The other guy

One week from today I will have my reconstruction.  For the record, I plan on sleeping through the whole event.

Yesterday we went to the temple  As we entered the locker this sweet temple worker looked at my bandage and said, "What did the other guy look like?"  Usually I can never think of clever things to say on the spot but I guess inspiration comes more easily in the temple.  I told him "The other guy was a surgeon.  Watch out for them.  They knock you out and then they beat you up"  We both had a good laugh.

Honestly I will be so grateful to have this rebuilt.  Talking to the surgeon and my infectious disease doctor here they are a little concerned about a psuedomonas infection that I have on the old, broken titanium chain.  This type of bacteria adheres to metal and is very hard to get rid of while metal is present.  So, they may do the surgery in stages.  First remove the metal and all the dead and damaged tissue and repair the holes and then wait a few months for the psuedomonuas to resolve before rebuilding the jaw.  We will know more on Wednesday when we talk to Dr. Marx.  I plan on telling him, "Look, I plan on living to an ripe old age, so start with that as a given.  Then treat me the same way you would if I was your brother."

I was honored at the UDA (Utah dental association) meeting this morning.   Inducted into the international college of dentists actually.  Normally this has to be done at a national ADA meeting but they made an exception for me due to my health.  They tell me that this is the first time that they have ever allowed an exception.  It was very nice to be there with my sweetheart JoLynne by my side.  Some of the finest dentists that I know belong to this group.  I was grateful to be invited.