Jurinta Jočytė
Hello, my name is Jurinta, I'm 28 years old. I'm reaching out to everyone, asking for help without which I can't navigate this challenging journey and achieve successful treatment.
I'm the kind of person who prefers to do everything myself rather than ask for help, especially from strangers like all of you. But sometimes in life, circumstances make you feel helpless, and you have no choice but to "bare it all" in front of everyone. To be honest, this is the most challenging part of the process.
From childhood, I've had issues with my jaw, an irregular bite, resulting in breathing and swallowing problems, sleep apnea, teeth grinding, which lead to a constant lack of energy and adversely affect heart function, and other everyday chewing processes have become more and more difficult for me. I had learned to live with it and never imagined it could be different until I started to notice significant changes in my facial area.
Jaw pain began, and chewing became increasingly difficult, especially with harder foods. I decided it was time to start orthodontic treatment and address this bothersome issue. I knew that all four wisdom teeth needed to be removed due to crowding, and I received a referral for a planned operation at a clinic in Kaunas. I thought the hardest part was behind me, but after a grueling recovery, I realized that my jaw opening range had reduced by almost half and never returned to its initial position. I also began to feel that my body was receiving less oxygen. I realized this when I visited the dentists to fix a damaged tooth. Lying in their chair, I was reclined in a semi-lying position (as is customary when working on teeth). In this position, I tried to open my mouth as wide as possible to make it easier for them. As the procedure started, I realized that I couldn't breathe in that position, as my airways closed. From that moment on, I started to fear that one day, lying down, I wouldn't be able to inhale, I'd suffocate, and, of course, I started to avoid visits to the dentist.
I thought it was all due to a bad bite. I expedited the process and started seeking help until I eventually ended up at the S'OS Clinic in Vilnius.
From S'OS Clinic, I received a treatment plan. It turned out that both joints were irreparably damaged, and they can be said to no longer exist. Psychologically, it's very hard to accept because I'm still young. So, I need not only a two-jaw surgery but also joint implants for both joints (without which the jaw has nothing to hold on to, potentially pressing on the airways and nerves). In this case, health is at risk, and I cannot refuse the operation. However, the amount of money I expected has tripled, and I need to raise approximately 35,000 Euros. This amount needs to be collected within about 2 years. It may seem like a lot of time, but practically, it's impossible to save it.
As tragic as this situation may seem, I have hope that here I will find people with a similar fate, where one by one becomes helpless, but when there are many of us, even minimal contributions will help us not to feel that we have fulfilled someone's dream, helped overcome a long and difficult journey. So, I'm asking for help to raise 35,000.00 Euros (thirty-five thousand euros 00 cents) for the analysis, planning, and diagnosis of my face, bite, and airway.
Diagnosis - (K07.1): anomalies of the relationships of the jaws and skull base (skeletal irregular bite, Angle II, open bite). (K07.6): changes in the temporomandibular joint (resorption of the condylar heads of the lower jaw).
The goal of orthognathic treatment is to straighten the teeth, have a proper bite, stop teeth wear, improve breathing and chewing, and restore maximum jaw opening level.
