Botox: Part II

Well, my last post about this mentioned that I had a consultation with a cosmetic dentist to get more information and assess my condition.

Long story short...I ended up doing it that appointment. I've had a few people ask about my experience, as they have headache issues as well, so I'm more than happy to divulge my encounter and the effects.

Here's how it went down.
I met with the dentist and we just talked for a while about the history of my headaches, what I've tried in the past, etc. This was really important to me. Any doctor that reads my reason for being there on the chart and immediately prescribes medication...I tend to steer away from. Anyway, after we talked, he felt around my jaws, head, neck and shoulders...pulling, pushing, stretching. It wasn't comfortable by any means, but again, he was doing a thorough assessment of my condition. After all of that, he explained that he suggested doing injections in my jaw muscles, temporal muscles, and neck muscles. It was really was up to me as to what I wanted to spend and/or felt comfortable doing. He also recommended that I start getting massages regularly. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get insurance to pay for that ; )

I'm fairly "scientific method"-minded, so I went ahead and had him inject Botox into my jaw muscles alone. Reason being, if TMJ is really the primary source of my headaches, then this should take care of it. If not, I need to look at something else.

He mixed the solution and used a very tiny needle and injected the solution into two places on both sides. Quite painless.


Effects.
It takes about 2-5 days for the medicine to "engage", and it's been a little over a week now for me. I suppose I thought it would feel numb, but it's not numb, I just can't activate that very back part of the jaw muscle...you know, the part that sticks out when you clench your jaws really hard? I did notice that both sides are not even, as my right side will stick out a little when I clench, but I still can't clench with the amount of pressure that I could prior...and no, you can't see a difference unless I really bite down...and I don't go around gritting my teeth.

As for my headaches, I've had a few small ones, but they seem to go away quite quickly or with just a couple of Tylenol.

Like I mentioned earlier, one of my goals was to isolate the clenching habit as a factor so that I could observe other behaviors, habits, etc. that might contribute to my headaches. The worst headache I've had the last week, I realized that I was dehydrated. As soon as I was able to re-hydrate...it got better. I have also been concentrating on my posture (which I completely suck at) and how much sugar and caffeine I'm consuming. I've been doing better on the caffeine...not so well on the sugar. It's Christmas for crying out loud!!

Another odd habit I've noticed...is holding my breath. I know that sounds weird, and it is weird. I ran up the stairst in our house the other night and I noticed that I felt pressure in my head...then I realized that I had held my breath as I ran up the stairs. I'm pretty sure your brain needs more oxygen, not less. I should probably take up yoga and get into that breathing thing.

Anyhow, this is my experience thus far. I can't speak to migraines or other types of headaches as they're all so different depending on the person, but if nothing else, it's made me more aware of other factors. I wish it were an isolated cause and this were a cure-all, but I'm nearly certain it's not. But, if it can give me a little relief and allow me to suffer a little less, then I'm all for it!*



*Side note, I'm not a weenie and my headaches aren't just a nussaince. Okay, sometimes they are just a nussaince, but there are more times than not that they inhibit my ability to be productive at work, be nice(r) to my husband, and enjoy life in general. In other words, if I could get away with them just being annoying, I would. This is an extreme step for me and it should be for anyone. Feel free to take my account into consideration, and I welcome anyone to ask questions, but please do your own homework before deciding to have this procedure.

Weekend Update

So, I mentioned in my last post some things I wanted to do over the weekend. Some I accomplished...some I did not. It was a good weekend either way.

Friday, we had our company Christmas luncheon, which I enjoyed much more as a luncheon rather than a more formal dinner. It was much more relaxed and fun. Afterwards, I ran around and did a little Christmas shopping, but not much...traffic was absurd! That afternoon, Kyle called me to ask if we had plans for that evening that he was unaware of {good boy} and said he'd been invited to go to a hockey game. So we went! I'm not that huge of a hockey fan because, well, I don't understand most of it. But like baseball, it's a lot more fun to watch in person than on TV. The best part, was that I got to know some of Kyle's co-workers and their wives. Very cool people. It was nice to hang out with like-minded people socialize for a bit. I forgot how much I missed that kind of stuff. This is a bad picture, but it's the only one I took.

Saturday, I began doing some holiday baking. I made fruit cakes, marshmallows, ginger snap cookies, and red velvet whoopie pies. The only thing I had made before were the ginger snap cookies...the rest were total experiments. The thing about me and cooking/baking is that I'm pretty good at it...but I make HUGE messes. I ran the dishwasher no less than five times over the weekend. As you can see from the picture below, our rent house doesn't have a lot of counter space...so I used every surface available, even bar stools. 

I'm not going to use this whole post to write out the recipes I used and such, but I've linked each goodie to it's respective recipe above. The only one I really changed up was the ginger snap cookie recipe. I liked Alton Brown's recipe in terms of spice mixture and such, but he used metric measurements for everything...and I'm just not a metric kind of gal. So, I used the spice mix from Alton's recipe, and the recipe for the actual cookie from the link above the picture. I was also pretty impressed with myself that I made the marshmallows without a candy thermometer. They aren't perfect, but pretty darn good for not having something to gauge it by.

The other thing I learned is that in Houston, you don't necessarily need to store baked goods in an airtight container for them to retain moisture. The air is so humid already, my ginger snaps were softer the next day. No worse for the wear, though. I just don't know if I'll ever be able to make merigues.

There wasn't enough football on TV to keep Kyle entertained, so he went shopping/people watching. My other sidekick did this. I guess he thinks he's a cat.

Every now and then during the night, he'll growl and bark in his sleep, but this was a first during the day. He did it long enough that I was able to catch it on video.

So, earlier I said something about making fruitcake...I'm sure some of you went blecgh! This one is a little different than those green candied cherry things (cherries are not supposed to be green!). It's a recipe I found on Alton Brown's website...so I thought I'd give it a try. It starts with soaking six different kinds of dried fruit in rum overnight. Not a bad way to start a cake, right?! The next day you cook the rum-soaked fruit in sugar and apple juice until it's almost caramel-y. Then you mix in the flour and eggs, pour, and bake. Here's the interesting thing, and what makes it super yummy. After the cake has cooled, you wrap it in cheese cloth and spritz or baste it in brandy...for TWO WEEKS.

I started this a little late, so my cakes won't get the full two-weeks of brandy basting in, but I'm sure they'll still be good. I couldn't find a normal spray bottle for the brandy, so I bought a little travel sized hair spray bottle. I'm so innovative.

So, after all of that taste-testing...I'm surprised I'm not diabetic. It was a lot of sugar, but it was well worth it. I packed most of it up this morning and brought it to my co-workers as a Christmas treat. 

Not So Merry Christmas

I love Christmas time.

I enjoy the Fall leading up to Thanksgiving evening when Christmas lights start coming on. I love all of the holiday themed desserts and drinks that become available. I love seeing the decorations pop up around the city/town. It makes me happy to hear Christmas music being played...well, pretty much everywhere. I love how churches really focus on the meaning of Christmas...how God loved us so much that He sent Jesus.

This Christmas, however, isn't quite as "merry" as some in years past.

Although Kyle and I love Houston and are really enjoying exploring the city...the fact remains that we're still newbies, and haven't really formed a lot of friendships outside of work. So, we won't be going to any Christmas parties (work doesn't count...so awkward) or friends' houses just to hang out and drink hot chocolate. No Christmas shopping with my Mom or friends. And, let's face it...it's 75 degrees. It doesn't even feel like Christmas.

I never put a lot of stock in Christmas cards, but this year, the people that have actually taken the time to get our new address and send us a card...it means a lot. (It also says something about our landlord who is getting still getting Christmas cards at our rent house...they haven't lived in that house in four years.) By the way, that's not meant to be a guilt trip...just how I feel.

To top it all off, my family won't all be together this year. I should mention that very few of our Christmas's were ever "normal". Our family is somewhat scattered, so Christmas was a little different every year growing up, but it was always fun. This year, our family is, um, going through some reconstruction. I'm not blaming anyone or pointing fingers...it's just the reality of the situation, and this is part of it. But as a really good friend just reminded me...we may not all be together, but all of the love is still there and I have a lot to be thankful for. I needed to hear that...because she's right.

I did take another friend's advice, though. We were talking about the doldrums of being in limbo moving/living-wise, and she told me to make sure and decorate for the holidays. It helps give you a sense of normalcy. So I did. I didn't get everything out simply because I either don't know where it is, or I can't get to it, but I decorated a small tree, put out our stockings...that sort of thing. It helps a little.

I think I'm going to make Kyle go with me this weekend to go drive around looking at Christmas lights, and perhaps attempt navigating a mall. I'm also going to do some holiday baking this coming weekend. I love to bake and make things for people, so that's what I'm going to do. Plus, the folks at work will eat almost anything...whether it's good or not. The thought of being in our new house this time next year also helps keep my mood afloat. I can't wait to decorate it for Christmas...inside and out. And having double convection ovens to make Christmas treats with...it makes me giddy!

For this year, though...I'm going to (figuratively) tuck Kyle under one arm and Gus, my dog, under the other and trudge through like I know how.

The Root of It

I can't quite recall what the whole conversation was about, but over the weekend (a while back) Kyle and my Dad were discussing someone and one of them commented..."well maybe she dyes her hair brown" (I'm guessing they saw a brunette Erin Andrews look-a-like on ESPN)...and I quipped back. "NO ONE dyes their hair brown". They laughed. And then I remembered...except me.


It's true though. You see a lot of girls/women who have either blond hair or highlights...I'd guess 98% of it is unnatural. I don't know too many natural platinum blonds that have decided to go chestnut for the Fall...do you?


I, on the other hand, don't dye mine by choice. Sure, over the years I've had highlights from really blond to crazy rocker red...but my base hair color has always been brown...okay, since the age of 5 it has been brown. (I was a blondie as a wee one) When I was 21, I was in the process of getting my hair highlighted when my stylist gasped. I immediately thought she had used the wrong color or something. But no...she parted my hair and pulled up a singular hair from my scalp and said "Sara! What is this?!". I looked really closely...gray. I had a gray hair. I said, "well, that's what I'm here for...cover that puppy up!". So I've been coloring it religiously ever since.


Come to find out, my Mother started "graying" in her early twenties...so I guess it's genetic.


Good thing my husband doesn't need to go to a stylist for his haircuts...I need all of the salon budget I can get! As you can see from the pic below, it is more than time to go again. No, those aren't just two-day old, greasy hairs you see...those are silver. No longer gray...but silver. Shiny, gleaming, silver.

I have an appointment this evening to get my color done. I can't lie, I'm nervous. I went to the same amazing gal in Tulsa for four years. I don't really like the thought of someone else touching my hair...but it must be done. Surely they can't screw up brown hair dye...can they?!

Weekend Update

So, I thought it was interesting timing that after my little post on Botox that I woke up with a migraine on Thursday morning. That four-day tension headache finally manifested into the feeling of an ice pick going through my left eye, and that was after being woken up at 2:30 a.m. with nausea. Fun times. 

I spoke with a friend in medical school and she just kept telling me...GO GET A MASSAGE! I didn't have time this weekend, but I will try to work that in this coming week...I know she's right. In the meantime, I do have an appointment for a consultation with a cosmetic dentist who treats TMJ with Botox. I'm not committing to anything yet, but I want to have all of the information before I make a decision either way.

So this weekend, my Dad came down for a visit. We enjoy just hanging out and drinking large sums of coffee, but being new to a city that offers so much, I want to take advantage of every opportunity to go do and see things. I had heard a lot about Houston's museums, so I checked out what exhibits were going on. I found that The Houston Museum of Natural Science has an exhibit about the Civil War. With my Dad being from Mississippi, I thought he would find it interesting too...so we went!

All three of us enjoyed the exhibit, as it focused a lot less on the battles and chronological things that most history books covered, and more on the human side of the war. At one point, a black gentleman and I were both reading a section about why women couldn't serve in the Army, and why black men who served wouldn't be issued a firearm. My how far we've come. The exhibit had a lot of artifacts, but the most incredible was the original 13th Amendment with Abraham Lincoln's signature. For a week in March, they are going to have the original Emancipation Proclamation. What an opportunity to see documents that had such a distinct impact on our nation. I can't wait to go back and take my Mother and brother-in-law...they're both Jr. High history teachers; they'll love it!

Trivia: Did you know that the Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. was once the site of the Freedman Village (housing for liberated slaves), and was also once known as Arlington Estate...owned by Robert E. Lee? I highly doubt any of that was coincidence. 

The other highlight of my weekend was my dessert at dinner Saturday night. Normally when I go to a nice restaurant, I order the creme brulee...I don't know why, I just do. This time, however, something jumped out at me off of the menu...Rocky Road Bread Pudding. I'm a huge bread pudding fan, but typically if they skew too far away from the traditional New Orleans variety, I steer clear. But this one had me curious...and I was not disappointed. They brought me a huge piece of custardy bread pudding with semi-sweet chocolate chunks sprinkled throughout out, a caramel sauce with walnuts drizzled on top, and topped with a piece of homemade marshmallow the size of the bread pudding portion. It was freakin' amazing. The best part...I couldn't eat it all and I got to take it home ; )

So that was my weekend, nurtured mind and happy stomach. 

Botulism...

NO, I'm not talking about getting food from the dented can bin. I'm talking about Botox.

I'm seriously considering getting it, and I'd love to have some input...personal experiences and/or medical knowledge.

I'm not trying to erase the two lines in between my eyebrows that form when I get intense...I'm just trying to make my head quit hurting! I have had tension/cluster headaches off and on since I was 17. Mostly on. I've gone through allergy treatments, chiropractic adjustments, muscle relaxers, bite guards, quit chewing/biting into foods that are hard or extra chewy, etc. We've pretty much narrowed it down to the fact that I clench the ever-loving heck out of my back teeth when I'm stressed and in my sleep, a.k.a - TMJ. I seriously think I could go toe-to-toe with a German Sheppard in a game of tug-o-war. So, I wake up with my jaws hurting and my temples throbbing, and if it's bad enough, it migrates down the back of my head, neck and shoulders. 

Most of the time, a few (four) Advil do the trick, but there are some days that require a heating pad (relax muscles), Lortab, and sleep to alleviate my pain. So, I've started looking into alternatives, for several reasons. One, is that I'm just sick of all of the medicine (it can't be good for my liver and kidneys) and having to remember to take my bite guard everywhere. The second part is sort of preemptive. Not today, not tomorrow, but at some point in time, I would like to have kids. The problem is, they have to incubate for a while...inside of me...the one taking all of the pain meds. I hear there's a chance that could screw a baby up. So, before I have to give up my pain meds and the majority of my caffeine intake, I need to find a way to fix this. Otherwise, my boss might fire me and Kyle, well, he wouldn't divorce me, but he'd probably move upstairs and I wouldn't see him 'til it was time to go to the hospital...where they're going to give me pain meds.

I've read several articles, medical and otherwise, and watched a segment on the daytime show "Doctors" where they explained using Botox for TMJ. Basically, the Botox is injected into the jaw muscles, preventing them from engaging like it normally would. You can still chew and such, you just can't bite down with the same degree of pressure as before. The cosmetic surgeon said that a lot of his patients only need 3-4 treatments (each treatment lasts about 3 months) because their body got out of the habit of clenching...it kind of retrained itself. This is what I'm hoping for. Plus, another result I didn't think about, is that the jaw muscle atrophies a little and shrinks a bit. People like me have built up such strong jaw muscles that the jaw structure is kind of overly defined.

The only drawback I can see right now is the fact that insurance doesn't pay for TMJ related diagnostic tests or treatments. (That's fine, they can continue to pay for my medicine, doctor's appointments, and my crowns after I crack my teeth) So, guess I'll be asking for people to donate to my Botox fund for my birthday. Being headache free might just be the best birthday present I could ask for!

Playing Catch Up

So, I did the Thankful thing in November...and although it provided a little insight, the project kind of took away from blogging about everyday life. Here's a little catch-up.

Kyle and I are liking Houston a lot more than we thought we ever would. In reality, I think in the past we just wanted to hate it so we'd never move, but now that we've made the move...I'm glad we were wrong. Yes, the traffic sucks. Big time. But it's just something you get used to and learn to work around.

The area we moved to, and are building a house in, is one of the fastest growing in America, so new things are going up every month. It's exciting to see everything going in.

Work is going well for us both. I've started working on more of the finance side of operations (versus engineering), which I really like. I have yet to figure out if I'm really smart enough to be doing this kind of work, or if I just have them all fooled. I guess we'll find out next year when we see if our projections were correct or not. Kyle has once again found his groove and is starting to make waves of his own. This is his third time starting over in a new sales territory. Each time he has been a nervous, worried wreck, but he always comes out on top. He constantly impresses me by succeeding where others have had difficulty.

It's funny, when we talk about our jobs, we laugh about the fact that if we ever had to switch (hypothetically), we'd want to die. I am not enough of a "people-person" to do his job, and he can't sit still long enough to do mine. I have to say, though, that I am jealous of his job in one respect. What he gets to eat. In OK, he had a lot of BBQ restaurants and mom & pop places, which were great, but nothing special. In the territory he has now...he comes home telling me about this $80 sushi roll he got to try at lunch, made from scratch gumbo, brick oven pizza, wagyu beef, and so on... He still tells me that he likes my cooking though. (smart man)

We went a couple of weekends ago and finished picking out all of the materials and such for the house we're building. They're estimating that it will start around Christmas and be finished in late April. I'm so excited! I will say that having the house to look forward to is making renting a lot less...um, undesirable. The house we're renting isn't bad, but it definitely needs some work. The thing that irritates me the most, and it just seems to come with renting, is that the dishwasher is terrible! We can't fill it very full, and then there is still film on everything. It's gross, but I just keep telling myself...five more months.

I finally put up some Christmas decorations last night. I didn't get out the big Christmas tree. One, I'm not sure it would fit, Two, it was at the back, bottom of our storage pile...and it just wasn't worth it to me. So, I pulled out my little four-foot topiary tree meant for the front porch, and put ornaments on it and draped some leftover tulle around the bottom for a tree skirt. Doesn't look bad if I say so myself!

I've gone into Starbucks a couple of times lately and observed students with their books and binders and laptop spread out on a table. I get nauseous and feel a wave of anxiety flood my body. I had a dream not long ago that a classmate was reminding me to ask our professor about a question our group had. I woke up sweaty. I'm not 100% sure how I got through all of that, but I did. I'm happy I did it. But man am I glad to be finished!!

I've been meaning to get the new iPhone, just haven't done it yet. Then last night, I managed to drop my 3-year old iPhone in my baked potato soup...guess I'll be heading to the Apple store on my lunch break.

And last but not least, my Alma Mater won the Big XII (actually eleven) championship on Saturday night. It was a fantastic win and a wonderful way to end the regular season. I was sad to see Sunday night that we didn't get the bid to the national championship game, but I'd rather win against Stanford than lose to LSU. It's not that I don't have faith in my team, I just know how good LSU is, and with Les Miles as the coach, it would just be salt in the wound if we lost. Go Pokes!