2 weeks till surgery

Back in 2010, I realized my jaw had been clicking and causing me pain, but I put it aside for a while. When I finally told my dentist about it, he suggested I see an ENT who specialized in TMJ. Sure enough, I had been suffering from TMJ at the age of 16, and in 2011 I went in for my first TMJ surgery to pull back my disc.  Unfortunately, it was not successful because we discovered I have degenerative arthritis in my jaw (which causes your joint to disintegrate).  After years of physical therapy, injections, and pain, the doctor, my family, and I decided that getting a right jaw joint replacement was the best idea.

Now, I am two weeks out of surgery, which will require my jaw to be rubber banded shut for 2 months.  The surgeon, Dr. Steven Aragon out of Denver is highly rated.  He helped rebuild the jaw of a victim of the Columbine shooting, and has performed many jaw replacements.  I am confident he will do the surgery perfectly. Of course, it is nerve-wracking to go into this serious surgery (I will be under for at least 8 hours), but I am hoping that in the long run, it helps my jaw pain, and reduces my everyday migraines. 

We are not sure why I have arthritis in my jaw, but we believe it is connected to my other autoimmune diseases.  In 2010, after having mono, I was diagnosed with Dysautonomia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and Sleep Apnea... along with the TMJ and arthritis in my jaw.  

Throughout the summer, both my mother and I will be updating this blog about my progress.  My hope is for anyone suffering with what I am going through will get some insight on this complicated problem.  It is a big deal, and no one has the answer.  I hope to shed some light on my experience with the recovery, the doctors, and the overall process, and eventually lead someone in the right direction--whatever that may be!