Til Monday...

Hey Guys-

Really nothing to report until Monday. I get my brackets on and front braces adjusted then...Eek...

I will say I'm starting to really think about where I would like to recover after my surgery - despite the surgeons. As amazing as Santa Barbara is and my parents obviously are, I think I might have a hard time not being around my Dallas friends for that long. Weird saying that. I cherish my family, but they aren't my day to day check in on me like my friends are. Possession is 9/10th of the law, they say, and my friends have me in Dallas...for now. Wish I had my family closer, but it is what it is.

At the end of the day, I will chose the best surgeon regardless. I sure as hell am not doing this again. But, I guess when you are making a big decision like this, you really start to evaluate things :/

Deep Thoughts ...

- Shlee

PS - Much love to all my Family from all over the US and all my Cali, NY, UK Friends - I know I have a ton of support from you and I wish I had possession of you guys always!!

#jawprobz #doublejawsurgery #deepthoughts #familyandfriends #firstworldproblems #santabarbara #dallas

First Client Meeting :)

Hey Hey -

Welp! If you are following, I survived the weekend...barely:). The Kid Cudi concert was super fun!! This is what I learned ....the braces did not affect what I believed was my amazing rapping skills. Nope. Not at ALL. The braces were not the problem! Pretty sure...I never had them to start. But, that's another blog I guess?! :)

I did just get back from Atlanta on a work trip visiting a client and seeing co-workers that have not seen my GRILL  (my mouth for you folks not up on my ever ridiculous lingo) . The consensus is no one really notices. That's great and all, but I still feel so awkward and it sucks. Good news is...I'm playing it off. Whew!

So, my take aways from the past few days are: What is really bothering you, probably no one else notices. Second, I am too old to go to a Kid Cudi concert.

Two very valuable lessons!

I meet with Dr. Adams on Monday to discuss the surgeons and adding brackets. I expect a lot  more to report then! Till then...

Love you guys,

-Shlee

#jawprobs #toooldforCUDI #rockyourGrill #doublejawsurgery #ashleysjawprobs

Happy FriYay

Hey Peeps,

Sorry it's been a week, there really wasn't too much to report. The pain of the braces definitely is much better. Besides occasional cuts in my mouth from the surgical hooks on the brackets :0, a spacer popping and a bracket breaking, all is well..LOL.

My next appointment with the ortho is next next Monday (in a week and a half). I think they will be placing the brackets around my back molars on that appointment along with the adjustments for my top teeth (ouch).

I will say that in just two short weeks of having my top braces on, my teeth have definitely moved. And, really, in a weird kind of way. I have spaces between certain teeth. With the movement, I can tell my bite is already dramatically different - not in a good way. Unfortunately, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better and everything is aligned properly. Sigh....

I'm hoping to make a decision on my surgeon next week when I meet with my ortho. It's been really difficult trying to decide which surgeon to go with :/. Hopefully, the ortho can help me weigh out the pros and cons of each because this limbo is super SUPER annoying.

On a fun note, I'm headed to the Kid Cudi concert tonight with one of my besties. Super excited about that! I'll see how my rapping/singing skills hold up with my new bite and awesome braces.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend and doesn't do anything I would do....

Bye for Now, Ash aka Shlee

PS - So far, the braces do not seem to have affected my dating life :)-

#sexinthebracescity #jawprobs #doublejawsurgery

Ohhhh Happy Day

Yay! Today I feel a TON better. My mouth is starting to heal and the pain from the braces and the spacers have subsided....Whoop!!

I figure I better get used to the adjustments because they are child's play compared to the surgery/recovery. I'm really hoping the second surgery will not be as bad as the first one, but I at least have an idea of what I'm getting myself into this time. Last time, I really had no clue the extent of what the recovery process would be. Not exactly sure what I expected by having my upper and lower jaw broken ... tho, I was 14 so I'm sure I wasn't thinking period. Oh, the joys of being a teenager :)-

Pic attached is x-ray of my jaw with all the hardware prior to braces being put on this week :0. At some point, I'll post more pictures of all films, etc.

Hope everyone is having a Happy Thursday - Muah!

-Ash

#frankenstein #nomorepain #doublejawsurgery #jawprobs

Ugh

I feel like my mouth has been through a cheese grater, wood chipper or other equally painful device. Not. Fucking. Fun.

#crybaby #jawprobs #doublejawsurgery #whatbonniewantsiswhatbonniegets

Braces Day 2

This post will be short. Pretty uncomfortable today between the top braces and the spacers. Talking and eating are a little awkward too. Note to self: salad leafs are NOT your friend.

Most people say they can barely see them - meanwhile, I feel like I have an 18 wheeler  in my mouth. It's all relative I guess. 

To keep myself entertained, I have searched pinterest for creative rubber band creations for my braces...story developing :$

- Ashley 

#jawproblems #doublejawsurgery 

Day 1 - Let the fun begin - BRACES :0

Day 1 - BRACES THIS AM :$


I'm counting this as Day 1 of treatment for my SECOND double jaw surgery even though my research/office visits to different surgeons started well over 6 months ago.  This morning, Dr. Adams in Dallas put my top braces on. Apparently, they wait until the next visit to put the brackets in and the following to put the bottom braces on. My memory was quickly jogged on the never ending ortho office visits that I'll have for the next 12 months (praying to god it will be 12!!) Basically, I feel like I'm 14 all over again....And, not in the I feel so young and fresh kind of way, but more of a feeling of general pissy angst. That being said, it really wasn't thattttt bad and they don't look too hideous. But, I'm still not stoked about having to get these things on....for the second time...in my thirties....while I'm single. I just keep on reminding myself that this is the first step to correct something I want fixed. So, braces on, check.

I know that I'll be in braces for about 6 months prior to surgery and 6 months after. I am still in the decision making process for the surgeon, but I have it narrowed down to two surgeons - one is in Dallas and the other is in California. Both surgeons come highly recommended, but I have reservations about both. One has more experience with 're-do's' like mine, but he's out of state in California (which gives me pause as I'm in Dallas). Hopefully, I can weigh out the pros and cons one last time and make a decision here in the next week or two.

That's it for now, will keep everyone updated on the surgeon I land on. Feel free to ask me any questions or offer any guidance.

Chow for Now!

-Ashley
#jawprobs #doublejawsurgery #jawsurgeryrecovery