Fun Survey

Which do you find more stressful - an ortho appointment, or a dentist appointment? Take the fun survey in the upper left corner of my blog (look to the left, at the top of the column). :)

Personally, I like my ortho better. She always tells me it's looking good, improving, and I'll be just fine.

All the dentists I've had always tell me to brush brush brush, floss floss floss, and stay off sweets (as if!). Besides, that buzzzzzzzz of their torture devices - it petrifies me to no end.

My $0.02. :)

Braces Removed

As my de-bracing date approaches, I was curious how that'd feel like - so I did a Google search on "braces removed".  Guess what turned up?  How to remove braces - in PhotoShop.  LOL.

Aching Arches

I hate these rubber bands that zigzag across my whole mouth. Thank God they don't cause any severe headaches or reduce me to the state of near-tears like they did a couple weeks ago, when they first snapped on, but they're still a royal pain in the..... teeth?

I can't yawn. I can't sneeze. I can't lick my lips. And, I obviously can't talk, except through clenched teeth.

And there's this dull pain throughout both arches. Urgh.

Counting down, counting down.

I just didn't expect the end to be so difficult.

7, 6, 5....

One week till debracing!!

My ortho agreed that my molars require more rubber band magic to help eliminate the gap. She told me to wear the elastics every night until my next appointment, a week from today - then she will remove the braces.

I chowed down dinner from Whole Foods' salad bar and snapped the rubber bands back on. No late night snack for me! Sigh.

I can't believe I'm almost done! :)

I said I'd do it, didn't I?

I was serious when I said I'd start taking flying lessons. Signed up for my first lesson, and here I am, in a 4-seater Cessna, flying out of a hangar next to Oakland International Airport. My instructor let me do some turns, get a feel of the rudders, and find the right trim to stay level. It was exhilarating. Mark - my ex(roommate) and soon-to-be future roommate - took this photo from the backseat after we landed, and I'd just removed my headset (hair flying everywhere!).

There's so much to learn - aerodynamics, flight maps, all the lingo you hear on the radio - and I just can't wait to chip away at it, and eventually get my private pilot license.

The thrill comes, I think, from doing something I know I want to do, and expanding my comfort zone.

That's when I truly feel alive.

Closing the Gap

Have an appointment with my ortho tomorrow to see if the elastics have done their magic, and that my bite is "perfect". If everything goes according to plan, then she'll remove the braces in a week, on Sept. 17th.

But I fear the elastics haven't done a perfect job. There still seems to be a slight gap between the top and bottom molars on the right side. They touch, but only barely, and when I bite down, I don't feel a solid contact surface there as I do on the left side.

She just might have to prolong the treatment until this is fixed. Grrrr. So close (to being done), yet so far away!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll find out in about 24 hours.

Just Do It!

I'm turning 31 in just a couple days. In a moment of self-reflection/soul-searching, I found the running to-do list I wrote on the back of a journal. Some items have been checked off, while the others stare back at me as a loud tick-tock echoes in my head.

Here's the legend:

Grey - Mission Accomplished
Green - New on the List
Underlined - To Do This Year

1. Visit NYC (well, yes, I have, many many times)


2. Learn to speak French somewhat fluently


3. Get a JD (we're talking three years of my life here!)


4. Adopt a puppy


5. Own a house that has a swimming pool


6. Live in New York


7. Visit Europe (three times now, all over the map)


8. Own a piano


9. Watercolor paint something I like (Yep, done)


10. Weigh 130 lbs


11. Live in California (check)


12. Visit Paris (check, check, check. 3 times)


13. Visit Italy (Loved Venice!)


14. Earn a college degree (Isn't that a given these days?)


15. Marry a good man


16. Get a diamond ring (I've bought my own diamond rings, thank you very much)


17. Fly 1st class (if flying in a private jet counts, then consider it done)


18. Make a scholarship donation to my university


19. Become a US citizen


20. Read the Bible once, from cover to cover


21. Take bartender classes


22. Take drum lessons


23. Take flying lessons


24. Visit Norway

Hmm. The drum and bartender lessons can wait. Shaving off 10 lbs to be 130? Nah. I feel comfortable as is. Marrying a good man? The timing isn't entirely up to me. The puppy would have to wait until I get a house with a swimming pool and buy a piano to plant in the living room. Getting a JD and moving to New York - the timing isn't right. I know, I've been saying that for at least three years now. But do I really want to spend three years in law school when it's extremely difficult to eventually make partner?

First things first. This year, starting immediately, I gotta learn to speak French, read the Bible, and take flying lessons. Chop chop!

By the way, 43things.com can help you keep track of your to-do list AND find others with the same interest. I find that inspiring!

Winery Memberships?

Completely off topic.

Does anyone have a winery membership? Do you recommend it? I'm also thinking about joining a wine club online. Thumbs up? Down?

I'm not a wine connoisseur - yet. But I do enjoy reds, and I'd love to learn and expand my small collection. Any tips would be much appreciated! :)

It's all swell

At 2 and 7 months post op. Notice how the chipmunk cheeks have deflated. Before and after photos are fun, because you really get to see the difference!

7 Months!!

The elastics finally stopped hurting about three days ago. Thanks Mylene, Bill, Graham, and Brandy, for your encouragements.

I can't believe it's September already. New Year feels like only yesterday. Where did the time go? Seep through my fingers again?

Seven months post op - I'm ready to get the braces off and move on. Part of my lower lip and right chin still feel numb, but the feelings have been returning gradually. The photo on the left was taken on the morning of my braces "installation", in February 2006. The photo on the right was how I looked today.

Now that I've been through this, I tend to notice abnormal jaw alignments a lot more than before. Saw this girl at a Napa wine tasting today, who has the exact same problem I did: long face, protruding lower jaw (not quite an underbite yet), pointy chin. We chatted for a few minutes, small talk. Looking at her reminded me of my old self, and how I was always horrified by my own profile and avoided the issue. I was just dying, DYING to tell her about the jaw surgery! But even I wasn't that bold. After all, this is quite personal, and wine tasting isn't exactly the right forum for jaw surgery advocacy. :)

But for all of you out there who're considering the option, if it's medically necessary, and your insurance covers a reasonable percentage, then why not? My $0.02.

Their Itinerary is Your Menu

New York has so much to offer - it makes it hard to decide where to go, what to see and what to eat on a short stay.  Now perhaps these New York food tours would make it a little easier. 

 

I really love New York.  One of my friends is about to move there for a new job next month.  I want to go, too!

 

The timing is right.  The braces are almost done and I don't need to be chained to my ortho and oral surgeon.

 

The timing is wrong.  I just started a new job two weeks ago.

 

I am, however, going to New York for a weekend in October.  My second trip there this year, and maybe the sixth visit overall.

OUCH

I want to cry.  The rubber bands hurt SO badly.

 

Took two extra strength Tylenols before hopping on the red eye to Boston last night, which is saying a lot, as I have a very high tolerance for pain.  But it wasn't enough.  It hurt so badly I couldn't drift to sleep and I wanted to rip my mouth off.  Well, that wouldn't be a good idea, so I ripped the rubber bands off instead.  My ortho had told me it'd feel a little sore.  But this was not a "little sore".  It was FULL-ON PAIN.

 

I don't know how I'm gonna survive the next six days.

Snap!

Crazy rubber bands? You can say THAT again!

My ortho cut down the wires (hard to see, but now they only cover the front teeth, not the entire archs) today, and zig-zag'd "crazy rubber bands" up and down my entire mouth to tighten up the bite. I have to wear this for a whole week. Then remove the rubber bands and roam free for another week. Then go see her again to make sure there are no relapses. Then she will - drum roll, please - remove the braces!

This snapped me all the way back to the weeks immediately following surgery. My jaws are, in essence, wired shut again. AARRRGGGHHHH! The difference? This time I can remove the rubber bands when I eat. AND, yes, I can eat. Woohoo!

The timing couldn't BE any better. In a few hours I'm jetting over to Boston on a redeye (the price I pay for keeping my ortho appointment and saving two weeks) for training. Which means, my colleagues won't see me like this but for one day on Friday. Yep, I'm THAT vain. :) Plus, it's near impossible to "talk" through clenched teeth.

I wonder how anyone managed to understand me over the phone this afternoon. Bless their hearts!

Discolored Teeth?

I'm getting the braces off in about a month's time. Hooray!

But now I have a new concern. What if, after the brackets come off, it turns out they've left white spots on my teeth, while the areas around the brackets are stained? Am I making any sense? I'm just worried that my teeth would look discolored to the point where you can see where the brackets have been. Has anyone encountered this problem?

Red-Eye, Metal-Mouth

I need to go to Boston (I live in San Francisco) for business training week after next. The class starts on Tuesday at 9 am and spans across three days.

I won't land until 6:30 am on Tuesday and will drop off my luggage at the hotel (hopefully they'll let me freshen up), and head straight to the class. Yes - I'm taking a redeye.

Why wouldn't I fly out on Monday, the day before?

Good question.

It's because I don't want to reschedule/postpone my orthodontist appointment on Monday and wait two extra weeks. I have an ortho appointment at noon on Monday, August 27th. They tell me if I reschedule that one they won't be able to squeeze me in again until September 10th. No, no, no, no, no.

Suffer redeye for one night, or endure braces for two extra weeks? Now THAT's a no-brainer (at least for me)!

IF, if if if, everything works out as planned, I should be "debanded" on September 17th. Woohoo!

Six Months!

The photo on the left was from my company Christmas party in January, about two weeks before my surgery. The one on the right was in Madrid, taken on August 2nd, six months after the surgery. Funny how I never thought there was a problem with my upper jaw, too.

Photos from Europe

I've posted some pictures from Brussels, Amsterdam, Madrid, Tafalla, and London on my photo blog.

Sensational

They pass out tabloids like these for free in the streets of London.

De ja Vu

Unbelievable. My outbound flight from PHL was delayed not one, not two, but EIGHT hours on my way to Belgium two weeks ago. We were supposed to take off at 8 PM, but never did until 4 in the morning!

Now it's two hours after our original departure time out of D.C., and back to San Francisco. And what happens? Nothing. We've been simply sitting here, in the plane, waiting.

Finally, another two-hour delay before the takeoff. What's going on with US Airways and United?

On a separate note, JetBlue had a very minor delay on one of my trips a few months ago. They promptly emailed me a $25 voucher within days. What a pleasant surprise!

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One V or Another

I'm due to report to my new job at 8 Friday morning, for sales training (I'm in marketing myself).

Until then, I have about 24 hours to relax, unpack, and get over the jetlag.

This has been a wonderful trip, my first solo journey to Europe. People typically react in two ways when they hear that I travel alone - 1. Wow you're brave, or 2. Wouldn't you rather travel with friends?

I'm not brave. I don't consider traveling alone "brave". Well, it depends on where you're going. South America? Yes. Western Europe? No.

The second comment contains the hidden implication of "don't you have any friends?". Not many, but sure, I do. And I enjoy traveling with them as much as flying solo. In fact, this trip, my first journey to Europe on my own (though I met up with friends in Spain for the wedding), was a better experience than my last two trips there with friends.

Why? No waiting around for each other. No need to negotiate and compromise on agendas. No flared tempers because of stress. I was completely selfish and did exactly what I wanted, WHEN I wanted. Some planning, and a lot of doing it on a whim. It was really liberating and fun.

My next trip, however, I'd do something completely different. Vietnam (where the $ would be considered a strong currency), OR Vienna, and with a friend or two. :)
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American Accent

We are onboard. The Captain made an announcement. His familiar American accent meant one thing to me: home. Funny how much you appreciate that after two weeks of foreign language. :)
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Voila!

Two weeks, four countries, and five cities later, the travel bug is out of my system. Dare I say, that I'm in fact ready to go home? The Land of the Free.... waters and bathrooms. :)

The officer at the airline check in asked me how come I'm traveling so light - all I have is a North Face backpack stuffed to the nines and a small messenger bag. Well, I said, I've been to Europe before and had a suitcase but really didn't need it. So this time I've learned. And trust me, the backpack is not "light". It is heavy. But of course, I kept that one last bit to myself. There's no humor in joking with an officer that hasn't quite mastered the Engish language.

I'm waiting to board my flight out of Brussels, now armed with two boxes of truffles and a box of dark chocolates. But the best purchase? A fridge magnet showing two beer mugs that says - "Two beer or not to beer? Shakesbeer.". :)

I'm homebound! :D

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Re: Tea, English Tea

On a 2nd thought, if I skipped the tea, I'd probably have fit into some of the clothes, and solved at least one of the two problems. :P
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Tea, English Tea

It's 4 PM in London, and I'm having tea, complete with the finger sandwiches and sweets, on Regent street, their equivalent of Market street in San Francisco, or Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

I'm not impressed by either the shopping or the tea.
The shopping... Well, maybe I should've gone to Harrod's, but I didn't want to rush, and Regent street was closer. None of the clothes I tried on fit me. At 5'7" (170 cm) and 140 lbs, I usually wear size medium, or 8 on top, and 6, or sometimes a 4 on the bottom. But here in Europe, what they label as US size 8 are so tight they make me look like a wrapped-up mummy. Three possible explanations: 1. I've put on weight during my vacation (but the clothes I rought with me still fit the same), 2. The European sizes aren't true, or 3. We have been very liberal/forgiving with sizes here in the States. In any case, it's depressing not being able to buy cute clothes because I can't fit into them!

Now, the tea. Honestly, high-end hotels in San Francisco, New York, and Canada all make MUCH better tea and sandwiches than this Caffe Concerto in London. But then again, you get what you pay for.... This just goes to show location doesn't matter, in this case. As a side note, the tour guide on the sightseeing bus said the Ritz serves tea for a whopping £36 per person (as opposed to the £9 I'm paying here), you need to dress up for it, AND book six weeks in advance. Maybe when I'm filthy rich. :)

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London!

It's raining hard in Paris. I've hopped on the train to London instead, waiting for the departure. I've visited Paris twice already, but never London yet, so this shall be exciting!

The 30-something businessman sitting down opposite me in first class seems in a foul mood. Well, I suppose I'd be too, if I were traveling for business on a Monday morning, not to mention the bad weather. Nonetheless, I smiled and said "Bonjour", to which he muttered a reluctant "morning". A few minutes later he accidentally dropped a piece of paper on my foot, looked embarrassed and said a hasty "sorry". "no worries," I replied. That got him to do a quick double-take. Hahaha! Did he think I was French? : )

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On the way to Paris!

Long story short, I was finally able to get out of Tafalla by the way of Hendaye. On the overnight train to Paris right now, lying in bed and furiously typing on my BlackBerry.

Feeling ambitious at the moment. Tomorrow I might head to London. : )
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The Grass Isn't Always Greener....

Traveling in Europe makes me miss the little things I take for granted in the States:

1. We get water free of charge at restaurants.
2. Our airport bathrooms are free. You don't need to pay €1 to use them.
3. No language barrier. DOH!
4. No one stares at Asians on either coasts (although it would be a different story in, say, Kansas). Here in the tiny town of Taffalla, Spain, I suspect I'm the first Asian many of the locals have ever seen, judging from the gawks.
5. Air conditioners - and yes, we USE them. : )

On the flip side, Europe boasts many enviable traits:
1. Many Europeans speak multiple languages. So far, based on my experience (disclaimer: sample size of ONE), Belgians speak the most English, then the Dutch, the Italians, and the Germans. The French are actually not as snooty as their reputation suggests - and yes, they understand you almost perfectly. Spain seems to be the most helpless, even in Madrid, which I found surprising. Let's just say I would hesitate to venture back here again without learning some serious Spanish first.
2. Generally speaking, their public transit systems are really convenient. Amsterdam tops the list in that department. Love their trams!
3. Their trains! Enough said. Japanese bullet trains are still the best, though, bar none.
4. Their life style promotes walking.
5. Businesses stay open late.

Everything said and done, I'm partial to San Francisco, New York, and Sydney.... And now perhaps adding Amsterdam to the list. Brussels and Frankfurt fall into the BORING bucket. Venice has the most vibrant colors, hands down. Rome? Charming, sure, but also polluted and dirty. Berlin - clean, minimalist, and efficient. Madrid? Nah, not expecting a repeat visit anytime soon. And forget Taffalla, I just don't find small towns appealing. I'm glad I came here for my frienda' wedding.... But I'm also eager to see it in my rearview mirror - hint, hint.

That leaves....Paris. The only European city I've visited multiple times. How could anyone resist the Louvre? Or the outdoor cafes? Or the soft sounds of French? I know, not original reasons at all, but they are good reasons nonetheless. : )

Now I need to go buy a train ticket to Paris, leaving tomorrow night. Fingers crossed it's not sold out! I really couldn't sustain another night in Taffalla.... Wish me luck!

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Uh oh....

I swallowed a tiny rubberband.

My ortho asked me to wear a single rubberband that stretches from the backside of a top molar to the outside of a bottom one so that it would move out a little.

After a few days I'd completely forgotten about it - until just now, after a few hungry bites into a breakfast churro, when I realized the rubberband was gone.

Uh oh. I'm gonna die from rubber indigestion. How glamorous. : P
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Bloggers Unite!

"Chinderella" and I met at Plaza Mayor in Madrid for drinks this afternoon, which then extended into shopping and dinner. It was absolutely cool to meet a fellow blogger and jaw surgery patient in person! And, half way across the world, considering that she lives in London, and I live in San Francisco! Photos later, IF I have the permission to reveal her identity. :)

Update on August 9th: "Chinderella" posted this on her blog, complete with a photo! Yes, we had a great time talking about everything from surgery to insurance coverage to drinks to shopping. She is a hell of a cool lady - elegant, easy-going, and very cosmopolitan. Bravo, M!

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I'm "sleeping" my dream!

I'm on an overnight train from Paris to Madrid, in a 4-bed sleeping compartment. The lights are off and I can hear the even breathing of my fellow messengers in the perfect darkness - well, except for the glow of my BlackBerry.

Speaking of which, the French businessman sitting next to me on the earlier train from Brussels to Paris also had a BlackBerry Pearl, that looked exactly like mine. We had a good laugh about it. : )

Been reading Cold Moon, another murder mystery by the same author, Jeff Deaver, who wrote the Bone Collector. Gruesome, but a thoroughly smart and entertaining book. It involves the same two characters from the movie, so as I read I can't help but picture Danziel Washington and Angelina Jolie. It's like watching a sequal! : D

Curling up in bed with a mystery novel in a sleeping compartment onboard an overnight international train to Spain. I feel so grateful that at the moment, life is so good.

And I know I'll always remember this fondly. : )

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Kids!

Overheard in the streets of Amsterdam(father to boy): "no, it's just Euro, not Euro dollars.". : D
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And the award goes to....

Most Annoying Question:
"Are you Japanese?" Repeated five times daily it stops being funny. I NEVER get Chinese, and certainly not American. >: )

Most Worthwhile Tourist Spot (on this trip, so far):
Molen van Sloten, a windmill just outside of Amsterdam. It's definitely unique! Plus, it gets you away from the tourist mob, and gives you a taste of the peaceful suburbs.

Most Surprising Fact:
Vincent Van Gogh only painted for a total of 10 years, from age 27 until he shot himself - though he was certainly prolific, producing more than 900 paintings and thousands of drawings during that time.

Funniest Moment:
Spotting reruns of 3rd Rock from the Sun on TV at the lobby of my hotel in Amsterdam.
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iPot

iPot. Says a t-shirt. Can you tell I'm in Amsterdam?

This vacation came to a bumpy start as I checked myself into an emergency room at a hospital in Brussels. No I wasn't bleeding, thank God, but I did have a condition that called for antibiotics. The doctor and the nurses were all gracious and helpful. Two hours (I went shopping while waiting for the lab results), €80, and one dose later, I felt better immediately, and could finally embrace the very much anticipated trip.

No idea how Brussels could call itself the Heart of Europe. Sure, it was NICE, with the Grand Place, the museums, the mussels, and the chocolate (what a pity I had to skip the beer due to the antibiotics). But after two full round trips on the red sightseeing bus in two days (of course I hopped off at all the interesting places), it quickly became apparent that I was running out of reasons to stay.

So off I went to the train station to map out my next stop. Should I visit the town of Brusche (sp.?), or Amsterdam? The guy behind the counter did that very European thing of curved-down lips plus a shrug at the mention of Brusche, but Amsterdam got a big smile and a twinkle in the eye. OK.... I could take a hint. Off I go, to the Netherlands.

Boy was he right!

First of all, the canals. They remind me of Venice, but wider and cleaner. Then there's the bikes. Locals haul everything on their bikes - groceries, flowers, even little kids. I saw this cutest maybe 2-year-old boy sitting in front of his mother on a bike, just zooming by, his soft blonde locks dancing in the wind, and his young eyes filled with wonder.

The Dam Square, Van Gogh Museum, and the Nine Streets with the little boutiques. Shopping has become so.... global. Every metrololis has a Zara, H & M, and Apple. McDonalds has always been ever-present, but now add to that list Ben & Jerry's, and Haaggendaz (rolling my eyes).

Tourist shopping makes me sick. For starters, I simply don't need more STUFF. Remember George Carlin's monologue about how when we go on trips we realize we only need a small portion of the stuff we own? Exactly. I only brought a North Face backpack for the 2-week trip. We want a lot more than we ever need. And we need a lot less than we actually own - for most of us living in non-third-world countries anyway.

To save myself from future trips to Good Will, I'm limiting my shopping to small souvenuirs like fridge magnets (I collect one from each city I visit). What I don't limit myself on is how much I eat, and what - with all this walking, it will for sure burn off.

Yesterday I wandered into a random coffee shop on a main street for some hot chocolate. The chalk menu read: "coffee, orange juice.... 5 joints, mixed, 10 joints, mixed, 5 joints, pure, 10 joints, pure". Huh? I did a double....take. A double take, not a double joint! What were YOU thinking? ; )

That's Amsterdam for ya.... Full of surprises. More later, and I'll post some photos when I get home (MMS messages cost extra, emails don't). For now I'm sitting down to desert, if you get the drift. ; )

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Update on August 7th: That's me on the train to Amsterdam in the photo. The backpack is all I had for two weeks. The sweatshirt says "Australia" (got it in Sydney last year), but never mind that. :)

Mix and Match

After an eight-hour delay at PHL (not to mention the 13-hour total flight time), I finally checked into my hotel in Brussels by 10 PM.

I so don't feel ready for this vacation. Been popping Tylenol because of a backache. Then my Canon camera decided to give me an error message and refused to take pictures before coming to its senses. Oh yeah AND I had to spend 20 minutes talking to my brokerage firm over the phone to clear up confusions regarding a wire transfer.

My first meal in Brussels ended up being Japanese. Japanese, in the heart of Europe! Why oh why? Well, I'm exhausted. Room service stopped serving. And the Japanese restaurant is literally right next door, AND the ONLY restaurant on this block. So there I was, slurping a steaming hotel bowl of soba, and thinking to myself I could have been right at home in San Francisco, if it weren't because of the smaller portion and the much steeper price (€9 for what I could easily get for $7 at home).

Adding to the "global" experience? They were playing the song My Girl in the background. : ) it reminded me of the time I spent in Sydney last year.... How I had stumbled across an Irish pub where a live band played Hotel California and California Girls. Our music rocks.


Belgian Hotel: €59

Japanese Dinner: €12

American Music (while you're far from home?): Priceless

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Gum Contouring

Good gum contouring before and after photos.

Dr. Li had asked if I was considering gum contouring. His take is that it's completely optional, even though I have "small teeth" (now THERE's concept to chew on).

I'll wait (till after the braces come off) and see.

What's $24 worth to ya?

What's $24 to you?

 

Two movie tickets?

A pedicure?

Two drinks at an average bar?

 

But for $24 a month, you can sponsor a child in need in countries like Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Mexico.  80% of your donation goes to the child.  What are you waiting for?  Sponsor a child through Christian Children's Fund today!

 

Yes, I'm in marketing, and I totally fell for CCF's TV commercial last night (another reason why I don't typically watch TV).  But, this is for a good cause, I hope.  And for once, I want to be NOT jaded or cynical - and help spread the word.

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Five Months!

Five months post-op today! Before and after photos compared to about a year ago. There's still some numbness in my right chin, and lower right lip, but not much. Maybe 5%?

Mary had asked me in one of her comments if people treat me differently (after the change in my appearance). Good question! I had to think about it for a while. Hmm....No I can't say that people treat me differently, other than that perhaps strangers seem to approach me more often, with random small talks, at ice cream parlors, grocery stores, et cetera. The biggest change took place within my own mind. I feel less self-conscious and more self-confident. I no longer feel the need to conceal my profile and put my best face forward, so to speak. It feels so great to look normal, to know that my teeth and jaws fall exactly where they should (no more edge-on-edge bite!). Sure, the whole ordeal cost a lot of money. But the confidence it brings me is priceless.

See Stock Run

On the eve of iPhone's debut, the BlackBerry steals the show. Research in Motion (RIMM), makers of the BlackBerry, announced a 73% rise in profit during their earnings call after hours today. The stock went up 17% during after hours trading, at $194 per share. Thank God they also announced a 3 for 1 stock split.

RIMM is too expensive for me right now. J. Crew (JCG) is something I would get next - God knows I spend enough of my paycheck at their stores!

United Health Care

My employer is switching our coverage from Aetna to United Health Care. Has anyone had experiences with UHC?

$10 Flight

If you ever wanted to visit Columbus, Ohio - here's your big chance to do it cheap. And I mean CHEAP. $10 each way - courtsey of Skybus. Yep, that's right. In fact, their website says:

"10 seats for $10 each – on every flight! That’s right, each and every Skybus flight has a minimum of ten seats available for just ten dollars. It’s for real – but these seats go quickly, so be sure to book early and book often!"

Too bad I still don't want to visit Columbus any time soon.

Home Exchange

I sipped a glass of Cabernet at the bar while waiting for my ex-colleague to join me for dinner at Rex Cafe tonight. The couple sitting next to me asked for entree recommendations - so we struck up a conversation. It turned out they were from Australia (the guy) and New Zealand (the girl, she wore braces, too!), but live in Hong Kong. They are in San Francisco on vacation, and they got free lodging via Home Exchange! Just like what Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet did in the movie, the Holiday. In fact, HomeExchange.com did indeed sponsor the movie. Now, how cool is THAT!! The couple they are exchanging homes with owns three properties in the States, in San Francisco (Pacific Heights), Napa Valley, and New York City (must be a nice life!). We had a nice chat - I told them how much I loved VB (Victoria Bitter, an Australian beer) when I spent a week in Sydney last summer. They told me how many similarities they found between San Fran and Sydney, and that he travels to Beijing for business all the time, and that they plan to visit China next year during the Olympics. All in all, a very cool, collected couple.

So guess who paid the annual fee of $99.95 and became the newest member of HomeExchange.com as soon as she got home tonight? :)

I'm flying to Belgium at the end of July, then taking the train to Spain. It'd be great to stay in a local residence, rather than in a hotel, for obvious reasons:

• Hotels are expensive.
• Staying in a hotel screams "I'm a tourist!". Staying in a local residence spells C-O-O-L.

I hope someone on that site wants to visit San Francisco!

Less than 100 days to go....

My ortho said she expects to debrace me by mid-September. In other words, I've got less than 100 days to go!

I'm dreaming about things to sink my teeth into once they're free of metal braces. Babyback ribs! Sticky sesame candy bars! Caramel! Corn on the cobb! Now I feel like a death row inmate planning his last meal - but the opposite. :)

Speaking of death row, did you ever see that Kevin Spacey movie titled The Life of David Gale? A clever, but wildly disturbing story. Hold the popcorn.

Old Photo

Came across an old photo (the one on the left) taken last summer. The photo on the right was taken about a month ago - in other words, about four months after the surgery. I think these two photos are about a year apart. Erin - see how I had a pointy/long chin very similar to yours? I'm no expert.... but I imagine your face will look rounder and more balanced post surgery, just like mine. Good luck! :)

Four-Month Mark!

Wow, it's been four months already, since my jaw surgery on January 31st. I don't think about it much anymore....the swelling's probably all gone - if it hasn't then at least I haven't noticed. The numbness in my chin still lingers, but only about 10%.

The BEST part? Had an appointment with the ortho today to adjust my braces. She had originally estimated to de-brace me by February of 2008. This afternoon she told me it would happen a lot sooner - around mid-September! I am completely thrilled. :)

The photo on the top left shows my profile before braces. The one on the right is my profile as of today. For more before and after photos, click on the links in the left-hand column.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World

The top 10 most expensive cities in the world this year, according to the Economist, using New York as 100:

1. Oslo, 134
2. Paris, 130
3. Copenhagen, 126
4. London, 125
5. Tokyo, 124
6. Osaka, 118
7. Reykjavic, 118
8. Zurich, 118
9. Frankfurt, 116
10. Helsinki, 116

New York came in at #28, Chicago #36, Los Angeles #39, and San Francisco #41.

Passive Aggressive Notes

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

The Rain in Spain

....Falls mainly on the plain. Or does it?

I'll find out soon enough! Just booked my flight to Brussels in July. Then taking the train to Spain! Woohoo! Thanks Chris, for inviting me to your wedding!

3rd Rock from the Sun

I wish I'd remembered to add 3rd Rock from the Sun to my Netflix queue while healing at home post-op. On a 2nd thought, no I don't. The show is just hilarious, and laughing would've hurt too much. Doug would know. He made me laugh so hard once, about two weeks after the surgery, that I literally had to pinch my lips together to keep the muscles from pulling and hurting too much. Nice mental image, huh? ;)

It feels great to be able to laugh again. :)

Visual Reality

Watched Dreamgirls the other night. Effie White is denied the chance to super stardom because she's overweight. Overweight doesn't sell records. Beauty does - in the form of Deena Jones.

We all love beautiful things. And beautiful people. Do good-looking people get better treatment? Sure they do. When I went to a flower shop with a girlfriend a few years ago - she got half a dozen roses from the shop owner for no reason, and I got....nothing. Men buy drinks for pretty girls at bars. Us mere mortals? We gotta buy our own.

But sometimes good looks can backfire. Look what happened to Ms. Segolene Royal in the French election. She received only 48% from the women voters. I'm not saying she lost because of her astonishingly good looks. But her beauty perhaps cost her a few votes. A San Francisco radio station took calls earlier this week to see if/how a political candidate's appearance impacts the way people vote. The confessions were mixed. Some callers admitted that they simply didn't trust too-good-looking politicians, suspecting that they had it easier because of their looks. Others said - "Sure, if they're equally smart and competent, I'd vote for the hotter one 'cause I have to watch them on TV for the next few years!"

Men are not immune to this type of scrutiny. A recent New York Times article revealed that "a 5-foot-8 man was just as successful in getting dates as a 6-footer if he made more money — precisely $146,000 a year more. For a 5-foot-2 man, the number was $277,000". Ouch.

Fair? No. Reality? Yes.

Boing, Boing....Bouncing Back

Thanks so much for the support, folks! She's entitled to her opinions - and I'm entitled to a switch. Switching to a new dentist, that is. ;) I was never that impressed to begin with.... and this just provided that last bit of motivation I needed to look around.

I feel extremely grateful that everything has gone according to plan so far - the braces (so far, to date), and the surgery. Couldn't have asked for better!

Mary - Thanks for sharing my blog with your colleague. He can read more about Dr. Li at http://www.drkaseyli.com/. Best of luck!

Ruby, Graham - Thanks for the encouragement. I signed up for a membership at Helium yesterday. It's a site where you can write about any subject they specify, rate each other's articles, and somehow get paid (haven't figured out how that part works yet). So far I've only written two articles, but plan to do more soon. :)

What would I do without y'all (my Texas roots seeping through)? Thanks again, to each of you, for your kindness and support. You've made this journey so much easier.... and even FUN. :)

Dent in My Day

My dentist isn't involved in this whole jaw surgery ordeal, even though her office also does braces. A friend of mine had recommended her ortho and oral surgeon to me, so that's who I went with. When I told my dentist about my plans to undergo jaw surgery, about a year and half ago, she said - "Oh I noticed your bite is off, but I didn't want to say anything 'cause it'd require surgery. The only surgeon I know that's really good lives in Texas. I don't know any oral surgeons here so I can't recommend anyone to my patients." She took some "before" pictures of my face - front view, profile, and smile - so that she could compare and see the difference when I'm done. If the results were good, she said, she'd recommend Dr. Li to her other patients who might need similar surgery.

Fastforward 18 months. I had my dental exam this afternoon. Saw my dentist for the first time since the surgery. I congratulated her on her new baby girl, flashed a smile, and said - "So, are you gonna recommend Dr. Li?"

"Oh....", she paused, "honestly, I think you'd have better results if you went to that surgeon in Texas. He would've made it perfect. Right now you still show some gum when you smile big." (See a photo here)

"Oh, that. Dr. Li had told me that he couldn't make the gum disappear completely when I smile. If he had shortened my upper jaw even further, it'd widen my nose too much. Plus, when your lips are relaxed, the bottom of your upper front teeth is suppposed to peek out just a little. If he had cut out more gumline, my front teeth would've completely disappeared behind the upper lip and I'd end up looking like an old lady. It's all about striking the right facial balance, right?"

"Still, the surgeon in Texas would have made it just perfect. Dr. Walford, I think, is his name. He doesn't do anything by the book and he's brilliant. He would've rotated both of your jaws and made them perfect."

"But Dr. Li did operate on both of my jaws. Besides, I don't mind showing a little gum when I smile big. What IS perfection anyway? It's different from person to person."

"How much did you pay for your operation? Dr. Walford in Texas charges $70,000."

"My surgeon quoted $33,600."

"Ah. Dr. Walford would've made it perfect. He's really famous and well-known, and he's expensive."

"Well," I sought ways to fight back without being rude, "I'm not gonna fly to Texas, and I'm not paying anyone $70,000 for this. By the way, Dr. Li is world-renowned, too. He's top-notch."

She started to say something else, but quick, I beat her to it: "Hey, you don't have to recommend him and you don't have to like the results," I kept a smile on my face, even though, yes, of course I was annoyed. "After all, I'm the one that has to live with it, and I really like it." Then I turned and winked at her assistant, who looked completely mortified.

I'd like to think I have an open mind and can take different opinions. But, I suspect it's insensitive of her to say that I should've gone to some surgeon in Texas when all has been said and done. Obviously there's nothing I can do now, even if the Texan were better than Dr. Li - which I highly doubt.

Bottom line: I'm happy with the results. I can chew properly now and cut noodles with my front teeth. Plus, in my opinion, my face looks more proportionate. Who cares what she thinks, right?

But it still made a dent in my day.

Before and After: 3 Months!

Three-month mark!! It's been three months since my jaw surgery. Click on the photos above to enlarge them. The photo on the left was dated September 2005, pre-braces. The photo on the right was taken yesterday, at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, B.C., Canada (which is, by the way, a beautiful place with lots of flowers. I snapped a photo of a random cute kid walking by).

They say time flies. But honestly, it feels longer than three months! Almost a distant memory. When a colleague asked me the other day how my jaws were feeling, it took me a split second to realize what he meant. :) My diet has gone back to almost normal, as well - still can't do the tougher meats or apples or carrots yet, but all in due time. My chin still feels numb on the right side...and my lower right lip, too. But each week the feelings return a little, so that's good!

Before and After: Umbrella

December 2005 in Victoria, B.C., vs. April 2007 in New York. Click on the photos above to enlarge them.

Who says everything looks good in black and white? ;)

Above: X-ray on November 22nd, 2005. Pre-op.
Below: X-ray on April 5th, 2007. Post-op. See the metal plates and screws? :D

Got A Date... Kinda

At my last ortho appointment their records showed my estimiated "de-brace" date as August 2008. August 2008!! That's obviously wrong, and the dental assistant agreed, since I'm weeks away from my final wires. I couldn't get a straight answer before I left their office because my ortho was way too busy to talk to me or her assistant (who does most of the work on my braces). See why I'm not impressed? In any case, I called them yesterday to clarify the date.

Long story short - the worst case scenario is February 2008. My ortho said on average it takes nine months of additional braces work after the jaw surgery. So that puts me at early November. Sometime between November and February. That's when they'll come off! :)

I'm extremely glad the surgery went well and there are no complications. Now I just want the roots to move and straighten out. Tick tock teeth! :P

Not So Hidden Gems

Since the group of us orthognathic surgery patients has been relatively quiet on our blogs, I've wandered around online to find other gems.

• Flight 001 - All the travel essentials and accessories one can dream of.
• Fool.com - Want smart investment advice? Bookmark this site. Don't let the name fool ya.
• Closet Therapy - Oh boy. Is this the mother of all shopping blogs or what? I marvel at the amount of time she spends to keep it up to date.
• Pandora.com - Type in the songs you enjoy, and Pandora will find similar songs for you and stream them for free. Pretty sweet, huh?
• Fat Wallet - Don't know about you, but my wallet's never fat. Sigh. I've never personally used this site, but apparently it saves you $$.

Got any cool sites to share? ;)

Jennifer Ouellette Grosgrain Ribbon Headbands

Hey Ju, thanks for the comment on the headband. It's Jennifer Ouellette. You can get them from Barneys New York, or online at Viv&Ingrid. Aren't they adorable? Just the perfect spring accessory. :P

Yan Min Said....

Yan Min said...
"Hi Kristen, I have an underbite and I'm thinking of getting the surgery done this summer, but my parents are quite worried and to be honest, I'm quite scared myself. I only have about 3 months off before I head back to school. Do you think that'll be enough time to heal? I haven't gotten a chance to consult a surgeon yet because I'm now studying abroad. Will I still look weird 3 months post-op? I'm scared... :( "

Hey there - do you have braces on right now? Usually this type of surgery, as I understand it, is performed in conjunction with braces. Your orthodonitist and your surgeon should explain the entire treatment plan to you before they start anything. I'm not sure what your situation is - but you might want to consult with your surgeon to fully understand what to expect.

I'm almost 3 months post op (11 weeks now). I don't think I look weird. And believe me, I was really, really swollen after the surgery. Therefore, I think your chances of looking normal before heading back to school are pretty good!

AirPasses!!

This is the best flight map I've found: http://www.europebyair.com/eba/map/map_eba.jsp

Train around Europe, or fly for $99 each way? THAT is the question.

High tea!

Having high tea at Walforf=Astoria in New York, before heading to JFK to fly home tonight.

Hey Ju!

Ju, let me see if I can address your questions:

hey kristen, hmm got down a few questions. help me out. will the surgeon actually shorten yr chin as well?

No, he didn't, and he doesn't plan to.

did he push back ur lower jaw or push it backwards & upwards too?

Good questions. He pushed it backwards and tilted it upwards. In doing that, the chin "appears" shorter.

will the nose base be larger after the surgery?

Not "larger", but slightly "wider". But this really varies from patient to patient. In my opinion, my nose looks rounder, as does my lower face.

and also, will the braces period actually make our bite worsen before the surg? thanks in advance!!

Yes, the bite did indeed look worse per surgery. It's because they needed to reposition the teeth for optimal alignment immediately following the surgery, when the jaws had been repositioned. Don't worry, it's a gradual process. I didn't notice it that much. Good luck with everything!

Sunday, blurry Sunday

Fortunately, the need for Tylenol was a one off deal. All is well and I've got sundae on my brain this Sunday. :)

My back molars still don't touch (up and bottom). There's consierable gap between them, to the point that I really can't chew things properly. My ortho says she'll put on rubber bands to "hold them together and pull them in".... I'm not sure I understand that correctly. They also definitely do NOT have the right information in my record - because it says they expect to "debrace" me in August 2008. Um, NO, I don't think so. The dental assistant that helped me the other day said she'd double check on that. "It shouldn't take that long, since you'll be in your final wires pretty soon." See why I'm not impressed with my ortho's office? They make little mistakes like that, here and there, and they really do add up to destroy my confidence in them. Dr. Li's office never made any such errors - though I must say they're taking an awfully long time to sort out the insurance payment (sent it to the wrong insurance company at first). Well, maybe it's time I pick up the phone myself. If you want it done right....

But, as it is, it's Sunday, and sunny outside - and sundaes are in order! :)

Rude Awakening

The pain was so intense it woke me up. I sat up in bed, at two o'clock in the morning, half-asleep, and simultaneously fighting the urge the doze off again and the NEED to get some medication to stop the pain in my lower teeth.

I went in yesterday for my first ortho appointment since the surgery. They changed the wire on my bottom teeth and repositioned some brackets to make sure the roots are straight.

Now I can't even THINK straight, the pain is so intense.

Just as I was grabbing two pills from the bottle of Tylenol 8 hours, the nearly empty bottle of cherry-flavored Liquid Tylenol jumped out at me - the life saver from the good ol' days of immediate pos op.

I drank it.

Please let the pain go away.

Death & Taxes

Taxes make me want to die. OK... maybe not quite. But taxes definitely make me miserable.

I'm proud to say I'm 90% done with the filing. Only next steps left? 1. Call the doctor's offices in the morning to figure out exactly how much medical expenses I incurred in 2006, and 2. TurboTax it! So, if you haven't done your taxes yet - don't forget to include expenses on disposable toothbrushes (considered medical supply, I hope), mileage driven to medical facilities, parking, x-rays, and of course, prescriptions. Get back as much as you can. Heck, the lot of us here have certainly spent enough on braces and surgery (another whopping deduction for 2007, I'm sure).

I promised myself to absolutely get it done before Friday. Because I have a business trip to New York City next week, and another one to Portland immediately after. But I WILL have time for some fun towards the end of April, when I visit a friend in Vancouver, B.C.

On that note, a former colleague of mine invited me to his wedding in Spain this August - he and his future bride, who grew up there, were even generous enough to offer me free room and board (thanks Chris!). I'm so psyched! But I want to get the most out of the trip and add another country to the itinerary, somewhere I've never visited before. After mulling over a map of Europe for almost an hour and checking airfare, I've narrowed it down to three cities: London, Amsterdam, and Lisbon. Which one will it be? I'm so torn. Decisions, decisions!!

I won't book the flight until I'm done filing the taxes. Now THAT's motivation. ;)

Random Sentiments

Looking back on this whole braces/surgery ordeal - even though I've got at least 6 more months to go - some random nuggets of thought keep popping into my mind.

• It was perhaps a good thing that I didn't really look for any surgery related information online before it happened. Sometimes too much information is a bad thing - there's a reason why they say "BLISSFUL ignorance". Haha. I knew I'd proceed with the braces and the surgery. I'd made the decision already. Case closed.


• The braces didn't hurt much at all. Except maybe for three or four days after each adjustment.


• But they're so damn inconvenient! After every meal, I'd excuse myself and run to the bathroom to make sure there's nothing stuck between my teeth.


• They're NOT as socially awkward as I thought. I guess adults are more sensitive and considerate than teenagers and tend to NOT poke fun at you as much. Well, on average (no, I didn't have braces as a kid).


• Surgery was actually the easiest part. Piece of cake. Really. All I had to do was pass out (with some help from the anesthesiologist, of course) - and viola! Four hours later, mission accomplished.


• Mission accomplished. But oh boy, the AFTERMATH!! For me, personally - as it doesn't happen to everyone - the breathing difficulties were the hardest part.


• The swelling - oh gosh, would it go away?! The post op photos amuse me now. Chipmunk! Pumpkinhead! :P There's still some residual swelling, but hey, compared to the photo above, I've come a looooooooooonnnnnng way.


• The first time I brushed my teeth - about ten or twelve days post op - oh how I LOVED it! Mmmmmm. Minty breath.


• Milkshakes. The three weeks immediately following surgery were about the ONLY time in my adult life where I could indulge in milkshakes and not worry about weight-gain. And guess what? I got sick of them. C'est la vie.

OK, gotta run to work. More later.

Bill's Round 2

Bill is having his 2nd round of surgery tomorrow. My goodness. How does he do it? I'd have completely freaked out by now. You gotta hand it to the Marines. Good luck Bill!!

Two Months Before & After

Hi folks!

I can't believe it's been two months already, since my double jaw surgery. But somehow it feels longer, even though the time has just zoomed by.

The milestone calls for another before and after comparison. The photo on the left (in the Paul Frank braces t-shirt) was taken right before I headed out the door to the ortho appointment to get the braces on. That was February 7th, 2006.

The photo on the right was taken this morning, two months after my surgery. My face does look rounder.... I can see why some people would chalk that up to weight gain. My lower 1/3 face seems less prominent. The feature are more in proportion. Some days I think the differences are subtle. Other times I think "oh my God, now I'm stuck with a round face!" What's your take on it? How much/little has your appearance changed post surgery?




Here (in the photo above) you see me in December 2005, December 2006, and this morning, from left to right. See how my lower jaw is shorter, and my gummy smile reduced? Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Residual Swelling & Numbness

Thanks everybody, for your comments.  I do have to say, though, that I know there's still some residual swelling.  It's only visible when I smile, or laugh - because it's around my nose and the cheekbone area surrounding it.  One word - ROUND.  I'll have to post some photos later. 

 

For those of you that have had the surgery - you know how for weeks post op, the first thing you notice when you wake up each morning is the incredible tightness in your jaw bones?  For me it felt as though someone grabbed my jaws and really put pressure on them.  My face didn't feel....free.  Well, now that's STILL the case.  Not so much around my lower jaw, but definitely in my upper jaw, especially right below the nose.

 

My lower jaw has its own woes.  Namely, the numbness on the right side and also in the lower right lip.  The feelings in the lip are coming back faster than in the jaw.   I'd estimate 35% still missing, though. 

 

It's a waiting game.

It's Just Swell

Maybe Mrs. Shanton is right. I don't see significant swelling here. The two on the top were taken today, and the bottom two were from last Thursday, right before my MLD therapy.

Que Syrah Syrah

Did wine tasting at Vino Venue yesterday after checking out the Picasso exhibit at the MOMA. They have a great blended red from Australia called Fifth Leg, an oak barrelled combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz with an inviting banquet of berries, cherries, plums and subtle oak. Not expensive, but very pleasant.

Headed to my friend Lawrence's birthday party after the wine tasting. As soon as his mother spotted me, she said - "Oh Kristen, you've gained some....". "Huh?" I did't quite get it. "You've gained some weight, right? It shows in your face. Your cheeks are puffier." LOL! Just when I thought the swelling had almost disappeared. It takes one brave and honest soul to tell me NO, it's still there.

Where was the wine when I needed it? Sigh. Que syrah syrah....whatever will be will be. ;)

The Definitive Word on Cheek Implants

Had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Li this morning. He addressed the three burning questions I had:

1. The occasional click in my left jaw joint has returned. Why? Is it cause for concern?

Dr. Li's response: Jaw surgeries don't necessarily correct the clicking. If it's occasional and it doesn't bother you, then it's not a problem.

My thoughts: Whew! The clicking came back about a week ago, and it only happens about twice a day, IF that. It usually happens when I've been relatively still then have sudden jaw movements. It doesn't hurt. That reminds me - my right jaw joint used to click and SHIFT SIDEWAYS to compensate if I had to open wide. It went away completely! :)

2. How's my swelling?

Dr. Li's response: It's minimal. The majority of the swelling is gone.

My thoughts: Yeah, about time! ....OK, I know, I know, I'm an impatient patient. :)

3. Some people get cheek implants when they undergo jaw surgery. My ortho had mentioned it during my first consultation with her. I was overwhelmed and told her no. Should I have gotten them?

Dr. Li's response: Most Asians would end up looking funny with cheek implants. It's because we don't have the high nose bridges to balance them with. I didn't NOT give you cheek implants because you told the ortho you didn't want them. I don't think you NEED cheek implants.

My thoughts: Hooray! Subject closed. :)

Overall, it was a very uneventful (good!) appointment that lasted only about 5 minutes. Dr. Li, as I've said many times before, is happy with the results. I am happy with the results. It's all good!

Oh wait, the ONLY thing is, he seemed slightly surprised that my first ortho appointment isn't until April 5th (my surgery was January 31st). Not sure why my ortho wanted to wait this long to start the braces work again. Dr. Li definitely thinks I'm ready to go. I called my ortho to see if they can move up my appointment. No can do. Oh well. I'll be on a business trip all week next week anyway, so it's not as if I could gain that much time.

My ortho had estimated another six months of braces post op. I'm really hoping to be brace-free by September, so I can have my birthday without looking like Miss Metal Mouth. Well, que sera sera.

Cheek Implants - Part II

Thanks everybody, for your comments. I'm going to ask my surgeon when I go see him this Thursday. I just want his medical opinion on it - because it bugs me that my ortho had mentioned it... and I didn't welcome the idea, and the subject was closed. I'm curious what Dr. Li would say. Probably the same thing all of you already said - wait it out, see what the final result looks like, then decide. It just bugs me that my ortho had brought it up at all. Honestly, if my surgeon didn't see an immediate need for it at the time of surgery, I don't think I'd elect to have it in the future.

Did a Google Search and came across this price list on various cosmetic procedures - all performed in Thailand. All looked pretty standard, even the gender re-assignment, except the very last one - "Adam's Apple - Reshaving". Whoa. The things you never think of. :)

Cheek Implants - Part I

After reading other blogs and comments, I'm now wondering if I should've considered cheek implants?

There's still considerable swelling in my cheeks - which creates an illusion of high cheekbones, which I rather enjoy. It makes me "look" happier. I *think* my ortho had recommended cheek implants during my first consultation with her. And I was horrified, because of the way she said it: "You show a lot of gum when you smile. We could reduce that gummy smile. What else do you want to change about your face?" HUH? How about... nothing? I felt bewildered. I was certainly not ready for THAT discussion!

Oddly enough, my ortho never brought it up again, and my OS never brought it up, period. Now I kinda wish they had. I want high cheekbones!

Another Paul Frank T-Shirt

I love this T-shirt!

Reactions at the Office

My first day back to work was last Wednesday. Most of my colleagues were just happy that I was back and could start pulling my weight again.

I went to the coffee shop downstairs to get some milk. On the way back, one of our engineers was running towards the elevator, so I held it open for him. Rushing in, he muttered, "thank you", glanced at me, then did a double take. "It's YOU! I didn't even recognize you! What happened? You look completely different! Nice!". Hahaha!

My old boss (new boss is in a different city) exclaimed, "it looks so much nicer now!" when he saw me. A few other folks noticed the remaining swelling. Everyone asked me about the hospital/surgery experience. I kept it short and sweet, sparing them the details. :)

Even though it is exhausting, it IS good to be back in the swing of things.

I love Yo-Baby yogurt!

Yo-Baby yogurt rocks. Especially the pear flavor. If you mix it with a bowl of steaming hot cream of wheat, it turns into this perfect concoction of texture and substance. Try it! :)

Watching CSI

CSI marathon on Spike. :)

Old Habits Die Hard

I'm not wearing rubber bands at night anymore. Woke up the other day to find my lower jaw slightly thrust forward. Very slightly, but very worrisome. Are my jaw muscles seeking their old positions?

Meanwhile, my right lower lip and right chin continue to feel numb and tingling. The jaws feel dull and tight, but less so as the days go by. The cheeks are gradually deflating, as the cheekbones gradually lower. I can't wait until all these changes finally stop and whatever I get stay permanent.

Still on a soft food diet, but I'm really enjoying cutting food with my front teeth! Sounds silly, right? Avocados, scrambled eggs, potatoes - even shrimp - bring them on! While slurping noodles the other day, I caught myself cutting the strands between my upper teeth and tongue (which I used to do to compensate for the gap between my edge-on-edge bite). THAT was a weird moment, realizing I didn't have to do that anymore. Old habits are hard to break. But it is time. And I can. :)

Exhausted

First day back to work. After a full day, I'm exhausted. Planted myself on the couch as soon as I got home. Ate a small avocado, a small chunk of yam, some plain yogurt, and a spoonful of nutella for dinner. Can't even bring myself to turn on the laptop (I'm typing this on my BlackBerry). Will write more later, folks.

My job isn't even labor intensive. It is software marketing. But boy, did I run out of steam!

Good night!
.................................................................
Sent Wirelessly from My CrackBerry.

Anthony Bourdain

I'm kicking myself for not picking up this book earlier, when I still had plenty of time before returning to work. Today, the last day of my five weeks off, I started reading Anthony Bourdain's the Nasty Bits. It's a collection of his non-fiction short pieces. He's apparently a world-famous chef, avid traveler, witty writer, and acute oberserver. His wild, but fitting analogies, made me laugh out loud. Since I'm not a book reviewer, and I don't even read that much (about two to three books a year, sad to say), you'll have to check it out and see for yourself - especially if you have some time to kill during your recovery. Not that reovery is so leisurely, by any means.

Here's one of his wildly wicked analogies, in reference to Masa Takayama's tiny, 26-seat sushi bar/restaurant on the fourth floor of the new Time Warner Building in New York City (not to be confused with Bar Masa next door). I don't know how I missed the place, since I've been to both Asiate and Stone Rose Lounge in the same building. Or perhaps it's a good thing that I missed it. Look at the price tag!

"At three hundred fifty dollars per person as a starting point (that's before tax, tip, beverages, and any extras), it's a steal. It's the deal of the century. It's a completely over-the-top exercise in pure self-indulgence, like having sex with two five-thousand-dollar-a-night escorts at the same time - while driving an Aston Martin."

'Nuff said. ;)

Speech Therapy?

I posted a question re: speech therapy and therapist recommendations on the metal mouth message board. Someone asked me why I thought I might need it. Here's my response:

"Since the surgery repositioned my upper and lower jaws, it's taking some getting used to, as far as eating and talking. For instance, I never used my front teeth to cut anything fine like noodles, because I couldn't. My curiosity re: speech therapy stems from the fact that as of now, I cannot pronounce the letter 's' without making it sound like 'sh'. Maybe it's because my back teeth don't meet yet (need further ortho work). I simply don't know. Also, I used to compensate with my tongue (pushing against the front teeth) whenever I had to say words like 'two', 'delta', et cetera. Now theoretically I shouldn't have to. But how? I feel like I'm learning how to talk again, and this time I want to do it right. "

Do you have a sister?

Dropped by the sandwich shop near my old office in downtown San Francisco for a bottle of water today. I hadn't been there in almost a year, since I started working for a different company, and no longer worked downtown.

The girl behind the counter gave me a long stare, and finally asked: "Do you have a sister?" "No.". I said, before the lightbulb came on in my head. "Oh never mind," she said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Did you mean the girl that used to come here a lot, and disappeared about a year ago?". "Yes!" she nodded. "Well, that was me. I'm her. Same person." "Nah, no way," she smiled, apparently thinking it was a joke. Then she realized I was serious. "Really? You look so different." She stared at me in disbelief. Hahaha! I casually explained that I'd had jaw surgery, which altered my appearance a little bit, and that seemed to put her mind at ease.

I wonder what my colleagues would say as I return to work tomorrow after five weeks. Maybe nothing. Or maybe they'd think I got a haircut and lost some weight!

.................................................................

Sent Wirelessly from My CrackBerry.

Sam's Story - Scanned

My friend Li scanned this Chinese newspaper article on jaw surgery and sent it to me in PDF. For those of you who can read Chinese - enjoy.

For the rest of you - yep, you can probably figure it out from the photos. It's a story about a fresh college graduate named Sam, who had a severe underbite and corrected it through jaw surgery. The article explains in detail what the procedure involves. In short - yet another account of what the surgery's all about. Pretty interesting stuff. Thanks for the info, Li! ;)

Good life is....

....warm bread pudding. Courtesy of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Alas, very bad resolution photo. Blame it on my BlackBerry Pearl Camera.

Braces: Age Is No Barrier

Came across this adult braces poll on Archwired. Pretty interesting numbers! Not exactly what you'd expect.

Reactions?

I'm going back to work on Wednesday. Just out of curiosity, what were some of the reactions you received when you returned to work post surgery? Did your colleagues notice a difference? Did anybody think it was cosmetic?

OS in Colorado Springs, CO?

Melissa lives in Colorado Springs, CO, and is looking for a good OS. She's been getting the run-around from her ortho. They've just not been very helpful. I asked Dr. Li at my appointment on Thursday if he could recommend anyone in CO, but alas, he didn't know any surgeons there.

Do you know of any good surgeons in Colorado Springs? Where can Melissa look up someone solid? Is there an online directory of oral surgeons in the U.S.?

A Dose of Reality

Since I'm now able to enjoy soft foods (mashed potatoes, fish, tofu, et cetera), I've been feeling somewhat normal and the whole surgery thing has weighed less and less on my mind. For instance, when I wake up in the morning, I no longer feel overwhelming tightness in my lower face, and the first thing that comes to mind is no longer "I'm soooooo hungry! What can I eat, er, drink?"


But last night, I had a dose of reality. Doug and I spent the whole day walking around the city, strolling through the farmers' market, having lunch (here I was, at my favorite hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant, opening wiiiiide), checking out charming local shops, and enjoying a cup of mocha. By the time we got home at 8 pm, I sat in bed and powered up my laptop, then promptly fell asleep. I could not keep my eyes peeled! Slept all the way till this morning. This almost never happens. I usually operate on 6 to 7 hours of sleep every night, and I'm usually very high energy. Now I realize that my body is still in recovery, and it just hasn't come back 100%. Oh well. At least, I don't stand up for 15 minutes and immediately feel dizzy (2nd and 3rd day at the hospital), or walk around in the house for an hour and already need a nap (first 10 days at home). It's definitely improving. I just need to take it easy.

The Elephant Woman

Doug made a comment the other day that I thought was.... well, from an interesting angle. He said that the way they described my condition (Class III Malocclusion, severe skeletal deformity) made it sound horrible. If you've never met the person, and only read the description, you'd almost expect to meet the Elephant Man. But, he never thought I looked "wrong". Of course, he likes the new me. :) But the point he was making was - he never disliked the old me, either.

The power of words (medical terms, in this case) and a vivid imagination. Smile.

A Shout Out to Kim

Lady - you look fantastic! I just looked at your photos. Your last before & after photo, October 2004 vs. February 2007, shows such a difference. The surgery was totally worth it, do you agree? :) By the way, would you mind if I posted the link to your photos here on my blog? I certainly wouldn't do it unless you give me consent. :)

Oh by the way, you have amazing, Bambi lashes. I'm so very jealous. Where's my mascara? :P

OK, Kim says it's OK to post the link to her photos. So here it is: http://members.cox.net/jgower/photos/myalbum.html. Doesn't she look great?

Highlights from My 3rd Follow-Up Appointment

Had my 3rd follow-up appointment with Dr. Li this morning. He was very pleased with the results and the progress. Said I only need to wear two rubber bands at night, and can run free during the day. Yay! The remaining swelling, concentrated in my cheeks and chin, is roughly 30%, and will take at least two to three months to completely go away. Oh well.

He addressed all of my questions, namely:

Why did he cut two incisions, one on each cheek? It was so that he could insert the screws at the right angle. Yikes! Screws and plates in my jaws. Yowza!

Will my cheeks deflate? Yes. Unfortunately, as they deflate, so will my seemingly high cheekbones. Grrrr.

Will the slope of my nose revert to its original state? No. It will most likely retain its perky new angle.

I now have permission to eat soft food - fish, really, really cooked noodles, et cetera. My next appointment is in three weeks.