It's been just over a year since my cycling accident, and while I don't want my life defined by it, I can't deny the impact the accident has had and continues to have on my life.
I guess you could say I'm in the restorative stages. My jaw and chin are fully healed, and the only evidence of my facial trauma is a small keloid scar just to the left of my nose for which I'm having quarterly steroid shots. Oh ... and then the fact that I keep my teeth in a little tray at night :-D Other than some residual flu symptoms, I'm no longer having any accident-related issues, and I'm finally able to eat fried chicken, pizza, and hamburgers without a knife and fork :-D I'm feeling back to my old self again. Actually, a better, stronger self.
I think that may be why I'm experiencing some apprehension with what's next for me. Other than my dentures (there, I said it) I'm finally feeling back to normal.
So what IS next for me? Bone grafting, tissue grafting, dental implants, then restorative teeth ... another year of medical/dental work and a huge dent in the pocketbook ... (a $30K dent), since the insurance companies consider the work to be cosmetic. Ya, that's right.
It makes me nervous on many levels. First, I didn't think I needed the grafting, but it turns out I lost more bone and gum tissue than originally thought. Normally, the bone would be taken from the jaw or the chin, but since I've had trauma in those areas, they'll take the bone from my hip. So just when I'm feeling back to my old self, I'm gonna have to go through another surgery and more physical recovery. I have an appointment in a couple weeks with my Maxillofacial Surgeon to find out the specifics of the procedure and recovery time. Maybe then, I'll be able to wrap my brain around it.
Second, I'm nervous about the cost. I think I'm NOT in a panic about it because the amount is just so absurd that I, again, can't wrap my brain around it. So as the holidays are rolling around, "all I want for Christmas is my 4 front teeth."
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