Earlier in the day, however, I got a frantic call from my boss's boss.  My paid medical leave from work had been denied!  Turns out that Dr. Desa's office had yet to send in their half of the paperwork and it was due last week...  I think we have that straightened out now - I sure hope so, 'cause my dear sweet husband was not thrilled about the idea of me NOT getting paid. Eek.  Me neither. 

Friday, April 24, 2009

The countdown has begun...

My surgery is now 2 weeks away!  Eek!  I'm starting to get nervous...but still very excited.  Mostly for the "vacation" from work, which is also very hectic right now.

My last couple of weeks:

So, after rescheduling my dentist appointment to June, I visited with Dr. Weber, my ortho...who instructed me to schedule a cleaning.  Blah.  Yeah, just did that...for after the surgery, and now I need one beforehand.  Well, the dentist is booked, so I get on the cancellation list.  Here are my issues for this particular sitaution:  I live on one side of Omaha, and work on another (about a 20 mile commute).  My ortho is near my house, my dentist is near my work...in order to get my teeth cleaned, I'm going to have to: wait for a cancellation (holding breath), get an appointment, go to the ortho to have wires removed, go to dentist for cleaning, go back to ortho to have wires replaced.  Good times.  Considering the fact that cancellation means "short notice", I'm guessing the changes of me getting an appointment that doesn't involve driving from work side of town to ortho side of town and back and forth, are slim to none.

Am I right?  Yep.  The dentist called Wednesday with a cancelled appointment.  Well, first of all, I actually miss the call, notice is on the Caller ID, call back, and am told that I missed out and they've already booked the appt.  Great.  but they call back minutes later with another time.  Thursday (yesterday), 10:15.  Fine, except that I'll already be at work at the time, so I'm going to have to stop into the ortho before leaving for the morning.  OK.  Call the ortho - the earliest they can get me in is 8:25.  Not OK.  I should be at work by 8, so this is highly inconvenient and cutting into my vacation time!  Oh, well.  I make the best of the morning, get up early, get a much-needed early bird special oil change for my car, and hit the ortho. 

Orthodontist assistant:  "Hi Aimee! Do you know why you're here today?"
Me:  "Yes, I'm getting my teeth cleaned today, so I need my wires popped out."
OA:  "Uh-huh."  (distractedly).
5 minutes last, after she has pulled my bottom wire halfway out, then started attaching things and putting it back in, I realize that I might know why I'm there, but she obviously doesn't.  I'm trying to peek at my chart on the monitor and see something about pre-surgery prep.  She's putting my surgical hooks on. 

Me:  "um, aren't you going to take the wires out?  I'm just here to get the wires taken off for the day so I can get my teeth thoroughly cleaned."
OA:  (blank stare) "Oh.  I guess you said that.  Let me see here... Your chart doesn't mention that."  Then she rereads the chart and decided that she's reading the instruction for my next appointment....

So my 2 minutes ortho appt took 15.  Oh, well. 

At the dentist a few hours later...I'm sitting in the waiting room.  I know that my regular appointment isn't for another month.  I know that I just want my teeth cleaned because my insurance won't pay for this appointment and I can't afford a full checkup out of pocket.  Yes, I know!  I also know I can hear the receptionist and the dental hygienist talking about me like I'm not sitting 3 feet away from them. 

After a slightly painful cleaning, I have extremely clean teeth.  Stopping at the desk to pay, the receptionist pulls up my insurance again...and realizes that it would have paid for the whole checkup and will indeed pay for this cleaning.  Oh.  Well! 

It was an irritating day, tooth-wise.  Just little things, but the little things are the ones that really sting!

But that's OK - less than 2 weeks to go.  Right now, I'm brushing, flossing, and eating everything in sight while I still can...

Monday, April 6, 2009

scheduling...

My dentist sends me a reminder postcard when I have a checkup coming up.  So I get my postcard in the mail this weekend…my appointment is May 21.  Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be ready to have my teeth cleaned 2 weeks post-surgery.  They can’t squeeze me in before surgery, so now I’m going on June 15.  Hopefully that will be enough time…

Continuing uneventfulness here.  My braces are boring.  Not that I should complain…

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The braces return to Mexico

Yes, I’m a slacker blogger again. It’s been super insanely busy lately, with work and all the other fun stuff that I do. My belly dance troupe broke up and we’re working to establish a new one, plus my dear sweet husband insisted that we take a few days off and go to Cancun. Well, if we must. So last week we took off for a couple of days at a beach resort, where we ate, drank, and sat on the beach to just relax – a very nice change of pace. Naturally, upon returning home, the craziness just started up again and it’s been nonstop ever since.


My surgery date is still set for May 7 – 5 weeks from tomorrow!