I barely got out of September unscathed. I say barely because I am up at 6:05AM with inflamed sinuses and tinnitus that could rival the warning tone on many home alarm systems. Thank God for white noise.

I’d like to get my jaw fixed, which is causing all this nonsense, but some sadistic being in the universe felt that waiting and struggling was a better idea. So here I am, and here is your update. I am getting a second opinion. The appointment is scheduled for November 6th. We will see what happens at that point in time. Right now, my medical friends and I want the most qualified set of hands on me, and I believe that will be this gentleman that I will see in November. The other guy is great, but this is jaw surgery, something so medically scary that even I am freaked out. The new doc may have “minimally invasive” surgical solutions. When I heard that I may not be fileted open like a salmon fresh from the water, I thought “Hey, this might be just the guy I am looking for.” More on that when I know more!

September was a busy month. Lots going on personally and professionally. September is both the beginning of the academic year and the our craniofacial acceptance/awareness month. This is the craziest month on my calendar. If you are reading this and know how busy I am, it is definitely saying something if I am openly admitting this in writing.  Teaching and interacting with students during the day, then heading home to make sure there are three posts up on Facebook and Twitter at evenly spaced intervals for the next day, writing, or uploading blog content, getting the monthly E-news out, writing short copy for images and graphics, promoting via e-blasts, and staying up-to-date with news about picnics that are happening all across the country, and crushing some print newsletter content is quite the load. At the end of the month, I spearheaded the activities portion of a local craniofacial acceptance month event for the Foundation for Faces of Children. Thanks to a lot of help and a very special person whom I brought along, I actually had a great time. More often than not, I am missing the forest for the trees at events like these, hyper focused on details and all the ticky-tacky stuff of getting the job done right. This time around I was able to sit back, laugh, and enjoy myself. For instance, I had never in all my 12 years of working the walk ever walked down by the lake, nor stepped up to the top of the large gazebo located on the lawn. You have got to stop and smell the roses sometimes.

Why do I do it? Why do I invest so much time at work?  I love creating opportunities for people to shine. I love telling the triumphant stories of those born with facial differences. This month I covered a North Dakota event that raised awareness and money for CCA and a huge medical day for patients and medical professionals at Morgan Stanley Hospital in New York. Over the course of the last year, I covered a boy who won an International writing contest that brought him and his family to the United Nations, a teenage girl who applied to be part of a large choir that was featured in a major motion picture, and so much more. I miss writing sports, especially on nights like these when the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series. Sports writing can fill you up emotionally, but not like the writing I do for the craniofacial community. In a way, in telling their stories, I am telling my story. Through the act of writing,  the subject, the author, and the reader all know we are not alone. It is beautiful and it’s one hell of a way to give back.

Now we are on to October. Let’s see how this month treats me. Thanks for reading.