It's been a while since my last post, which generally means that No news is good news. My pain level and swelling increased significantly right after the last post on December 22--to the point that I told Terry it might be time to head to the ER for some stronger pain meds. Then on Christmas day, a huge chunk of dead bone came out of my jaw, and things started to get better right away. Until then, the ORN bone shards were the size of a grain of rice. This sucker measured in at three-quarters of an inch long and about a quarter of an inch wide! Picture a paper clip that size and thickness, and you have an idea. It just popped out while I was using a toothpick to clean some food out of that area, and it scared the shit out of me when I first saw it--thinking that the rest of my jaw bone was coming out too.
But, every time one of the shards comes out, the irritation to that area stops, and the pain and swelling go down. Since then I've been able to gradually reduce my pain meds, to the point that I am now opioid-free for the first time in over a year.
I have an appointment with my oral surgeon next week, and can't wait to show him my "trophy shard" to see if he's ever seen one that large.
I still have a large crater in the lower left part of my jaw, but hopefully that area can really start to heal for good now.
We recently got word that our friend, Winnie's, biopsy did not go well. Even before the specimen was sent to the lab, her doc said she was 99.9% sure it was cancer--again. Her cancer is extremely rare--with fewer than 400 recorded cases EVER. It is so rare that they don't have any real knowledge of how to treat it. We'll know more in the coming weeks, but please send her some Good Vibes when she comes to mind for you. We are very afraid of what Winnie and her family are looking at with this thing.
Mike
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