Jaw surgery and joint replacement to Breathe

Hi, I'm Jennifer. I have 2 boys, age 6 and 9, we live in Oklahoma, and I am trying to use my bachelors degree to teach. I have a progressive degenerative TMJ disease plus underdeveloped mandible and medically need jaw surgery (total joint replacement, lefort, and genioglossus advancement) to open my airway. This is an estimated $70,000 out of pocket - due up front. My insurance will cover the hospital, anesthesiologist, prosthetic joint fabrication. But the surgeons fee is not covered and must be paid before they will even initiate the process of creating the prosthetic or perform the operation.

We have almost all of the $70,000 covered at this point and have put the required $30,000 deposit down to start the surgical planning and joint fabrication! That will take 3-6 months. So we just need a few thousand more now!

My quality and length of life depend on this surgery, as this is a progressive disease and my organs are under immense, increasing strain. My airway closes as soon as I doze off, creating a total obstruction. I am not able to reach the different stages of sleep (like REM) because my body sends a "panic alert" to wake me up as my oxygen level dives into the 70s. So this cycle goes over and over - 80 times an hour, now, but 6 years ago it was "only" 28 times per hour - all night. As you can imagine, I feel unwell. The hypoxia causes headaches, tinnitus, heart and organ damage, memory loss, exhaustion, even glaucoma.

Here's more detail :

As a child I've never felt "rested" and I always feared sleep, but did not know why until my 30s. My lower jaw being so recessed means my airway is very small, and when the muscles relax as I fall asleep they cause the airway to close. This causes very limited or no breathing (apnea.) My AHI(limited breathing events per sleeping hour) is currently 85. I tried 5 in-lab sleep studies with Cpap, bipap, and different settings. Unfortunately I am not a candidate for cpap therapy or night guard appliances. In the process of consulting for jaw surgery, an MRI shows that my TMJ (jaw joint attaching the mandible/lower jaw to your skull) is in very bad shape - so bad that replacement is the only treatment. As the joint deteriorates the mandible falls further back, closing the airway more and more. TMJ replacement is a very specialized surgery and there are a limited number of surgeons who are proficient at it. I did suspect issues, as the joints pop, grind, and click with every chew. I also have tinnitus and constant neck pain from posturing to breathe. The surgeon gave me a "worst case" estimate of about $70,000. My insurance would cover the rest.

My quality of and length of life depend on being able to get this surgery. The constant low oxygen levels are a strain on my body, and I do not receive "restorative" sleep.

We have taken loans for the majority of the cost. And my mother has graciously offered to help as much as she can, as well!

Thank you for reading. Please share it if possible, and if you know anyone with a recessed chin like mine, beg them to see a specialist! Children and adolescents can sometimes avoid surgery with headgear or appliances, but once they're an adult it becomes a surgical need.