I am done!

After nearly four years, I can now say I have a full set of teeth. The last phase on my reconstruction is over. I received my bridge. I do have to say it is a weird sensation. I have gotten so used to not having them that I keep forgetting to chew on that side. But when I do, it feels so artificial. Well, lets face it, the teeth are artificial. There is a clear difference between having real teeth and fake ones. I would describe it as if you were wearing a clear retainer or guard that covers the natural teeth and then try to eat with it still in your mouth.

The doctor at Hopkins temporary cemented them in place to make sure I felt comfortable with the new bite. After a three week trial period they were permanently secured in my mouth.

Wish I could 100% enjoy it, but my insurance company, in all it's wisdom, denied to cover the payment of the bridge. I really don't feel like paying 7k so obviously I am fighting it. Again.

So, as of right now, I will only have to make two visits to Hopkins a year. One with my oral surgeon, to make sure my new teeth are still looking good. The other with the Head & Neck Surgeon to make sure my tumor does not come back. This does unfortunately involve yearly CAT Scans.

I can not imagine going through all this again. I don't want too really. I am completely satisfied with my choice in hospitals and I would recommend the staff at Hopkins to anyone. Though at times I do wish the hospital was close to me and that I did not have to drive thru three states to get there.

If you are reading my blog, you or someone you know is going through this "rare" disease. Whether you are in the beginning, middle or end we all have stories to share. I encourage anyone to write a blog or start a journal about this journey. It's good to know you are not alone. Plus, its cheaper than going to a psychiatrist.

I will continue to update my blog, and try to do it more frequently than I have been. I am sorry for that. Life can get in the way of certain things, but really that is no excuse.

My story is not over.

Expedition Everest™Challenge

This past weekend I had the opportunity to run a 5K race. It was held at Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. The cool thing about this race is that it is not just a normal 5K. They had various obstacles that you had to go through throughout the course. I ended up finishing the race at 36:10. That was just under a 12 minute mile. Not bad for a girl with only one fibula bone.

I did not have to place any support around my ankle thankfully. All the training I have done over the years since my surgery has made it strong. I did, however, had to tape one of my toes that has curled under as a result from my surgery. As I trained for the race my toenail started to become damaged from running on it. I was afraid my nail would fall right off. I am trying to work on stretching my muscles around that area and hope that, over time, it will be more stable.


Once the 5K race was over, the scavenger hunt began. As I said this was no ordinary event. In the scavenger hunt we would receive a card that had a puzzle that needed to be solved before we could move on to the next location. They were 4 cards or clues in total that, once matched up, would give us the answer to the fifth and final card. This card was needed to cross over the finish line for the whole event. (Though, honestly, they never checked our last card).

The great part about this event was that there was no pressure. People of various ages and running backgrounds could participate. You could even walk it if you wanted too. My teammate and I ran into a mother and daughter team early in the day. As we chatted we found out that the mother, who was about 69 years old, ran her first race in February. It was the Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend. (Holy Cow) Bless her. I figured if that was not inspiration, I don't know what is. I am proud of what I and my teammate accomplished that night. 1:05:23 for the whole event. Maybe I will train to run a half marathon.



Maybe.

Been a bit.

Sorry I have not posted in a while. Life has it's interesting turns. But that is no excuse not to post. The good news is that I got a clear bill of health from my doctor back in August. I just have to go back in about a year or two for follow-up. I have an appointment to get the final stages of my reconstruction done with my doctor so I should have a full set of teeth soon.

Ameloblastoma "Fast Facts"

After looking up some general information about amelo, I ran across a website called organized wisdom. They listed some facts that I found interesting.

Fast Facts:

* Accounts for 1% of all oral tumors with most patients diagnosed at 30 to 40 years of age.
* Ameloblastomas typically return.
* While malignancy is uncommon, it does occur in some cases.