Wow, finally got the braces off – at least off the upper teeth. You hardly know I still have the lowers on. Dr. Williams said it will take a few more months to get my bite equilibrated. Feels great to be able to feel the front of my teeth again. It’s one of those simple pleasures you take for granted.
Category Archives: Sleep Apnea Journal
About my journey for treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea.
Braces off soon!
As many of you know, I have been wearing braces to correct my bite following my MMA surgery. My orthodontist, Dr. Moody Williams, says the top braces will probably come off at my next visit. While I have gotten somewhat used to having a mouth full of metal, I can’t wait for them to come off. The lower will stay on for a while longer.
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New photo – 13 months post-mma
Thirteen months post-mma surgery. Still have the braces. |
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MMA Surgery 1 Year Post-op
It has been just over a year since I had my MMA surgery. Thought I would give a quick status.
- Sleeping quietly and soundly at night.
- No signs of apnea coming back.
- Still in orthodontic treatment to adjust my teeth.
- Teeth fit together better, but still does not feel like they have a home position. This is tiring during the day. My orthodontist, Dr. Moody Williams, says will probably be a few more months.
- Still some minor pain when chewing chips or crunchy stuff. I’m not to be eating that anyway with braces. I think the pain is coming mostly from my teeth still being moved around with the braces.
- Eating regular food now is no problem.
Yes, I would do it all over again.
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MMA Update 10 months
Sorry for not posting in such a long time. I’ve corresponded via e-mail with many folks considering MMA surgery, and it is always my pleasure to help in any way I can. So, I thought I might post an e-mail response from today.
Dear Jim,
Thanks for the kind words. I have not had a follow-up sleep study. There is no comparison to my pre MMA condition. I thought I would die with a heart attack or stroke in the months leading up to the surgery. I would awaken in the night repeatedly gasping for air with the sensation of a heavy weight on my chest. I sleep quietly and soundly now.
The surgery has been a great success for me. All the swelling subsided within a few months. Amazingly, there was hardly any bruising from the surgery. I am still in braces, and only within the last month or so have my posterior teeth began to meet where I can chew effectively. However, since the teeth are moving because of the braces, I still have pain that prevents me from eating steak. A really tender filet mignon is manageable, but I still mostly eat soft foods.
To someone who does not know me, my appearance probably did not change much. But to me, the minor changes are apparent. The purpose of MMA is to open the airway. As you probably know, to do this, the surgeon, breaks your upper and lower jaw apart where they are attached to the skull, moves them forward and then reattaches with plates and screws. I’ve gotten used to my new appearance, and I know without doubt the surgery was the right decision for me.
There are other causes of sleep apnea other than skeletal, such as problems with the autonomic nervous system. I first consulted a neurologist. He sent me for the sleep study. I next saw an ENT specialist, who recommended I see a maxillo facial surgeon. I settled on Dr. Stephen Roser at Emory after a lot of research.
If you have severe sleep apnea, I encourage you to take action immediately. If it’s like with me, it will take longer than you expect to actually get all the tests done and finally get the treatment. Took me almost a year!
Best regards,
Richard
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Juicy Food Gooood!
A couple of months prior to my surgery in 2007, I started getting up at 4:30 am to exercise and mentally prepare for the surgery. Once I resolved that surgery was my only resort, I was on a mission to get as healthy as I could.
I’m now 49 — 48 at the time of surgery, and I was not in the best of shape. I have never been more than 10 or so lb. overweight, but I wanted the weight off and for my cardiac function to be as good as possible.
I’ve heard that it takes a long time to get used to something outside your routine, and I’ve found that to be true, but when properly motivated, it can take much less time. Say for instance, your doctor tells you that if you don’t change your diet you’re going to die.
I had a friend, who worked out regularly at the gym, was a marathon runner, but ate most of his meals at fast food restaurants. His favorite was a McDonalds hamburger with fries and a soft drink. He started having dizzy spells at work and so decided to go to the doctor to be checked out.
When I next saw him, he asked me what I thought the doctor had said to him. My response was, if you don’t change your diet, you’re going to die. He smiled and said, yep, that’s basically what he said. He started eating at Blimpie instead. A good improvement. They have great salads and turkey subs. His health improved, and the effect was almost immediate.
I’ve lived by a rule of thumb I read about years ago in the book, Fit for Life. Eat a diet with foods that have high water content. That is, watery vegetables and fruits. If you put it in a juicer, and lots of juice comes out, it is good. Examples include carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, beets, most fruits. If you put beef, chicken, bread, nuts, in a juicer, no juice come out! So you want to eat less of the non-juicy stuff and more of the juicy stuff. Why do you think the term "juicy" in non-food context usually means something is appealing? Juicy usually means, it’s good!
Juicy — GooooD! Not-juicy — NOT SO MUCH!
Rule of thumb, try to eat 70% juicy food. Try it and let me know how your health improves.
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MMA Update – 4 1/2 Months Post-op
It’s amazing how much better I feel now that I no longer have sleep apnea! I have so much energy; I just can’t explain the overall improvement to my quality of life. I awake rested in the morning, almost never awaken during the night, and very rarely get drowsy during the day. What a blessing!
I have had people ask if it was worth it. My response is an immediate yes. But I do believe I was well prepared physically and mentally for the surgery and the recovery. I did everything I could to get really healthy before the surgery. Started 2 months prior with 1 hour cardio exercise every day — I mean every day without fail. I eliminated dairy, sugar, and ate a diet mostly of fish and vegetables with limited starches.
My voice has returned to normal after having suffered from left cord paralysis most likely due to intubation during surgery.
I had my last follow-up visit with Dr. Roser about a month ago. Got to see Dr. Optid, who is finishing up his studies at Emory and going into private practice with a group in Atlanta. Congratulations Dr. Optid!
To Dr. Roser and all my friends at The Emory Clinic, thank you for the marvelous work you do. And know, you have had a profound influence on my life, and I will miss you all.
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Birthday ’08
Thanks to everyone that sent cards and called me on my birthday. I turned 49 this week, and I would like to take a few minutes to reflect and appreciate the people most dear to me.
First, I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. When I had my surgery back in November of last year, they all rallied around me. I would never have gotten the help I needed for sleep apnea had it not been for my wife. Dr. Roser said it’s usually that way; the spouse brings in the patient more often than not.
Just about everyone on my side and Jeaneane’s side of the family was there at Crawford Long Hospital the day I had my surgery. It was a long day for them. Sitting around the hospital waiting on someone to come out of surgery is just not the most fun way to spend your day.
During the first week of my recovery, I was pretty much an invalid. Jeaneane was there for me around the clock preparing my special diet of liquidy foods and making sure I took my medications at the proper time. Jeaneane’s sister, Shelbie, helped out driving me to several of the doctor appointments Jeaneane could not attend. Amy’s husband, Philip, brought me some Brunswick stew one day when I started eating more solid foods. My brother Jeffry and my mother drove up from Adel to visit a couple of weeks after I came home, since Jeffry was sick the day of my surgery. My brother-in-law, Marty, called numerous times throughout my recovery to keep up with my progress and let me know I was in his prayers.
To my family, I love you all. There’s no need to list everyone by name — you know who you are. Also, to my friends, thank you for being there for me as well. I love you all too.
I am thankful to God that I am still here and for all the things mentioned in the paragraphs above. Without the mercy of God, I would surely not be alive today. I have had a number of close calls in my life time, brushes with catastrophe if you will, and I have always been delivered. With God, all things are possible.