Wow, what a day! It was draining, both physically and emotionally. Twenty plus years of living with pain, discomfort, embarrassment, shame, and a YUCK mouth. Those days are now a thing of the past!
Today was my final day of getting my teeth pulled. Just had the last 4 top teeth to go, but I was most nervous about those than the others. (It showed as my blood pressure was high before they started.) Arrived in K.C. with Dr. McDaniels ready to get started. I love this guy and feel very fortunate that he found himself at Truman Med just in time to make me his first complicated patient. I couldn't have asked for a better doctor to pull my teeth. He may not realize it yet, but he played a HUGE role in getting me to where I am right now.
Dr. Mac, if your reading, please accept my apologies for the tears, the jumps, the "owwww's", attitude, and whatever else you were undeserving of from me. I owe you big. Please know that I'm extremely grateful and thankful to have you working on me. It may not have seemed like it at the time, but you truly eased my soul through this process. I can't Thank You enough for your diligence, compassion, and your talent.
Remember the question you asked before we started today? I didn't know how to respond. Having lived with a cleft and those nasty teeth all my life, I don't know any differently. For me, my condition is "normal". How do you advise when you feel that way? Well I thought about it on the way home. The one thing I would say now, is to future cleft patients and their parents, CONVINCE them not to let their situation get to the extreme that mine became. EARLY treatment is the best prevention!!!
Ok, now for the rest of you. I got several shots in the upper gums and roof of my mouth. I think the roof was the absolute worst! As was the case in my last two appointments, we had trouble numbing me again. Dr. Mac gave it his best, but it just wasn't happening. I honestly think, although I'm no expert, that the shots in the roof were not as effective because it's not "MY" roof. It was built for me when I was born without one. So how is it possible to numb something that wasn't originally there? I hope that makes sense.
He really tried to get me as comfortable as possible. In the end, he just had to pull quickly. I felt the roots come out and a sharp pinch, which might have been nerves. Today was by far the most painful of the three appointments.
However, that's all over now!!! YAY!!! Happy Dance!!! As soon as Dr. Mac got the teeth out, Dr. Moore came into the room. He put some fixodent powder on my temporary plate and stuck it in place. That was it!
Now we just have to wait for all of my gums to heal. Once they are completely healed, I will get my full set of bottom and top dentures! YAY!!! We are going to push for 3 months from today. The longer I can hang in there to let them heal, the better my dentures will fit, which means less adjustments.
Tonight, I sleep in my temporary plate. I have to keep it in for 24 hours.....will help to make the gums clot, control the bleeding, and help me get used to them.
New photos have been posted with my others. There are photos of Dr. Mac, Dr. Moore, and me of course! I took new shots of my side profiles before the teeth were pulled, and after the temp was put in. What a big difference!
So for now, I have no teeth on the bottom and 6 false teeth on the top. Doesn't seem like much, but there is a huge improvement to my face and mouth already! So go check out my beautiful "half smile"!
www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniesmile/
Feel free to send a donation in celebration of my progress! :-)The bill is yet to come for the dentures.
I also welcome any questions or comments at SeeStephanieSmile@gmail.com
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