There are only 14 hours until my SARPE surgery. I am a little nervous. I really don't like pain. I have picked up some items that I should be able to blend up and eat with no problem.
I can't eat anything after midnight and my surgery is not until 1 pm. I am going to be soooooooo hungry; the one consultation get to drink water and apple juice until 6:00 am. So my husband has come up with this great plan of staying up all night and sleeping in as long as possible. Hope it works. I usually get up at 5am to go to work. Sleeping in for me is 7am.
Talk to you after surgery.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Scheduling
So I don't really have much to say about having braces other then its strange. My lips are stretched over my braces. My teeth feel like they are going to wiggle out of place like they did when I was a child.
So I have the SARPE surgery Sept 14th but I need to leave the country and renew my work visa. I am having some problems scheduling as I have waited so long. I was going to go 8 or 9 days after surgery but That really is not aloud according to the surgeon. I am just going to have to squeeze in a weekend flight to Canada.
Other then a little trouble scheduling a flight I am all set with my Husband coming along.
So I have the SARPE surgery Sept 14th but I need to leave the country and renew my work visa. I am having some problems scheduling as I have waited so long. I was going to go 8 or 9 days after surgery but That really is not aloud according to the surgeon. I am just going to have to squeeze in a weekend flight to Canada.
Other then a little trouble scheduling a flight I am all set with my Husband coming along.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Got them on!!!
So I got my braces and the rapid palatal expander apparatus ( I believe it is a Hyrax) installed. this is really strange. The expander apparatus is close to the roof of my mouth; food gets trapped in it and I have problems saying many words. The separators hurt sooooooooooooo much I was really happy when they where removed. My co-workers keep telling me that the brace will hurt, not as much as the separator, but they will hurt. I am on day 3 and no pain just a little irritation on the back of my lips. I think the braces don't hurt is because the top only have a split wire (only the front 6 teeth have a wire through them). The bottom however has wire all the way around.
I had a meeting on Thursday and that was hard. I had to talk and could not pronounce many word. Hopefully I will over come most of that this weekend.
The rapid palatal expander apparatus that I have in, by the way this is not being tightened until my 1st surgery Sept 14) can be seen here: www.drstich.com/images/diagram_expander.jpg
You can also check out these sites to get more infomration to the sugically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) I wll have.
http://www.srt-psc.com/10case98.html
http://ejo.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/1/31
http://www.angle.org/anglonline/?request=get-document&issn=0003-3219&volume=072&issue=04&page=0362
http://ejo.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/26/4/403.pdf
I had a meeting on Thursday and that was hard. I had to talk and could not pronounce many word. Hopefully I will over come most of that this weekend.
The rapid palatal expander apparatus that I have in, by the way this is not being tightened until my 1st surgery Sept 14) can be seen here: www.drstich.com/images/http://www.srt-psc.com/10case98.html
http://ejo.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/1/31
http://www.angle.org/anglonline/?request=get-document&issn=0003-3219&volume=072&issue=04&page=0362
http://ejo.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/26/4/403.pdf
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Time off work
How much time should I expect to take off work for each of the following?
- I am tentatively having rapid palatal expansion September 14
- and in about 1.5 years I will have upper jaw surgery (one cut to move my entire upper jaw down)
I am a project engineer and my current projects are both in construction. They will be in construction until the end of 2009. The engineer that I keep in the loop has planned his vacation for the last week of September until the 2nd week of October. This is my dilemma. I know the project will go on without me but unexpected challenges always arise when I am not in the office. I also feel that these projects are my babies and I don't want to leave then with just anyone.
Also my 1st wedding anniversary is Oct 1 this year and I would like to be able to enjoy it.
Thanks for your comments.
- I am tentatively having rapid palatal expansion September 14
- and in about 1.5 years I will have upper jaw surgery (one cut to move my entire upper jaw down)
I am a project engineer and my current projects are both in construction. They will be in construction until the end of 2009. The engineer that I keep in the loop has planned his vacation for the last week of September until the 2nd week of October. This is my dilemma. I know the project will go on without me but unexpected challenges always arise when I am not in the office. I also feel that these projects are my babies and I don't want to leave then with just anyone.
Also my 1st wedding anniversary is Oct 1 this year and I would like to be able to enjoy it.
Thanks for your comments.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Starting again
So it's been a long time since I have posted. Here is my update. I had separators once, they where removed and metal bands where added to my bottom teeth. I had to wait for an approval for my surgery before I could have the upper expander or braces in. My OMS finally applied. This time my surgery has been approved. This wed I get the separators for my upper teeth. The wed after that I get my braces. My tentative at surgery date for the pallet expansion is Sept 14th. I had a trip planned for then but I have rescheduled it.
I am so excited and nervous. What advice do you have for me? Was there any receipts that where quick, easy, and really good?
So that is everything in a quick short package.
I am so excited and nervous. What advice do you have for me? Was there any receipts that where quick, easy, and really good?
So that is everything in a quick short package.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
2nd Try
So I went to an OMS, Dr. P within my network today. This was at the UCSF hospital which is a teaching facility. The surgeon didn't really do much. He walked in didn't say hello or introduce himself, even though this was the first time I'd seen him. He started talking to the observing students. I tried to interject and offer up some useful information but he continued to cut me off. When I was able to get a word in I let the surgeon know that I had an approval for the same reason I was there and I was seeing him because I wanted to stay within my network. He got on me and said that this was information that I needed to share with him right away. I was a little taken back as he didn't really even talk to me or want to hear what I was trying to say earlier. Moving forward from that point the resident surgeon, Dr. J took over. He did all photos and measurements.
Even thought Dr. P was distant and possibly insulting I like the fact that his experience plus the eyes of many students is what I would be getting. Students work really had to impress their professors. The surgery would be completed by the Dr. P and not a student.
I have a followup appointment April 23, 2009. This whole process is taking a really long time.
On another note, I called the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) about my insurance company not suppling the benefit booklet so I find out what the allowable maximum would be for my treatement. TDI was not that helpful over the phone. All they said is that I should file a complaint which would take 4-6 weeks before I got any results. I did file a complaint. Now I just have to sit and wait for their reply. I feel kind of like a rat/ whistle blow. I know that I should not feel that way but I do. I also feel ripped off because I have to spend a lot time that could be spend on other things.
Even thought Dr. P was distant and possibly insulting I like the fact that his experience plus the eyes of many students is what I would be getting. Students work really had to impress their professors. The surgery would be completed by the Dr. P and not a student.
I have a followup appointment April 23, 2009. This whole process is taking a really long time.
On another note, I called the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) about my insurance company not suppling the benefit booklet so I find out what the allowable maximum would be for my treatement. TDI was not that helpful over the phone. All they said is that I should file a complaint which would take 4-6 weeks before I got any results. I did file a complaint. Now I just have to sit and wait for their reply. I feel kind of like a rat/ whistle blow. I know that I should not feel that way but I do. I also feel ripped off because I have to spend a lot time that could be spend on other things.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Insurance - in network or out of network
So last time I was excited to be approved for my surgery. Well there is always a ketch 21 with insurance companies. So my coverage is "Bluecross Blueshield of Texas PPO". Which is pretty simple to understand if you live outside California. In the state California Bluecross and Blueshield are different medical providers/companies. I of corse live in California. I apparently am a member of Bluecross PPO or Blue card PPO. Which would have been good to know months ago when I went to see my OMS. The OMS office didn't know until I told them last week that they where out of my network. The OMS didn't know because they are covered by Blueshield but has to send their claims to Bluecross Blueshield of Texas PPO for processing. This so very odd, how do people trust or understand what they are covered by or for when things like this happen? I am pretty sure that I am not the only one experiencing this confusion, unrest and distrust of insurance companies.
Back to the letter of approval. The letter indicated that they I would have to reach my min deductible then they would pay 90% of the allowable max. After I met my max deductible they would pay 100% of the allowable maximum, if the doctor was in the network. If the surgeon is out of my network they'll pay 75% of the allowable max once I reach the min deductible. Once I reach my max deductible they will pay 100% of the allowable max.
"WHAT IS THE ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM?"
I called the medical insurance company to see what the amount of the maximum allowable would be for my procedure. Guess what not one person could tell me that information. I called a total of 4 times and got the same answer each time. The customer service agents did not have this information . They said to go to the benefit booklet which you have to get from your companies admin office as they did not have any copies and could not order you one. The admin office only had the"summary of benefits" This indicated the percentages that would be covered but was only a summary and did not have $ figures.
The OMS office finally got a $ figure form one agent the would not send a written copy. The dollar amount for a $75,000 for my 3 treatment procedures is $4705.98. That's right they said they would pay less then 7% of my surgery.
I have decided to try a doctor within my network. The only ones that specialized in adult orthognathic surgery and within 30 miles of my home are at UCSF. I did some research on this Oral Maxillofacial office has a record for keeping bad records, keeping people waiting for 1 hour before seeing them and they don't have real communication between the student doctors and the residents. I called UCSF yesterday to schedule and appointment with one of the doctors in-my-network. The schedular pushed me into taking an appointment with Dr. C... for March 13, 2009 saying that this sergeon usually has the same contracts as dr. Bast (even though that is who I asked for). Dr C... was not covered by my insurance so now I have to wait till April 7.
I really want to get the finances in order without owing a sports car at the end of this but the way this health care system is designed my wish seems impossible.
By the way if I didn't mention this before I am Canadian and really miss my public health care system where the costs of medical treatment are reasonable.
Back to the letter of approval. The letter indicated that they I would have to reach my min deductible then they would pay 90% of the allowable max. After I met my max deductible they would pay 100% of the allowable maximum, if the doctor was in the network. If the surgeon is out of my network they'll pay 75% of the allowable max once I reach the min deductible. Once I reach my max deductible they will pay 100% of the allowable max.
"WHAT IS THE ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM?"
I called the medical insurance company to see what the amount of the maximum allowable would be for my procedure. Guess what not one person could tell me that information. I called a total of 4 times and got the same answer each time. The customer service agents did not have this information . They said to go to the benefit booklet which you have to get from your companies admin office as they did not have any copies and could not order you one. The admin office only had the"summary of benefits" This indicated the percentages that would be covered but was only a summary and did not have $ figures.
The OMS office finally got a $ figure form one agent the would not send a written copy. The dollar amount for a $75,000 for my 3 treatment procedures is $4705.98. That's right they said they would pay less then 7% of my surgery.
I have decided to try a doctor within my network. The only ones that specialized in adult orthognathic surgery and within 30 miles of my home are at UCSF. I did some research on this Oral Maxillofacial office has a record for keeping bad records, keeping people waiting for 1 hour before seeing them and they don't have real communication between the student doctors and the residents. I called UCSF yesterday to schedule and appointment with one of the doctors in-my-network. The schedular pushed me into taking an appointment with Dr. C... for March 13, 2009 saying that this sergeon usually has the same contracts as dr. Bast (even though that is who I asked for). Dr C... was not covered by my insurance so now I have to wait till April 7.
I really want to get the finances in order without owing a sports car at the end of this but the way this health care system is designed my wish seems impossible.
By the way if I didn't mention this before I am Canadian and really miss my public health care system where the costs of medical treatment are reasonable.
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