Ashleigh Fenn's jaw problems have caused her health to decline and she lost 30kgs. Photo / Supplied
Ashleigh Fenn's jaw problems have caused her health to decline and she lost 30kgs. Photo / Supplied
Katikati nursing student Ashleigh Fenn will finally get the life-changing jaw surgery she needs after raising more than $80,000 on her givealittle page.
The 22-year-old needs $60,000 bilateral jaw joint replacement surgery so she can once again eat properly and talk without pain.
"It seems surreal, I never thought itwould get to this point," Fenn said.
Fenn has suffered from chronic illness because of the deterioration of her jaw joints in a condition called temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD).
Today, she is a shadow of her former self on her wedding day, almost three years ago.
"I don't even recognise myself anymore."
After five years of health issues, which have affected her nursing studies, a specialist in Wellington told her she would need both jaw joints replaced.
Her last x-ray had shown degeneration in one of her condyles - or ends of the joints - and that the joints had started to flatten and change shape, with bits of calcification. She was not getting any better.
She said it had become a matter of life or death.
"I can't live another year like this."
No public funding was available for her type of surgery in the Bay of Plenty. She was referred to Wellington where some money is available but only enough to cover two people a year.
Fenn and her husband Aaron faced funding the surgery themselves.
Ashleigh Fenn with her husband Aaron.
During lockdown the couple moved in with her parents Len and Andrea Alexander to save money. She says it's been hard on her parents and her husband watching her go through this.
"It's not the first few years of marriage that Aaron imagined."
Fenn's jaw problems started at 16 when she woke and couldn't open her mouth. After many procedures and surgeries to try and fix the jaw problems she has had no answers as to the cause.
She has a 7mm opening in her mouth and has been solely tube fed for more than a year.
"I can't move my jaw side to side or chew any food as I cannot fit anything in my mouth."
She can only talk for short periods as it causes more pain in her joints and face.
Her surgeon has ordered the jaw joints she requires and, depending on how long it takes for them to arrive from America, her
surgery will be scheduled.
Fenn said she looked forward to being able to drink a glass of water without it hurting her face, and making her vomit. She also looked forward to getting back to nursing.
