If I could change one thing about my body.......

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Aside from that, I'd like to have a strong torso and feel confident in a bikini.

That makes me remember when I looked young and lithe and perfect in a bikini in my 20's....but my self image then was anything BUT confident. Now I have lots of lumps and bumps, wrinkles and imperfections, but I love my body and my inner spirit way more.

[milkbone]

Ah, I'm sorry, milkbone. I don't have titanium in there, but I have TMJ issues. I'd been symptom free for a long time, but then last night in my sleep something went haywire (built up stress and PMS, I think) and the whole left side of my face was on fire. Couldn't touch my ear. Even my hair hurt. Woke me up, and I struggled to get even a little bit comfortable. If your life is regularly like my night, that is truly one giant bummer for you! I like your attitude about it, though!

Karen

Tuckervill,

Yup, sounds about right, its the right side of my face though, the x-ray, ironically, looks exactly like a bicycle chain lining my jaw , then I have other plates and screws on the left side as well, but w/o the nerve damage.

My right side, chin to mid-jaw is constant - eating/kissing/talking/the slightest touch makes it "holy cow" worse... the top part to my ear isn't too bad as long as it doesn't get touched.. I chopped my hair b/c of the pain (wish I could grow it back out).

The docs tried all kinds of meds, I was a walking pharmacy for awhile, nothing worked, some made it worse, Duke offered some frankenstien surgery with a very small chance for any success, and I just wanted a narcotic/pill free life, so I told them all where to go and I'd just learn to deal, which I've done for the most part.