Rebecca's TMJ Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Those of you who know me know that I am an upbeat, enthusiastic, and positive person. What you may not know is that I am living with severe Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, which causes excruciating chronic pain in my jaw. My jaw cannot relax, and my teeth no longer touch when I bite down.
Chewing has become nearly impossible and swallowing hurts because of my worsening open bite. My jaw is painful enough that I often wake up in tears or can’t sleep to begin with. Throughout the day, I have terrible headaches, muscle spasms, and difficulty eating. The dysfunction in my jaw is affecting my nutrition, sleep, and overall quality of life.
I was diagnosed with TMJ 8 years ago by a dentist, who prescribed me a mouthguard for nighttime grinding. I ground the mouthguard to pieces. Next, I saw a TMJ specialist who gave me a different mouthguard, which also broke. Over the past 6 months, I have seen 3 dentists, an ENT, orthodontist, and oral surgeon; none of these doctors were able to help.
On top of it all, my insurance company is refusing to cover any treatment, so I must pay for everything out of pocket.
Luckily, I have finally found a dentist who can help me, Dr. Lena Sapozhnikoff . She and her team have helped people with severe problems like mine before, and they have laid out a comprehensive treatment plan for me. I will need two orthodontic appliances, myofunctional therapy (with Dana Hockenbury), and surgery to get out of the pain I am in.
While Dr. Lena has graciously agreed to work with me on finances, my treatment is still going to cost $25,000. I have been lucky to continue my work as a professional tutor through the pandemic, but this price tag would put me into thousands of dollars of debt.
My road to recovery has been long and complex, I know many people have questions about the details of insurance, past doctors, and my current treatment plan. I've put together an FAQ to answer some of these questions that you can find here.
The idea of living a life free from pain is honestly a completely foreign concept to me. Having finally found a treatment plan and doctors that can help gives me hope of making that idea into a reality. Chronic pain has been holding me back physically, professionally, and mentally for far too long. I would rather go in debt than continue to live this way, but I am asking for your help to keep me out of that situation. Every dollar donated helps me get closer to a future free from pain, and every donation has my deepest gratitude. Please, from the bottom of my heart, help me put an end to this and live a pain-free life.
Chewing has become nearly impossible and swallowing hurts because of my worsening open bite. My jaw is painful enough that I often wake up in tears or can’t sleep to begin with. Throughout the day, I have terrible headaches, muscle spasms, and difficulty eating. The dysfunction in my jaw is affecting my nutrition, sleep, and overall quality of life.
I was diagnosed with TMJ 8 years ago by a dentist, who prescribed me a mouthguard for nighttime grinding. I ground the mouthguard to pieces. Next, I saw a TMJ specialist who gave me a different mouthguard, which also broke. Over the past 6 months, I have seen 3 dentists, an ENT, orthodontist, and oral surgeon; none of these doctors were able to help.
On top of it all, my insurance company is refusing to cover any treatment, so I must pay for everything out of pocket.
Luckily, I have finally found a dentist who can help me, Dr. Lena Sapozhnikoff . She and her team have helped people with severe problems like mine before, and they have laid out a comprehensive treatment plan for me. I will need two orthodontic appliances, myofunctional therapy (with Dana Hockenbury), and surgery to get out of the pain I am in.
While Dr. Lena has graciously agreed to work with me on finances, my treatment is still going to cost $25,000. I have been lucky to continue my work as a professional tutor through the pandemic, but this price tag would put me into thousands of dollars of debt.
My road to recovery has been long and complex, I know many people have questions about the details of insurance, past doctors, and my current treatment plan. I've put together an FAQ to answer some of these questions that you can find here.
The idea of living a life free from pain is honestly a completely foreign concept to me. Having finally found a treatment plan and doctors that can help gives me hope of making that idea into a reality. Chronic pain has been holding me back physically, professionally, and mentally for far too long. I would rather go in debt than continue to live this way, but I am asking for your help to keep me out of that situation. Every dollar donated helps me get closer to a future free from pain, and every donation has my deepest gratitude. Please, from the bottom of my heart, help me put an end to this and live a pain-free life.
Organiser
Rebecca Tyree
Organiser
Brooklyn, NY