[Super Duper Fantastic] ISFP/INFP. 4w5. World Explorer. Super Hero. Rose-colored Glasses.

I visited the oral surgeon this week, and I’m on the right track. I’m scheduled to have the bands replaced with removable bands in three weeks. THREE WEEKS! That’s a lot longer than I expected, but at the same time, it’s not without good reason. I have to be patient with the healing of the jaw. These things can’t be rushed. I’m off of the prescribed mouth rinse and most of my medications. The only one left is the antibiotics that I’m finishing up. I don’t hurt enough for me to take the pain medication regularly, so that’s good. I’m hoping these three weeks pass by quickly because five weeks is a long time to run on liquids. I’m getting hungrier by the day!

In terms of eating out, I really can’t. Even what I would normally consider to be liquid isn’t enough for me to drink out in public. Last night, we went to a Thai place for dinner. I’d already eaten, so it was more for RV. We ordered two dishes, so that he would have something for lunch the next day. So as not to appear suspicious, I filled up my plate, and when nobody was looking, we’d swap. So silly!

Oh, and thank goodness for health insurance! I received my itemized statement today. When I saw the total, ZOMG. Anyone want to take a guess on how much it was? I was in the operating room for seven hours, and anesthesia cost about 1/3 of the operating room.

Finally got my act together and went in to see an oral surgeon a couple of weeks ago. The surgeon himself was quite nice, ran through the entire process with me, and then I was left with the business manager. Yeah, not a fan. She was patronizing, trying to be friendly by giving me examples of why I was considering surgery, yada yada. Just talked too much. I left the office with a sour taste. She also encouraged me to change my insurance plan, so that I would have coverage for that particular surgeon. He was not part of any network and therefore, most of the insurance plans my company has would have been only 80% coverage. Yeah, no. PLUS, the consultation itself was $150 – outrageous! Especially since it consisted of him telling me what I already knew and the business manager just annoying me for 30 minutes.

So I decided to get my records out of there and seek a surgeon within my own network.

After all the traveling around the country for work, I set up an appointment with a surgeon in my network. The appointment was today. It felt like he didn’t examine me as extensively as the first surgeon I went to see, but apparently – the process requires that my case be studied by a group of ~10 specialists (surgeons and orthodontists) to get their input as to how he should proceed. Kinda neat. It’s a teaching hospital, so I guess it runs a little bit differently. I might actually prefer this. All those second opinions can’t be completely bad, yea?

And since they are covered by my insurance (fingers crossed on this one), I’m a little less worried. $40 for the visit today. Just don’t want to go through the hassle of switching and still not getting coverage.

ANYWAY, on to the subject of this entry – the oral surgeon had an assistant of sorts. I’m assuming he was a resident? They called him Dr. also. Eye candy. I didn’t mind that he had to take my mold more than once! A definite McHotty. *swoon*

I hear from the surgeon next month after Spain. Then, it will be the beginning of the end… Teeth extraction, braces, the works.