Model Lynda Michaelski Lynda talks to us about her career, personal background and the dental health problems she has had to overcome with the help and expertise of Dr. Farid Noie. BAHM: How long have you lived in Bay Area and what brought you here? Lynda: I’ve lived in the Bay Area just about my entire life. I grew up in Texas City and graduated from La Marque High school. I was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. My Dad, Doyle Nash, was employed with Union Carbide and my Mom, Sue Nash, was the Carbide Credit Union receptionist for years. That’s how we ended up on the coast...the refineries and the good jobs they provide. I’m originally from Etoile and the San Augustine area. I reside now in Clear Lake Shores with my husband Patrick of 23 years. BAHM: Tell us about your professional career and hobbies. Lynda: I married at 18, moved to Iowa and had two wonderful sons, Kent and Wes Tipton. I was a stay at home mom for 12 years, but also had a janitorial cleaning service and sold tomatoes to a local grocery store. Most every Sunday we rode dirt bikes and I grew to love motorcycling. Eventually, I became a Mary Kay sales rep. This is what lead me to becoming a professional spokesperson/model for major companies across the United States. I have represented Gordon’s Jewelers, British Caledonian Airlines and Scuba World on ESPN. After learning to scuba dive, I grew to love the water, which is why I landed in Clear Lake Shores. Other companies that I have represented are Bland Cadillac, Spindle Top Buick, Hallmark greeting cards, The Price is Right, Mannington Floors, Post Oak Jewelers, CocaCola, Foley’s, Sakowitz, Lily of France, Hawaiian Tropic, Tequila Sauza, K-Mart, Kelsey-Sebold and many others. I am happy to have represented the Galveston Board of tourism, doing print work for the Tremont Hotel, The Galvez, and the Victorian Condos. With encouragement from my several brothers, two sons, and Dad, I began working as an industrial sales representative. I successfully sold industrial painting services and rented out equipment for 11 years in the Bay Area to numerous refineries and fabrication shops. The point is that my smile has been very important in obtaining all this work, especially the international ads. People like a friendly smile. I was blessed with that. My smile gave me confidence. My smile has contributed to my successes, along with hard work and enjoying what I do. I also enjoy all types of music, gardening ,volunteer work, my family and the wonderful people that live and work in Clear Lake Shores. BAHM: Any history of past dental experiences, problems, and dental works? Lynda: In the seventh grade, I broke a front tooth and damaged the root to another. I have had numerous caps
and work done over the years to keep a nice smile. I wore braces at age 28 to correct an overbite. Right before Hurricane Ike hit us, I received a very upsetting diagnosis from my local dentist. My auto-immune system was attacking my upper mandible, infection set in, and the bone was completely disintegrating, causing the upper teeth to come loose. I have always counted on my smile for work and was even featured in some TV commercials for a couple of dental companies. I consulted numerous specialists to see what could be done. We recovered from Ike but encountered other time consuming delays. I could postpone no longer. I had to get help for the worsening problem. There was one doctor who thought he could help but was hours away. I just did not have that kind of time to commute. Two years ago in December, I literally had two teeth break off in one week. I was very discouraged. I was having breakfast at Skipper’s, the local diner, when I picked up a copy of Bay Area Houston Magazine, saw an ad for Dr. Farid Noie and called his office. This was in January two years ago. BAHM: What kind of dental work have you had done with Dr. Noie? Lynda: When I met with Dr. Noie, I could see how kind he and his office staff were. They were enthusiastic and optimistic. He had so much compassion for the situation that I was in. He told me that he believed he could help me but that it would take months to accomplish this major repair. It took almost 2 years, but the result was a beautiful outcome. My case was definitely challenging but Dr. Noie assured me he would take this challenge and do the best he could. Dr. Noie performed eight surgeries on the upper mandible to correct the disintegrating bone. During the first surgery he took bone from my chin and transferred it to the upper mandible. Infection set in and the surgery failed. He did not give up. He took the infected bone out and put in a titanium plate, and allowed bone to grow around this. After many months of healing, this was a success. The bone grew solid and provided a foundation for new implants to be placed. There were many stages to the procedure and we all had to be patient. Recovery after each surgery was painful and difficult. Dr. Noie performed the surgeries using anesthesia, so there was no pain during this part. I do not smoke or drink so I had some things in my favor for maximum healing. Noie and his wonderful staff were so supportive and tremendously kind. There were many times that I cried sitting in the operating chair, frequently going home with 75 stitches in my mouth. It was challenging but they
never gave up. I am forever thankful that they did not. He has continued to do corrective gum tissue grafts. All is going great! BAHM: Looking back, how would you describe your overall experience with Dr. Noie and dental implants? Lynda: Dr. Noie is motivated by compassion and highly trained in many fields. He works directly with rebuilding people and I am one of his fortunate patients. He rebuilt my upper mandible and added beautiful dental implants to substitute for the teeth that were gone. I am so fortunate to have found this wonderful, multitalented, maxillofacial surgeon who was only seven miles away! He is incredibly competent and steadfast in obtaining the best possible outcome for his patients. I am forever grateful. I have deep affection for all of the wonderful people at his practice. BAHM: I understand you like to smile a lot. How has your sparkling perfect smile and new dental implants changed the quality of your life? Lynda: Dr. Noie allowed me to meet with the lab technician to get the best possible match for the implants. They are as natural, beautiful and secure as ever. I am so happy and I smile all the time once again. It is as if this problem never happened. Dr. Noie had his staff make a temporary prosthesis to wear for the interim while healing. After the swelling went down, many friends and family did not realize that I was having such extensive work done, as the temporary looked fairly natural. Thank goodness for that! They all went the extra mile to help me overcome my insecurity. BAHM: What do you think of Dr. Noie and his staff at Unicare Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry? Lynda: I appreciate them so much. I have a strong faith and in my belief, they are angels on earth. They are my friends now and I have a strong brotherly love for them. BAHM: Having gone through the process, share your feelings about your experience. Lynda: This experience of losing bone and teeth has been very difficult, but reaffirms my belief in the good of mankind. With all the bad that is in the world, God put these wonderful healers in my life at the right time and it all worked out. I highly recommend this wonderful doctor, FARID NOIE, and his staff at UNICARE DENTAL. Thank you!
JANUARY 2013 | Bay Area Houston Magazine
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