Introduction

HELLO to all my family & friends and WELCOME to my jaw surgery blog. 

About Me:

My name is Jenny and I am a 29 year old female diagnosed with hemimandibular hypertrophy (one-sided jaw overgrowth, in my case it is my left side). 

Back Story:

I first started noticing a difference in the right and left side of my jaw around 2009, when I was 25 years old.  This was concerning because most people’s jaw stops growing in their late teens or at the latest their early 20’s.  I finally went to the orthodontist seeking answers in 2010.  He (Dr. Engstrom) x-rayed my jaw and told me to come back in a year for another x-ray.  He would then overlay the x-rays to see if my jaw was continuing to change.  In 2011, I returned and my x-ray proved that my condition was worsening.  Dr. Engstrom then referred me to Dr. Turvey, a surgeon at UNC Hospital.  After additional x-rays and bone scans, Dr. Turvey diagnosed me with my current jaw condition and surgery is scheduled for July 31^st, 2013.

Next Steps:

I had braces put on July 2^nd, 2012 by Dr. Gilbert (who later retired and transferred his practice over to Dr. Vanderwall).  As of today, I have had my braces on for 387 days.  T-7 DAYS UNTIL THIS SURGERY HAPPENS.  (I have requested my medical records, so further detail on the surgery and ‘before’ pictures to come later.)  My jaw will be banded shut (a better option than wiring shut because it causes less scar tissue) for 6 to 8 weeks with only about a ¼ to ½ inch opening to be able to feed myself.  I will be out of work for 3 full weeks and then after that is to be determined.  For the first 1.5 weeks I will be staying with my mother (Karen) and the second 1.5 weeks I will be staying with my father (John).  I am thankful to have such loving and supportive parents that live close by.  They will both be integral in helping me through the recovery process.  I just hope they know what they are getting into!