[BEWARE: Much reading ahead :) and one "graphic" photo (sorta)]
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Wow! Another surgery down and another procedure down! That puts me at 13 surgeries and 2 procedures! The ending is coming but I still got a few more steps to go!
This last surgery was a bit of uncertainty as we went into it. We knew we were testing the bases of my implants and doing some tissue graft but we didnt have a plan B or a plan C if it didnt work. My doctor just went in and did his work as usual, no back up plan. So once again on March 26th at 4:30am my mom, dad and I all left to Portland for another surgery. We had to check in at 5:30 and surgery was at 7:30. The morning is very routine now, hospital gown, questions, height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and usually IV but I have anxiety with IVs and the last 2 times they let me be put to sleep first so they did the same with this surgery as well. At about 7am they rolled me up to the pre-op room where we were greeted by different nurses, anesthesiologist, doctors and then Dr. Dierks.
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Since I'm 17 now I get to sign consent for various medical related things :)
My doctor explained to us exactly what he was going to do:He was going to test the 3 metal bases in my upper jaw using an aluminum screw and a special wand. It created a type of magnetic field around the tooth and tested the amount of movement at the base. The range of movement was scaled on a 1-99% scale, we wanted it to fall somewhere between 60 to 70 if I remember correctly. He tested it and it fell around a 67. So currently it tested well enough to continue.In addition to testing the bases, my doctor was also doing a tissue graft. Since the summer of 2011 they had sewn down my upper lip to my upper gum tissue. They needed more tissue to help cover my jaw bone while bone grafting and later placing the metal bases. But since the first round of bone grafting didnt work, I had to continue the tissue graft for even longer. Finally in this last surgery they were able to cut it and sew it back up. But in order to cut it and free it from the upper jaw, they had to get tissue from another source to finish covering it.My doctor took two strips of tissue from upper palate and grafted it onto my upper jaw. He then placed a plastic stent over the raw tissue and screwed in 3 screws into my jaw bone to hold the stent in place. For pain relief he padded my retainer to cover the raw tissue where he removed the strips. I had 2 weeks to go with raw tissue and screws in my upper jaw. Which leads me to procedure 2.
Blue squares: Three screws placed into my upper jaw bone to hold plastic stent in place
Green square: One of 3 metal teeth implants screwed into my bone
Purple square: Raw tissue from removing a little of tongue graft to flatten more
My recovery took about a week and half, which seemed longer than most and longer endurance of pain. The tissue graft was fairly painful and stung a lot. I had to wait a minimal of 2 weeks before I could get the screws removed and the plastic taken out. Felt like forever the more I anticipated the screws coming out. The catch was with this procedure was that I would be awake. I've only been awake for one other procedure which was my gingevectomy way back when I was younger. That one they burned my gum tissue off around my teeth and smelling that while awake was awful. So being awake during procedures scare me. I was told this one wouldn't be too painful. Just a little tug at first and then the screws would come out nice and easy. Well they sprayed me with the topical numbing and then went through probably 5 screw drivers until they could find the right size to fit the screws. Then my doctor began. The first screw didnt hurt at all, but the last two were extemely painful. I rarely cry over pain, but this one I couldn't hold in my tears. The pain and the feeling of screws being removed was
too much. The numbing didn't work and I felt majority of the last 2 screws being removed. But it felt amazing to get everything out finally. Dr. Dierks said everything grafted as he wanted. He said the stent created a "trench" form in my upper jaw gum tissue and that he would need me back in for another procedure to correct it within a month.
Procedure #3...I was scheduled to go in May 16th to have the excess tissue graft cut/unattached and resewn up. Back in April my doctor said it was unlikely to have the tissue heal enough where I wouldn't have to have the procedure so we were all expecting I would have it. I was most anxious for this one because this time he would numb me with needles. Needles are incredibly painful, painful by itself in normal gum tissue but with scar tissue it feels like its 10x worse. I already have problems with IVs so this procedure was stressing me. Thankfully I had a huge AP test the day before it so it took all my focus off up until the procedure and we were prescribed an anti anxiety pill to take before to help with me not stressing myself out. We arrived to the office and my doctor took a look and said the band of tissue that he would have had to cut was healed and softened enough he didn't need to do the procedure [answer to prayer, I have a big God :)]. Truly amazing in such a short amount of time the healing that needed to be done and that wasn't expected to be done, happened. I was able to relax and not have to have the procedure. Luckily I hadn't taken the pill yet that would make me drowsy for 6 hours for no reason :)
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These are just a few of my hospital bands I've gotten to wear and I get to wear another in June.
Since we didn't have to do the procedure we were able to talk about my next phase and my final huge surgery. Surgery #14 scheduled for June 18th at 7:30am. This is one of the biggest surgeries I will have done. Dr. Dierks will be correcting my deviated septum and building me a nose that will be 100% working and looking as close to perfect as we can get :) This surgery will be roughly 4 hours since it has multiple parts to it. He originally said he would use cadaver rib cartilage but this time said it would be best to use my own since my body would dissolve a significantly less amount. He will make a small incision in my body right below the breast and remove a piece of rib cartilage. He uses cartilage instead of bone because it will make the nose more flexible and not so stiff. He will take two pieces or one and divide it into two in order to create an "L" shape. The bone will then pull my nose tighter and create a bridge for me and also create the division between the two nostrils to support the tip of my nose. They cut below the nose and lift the skin up and work beneath it all. In 4 hours he will correct my septum, graft from my ribs, and build the nose up.
Blue lines represent the rib cartilage placement
There is only one major risk ( it rarely ever happens, but they are legally obliged to tell us). Through cutting an incision and removing the cartilage above my lung it is possible to create a leak where air is surrounding the outside of my lung rather than going into it which could cause my lung to flatten. But my doctor can correct it while in surgery and suck the air out. It also could create a drain and they would have to place a tube into the side of me for a certain amount of time to drain the fluid out. Luckily my doctor said this rarely ever happens, and he will do a chest scan at the end of the surgery to make sure everything in place and there is no damage.
In addition to the "nose job" we are aiming to have my 5 front teeth put into place. They can screw my teeth in and build my nose all in one surgery. Until then I have dentist appointments and orthodontist appointments to get everything lined up and created to be used. Close to the finish line!
Recovery time...It will take a full month to significantly unswell. By that time my nose will be at a stage that the new shape will be visible. After that month I will slowly continue to unswell and a year out I will have finally stopped unswelling and be as I will be. So roughly a year from start to finish! Big step!
I keep saying this is the finale (possibly) simply because this is the end of all huge surgeries, everything I have ever worked towards the finish line. But after this any surgery I have will be touch ups and small detail stuff I don't "have" to have done. I could possibly have one next summer to even out my lips and do a lip graft, but thats not certain. So for now this is the FINALE. I just ask if you could pray for peace and minor stress as this huge surgery approaches. As well as strength for me and my family, especially my mom as she pours out so much for me to support me and keep me strong through recoveries. I also ask for prayer over my doctors who operate on me for wisdom of how to build everything and the one rare risk doesn't happen to me.
Thank you to all who have journeyed with me through it all since I was first brought here or even to those who just recently met me and have supported me through this last crazy year of surgery pit stops every 3 months! The support and prayers are truly encouraging and I couldn't do it without all of you and the prayer warriors out there! This journey has been crazy, had ups and downs, triumphs and failures and it's still not quite done, but the finish line is in sight. I have such wonderful friends and an amazing family who I couldn't do these surgeries without. One last step and we can rest.
With a thankful heart and a beaming smile,
Katie
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
