slightly OT... xray after my latest reconstructive surgery

[SharkmanBMW]

here is the latest x-ray... the new parts are circled in pink!

[632 Regal]

those new parts are recent or new from before?

Looks damn fun to me!

NOT!

Looks like them braces are really pulling the lower teeth over a lot. Is the right side of your jaw still seperated?

you take a nice x-ray.

[SharkmanBMW]

I had all the pink circled parts put in November 3rd, the lower chin piece was from emergency surgery january 2003.
I did not notice until you said it, but ya, the braces do seem to be pulling to one side!
I will talk to my ortho when i see him.
Believe it or not, the pain was not that bad, I stopped the demerol on the 5th day out, the worst part is the swelling and trying to eat, liquid, liquid, liquid!

[632 Regal]

I remeber reading all about the accident and the old exrays...was it skullfracture? was there other names too?

What is the prognosis? Liquid for how long or just see how it all goes?


I had all the pink circled parts put in November 3rd, the lower chin piece was from emergency surgery january 2003.
I did not notice until you said it, but ya, the braces do seem to be pulling to one side!
I will talk to my ortho when i see him.
Believe it or not, the pain was not that bad, I stopped the demerol on the 5th day out, the worst part is the swelling and trying to eat, liquid, liquid, liquid!

[SharkmanBMW]

I remeber reading all about the accident and the old exrays...was it skullfracture? was there other names too?

What is the prognosis? Liquid for how long or just see how it all goes?
it was skullfracture540i last year!
no one liked it so i switched !
Liquid for 3 weeks, now I am on soft food, eggs, chicken... lotsa soup!
This surgery did not leave my jaw wired shut, so it was much quicker to get back to real food, the first surgery after the accident left me wired shut for 10 weeks, only liquid - that was hell.
this time I knew what to expect so it went well under the circumstances!
Now I can't feel my upper lip, nose or cheeks at all, numb, will take about 18 months to get the nerves back in proper function- and they don't always make a full recovery
I remain optimistic!

[bimmerd00d]

How do you adjust the torque in your mouth? :D

[Brian C.]

Dang Chris.....you sure got enough metal in your head to make you an honorary Tin Man from OZ!! :p Best of luck. Stay strong.....we're all still here to listen anytime!

Brian C.

[632 Regal]

Chris has been through a lot and he has been a friend here for even longer than I have. I respect him for himself. As for the **** he has endured I dont think I could handle it.

[SharkmanBMW]

thanks boys... my 540 is resting quietly in the garage while I heal, remember to always pull your seatbelt tight - especially when wearing bulky winter jackets...
I will for sure be setting off metal detectors!
Be careful, I would not want the rest of you to end up like this, it really sucks.

[George M]

Hi Chris,
To Peter's earlier post...life can really suck at times. I am both sorry you were hurt and glad to see you are on the mend...a long road back I am sure that few of us can relate to. As mentioned above...we are all in your corner as any one of us could easily be in your place...or a loved one....life is so tenuous and can turn in an instant. Will leave you with an abridged version on what happened recently to a good friend of mine...Jack Estes II.
Jack is a hero. I am not a great man nor come in the path of many but Jack has touched my life. Until recently Jack owned two E-32's and I have given him some technical advice from time to time and we have become good friends. Jack is the right stuff...20/20 vision, young, articulate, brilliant and strong. He wrecked his big six E-32 a while ago and was parting it out on the Roadfly board and selling parts off to many board members...I was in the mix as well for his exhaust system....when he was called up to serve in Iraq...he is a pilot. He was flying over Iraq when his plane took enemy fire and he lost both his feet. It broke my heart when I heard what happened to him. He is such a champion. Not one single word uttered of remorse or misgiving...was honored to serve our country. His wife gave birth to their second child when he was over there. He communicated to his BMW friends via a lap top form his hospital bed just out side of Iraq and said he would make good on all the parts he promised which he did...he just came home. He ended up giving his parted car to a member of the board that didn't live too far from his house in Indiana. Jack is on the mend now...will never fly again...and has been fitted with prosthetic feet and is relearning to walk. He has modified the peddle box on his remaining 750iL so he can brake more effectively. Jack is a hero and I just wanted to tell you guys about him and how much he touched my life and now yours.
Chris its been a while since we exchanged any e-mail and I wish you the best for a complete recovery.
Best Wishes,
George

[DueyT]

Chris, one of these days I'll have to take the Beast on a road trip and pop down the 401/40 and see ya...been a few years since I lived in St-Hubert. Can't remember, but did you say you're right downtown or somewhere around LaSalle/Beaconsfield?

Cheers,
Duey

[MBXB]

Hang in there, Chris! Stay agressive with the physical therapy and hang real tough with the mental part. You're restablishing connections that took your whole life to develop, so even it if doesn't work at first, keep doing it.

Ramon

[misfortune]

I, for one, would welcome a backstory as to what happened. Good luck and keep the good outlook.

[Rory]

I had all the pink circled parts put in November 3rd, the lower chin piece was from emergency surgery january 2003.
I did not notice until you said it, but ya, the braces do seem to be pulling to one side!
I will talk to my ortho when i see him.
Believe it or not, the pain was not that bad, I stopped the demerol on the 5th day out, the worst part is the swelling and trying to eat, liquid, liquid, liquid!
It is most likely just the fact that it is a pano x-ray. It is the way the x-rays were shot through your head (3D makeup squished onto a 2D film). Also, if you can afford it, you may want to get your teeth cleaned every 3-4 months while you are in braces to help prevent any cavities. It is really hard to keep your teeth clean with those buggers on there. It may be possible to get your dental insurance to pay for the extra cleanings if you are at high risk (but don't count on it because they are the insurance companies :)). Good luck to you.

Best,
Rory

[SharkmanBMW]

Hang in there, Chris! Stay agressive with the physical therapy and hang real tough with the mental part. You're restablishing connections that took your whole life to develop, so even it if doesn't work at first, keep doing it.

Ramon
Ramon... funny you mention the mental part... it is the hardest part to deal with.
I don't always have the best outlook... it is tough when for the last 2 years i have been dealing with the pain and poorly functioning jaw... gets aggravating, depressing and somedays I get to the point where I want to kick everybody's ass!

[SharkmanBMW]

the story:
I was with my friend at 7 pm on January 27th 2003 when we t boned a 10 wheel dump truck full of snow... the big ones - 4 front wheels that turn...
This is a type of snow removal truck and it turned directly in front of my friend (driver) and myself as we came towards him at 75 k on a -40º winter night. The dumbass in the truck crossed a solid yellow without looking (volkswagen head and fog lights were on as well as street lights)....
6 months later and i have yet to be able bite a chicken wing, let alone chew a T-Bone. Broken jaw in 4 places, cheekbone, upper jaw, parts of both eyesockets, nasal everything, 1 broken protruding finger. 9 weeks wired shut, 4 Ti screws and plate in chin, 2 in finger. Not to mention the actual personal "damage"... People... PROTECT YOUR HEAD AT ALL COSTS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FRAGILE THE BRAIN IS.
The original screws put in my chin were somewhat "incorrectly" put in, which adds soon to be installed tooth splints to fix what doctor dumbass "did his best on". Then cut my lower jaw at the rear, both sides... lenghthen and re-center my jaw - which offset to the right and impacted upward about 3/8" up (could be 1/8th, but it feels like a foot!) So I can't bite anything or chew anything solid... chiclet style gum is only bearable if its hot out, and then it takes all the force I can handle to crack through!
Need any soup or blenderized meat recipes??????
Best part... I live in a place where you can't sue for road collisions... They (the government acts as the insurance company) pay 90% salary, most bills but wait until you are healed before you get compensation, in my case... minimum 3 years- depends on a lot of surgery, rehab, the scars in the mouth, (i will spare you the nasty details of how they get screws in your chin from the inside, cutting all around the bottom of your gumline and peeling open enough to get a plate, 4 screws and a drill.... like I said... I will spare you the nasty parts..;(
At the moment I can't feel my face, it feels thick, numb... there are nerves reversed, so i feel my chin in my cheek and vice versa! So, I am a work in progress, as is my 540i... slowly but sweetly.
Donations can be made in the form of "pre-paid Fuel Cards"!!!!!

take care of yourselves, you may be a great driver, safe car... blah blah blah... but when a big ****en truck turns in front of you - you're not laughing anymore at least not while my jaw is wired shut.

the truck driver got a ticket for "moving into the path of an oncoming vehicle... $140.

here I am 2 years later, 2 surgeries done.... better but no where near normal, I will never get back my jaw function because the bones are so out of place, the doctors just did what they could.
My brain injury (TBI-traumatic brain injury) is still a problem, I am not who I used to be, I forget who I used to be... I don't really like who I am now but am stuck with it.
My personality is low key, not funny or charming as before, not much to say, very aggressive, I snap for no reason... I am hard to live with.
The TBI affected the frontal lobe of my brain, which controls executive decisions and actions... planning and organising, anything that requires intelligence above the basics, gonzo!
I have snapped a few times on the road when people purposely cut me off and bumped them, I have had a few other crazy events that prove that I am not in control of myself.
I take anti depressants, anti psychotics and a cocktail of other meds to keep me from REALLY losing it... for the first year I truly thought up ways to find and seriously wound the truck driver, so they increased some medication...
THE POINT IS: I was one of you before, normal guy, normal life, I had a lot of things going for me, very smart, quick witted and very on the ball................
and now I am on medication so I don't hurt people and my life is very ****ed up. All because of a head injury that the doctors refer to as "light" brain injury. To me it is not light, it is a very serious, life threatening problem. I cannot see myself working a normal job, the boss yells at me and i snap and kick his ass.... it takes so little for me to get crazy it is scary, doctors say it is because I am hurt that my life is disrupted and out of my control... scary.
so again, the point is... protect your head at all costs, bones heal, brain doesn't.
I never needed meds before, never, so because of one dumb **** truck driver, my physical appearance and mental abilities are messed up for the rest of my life, don't let it happen to you.
wear your seatbelt tight, it my case, the dash of the car came and hit me in the face - I was wearing a big winter coat and the slack was enough for me to move towards the dash coming at me, bad luck...
pull it tight, 2 hands on the wheel and expect the unexpected!
thanks for your support guys, it really does make a big difference in my life, when so few things are going my way, your support is appreciated!

[infinity5]

Wow. Can that truck driver still drive? Jesus. My grandfather had several small stokes that did the same thing to his frontal lobe, i know what its like, the losing control and agression thing. Its perfectly normal to want to serious wound the truck driver... *I* want ot serious wound this truck driver just from reading your story

[SharkmanBMW]

was that the truck driver is still working... the snow removal guys here get paid by how many dumps they do, so when it snows, they don't sleep. They just work until the snow is gone, no sleep, drinking? drugs to stay awake? who knows!
there are no enforced regulations that they follow, so it really is stay up as long as you can do it.
the guy we t-boned was going to some private property to dump his snow, illegally, but he still got off.
I would like to take a bat and break his face-as he did mine, and my friend that was driving suffered knee damage to both legs that will haunt him forever, so I would have to break both legs as well..... then I might start to feel avenged!
The luckiest thing was - while I was out cold, the trucks fuel tank ruptured and was leaking diesel all over, thankfully no flames or I would be either dead or much worse off.
drive safe everyone, it only takes a second for your life to change.

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Hell of a story. Wish there was something I could do to help (need a website? pm me if you want a free place to publish stuff). Anyway, I hope you can muster the strength to overcome your challenges, I'm sure it's not easy. Lean on friends, let others help, don't carry the weight all by yourself. Thats what we are all about, we're social beings that only survive with the company of others. So by all means, express yourself on our board too. It's always good to hear from you. Best of luck.

BTW, your buddies car was a VW, which model? Sounds like your side did not have an airbag, correct?

[zak78]

You can't fault yourself for needing antidepressants when you're dealing with the loss of yourself. Everybody talks about what it's like to lose a loved one, but nobody runs support groups for those who lose several pieces of their identity by blunt force trauma. Anybody in your shoes would need some help. There's no way you could escape being utterly, well, blindsided. My question: Are you on antipsychotics (say, Zyprexa) to augment an antidepressant, or because the brain damage causes you to hallucinate/become delusional? I was also thinking you could end up having awful flashbacks due to post-traumatic stress disorder. I work in an ER, so this stuff is generally my job. I've had my face "broken" before, so you have support here!
Nick
I spend a lot of time telling folks that just because a person needs medication doesn't mean they're not "normal" or "like you and me." People are people, dammit.

[SharkmanBMW]

You can't fault yourself for needing antidepressants when you're dealing with the loss of yourself. Everybody talks about what it's like to lose a loved one, but nobody runs support groups for those who lose several pieces of their identity by blunt force trauma. Anybody in your shoes would need some help. There's no way you could escape being utterly, well, blindsided. My question: Are you on antipsychotics (say, Zyprexa) to augment an antidepressant, or because the brain damage causes you to hallucinate/become delusional? I was also thinking you could end up having awful flashbacks due to post-traumatic stress disorder. I work in an ER, so this stuff is generally my job. I've had my face "broken" before, so you have support here!
Nick
I spend a lot of time telling folks that just because a person needs medication doesn't mean they're not "normal" or "like you and me." People are people, dammit.
Zak,
you were correct, the anti psych (risperdal) is to work with the anti-depressant - not because I hallucinate (although it might be a nice change !!!)
So far no flashbacks, I was completely unconscious on impact and remember nothing for about a 2 hour time lapse. Some days I just get tired of taking pills that make me behave a certain way - I never needed that before and do now... they don't even make me feel "normal", just more controlled. You are also correct that I lost several pieces of "me" that day, it is hard to let go of the idea that "I" will be whole again some day.
I am sure that there are alot of members here that take meds - I just don't want to take so many for ever!
keep up your good ER work, I appreciate doctors and ambulance techs alot more than I used to!

[Patrick]

-You just can't go through something like that and not come out a changed person, some for the good and some for the not so good. You gain so much by knowing, in an intimate way how strong you really are, yet now you know how fragile everything of any importance really is. The sense of loss that you know at this age is something most people learn over the course of a lifetime. If everyone learned these lessons early in life, rather than later, the world would be a very different place.
A few people on the board know this already but in 2001, at age 38, I was diagnosed with a rare cancer (like 1 in 500K-1M people rare) -large tumor in the very center of my body along with two livermets. Medical people would look at me with "that look" -they're not supposed to show reaction like that but they're only human. It was a nightmare and the only escape I had was sleep. Then I'd wake up each day like we all do, thinking life is normal, and then begin to feel all the pain and realize the strong possibility of my own not-so-distant death.
To make a really long story short I was accepted into a clinical trial (just two weeks before it closed) for an experimental drug. My options were surgery (and it was basically inoperable) or the drug -nothing else works on this cancer, not chemo -nothing. Over a two year period, and so many doctor's appointments I literally lost count, it shrunk the tumors enough that it was operable. I had a 5 hour surgery last year with a number of complications and a LOT more pain, lost 30 some lbs (I'm 6' tall, weighed 167 before surgery) and was a ghost for about 4 months.
People talk about others being "heroes" because they survived a disease, a horrific accident like yours, or something equally devastating. What they don't realize is whether the person lived or died, if they fought at all to live they're a hero. And if they lived it may only be they were luckier than the person who didn't, or it was God's plan for them, or both. I'm still trying to make sense of it all and see "the good" and figure out the reasons, but man it's tough some days.
Even though our experiences are very different I have similar feelings as you, so they may not be all due to your physical injuries. I have very little tolerance for people who make life difficult or hurt others due to their ignorance, selfishness or ego. I listen to people bitch about trivial crap and wonder what they would do if they really knew what problems were. I'm thankful I'm alive and actually pretty healthy now, but I'm not the same person I was before. I don't look or act like the happy person I was. I can see it in pictures, even if I'm smiling, and even my friends have commented on it. I have to take my drugs everyday and hope that I won't get bad news on one of my CT scans I have every three months (all "Clear" so far), so it will never really be over.
Hang tough (I know you will) and feel free to vent on the board or even pm/email me if you want. I tell myself that "Pain is temporary but quitting is forever." I'm glad you changed your board name because although this happened to you and affected you deeply -it doesn't define you -you are much greater than this.
The board should have a scar contest (like in the movie "Jaws") -if we had an xray contest I think you'd win. Here's two pics of me (with a BMW hat on) after surgery, NG tube was out but I had 6 other things hooked up to me,(prior to all the complications and major weight loss) -can't beat that morphine pump! -although coming off that always made me puke.
-thanks for sharing your story and letting me vent too.
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/patrick/Summer030005.jpg
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/patrick/Summer030002.jpg

[George M]

No words significant enough to add as you both write beautifully about not just your condition...but the human condition. We are all connected in that we each face our mortality at some point.
I wish both you Chris and Patrick the very Best.
George

[Patrick]

Thanks George.

[SharkmanBMW]

-You just can't go through something like that and not come out a changed person, some for the good and some for the not so good. You gain so much by knowing, in an intimate way how strong you really are, yet now you know how fragile everything of any importance really is. The sense of loss that you know at this age is something most people learn over the course of a lifetime. If everyone learned these lessons early in life, rather than later, the world would be a very different place.
A few people on the board know this already but in 2001, at age 38, I was diagnosed with a rare cancer (like 1 in 500K-1M people rare) -large tumor in the very center of my body along with two livermets. Medical people would look at me with "that look" -they're not supposed to show reaction like that but they're only human. It was a nightmare and the only escape I had was sleep. Then I'd wake up each day like we all do, thinking life is normal, and then begin to feel all the pain and realize the strong possibility of my own not-so-distant death.
To make a really long story short I was accepted into a clinical trial (just two weeks before it closed) for an experimental drug. My options were surgery (and it was basically inoperable) or the drug -nothing else works on this cancer, not chemo -nothing. Over a two year period, and so many doctor's appointments I literally lost count, it shrunk the tumors enough that it was operable. I had a 5 hour surgery last year with a number of complications and a LOT more pain, lost 30 some lbs (I'm 6' tall, weighed 167 before surgery) and was a ghost for about 4 months.
People talk about others being "heroes" because they survived a disease, a horrific accident like yours, or something equally devastating. What they don't realize is whether the person lived or died, if they fought at all to live they're a hero. And if they lived it may only be they were luckier than the person who didn't, or it was God's plan for them, or both. I'm still trying to make sense of it all and see "the good" and figure out the reasons, but man it's tough some days.
Even though our experiences are very different I have similar feelings as you, so they may not be all due to your physical injuries. I have very little tolerance for people who make life difficult or hurt others due to their ignorance, selfishness or ego. I listen to people bitch about trivial crap and wonder what they would do if they really knew what problems were. I'm thankful I'm alive and actually pretty healthy now, but I'm not the same person I was before. I don't look or act like the happy person I was. I can see it in pictures, even if I'm smiling, and even my friends have commented on it. I have to take my drugs everyday and hope that I won't get bad news on one of my CT scans I have every three months (all "Clear" so far), so it will never really be over.
Hang tough (I know you will) and feel free to vent on the board or even pm/email me if you want. I tell myself that "Pain is temporary but quitting is forever." I'm glad you changed your board name because although this happened to you and affected you deeply -it doesn't define you -you are much greater than this.
The board should have a scar contest (like in the movie "Jaws") -if we had an xray contest I think you'd win. Here's two pics of me (with a BMW hat on) after surgery, NG tube was out but I had 6 other things hooked up to me,(prior to all the complications and major weight loss) -can't beat that morphine pump! -although coming off that always made me puke.
-thanks for sharing your story and letting me vent too.
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/patrick/Summer030005.jpg
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/patrick/Summer030002.jpg
Patrick,
I think you would win the scar contest! we would both be in the running for tough guy contest though, we have both survived a tough time... yours maybe more critical than mine though. It always makes me happy when people understand my situation as you did, zak, ed, george and some of the others did... it is very reassuring that I am not alone. On the other hand, it amazes me how many people just don't get it, not a clue... like you said, they bitch about things that are so irrelevant to what counts in life... I just wish I had a long arm that I could reach out and smack people with!! Some people can really bring me down, and there are more of them than there are people like us, so it can be tough... so I thank you guys for your sharing of personal info and your support, it means alot.
When I posted my xray, I wanted to just shoow a cool picture... this is a whole lot more rewarding!
Those ignorant people that complain about foolish things are lucky in a way... nothing bad or serious has ever hit them.
I am glad you are still here to send me support Patrick!

[SharkmanBMW]

Patrick,
I think you would win the scar contest! we would both be in the running for tough guy contest though, we have both survived a tough time... yours maybe more critical than mine though. It always makes me happy when people understand my situation as you did, zak, ed, george and some of the others did... it is very reassuring that I am not alone. On the other hand, it amazes me how many people just don't get it, not a clue... like you said, they bitch about things that are so irrelevant to what counts in life... I just wish I had a long arm that I could reach out and smack people with!! Some people can really bring me down, and there are more of them than there are people like us, so it can be tough... so I thank you guys for your sharing of personal info and your support, it means alot.
When I posted my xray, I wanted to just shoow a cool picture... this is a whole lot more rewarding!
Those ignorant people that complain about foolish things are lucky in a way... nothing bad or serious has ever hit them.
I am glad you are still here to send me support Patrick!

[billy in slo]

Chris, this may seem lame but if it is OK with you I will pray for you, I have suffered many losses in my lifetime but thankfully none that effect my own body. I encourage you to look at the positive things in your life as often as possible and don't be discouraged. I could share a bunch of bible verses with you if you like but this is probably not the place. Please feel free to vent as much and as often as needed though as no one could blame you for being frustrated. God bless you.