Craniomandibular – Jesus is for the Wounded

Another Direction Has Begun

Published on May 11, 2020May 11, 2020 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

In this series of 1, 2, 3, and now this 4th blog, I share the pain and agony, arduous process of desperately trying to find hope through yet another medical crossroad. The discovery then extraction of an infected tooth was akin to placing an entire 8 years of battling a serious illness into a 2-month window of broken shards of glass. The infection was discovered on March 16th and the first surgery consult on April 11th. The second surgery consult resulted in the surgical procedure on the same day of April 22nd. Two treatments with IV ozone BEFORE the extraction showed promise to end my worst symptom of convulsive episodes however the gains lasted 3 and 2 days, respectively. Then there were horrible complications after the tooth was extracted. The 3rd treatment with IV ozone yielded 4 days of reprieve and a considerable reduction in pain and inflammation of the gum tissue below tooth #19. We are now optimistic for what the 4th treatment will bring later today. I have had more better days in a row after the 4th infusion than in the past, well, very very long time!

It really looks promising that another direction towards healing has begun. It really looks like the extraction of two other infected teeth in 2015 then the craniomandibular treatments in 2018 are related to the current dental issues: they all relate to the innervation and bio-mechanics of the trigeminal nerve complex, particularly on the left side of my face. I suspect that there may be a vestibulochoclear component as well since certain noxious sounds can trigger a neurological event. Infection leads to inflammation; suboccipital constriction from the trauma of repeated seizure attacks clamps down on those inflamed nerves. Ongoing inflammation of the cranial nerves, including the vagus nerve, keeps me on edge and from getting well. The visit in Indianapolis tomorrow will include an osteopathic evaluation and treatment in addition to 10-pass IV ozone. Tis time for my entire cranio-sacral rhythm-and-function to calm the heck down, get straight, and fly right!

Did I tell you about the garden bed we were able to put together this past weekend? My body hurt like heck yet my spirits were lifted as I pursued one of my life’s passions: all things gardening. How poetic for me to be planting a new garden bed in the spring of this year, just when my body appears to be springing to new life? God is so good, Gentle Reader. He does sprinkle His goodness here and there even on our worst of days. And this past week we had a down-pouring of it, literally! The day after Steve and I pushed to get all of our veggie beds ready for planting, the heavens opened up with a day of soaking rainstorms. Like washing everything clean. Like nourishing the dirt for the newness of life to follow. Like paving the way to bloom where one is planted . . .

I’m good with all of that for sure. JJ

Something old, something new

Published on October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

Soon I will come up on the seven year anniversary of when serious illness entered my life. No, I won’t be kayaking in the Cedarville Reservoir to commemorate October 11, 2011! That’s the day I contracted viral hepatitis and never really recovered. It’s been a complicated journey since then, trying to get well.

Soon I will meet with my Doctor and see what he thinks about a new treatment with which I have been experimenting. Recently I wrote about how devastated I was when some vascular studies revealed no new information about why the convulsive episodes continue. Over the next week I dwelt at the foot of the Cross of my Savior and He showed me some things I had not considered before: many of the triggers of episodes have had something to do with my neck. The CT Angiogram helped me examine this issue more closely and led me back to a comment by an ENT specialist back in January. He said I should look into vagal nerve seizures and so I did. That process led me to pursue specialized dental appliances that helped take pressure off of most of the cranial nerves involved in episodes and they started coming down within a day or two. Adjustments in the appliances helped further then the improvements waxed and waned as time went on. It is now 7 months later. They are a pain to wear and look weird. What else could be going on?

Soon I may have more of an answer to that question as I experiment with specific stimulation of one of the 12 cranial nerves: the vagus nerve as it travels through my neck area. A person has to be careful with this as it lies in close proximity, distal to the carotid arteries, thyroid, and parathyroid glands in the front of the neck. Indeed vagal nerve seizures is a part of some forms of epileptic seizures and is treated with a surgically implanted vagal nerve stimulator. A person has to have a diagnosis of intractable epilepsy or migraine headaches with treatment failures from trials of two types of medications before it is deemed medically feasible. For me, no epileptiform activity was ever detected in EEG sleep studies even though numerous convulsive episodes occurred during two different studies in two different clinics. I now wonder if they should have been watching the heart monitor not the EEG monitor when the episodes spiked. Changes in heart rate and other vitals can accompany a seizure. I have experienced this. Were these factors recorded but missed in my clinical studies?

vagus nerve, vagal nerve seizures, vagal nerve stimulation, non-epileptic seizures, psychogenic seizures

Hopefully soon my experimentation with two different vibrating wands will stop these wretched seizure attacks altogether. I found 2 very simple devices that I could carry with me, experimented until I figured out which ones work better at a given time of day. The high-frequency wand makes me sleepy so I use it at night. The lower frequency wand is more effective during the daytime should I feel the symptoms of a pre-tic episode. How cool is this? Yes, I still need to avoid certain head-and-neck positions due to other cervical spine issues, get back into either chiropractic care or physical therapy, and review everything with my primary Doctor. I will continue wearing my specialized dental appliances. In the meantime, it sure is nice having a better option than Prednisone (which I can only take in emergency situations!) to bring real relief for daily involuntary head-banging!

Will letcha know really soon, Gentle Reader if this all leads to something GOOD. In the meantime, I am encouraged. And grateful. Thank you Lord, for bringing hope beyond what I can see once again. JJ

I gotta change my teeth!

Published on March 18, 2018 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

Alright. It’s a few decades too soon in my life to be fussing over fake teeth in a restaurant but that is exactly where I have landed. Or an acrylic mouthpiece of sorts, that is. Then there’s the one with metal wires in it. Aaaargh! This is all kinda gross, especially with bits o’ lunch in thar!

It’s not your average bear that carries around a bottle of mouthwash in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag with 2 paper towels, a funny little brush and a clam-shell plastic box with air holes in it with a spare mouthpiece in tow. Gentle Reader, you knew I was not undergoing a normal treatment plan when I signed up for this next phase in my recovery from a serious illness. After all, who said that specialized dental appliances would stop almost 7 years of daily seizure attacks?

The answer: no one really. Persons with Tourettes Syndrome, dystonia, and tics have found relief in addition to persons with severe TMJ or Temporal Mandibular Disorders. Only one expert mentioned “atypical seizures” and another “movement disorders.” It was the Lord who led me to examine my own pattern of symptoms and triggers, led by an observation from an ENT in a recent exam, and extensive research that seemed to indicate that I, too, might benefit from this highly skilled approach within the dentistry profession. It made sense to me that a Craniomandibular Disorder Specialist would be able to relief pressure on my aching jaw. If it relieved pressure on cranial nerves in the surrounding tissues as well, then there would be a good chance that many of the episode triggers and the convulsive episodes themselves could go down. So I interviewed thirteen professionals in the USA then said, “sign me up!” My beloved agreed. Graciously, many wonderful folks helped make it happen.

And I am glad that it did happen. The convulsive episodes are now EIGHTY PERCENT IMPROVED!!! Yeah God! Praise the Lord! Holy cow! Cool beans! Plus every other exclamation of joy I have ever used on this here blog. Just Julie is going to get well! I can now lie down and get up from bed most of the time without 30 or more minutes of convulsive episodes. THIS IS HUGE! Bonus: my reactivity to noxious sensory stimuli is also down. My posture is better. I am able to eat a few more foods that I have been able to in many, many years without triggering a seizure. Other symptoms have come and gone yet even the nagging jaw pain is also reduced. I am looking forward to seeing what will happen over time as the improvements continue . . .

The battle is not yet won, however, as my devices will need adjustments and I’ll possibly need new dental appliances as time goes forward. This will require significant travel to my Doctor out of State, a leap of faith in the Lord’s provision, and a massive testing of my health status to travel by myself. Am I up to the challenge? Absolutely. We will plan carefully and proceed with caution. Looks like I am on a good path for recovery at last. I am humbled and grateful beyond what I can put into words. Thank you Jesus!

Here are a few pictures from the process from my first week on this new journey. I look a mess in most of them yet that is because I was very sick going into these appointments. I had six violent convulsive episodes just trying to do the 5 hours of evaluation and was quite depleted by the time it was over. Afterwards, my hubby and I were so trashed that we stood in the parking lot late that sunny afternoon and ate every snack and drop of water we had with us! It took days for me to recover yet somehow I knew that my life was about to change very soon. Three days later I had another very long appointment to receive my mouth splints. The changes began within a day and continue three weeks later! Stay tuned for more good news as this story develops.

Gentle Reader, if you are struggling with serious health issues, I encourage you that the Lord sees your suffering, grieves for you, and promises to be there for you for each and every breath, now and forever. Call upon His name. There is “hope beyond” what we can see. Consider trusting the person of Jesus Christ Who will see you through, carry you this day and always. I would have never made it this far without Him. I hope we can share in my joy together someday Gentle Reader. Our God is good! JJ