Battle Continued..

I got my allergy test results back and it's a bit of a shocker. It appears to me that I am allergic to every tree ever grown in history.. that's odd. Along with grass, peanuts, almonds, cats and wouldn't ya know it.. dogs! But at least my allergy number for dogs is one of the lowest. So friends and family, here it is!:

• Cat hair
• Dog hair
• Bermuda Grass
• Red Top
• Rye Grass
• Maple/Box Elder
• White Oak
• American White Elm
• Olive Tree
• Cottonwood Tree
• White Ash
• Mesquite
• Russian Thistle
• Rough Pigweed 
• Wormwood/Sagebrush
• Peanuts
• Almonds

There you have it! They each rank by number and class, the higher number or class, the more allergic I am. All trees are ranked 3-5 out of 6 classes. Dogs and cats- class 3. Peanuts class 2 and almonds class 1. Who knew? This certainly explains why I am CONSTANTLY congested and can't breath out of my nose in Utah. In Vegas, I get a serious case of the itchy nose and occasional itchy/watery eyes. If I touch a cat, then touch my face, my face blows up and my eye swells shut! Just one eye. I still have one to see out of and man let me tell you, I sure am thankful for two working eyes! The whole one eye swollen completely shut thing, it's such a beautiful sight to behold. Pretty funny if you ask Tyson or I. Occasionally, maybe once or twice a year, that will happen to me with the dogs. I'll wake up with a swollen eye and it will keep swelling until it is 100% closed. Literally I can not see out of it, haha. Thank Heavens it's only happened on days off when I don't need to go anywhere. Little children would be running and screaming in every direction but mine. Parents would think they have just encountered Sloth from the Goonies.

I know you're all dying to hear my plan so I guess I can hang around for another minute to tell you! I am waiting to hear back from the E.N.T. Dr with recommendations for an allergist up here in Utah to go to. In the mean time, I'll be seeing Dr Hershey. No, that is not my way of saying I'll be eating chocolate until they call. Dr Hershey is a Homeopath Dr who does muscle testing. By doing so, he can find what you are allergic to and what makes your body weak and cure it. Not everything is curable, but you'd be surprised how much it actually does work. I've never been one that is all for witch Drs, nor have I been one that is against them. I believe in whatever works for you, or me. When my sister in law took her baby to Dr Hershey to be tested she told me about it and I was intrigued. She showed me a little bit at home how it works. It was so weird, I could actually feel it. We took Ty in to Dr Hershey awhile back and I saw how it was done. Pretty cool and interesting if you ask me. I am a bit excited to try it myself and see what/how many of these allergies the doc can rid me of. There are just too many outside elements that even if I could be cured of them, would just be too expensive, so in the long run I'll still have many of these allergies right up to the day of surgery. Obviously we don't want to run into the same problem of being congested as before so I plan to fill my prescription of the nasal spray my E.N.T. Dr prescribed me and use it the few weeks prior to surgery to keep me nice and clear! 

I am so sick of Dr after Dr, blood draws, PILLS, pains, braces, and hospitals controlling my life, I pray that come surgery time there is not yet another "something" to get checked out and cleared. This is becoming old..so old. No, I lied.. this got old about 3 years ago! I just want to live my life please? That would be joyous. :) I have a close friend that has been going through many years of hardship right alongside the timeline of mine. I'm thinking that after the years of following God's plan and living on His timeline, we deserve a few good years of peaceful, trial free living!! It seems that her hard times has just ended as her miracle baby was just born. And I pray that for her this is the beginning of peace, bliss and nothing but care free living ahead for many years!

It's on!

We've got a date!!

March 20th! Not too shabby eh? At least it's not June! So, a couple more months and the journey begins again!

Had an appointment with my E.N.T. doctor today.. Dr. Schroeder- he is just the greatest! He removed my tonsils almost 6 years ago to the day. He looked in my ears, said they were spectacular and clear, looked up my nose and said "whoa! I can't see a thing but mucus". So he sprayed each nostril with an 'anti-allergen something'. Cleared it RIGHT up! He then looked up my nose again and said there was nothing there and he could see all the way through me. Nice and clear! He also said my passage is nice and straight. Phew! That means no deviated septum or anything blocking my passage and nothing to take care of there. Dr is pretty certain the reason why I am always a little congested is due to allergies. So we did a blood draw to test allergies to food, animals and atmosphere. We are thinking I may be allergic to my dogs, haha hopefully not but we will see. Dr. Schroeder said if that is the case he will set me up with something to take so it's not a problem.. because we all know the dogs aren't going anywhere! They are family.. they are my children! Yes indeed. We are just waiting for the results so we can then cure the problem! And hopefully, between now and March 20th, NOTHING will get in the way of me and my surgery!!! 

Another couple of months to enjoy my food! Mmm, mmm! I'm pretty sure my spirit was a fat spirit in Heaven because I sure LOVE LOVE to eat. I think I stretch my stomach because sometimes I eat so much I'll look at the portion I just ate and think my body only needs half of that. But if it is so yummy (which is almost everything I eat) I just want to keep eating it. Ay yi yi! 

So back to Utah it is. I FINALLY get to see my boy!! I have missed him so much! We were away from each other for a week when I came down for my ortho appointment and to drive to Santa Barbara. He flew in to SB at midnight, found out at 8am surgery was canceled and flew back to Utah at 5pm that same day. He needed to get back to work. So all in all, we will have only seen each other for less than 24 hours in 2 weeks! :( But once I get back I might go insane because I have no plans. None whatsoever. I was supposed to be healing and hibernating for the next 3 months so I cleared the calendar! My life at the moment is vacant! What am I going to do?! 

I know.... EAT :)

aand waiting...

Still no word from the Dr's office. :( Makes me a little nervous because if it's taking this long than they must be having a hard time pinning down a date for me. 

Today was a little sad. I kept thinking I could have had surgery and been in recovery now. Bummer! Obviously it wasn't my time. A blessing in disguise. Dang blessings! ;) I've always thought it would be so nice to know what that blessing/reason is. Wouldn't that be fun?! But then where would the life lesson be? These are the times that test our faith. It would be so easy to just float through life with no trials to test our faith.. oh what a dream! But it's those tests/trials of faith that build and shape us into a better person. Helping us to become stronger each time. Even though it's hateful. And what I've been going through is just that- hateful! I've never understood when people say they are grateful for their trials. I've always thought "are you crazy?!". Clearly they must be mental. But over time, as I have grown, learned and accepted, I realize what they mean..just kind of! I still HATE trials. But it's not necessarily the 'trial' they are grateful for, but rather the opportunity to become a better person. They are grateful for the blessings that come with not giving up and riding out the toughest situations. Because to each, whatever they are going through is just the worst thing possible. Sadly, it can always be worse. I look at others and the things they are going through and think "yep, that sucks, but I'd much rather take your trial than mine" haha..Then there are still others I know, who are going through something so unbearably awful to me, I have no clue how they are keeping their head up, and I would choose my trial over theirs in a heart beat! I know some people that are truly amazing. 

At the end of the day, I have MANY blessings to count! A caring husband who loves me, a nice roof over my head, a heater in the winter and AC in the summer! 2 dogs who I adore and bring me joy, a king size bed!!! The greatest family anyone could ever image, jobs when I need them, freedom when I don't :) the most patient and caring parents who will do anything at anytime for me, cute clothes on my back and food on my table. I have 2 eyes, 2 bionic ears and a nose that loves to smell odd things just to name a few. It's safe to say- My life is pretty great!

The Trip From Hell

Well..here it is.. surgery has once again been pushed back. My luck with this surgery is like that of my luck with windshields. For those of you unfamiliar with how awful that is I'll give you the short story. I have had my car for almost 4 years. I have had 3 windshields. First chip spread to a crack more than halfway across my windshield. Got it replaced and within the month a new chip arrived! Went to get it fixed so it wouldn't spread, kid didn't know what he was doing, spread a half inch crack to 5 inches. That too spread from right to left right across the middle of the windshield. I kid you not, right to left, the entire windshield. Needless to say I failed my safety and emissions test. Who knew a 3 foot crack obstructing your view is not considered safe? Got that replaced, 6 DAYS LATER, a rock came flying up and cracked a half inch "x" mark dead in the middle of my windshield. You may think it ends there, oh no, I am not so fortunate. 2 days after that, a random wood block was just chillin' on the freeway. Didn't see it until it was too late, right in front of my face flying who knows how fast at me. It hit that "x" mark dead on like it was calling its name. A moth to a flame. Half inch instantly spread to a foot.. which has now spread to 2 feet. I don't even follow semi's or tailgate! Windshields and I are so not friends. Such is life!

So, recap of our trip to Santa Barbara. 

• Dad's Mac laptop fell out of the car and broke
• On the way home from picking Ty up at the airport, the car broke! Serpentine belt (or something of the sort, that was just replaced 2 weeks ago, mind you). Not on warrantee. Dealer doesn't have the part to fix it. Estimated fix time = 1 week. Had to have it towed to dealer. After half an hour dad walked out to the street to meet the tow truck. Half an hour later the driver still had not arrived. The tow company proceeded to call every 10 minutes and tell him the driver was 2 blocks away...for the next hour. Rented a car.. I mean shoe. All four of us squished in this little toy car (Fiat) that is the size of my shoe. We all had a good laugh at that! It's a strange feeling when you first get in and take a turn, waiting for the rest of the car to turn with you and it never does, because it's not there hah. The thing is so tiny mom even had a small claustrophobic break down.. we all laughed.
• We have paid for a 3 week stay at the condo and will def not be here for 3 weeks
• I was thinking Six Flagg's (roller coaster theme park) would be a great idea on the way home after hearing the bad news. It's closed. For the week we are here. Then it opens again when we leave.

Oh joyous times!! :) Let's talk about the good things of the day now:

• Got to see Tyson :)
• Spent the day with my parents and Ty
• Laughed.. a lot. Because when you have a day as bad as this what else can you do??
• Shopped
• Got a new maxi skirt
• Had a delicious breakfast
• 70 degree weather (can you believe it!)
• No tears
• No Dr's with black eyes

All in all I'd say it looks like the positives outweigh the negatives! 

Oh. I bet you're all wondering why the surgery is post-poned. Well, as I posted yesterday I got sick. I felt 100% fine this morning going in to the Dr's office. Dr even said my throat was fine! However, I am congested and that is where we run into big problems. During surgery they put tubes through my nose that go down into my lungs. So whatever is in my nose will be pushed into my lungs. If I am congested during surgery that is a whole lot of mucus being pushed into my lungs, which will then cause pneumonia. Along side with that, the Dr uses a steroid to reduce swelling which just blows up any type of virus, making it way worse. He said in the past 35 years he has done 5 or so surgeries where the patient has a small virus or was congested and without fail, every single time, they got pneumonia. And he says it is scaaary! So we are not even taking our chances. Doc won't even touch me until the congestion is 100% cleared. Which now leads me to an E.N.T doctor. I do not feel congested at all. This is how I always am. Each morning, I HAVE to blow my nose, which leads the Dr to think there is something in the way or and allergic reaction. More doctors- yay me! I am nervous they will find something and say "you have to have surgery to fix that". Oh please, oh please, oh pleeeease don't let that be the case!!!!!!

Next post will be on word of when we can reschedule the surgery. After then, this blog may be on hold. I may update periodically when I hear from the Dr's office or have other check ups and any word progressing toward jaw surgery. 

I know so many of you have been concerned with this surgery for me. You have prayed and fasted, kept me in your thoughts, encouraged and crossed your fingers for me. THANK YOU. Thank you a million times for your care, love and support. I am truly shocked at how many calls and texts and other means of socializing I have gotten. Sure makes me feel loved...or at least liked, maybe even tolerated? :) 

Hope that they can squeeze me in for surgery sooner than summer! Stay tuned for an estimate..

The Battle Continues

So the journey may be on hold. I woke up yesterday with the beginnings of a sore throat. I started taking Zinc right away, every 4 hours. It helps to wade off an oncoming sickness or cut the severity and length of sickness. Got worse as the night went on. In the evening my body started feeling weak and I was getting a little cold.. and a lot nervous. I can not have surgery if I am sick. Last night was one of the worst nights of my life. Couldn't sleep, had a throbbing headache the entire night, I was extremely hot and in pain and I had to take those nasty Zinc lozenges every 4 hours. Ew, ew, ew.

Today I feel MUCH better. Exhausted from last night and slightly queasy every now and then, but we drove to Santa Barbara today so I'm still not sure if it was from traveling or not?Throat was swollen this morning but has reduced as the day went on. Started taking Zinc every 3 hours. If I just had to worry about how I was feeling then I would think surgery was still very likely. But any redness in the throat indicates a virus and there is definitely redness in my throat. We pray that it's cleared by tomorrow mornings appointment.. or the Dr will say no can do. My mom asked me what I would do if that were the case. I told her I'd punch the Dr. Then, I plan to go to Six Flags on the way home! But let's be honest, I'll most likely just bawl my eyes out. I didn't come this far to get only 3 days out from surgery and get sick and sent home! I've been trying to stay on top of anything we can think of to help this sickness go away PRONTO- lemon/honey tea, Zinc, oils, gargle with oils/water, gargle with pepto-bismal/hydrogen peroxide, drinking lots of water- so not a good idea while traveling. I had to pee like every hour. Annoying! Any other tips/ideas to get rid of sickness from anyone would be appreciated! :)

Tyson flies in late tonight. Can't wait to see him! Hopefully I get a good rest to shake the rest of this sickness.. whatever it is! As my dad says: "We are going forward in faith". We hate going forward in faith. :) There is a high possibility that tomorrow the Dr will say, you are sick, we can not operate, go home. Next opening isn't until June, by the way. That will just crush my world. This stupid jaw situation has defined my life! I am MORE than ready to be rid of it!!! And all along Ty has had to put up with aaaaalllll the side effects.. for 4 1/2 years.. our entire marriage. Poor guy, I feel so bad for him. Yet, we are blindly going forward, doing our part and asking that the Lord does his. If I don't get surgery on Thursday, then obviously we'll know that wasn't the Lord's will. However, I reeeally hope that He won't let me get so so close, days away, just to be told no. So, we shall see tomorrow AM. Cross your fingers!! Oor better yet- just pray! :)

Today is Sunday. For the past couple weeks I have only been going to the first hour of church to take the sacrament. Then I leave. I can not risk getting sick or I can kiss the surgery good bye! It's crazy when I am so aware of "germs in the atmosphere" how confided and claustrophobic I become. I get nervous when a stranger sits next to me. Mentally, I yelp a little...just a little. I am more aware of the feel/smell of the air. If it does not smell and feel light and fresh, I feel like I am being contaminated and can't breath! Hah, I know, a bit dramatic..but hey, when you have waited over four years for something so important you'll do anything not to jeopardize it, then you can judge me! 

When Tyson and I came to Vegas for Christmas with my familee, almost everyone had been sick very recently. So I brought Lysol with me and sprayed the crap out of everything. Gave Tyson a permanent headache for the weekend! I went Asian style and wore a mask over my face all weekend, especially when I was around my nieces and nephews who were sick. (For those who aren't familiar with the "Asian style", just come walk the strip one night, you're guaranteed to see a few Asians walking around with masks over their faces) Yup, that was me. :)

So tomorrow we leave! Then a short series of appointments, then surgery, then healing! Many have been asking what the healing process is. So, here it is:

• Immediately after surgery I am banded (not wired) shut 24/7 for 2 months
• Those 2 months are liquid diet..strained liquid. No particles of any kind. Yes, I will get skinny, yes I let myself get a little bigger before hand. No, I will not waste away. Once I can eat again, I will put it all right back on. No need to fret!
• After 2 months of liquid diet the bands come off!
• Soft diet follows for 2 months. Bands are worn only at night
• That should be the worst of it (hopefully). Full healing is 12-18 months. Some swelling can last that long.
• Full recovery is a year (on average). Back on meds for a year to stabilize the jaw in the new position
• No hard activity, sports, pregnancy for a year following surgery

That's basically it for healing and for my post today!

The Journey Begins!

And so the journey begins!

Dad, Mom and I will be driving to Santa Barbara in two days, Monday, Jan 7, 2013.

Tyson flies in late Monday evening.

Jaw surgery is schedule for Thursday, Jan 10. I have appointments the two days prior with the hospital,  the surgeon (Dr. Arnett) and a cardiologist.  During these two days I am going to eat everything and anything I want and not feel any guilt whatsoever! (..aaactually I have been doing that this whole last week and it feels so great!)

Out of state patients are scheduled to stay in Santa Barbara for 3 weeks. Then we will return to Vegas where I will have weekly check ups with my orthodontist (Dr. Spilsbury) for 8 weeks. I plan to hibernate for the next 3 months!

Here is a brief history (and by brief I mean long)...

•   Jan 2008, symptoms started in my jaw- locking, popping, clicking, soreness, stiffness. At one point it got so bad I could only stand to eat about 5 bites of food

•   Went to my dentist who said it was TMJ

•   We went to see my orthodontist, Dr. Spilsbury who is a TMJ specialist. After consulting he suggested I go see Dr. Arnett. (He is the same surgeon who did my mom's jaw surgery 10 years ago)

•   Consultation with Arnett Sept 2008

•   Learned I had severe TMJ and arthritis in both my jaw joints which has deteriorated the jaw bone to 1/3 of it's normal size.. Imagine a pencil eraser = normal, pencil tip = my joints

•   It has caused the jaw to recede backwards, closing off half of my esophagus and creating an open bite

•   Can no longer eat sandwiches, pizza, tacos etc. Meat falls right out of the middle, cheese slides off top because I can't bite all the way through, due to the open bite

•   A little bit of a lisp started around the time the open bite was getting worse

•   SEVERE headaches began. Probably lasted from 08-09/10. Felt like someone was pounding two 6 inch long, fat screws through the back of my head up to behind my eyes

•   Couldn't sleep. Dreaded bed time (and we all know how much I LOVE my sleep)

•   Tyson would find me watching informercials in the middle of the night while silently crying. He would massage my head to try to ease the pain

•   Crying at bed time was a nightly routine

•   After the headaches subsided, depression sunk in. Along with an evil spirit I have never experienced and pray I never do again- EVER! That was an AWFUL awful feeling. Despair like I have never known it. I asked Ty to pray for me and instantly the feeling was lifted

•   Good days and bad days. Happy days and depressed days

•   By this point I have lost almost all of my confidence. Looking back now is like watching myself get stripped of my happiness and confidence. I had a "woe is me" attitude a lot. I have grown and learned so much since then.. but I wont go into all that!

•   To this day I still stare at Tyson's mouth and teeth and think it's just so cool how it all connects normally and looks so great and he can bite things with his front teeth- I can not wait to be normal again and stop avoiding mirrors

•   SOO the only way to fix all this is surgery with many medications to prepare me

•   Battled with many insurance companies on helping out with surgery cost (no insurance co. would help)

•   Surgery date got pushed back year after year- total waiting time = 4 1/2 years!

•   Braces needed before surgery. Spilsbury said only 8-10 months prior, but due to the surgery date getting pushed back, the braces have been on for 20 months now

•   Pain with my jaw and neck have decreased a bit since braces have been on and shifting things

•   Stomach problems occurred due to the harsh meds

•   On the fourth time of getting ulcers and the second time of seeing the gastroenterologist, I had my stomach scoped. Dr said I was lucky I came in when I did- had a large ulcer that was dangerously close to burning a hole through my stomach. On a scale of 1-10 it was a 7-8. 

•   More meds- yay me!

•   Stomach has felt much better since the new medication

•   Still on a bit of a limited diet to help ulcer heal. Haven't had soda since before Thanksgiving, I miss Dr Pepper and Broccoli the most!!

•   Been off the harsh meds since Thanksgiving. I pray that in my pre-op Dr visits, my body and joints will be ready for surgery

•   So far my blood tests have come back good- we're a go on that part! Cross your fingers that the Dr doesn't tell me a day or two before surgery that my joints aren't ready and we have to post-pone...again

•   I had a spiritual feeling last week that all will be well, and I believe it!

•   I asked Ty to give me a blessing before I came down to Vegas. It was so nice! I was a tad nervous before then, but his blessing of comfort did just that and now I say - Bring it On! (let's get this over with please!!)

I have forgotten how wonderful blessings are. All those dark times of depression I could have been so much happier and felt so much better! It's just so nice to feel the spirit rushed in, feel so much peace and comfort and know that this will all work out. Why didn't I ask for more!?

We will try to update this blog daily so everyone can stay up to speed. Check it when you want. That way we don't have to call everyone or tell the same thing over and over. Read first, then if you have more questions you can call (mom/Heidi).. or text me because you won't understand me over the phone hah! Posts shouldn't be too long as we will be posting daily and not much will change. I'm sure you'll mostly hear about how the healing is going and how I'm feeling that day (as if I'll be anything but hungry) You may even get lucky and see some nasty, haggard pics of me looking like I just got hit by a train head on and survived! That's all for now, Stay tuned!


Thanks for your concern, prayers and support!


.."Happy hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor".. or, uh, actually MY favor :)