<p>Addicting Computer Games that you can play without too much brainpower?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.isketch.net%5B/url%5D”>www.isketch.net</a></p>
<p>To all , Darling D will have (big giant meaningless word) jaw surgery on Thursday (I’ve told everybody Wednesday. Sorry.). She has been looking forward to/scared to death of this surgery since age 12. She has an underbite that causes near constant headaches, problems chewing, and a general concern about her appearance (Not poor ego or self-image, heaven knows that’s not true. Just the whole boy thing.They tell me that’s important.) At least 1 night hospitalization and 6 freakin’ weeks of recuperation. Some of the swelling will last a year. Each jaw will be cut twice. But she’ll be ready for college, and as most of you can relate-that’s all she cares about.</p>
<p>Oh, and for you oral surgeons out there, D had 10 front teeth knocked loose, 8 completely, playing basketball and my poor surgeon guy is afraid of losing them with the surgery. D just said, “Doc, if I don’t have the surgery I still might lose them and I’ll have the underbite,too. Do it.” And here we go.</p>
<p>brave minimudge!</p>
<p>My friend’s D just had this sort of surgery but the opposite problem-- receeded chin-- and it was very successful. Be extremely careful of and attentive to post operative infaction. The recovery part was a bear (liquified foods, etc) but she came through well. </p>
<p>I had jaw problems–and migraines-- and I underwent full orthodontia at age 40. So glad I did this, as now I am migraine free. It was funny going through ortho alongshide my daughter. </p>
<p>The best part was after H’s merciless teasing for over a year, H did not notice that my braces had been removed until nearly 24 hours afterwards. :D</p>
<p>Oh poor, Mudgette! At least they will give her liquid pain meds to go home (Probably, I would think). When DD had her wisdom taken, she was too miserable to swallow either the antibiotics or the pain pills. Thankfully her recovery was fast. Here’s praying that your daughter’s pain resolves quickly, and the bone knits together as rapidly as possible.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, I’ll still start thinking of your daughter on Wednesday and just continue through Thursday with prayers that everything goes smoothly. I’m sure your daughter will do fine, but having watched my husband during my own daughter’s last surgery, it’s the dads I worry about!</p>
<p>Susan, I continue to be amazed and gratified to hear about your daughter’s speedier-than-expected recovery. I’m sure your loving support and her own determination have been key to her getting back on her feet (and dancing again) so rapidly. Oddly, it’s your daughter’s own near-tragedy that has helped me through some of the rocky, worry patches as we’ve gone through this trying year; I do know that we’re so very lucky in the grand scheme of things. </p>
<p>EK, no, not ACL. My daughter has rheumatoid arthritis, and she’s experiencing major flares in both her knees. We’re still waiting for some more test results, but if it is the RA causing the problems, we’re probably going to consider arthroscopic surgery in both knees to get her in “working order” again. The surgery and recovery in and of themselves aren’t too awful, so we’re considering having both knees done at once just to get it over and done with. It’s a bit extreme, but sadly, part of the decision will be driven by how much of a pain our insurance company is going to be (it seems they’d prefer to pay the anesthesiologist, surgeon, etc once rather than twice). </p>
<p>And LOL about Oregon Trail…I’ll be sure to tell my daughter your strategy; she’ll probably think that you are her birth mother, and I just haven’t gotten around to letting her know yet. (When my daughter gets totally put out with one of her Sims, she fills up the swimming pool, has them go swimming, and removes the ladder. Yes, my sweet angelic daughter has a truly warped streak. I was always sure she’d gotten it from my husband…but maybe you are to blame 
)</p>
<p>In the meantime, my daughter is at Disney World with the madrigal group from her school. When they arrived, she called and told me that the choir director and assistant principal were urging her to use a wheelchair while there. I thought their concern was so sweet, but then she told me it was because then they could have head-of-the-line privileges! My daughter, never one to miss a beat, told the assistant principal that she would agree to use a wheelchair for a day if she (the principal) would agree to meet the whole group in the hotel lobby, in her jammies, and read them all “Goodnight Moon” before they went back to their rooms. (My daughter must have been thinking this up in advance, because she took the book with her.) I can’t wait to hear Part Two of this story…</p>
<p>
Curmudge - my only concern is whether mudgerella will experience “it hurts when I laugh” after the surgery. If so, she might need to be quarantined from the curmudgeon! If not, they do say laughter is the best medicine, so you will be the best thing for her!</p>
<p>Actually, we all know about the Softer Side of Curmudgeon. With you by her side and all of us rooting from the sidelines, not to mention the splendiferous attitude she seems to have, it will just have to go swimmingly.</p>
<p>Curm, thanks for explaining. I know a girl who had that done. She turned out to be a valedictorian and went to Columbia…so a good trend there. It is no picnic but Mini Curm has the summer and I bet after the initial period, it will get better. It sounds like she is more than motivated to do it so her spirits are good about the situation. But I agree with the others about the laughing because it might hurt and you are a hoot. I agree about the “dad factor” having seen the basket case my husband was in regarding my D’s surgery. </p>
<p>Mezzomom…I thought your D had injured her knees (that is what I did in a skiing accident…it hurt a LOT) but now I hear the reason for the surgery. The word “arthritis” came up as a possible long term problem that can happen for those who have had a fractured pelvis like my D did but for now, I am not gonna worry about it cause it is only in the realm of possibilities and otherwise, I see no long term affects for her and I am a positive thinker. But she is doing very well and yeah it is kinda hard to believe at this juncture that she is doing most things the same though admits she is not as flexible or not in the same shape but the fact that she is taking two dance classes tomorrow night, is pretty incredible to me. I mean she just started walking on her own a few weeks ago. </p>
<p>Your daughter is a good sport with regard to the wheelchair (though it does help at Disney World with the lines). When my D got off bedrest and was still recovering and in pain and on crutches, just two days later, we took her to NYC for an accepted student event at her college. We said the only way to do it was to use a wheelchair in the city and she did not wanna be seen in a wheelchair (overall… but in particular as this was for accepted kids to Tisch and here she was going into musical theater and thought she would appear handicapped which I said nobody will think because she would not be going for this degree if in a wheelchair as it involves dance). So, we took a wheelchair to go between buildings and she insisted in getting out of it and onto crutches to enter the events. So, hearing that your D is willing to be seen in a wheelchair impresses me. My D was more vain about it. It was not the teen accessory she was hoping for, lol. But it was already amazing that she even went to the event which we thought might not be possible as she had just gotten out of a hospital bed and was on drugs, in lotsa pain, and in not too good of shape but she went and was really glad to be there. Nobody even asked about the crutches. The organizers for this one luncheon reception that 15 kids got invited to (called University Scholars at Tisch) knew about it because I had called ahead and said we were not sure if we could make it but wanted to try but I told them why…she was only upright two days ahead of the event and we lived 6 hours away. So, those faculty/deans might have known why she looked as she did but it is not like kids asked. But it was in her head and it was only her second foray in public at that juncture. Right now, she looks like any other kid and will walk at graduation and so forth. Thanks for thinking of her. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>My, this thread has twisted and turned off on several tangents.</p>
<p>Re Indonesia: No offense taken. It IS a scary and dangerous place and “outside the ken”. I’m just, what’s the word? not amused, maybe bemused, that we have to worry about terrorism but not drunk driving. PS Mini’s daughter is going to India via Cambodia.</p>
<p>Re operations: Curmudgeon and Mezzomom: We’ll be thinking of your kids. I’m sure they’ll heal fast!</p>
<p>Re knees: I just had arthroscopy for osteoarthritis of the knee. The procedure was fairly simple and granted I only had one knee done, but I was up and walking within hours. The problem now is to deal with the ongoing pain issues related to the arthritis. Medical advice is pathetic here so it’s pretty much been trial and error.</p>
<p>Cur, I also know a girl who had the jaw surgery done last summer for similar reasons. It was very successful, she is pleased with her appearance and the relief from discomfort made it well worth it. Best of luck on Thursday and also to Mezzomom’s D.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon,
Doddsmom and I wish your darling daughter the best. It is so much more scary when it is our children. I love your daughter’s spirit and I’ve never met her, except through you. She’s going to be fine. We’ll keep her in our thoughts.</p>
<p>Mezzomom, I think you’re right about we dads with daughters. What is it about our little girls getting hurt?</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, I’ll be thinking of her. </p>
<p>
Good lord, man – what kind of basketball do you play in Texas? Back in the day, the “ladies” in my Oklahoma HS were still playing 6-on-6!</p>
<p>Susan, the key to my daughter “agreeing” to using a wheelchair is the prospect of seeing her assistant principal in jammies…in a hotel lobby…reading “Goodnight Moon” to a bunch of 16-18 year olds. (Think of Queen Latifah as Mama in “Chicago” doing the same, and you have the right visual going.) Otherwise, there’s no way it will happen!</p>
<p>Mezzomom, thanks for explainin’. It is a funny image, yeah. Sounds like fun. I still recall with fondness this photo I have of my current sixteen year old, sitting on the kiddie potty around her second birthday, reading Goodnight Moon. It is a darling picture. She was already reading on the toilet, lol. She was an early reader and of course, that book has been a fave of all children for many generations. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>
As I’ve told anyone within earshot, Texas Girls High School Basketball is the second roughest sport I’ve seen played anywhere. The first? Texas Girls Junior High School Basketball.</p>
<p>Iderochi , it was godawful to watch happen from the stands. Just the perfect combination of factors and a 90mph elbow heading toward teeth going 50 the other direction. Brutal. Mop and bucket gory. Knocked the bottom four completely loose, top four almost. Other two just loose. What they are afraid of is that the nerve roots are receding (dying) but appear now to have stopped. No one knows how this surgery will effect the outcome of the compromised teeth. She played for 1/2 a year in one of those custom formed clear plexi-glass full face masks like the pro’s wear. She only missed two weeks. She’ll be fine. If they fall out, we’ll fix them,too.</p>
<p>Kinda think it depends on the child. D worked the summer before freshman year and spent a month in drama camp in Europe (we all flew over with her and then picked her up…) so she had a month without us but in a supervised setting.</p>
<p>Oldest S - very mature and not a major risk taker. Would probably let him do something reasonable with friends (like whitewater rafting in the adjacent state…probably not cross country) but has not wanted to yet.</p>