TMJ REALITY

[Elaine]

TMJ Reality


Hi…My name is TMJ and I have come to take
over your life. I don’t need your permission…
I don’t even care if you want or like me. I have
invaded your face and your life and there is
Nothing you can do about it.

I remind you of your doctor’s don’t I? I’m a
heartless, uncaring, unfeeling being that you’ll
have to live with. Don’t try to get rid of me
because the harder you try the more I’m going to
cause you pain. I’ll make you think and do things
that you normally would not do.

I’m here to tell you that you’ll never be the same.

I don’t like when you try to eat, smile, kiss, talk,
or act like I’m not here. I enjoy when I keep you from
doing the things you love to do. In fact, it makes my day!

That beautiful young perfectly formed face you once had
…it’s mine now and you’ll never get it back. I’m the type
that is quiet but well felt. That’s why your family, friends,
and doctor’s think you’re crazy.

It makes my day to see you take all those pain killers,
to try and camouflage me. They just give me the incentive
to hurt you more. I laugh at you when people call you a
“drug addict”

Let’s face it…you’re fighting a losing battle. Why don’t
you just give in and admit that I have won? That would make
my purpose a lot easier to accomplish. Get use to me because
you’re stuck with me and I am stuck with you.

Those dreams you once had, are just long ago memories.
They’ll never come true. I’m your worst enemy living
in your face. The best part is I affect not only your face,
but the rest of your body and mind as well. I strive very
hard, to see how bad I can make you hurt and how loud
I can make you scream. The more you deny me,
The worse I’ll get. I’m your worst nightmare come true.

Love Always,
TMJ
Written by Maria Holleman (TMJ Sufferer)


[This message has been edited by Elaine (edited 09-09-2001).]

[MnMetalMouth]

Hi Elaine...Did you write that? Very good. It sure fits my frame of mind lately. Beaten down but not quite out. We will eventually succeed in driving the demon out. We can't give up. I no longer care if people call me crazy or an addict. I do what I have to do to keep myself and my family going the best I can. Keep on keeping on! : )

[Elaine]

TMJ…What IT HAS DONE TO US…

TMJ has totally consumed our lives.
It controls everything that we do.
What you as a “normal” take for granted,
We as TMJ sufferers can not.
We are a people all our own.


Most of us haven’t eaten solid food in
so long , we aren’t sure we remember how to chew.
When you smile…you feel good.
When we smile…we feel pain.
One of your bad headaches
Is one of our good headaches.
Most of us have had to give up our jobs.
Most of us have had to give up our “normal” lives.


We have been reduced to sucking through straws
and depending on medications to get us through the day.
The days that the medication doesn’t help…
Are the days we call HELL. We guess by now you’re wondering
how and why we ended up this way.


We give THANKS to the doctors that took our pain
and suffering and used it to better himself/herself.
All they seen were dollar signs. These doctors never told us
“ALL”
the risks involved in having TMJ surgery.
They never told us that we would never be “normal” again.


They never told us that the surgery they did would
make us worse. They never told us that the parts
they were going to put in our bodies (whether the parts be man made
or from our own bodies) would one day fail. They never told us when
these parts failed, they would never treat us again.


They never told us the reason these parts failed was
because of them. They let us believe they failed because of us.
They never told us that our faces would change shape. They
never told us our bite would change. They never told us they would
turn their backs on us and deny ever scarring our lives forever.


We the TMJ family would like to THANK YOU our dear
Doctors for changing our life forever. We’d like to ask you
our dear doctors…”How can you sleep at night knowing how
many lives you have ruined?” “ How can you eat knowing we
will never be able to eat the way you do?” “How can you smile
knowing we will never really feel the pleasure of smiling the way
you do?” “How can you face yourself in the mirror knowing it was
YOU that did all this to us “Well our dear doctor…How can you?”


Tell us dear doctor…Have you ever wondered what it’s like
it’s like to be screaming and crying in pain…
and hear your children in the background crying
and asking their daddy what’s wrong with mommy?


Tell us dear doctor…Have you ever wondered what it’s like to see
your spouse cry because they don’t know how to help you? Picture
this dear doctor…picture a grown man, a daddy and a husband crying
so hard he can’t talk because your in so much pain he can’t help you.


Tell us dear doctor…Have you ever wondered what it’s like to crave
a McDonald’s hamburger and know you’ll never be able to eat it
because you can’t open your mouth to chew it?


ANSWER US DEAR DOCTOR…WE’D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW.

Written by Maria Holleman



[This message has been edited by Elaine (edited 09-09-2001).]

[Elaine]

Carole,
I didn't write those poems but they describe the medical nightmare to a T. They were written by Maria Holleman. I am not sure what is going on with her, last I heard she was seriously ill and having another surgery. These were on her web site and her site is down. I copied these over a year ago and just ran across them again.
No one knows this hell until they live it, it is definitely not a stress disorder,
although it causes stress, when you're in so much pain you puke!!!
Take care,
Elaine

[This message has been edited by Elaine (edited 01-16-2002).]

[Marlene]

Elaine,

The poems you posted REALLY hit the nail on the head!! I've read your story on the website you posted and.....I don't know what to say. We've all hit "rock bottom" numerous times, yet somehow, we manage to go on. I know it's been said many times before, but you have to keep searching for even one small thing that could lead to relief - even if it's only a little bit of relief. You seem like a strong person to me, and I think if anybody can persevere, YOU can. I've experienced your pain, perhaps not to the degree that you have, but I know where you're coming from. Hang in there, and know that someday, the light at the end of the tunnel will NOT be an oncoming locomotive! Be well.

[This message has been edited by Marlene (edited 03-01-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Marlene (edited 03-01-2001).]