And here we go!

December 2nd could not come soon enough and getting there that day was nerve racking!! Putting it bluntly, the weather and traffic sucked. What should have taken 1-1/4 hours took 2-1/2 hours. Needless to say, we were late but my doctor's practice was amazingly accommodating and said they were just glad I made it.

I had a feeling the first thing they would do is update pictures and sure enough they did. Thankfully, I was mentally prepared to give them my Mona Lisa smile, grimace, big smile, etc and I didn't get emotional. Unfortunately, as last time, the "look" was still the same and I could tell in the nurses face that she knew nothing changed over the last 6 weeks as well.

My 15 year old son, who is interested in medicine came with us this time. It was the three of us (my husband as well) in the exam room trying not to fiddle with the gadgets. For some reason there is a sink that reminds me of a hair washing sink with a sprayer. I'm not sure what that would be needed for but my son just had to test the sprayer!! I'm thinking, please just don't let the doctor walk in right now. After meeting Dr. Boahene, my son said he could see himself doing this. I think he just liked all the cool things in the room.

The doctor noted a little more tone in my left side and I know I could feel just a twinge of movement on that side of my chin but no movement. He had me smile and smile again...and again...and again....and again to see how my face was working. The right side is all bunching up and the left side is droopy. As he said it in laymen's terms; we are going to tighten the left and loosen the right by taking a good nerve from my face and connecting to the muscles on the left, and then pull some nerves through my face on the right and see what is causing the stiffness and cut it. Then weigh down the eye lid so it blinks. Yeah. When he mentioned the "pulling the nerve through a small hole in the face" is when I cringed. He assured me it would hurt, but I would be asleep and not feel it. (He has a sense of humor as well)

Now let's say it in doctor language: he's going to do a masseter nerve transfer to the anastomsis facial nerve, then suture nerve, (put a) platinum weight (in my eyelid), neuroplasty & transposition cranial nerve, suprafical parotidectomy, ectropion repair, resection platysma muscle and a select neurectomy....I can honestly say when I read that my head swoons and I get light headed. Can't imagine why.

Believe it or not, he said I should be recovered in one week and on my feet in a couple days. It is an outpatient surgery that lasts about 5-6 hours and as a Christmas present to me, he will do it on 12/18, the day before he goes on holiday. (Now I'm tearing up)...This means I will be able to blink right away and that my right side won't feel like a strained muscle all the time and that in 3 mo's my face will start to move. I'll repeat that one   more   time....my face will start to move! And he will help me regain symmetry and a nice natural smile. Okay, I gotta go....I can't see through the tears of joy.