T minus 1

So, I had today all planned out.  I was going to get so much done.  And I had plenty of time to do it all, if things would've just gone as planned...but they didn't.

I had to go up to the Air Force Academy (AFA) to make sure my splint fit.  It was supposed to take 30-seconds.  It would've taken 30-seconds if the splint had fit.  But it didn't.  Apparently sometime between the time that they made my surgical mold (the mold they made of my teeth to practice the surgery on before actually performing it on my face) and today my teeth shifted.  Not good.  

So we had to start over.  The day.before.surgery.  Let me note that this was days worth of work that they had to redo in a few hours.  They had to make new casts, new molds, redo the practice surgery (this alone is a few hours work for my surgeon), make a new splint, and have me come back a few hours later to make sure that it fit this time (it did, whew).

So here's the thing, Dr. Z (surgeon) has never had a patient make an appointment to try on their splint before surgery.  He has also never had a patient who's splint didn't fit after surgery.  But he had this "weird gut feeling" about mine, so asked me to come in (it's a 40 minute drive) to try it on.  I'm so glad he followed his gut. So glad. You know that mold that he practiced my surgery on?  It's his "road map" for what he's going to do to my face tomorrow.  So, you can imagine that it wouldn't have been good if he'd used an "incorrect road map" while performing my surgery.  

After they got the impressions done, I had to rush back home and pack for my kids (they are going to their grandparents' for the week).  I packed for both of them in 20-minutes...that suitcase is a disaster!  I had my husband meet us at home, we rushed back to the AFA to try on the new splint, which fit perfectly.  Then we had to rush to gymnastics (for which we were 15 minutes late).  I was supposed to attend an event tonight, but with all of the craziness, there was absolutely no way I could have made it home in time to get ready (my jeans, Uggs, and Aggie shirt wouldn't have been exactly appropriate, not to mention I was covered in plaster from making new molds).  So instead Nate and I had dinner at the best taco shop in the world, El Taco Rey (http://www.eltacorey.com/menu.pdf) and then he took me to pick up dessert at my other favorite place in town, Marigold's (http://www.marigoldcoloradosprings.com/).  If you are ever in Colorado Springs, just go to both of these places.  I'm going to miss the food in this town soooooo much.  Anyhow, tonight I've eaten so much past my heart's content that I'm pretty miserable.  It was completely worth it. 

I'm supposed to be at the hospital at 11:00 tomorrow.  Can't eat or drink past midnight...do you know how thirsty I'm going to be?  Forget food...I'm going to be grumpy without water!  My surgeon did frown when I told him my report time and said, "Be prepared to show up earlier..."  So maybe he's going to try to adjust that?

People keep asking me if I'm nervous?  I'm not.  Not even slightly, which seems a bit strange.  Maybe I'll be nervous tomorrow?  For now, I'm off to bed.  I will try to update tomorrow, but honestly, no promises.  I did inform my husband that he should update my Facebook page and text my mom, but I can guarantee you he's not going to update my blog...

Surgical hooks

This is just a short update...

On Tuesday I had my last pre-op orthodontist appointment to get my surgical hooks put on.  Later that afternoon I took my kids to gymnastics and a little girl, I'm guessing she was 6, told me, "I really like your braces!  They are so cool!"  Ha-ha, I'm glad someone thinks they're cool!

Surgical "hooks" or "lugs", pretty huh?

They aren't painful or anything...they also aren't exactly attractive.  Oh well, they are a means to an end and it will be worth it in the end.  I asked Dr. T (orthodontist) when I would be getting them off before they were even on.  It'll be at least 4-weeks post-op.  Kind of a bummer, but I'm not sure I'll be wanting anyone to touch my mouth before then anyhow.  

Before I go I'll share a giggle with you.  My husband doesn't really take time off from work.  Like, ever.  But he's taking Wednesday-Sunday off when I have my surgery and I think he's looking forward to it because the other day he told me, "I know that you are having the bottom of your face cut off and reattached with plates and screws and all, but I'm really looking forward to being on leave."  Of course he was kidding (mostly).  It made me smile...he's pretty good at making me smile.