OK--This was not the plan!

[klobird]

OK, so here I go again...

Hey Jude!! So good to hear from you--it's been a long time! When are you going to get that Forsus out anyway?? And how much longer in braces--do you know?

So here's how the visit went. First of all, the assistant took the wires out. Only she couldn't seem to get the top archwire out. She says, "Looks like that one has found a home!". She had to have me bite down on cotton rolls so she could get it out, and she yanked and yanked, but it wasn't all that bad.

She let me floss without the archwire (so nice) and brush. Then I got power chains top and bottom. She let me pick the color I wanted, my first time choosing any kind of color since my braces are the small Damon self ligating braces. So, I found from all my braces reading online, that the general consensus among those who didn't want to show much color, was "smoke". That's what I chose. I HATE them!!! They make my braces look gigantic, and my not-so-white teeth in the first place--even darker! Next time I will get blue--even though my friends and family think I will be sorry. I'm sorry now...

Then the ortho torqued my archwires and I got a different elastics configuration. There's good news about that, and bad news. First, no elastics during the day on my right side--YIPPEEEEE--my first taste of freedom! On the left side, I got a new box configuration way, way in the back--I just tried to get it back on after eating and it was not easy! It's sooooo far in the back! And I also have the same top to bottom elastic as before. At night, I have to do both sides the same. OK, no problem with that....

I asked the ortho if I would ever have a time without elastics...After hesitating, he says "Well, you probably won't have to wear elastics after you get your braces off".. ha ha ha...very funny... And then he said that I will probably have some configuration of elastics the whole time that I'm in braces--because my bite won't get correct on my left side, and because my midline is so far off... oh well,...it is what it is.....

The assistant said my teeth should be hurting more than normal after this adjustment---probably by tomorrow. I got nothing now...no pain at all...

So my next appt. is in March. On the appt card it says that it's 40 minutes (longer than usual) and it says "Re-Tie". Does anyone know what that means???

So, I will be whining I guess for the next few days I guess...man, it feels good to have no elastics on my right side!!

[klobird]

So....hmmmmm....24 hrs....no pain....at all......This could all be just a trick---I think my teeth are toying with me

OK, the one thing about pain after an adjustment--not that I want pain--but the one thing is that you know something is happening. I'm on vacation. I took time off work to be in pain. Oh ya, and to meet up with a friend from Boston who is traveling to her new job in Alaska. But I can't even do that--the Pacific Northwest is almost totally immobilized by a massive snow storm. (The clinic I manage is even closing for the day tomorrow due to the snow. If I was working and not on vacation, I would not have let that decision stand...but oh well.....I'm not going to fight with them while I'm on vacation... )

Wow--I need to get back to the point!! OK, I'm glad I'm not hurting, but I'm not dumb....the pain's out there somewhere, just lurking and ready to pounce when I least expect it...but I'm geared up and ready for battle, so bring it on, I say, and let's get this show on the road!!!!

[klobird]

2 days since my adjustment and no pain...guess I dodged a bullet this time..

My braces story is beginning to get really boring, even for me!!

[lau]

hey Klobird- how are you doing? havent posted in a while. any news when are the braces coming off?

[klobird]

I hate snow--I never want to see it again in my life...

We have been having a terrible time in the Pacific NW. Our governor declared a "state of emergency". We got almost 2 feet of snow in some places. Our city of Olympia, the capital of the state, was hit the worst. Almost everyone lost power. We lost power. For about 2-1/2 days (2 nights). We don't have any gas appliances, and no fireplace. It's been about 30 degrees at night in the pitch dark. No showers. No clean anything. And I had to throw away ALL of the food in the refrigerator. Wasn't able to even get out of the carport--it wouldn't matter anyway, because the main road for me to get anywhere is still closed due to downed trees on the road. Now that I can get out, I'm just going around everything--I don't care what they say.

I stood outside the other day, and just listened as one tree after another snapped from being snow laden and iced over--some whole trees fell, but most lost many branches. At night I saw the sky light up a bluish bright light--it was trees landing on transformers and blowing them out. I saw that a few times.

Other places may get tons more snow than us. Our problems are---too many gigantic trees, too many hills, no budget for this kind of situation, no equipment (or very little), and relatively little manpower.

The clinic I work at was closed Wed., Thurs, Friday---so not cool...

Obviously I have power now. On top of sleeping in several layers of clothes, gloves and a hat, my new elastics configuration from my adjustment last Monday was KILLING me. It still is--the adjustment didn't hurt at all--not even a little bit. But I think the elastics may be starting to cause an abscess--I'm not sure. I've been using Rincinol and Oragel. The part that hurts is part of a new elastics box configuration--way in the back--practically at the junction between the upper and lower jaw. Part of the elastic is actually digging a line in my cheek, and it feels like it's digging a hole too. It's right up there with the most uncomfortable I've been so far in braces....even my cheek on the outside feels swollen when I push on it. I may need to have one of our clinic physicians look at it on Monday if it doesn't start getting better...

So ya, I've had a really miserable week. All of my neighbors have had a very miserable week. Most of the Pacific NW has had a very miserable week.....I thank God that it is finally getting over with....

Lau--I have probably about 15 months to go or so...he is in noooo hurry to get the process going any faster than it is. That's ok---I planned for 2 years, and that's what I'm pretty sure I'm going to get! How is your journey?

[klobird]

So...I went to the ortho today about the elastic "box" configuration that has been hurting so much and digging a rectangle right into my cheek. Turns out my cheek is totally swollen, and this isn't normal at all. Soooo--he dumped all the elastics but one diagonal on one side!! Yiippppeee!!! The least I have had so far!

And then he added--well, that's OK--next time we're going to put in a steel archwire anyway. What's that you say!!???
STEEL???!!!! OMG--I can't even go there in my brain......!!!!!

[lau]

Wow when i asked how you were i never imagined So sorry- wish i can send some heat from Florida. I heard it has been freezing but i cannot imagine without heat and power. Hope the weather heats up soon
Regarding the elastic config, is it only on one side? Could it be like an allergic reaction, maybe after the stressing week?

[Beauty is Pain]

Hey klobird! Sorry to hear you have been in pain. Steel, ahhhh, I can not even picture it. Good luck!!! Oh no! The snow, hope you are fine. Good luck for your next adjustment!

[EbonyQ]

Some pic. klobird asked me to post

I love the first one!

[klobird]

Thanks Eb for posting my pics!

I call it "Sneaky Snow"....so so pretty, then whammmo!!!! Slammooo!!! Wreaking havoc everywhere!! Trees are still falling and bringing down power lines. We lost our power again for a few hours yesterday, and I had to take a detour on the way to work due to a fallen tree on the road.

The top pic is along side my house. The bottom pic is actually quite a bit before the real snow dump (the bottom pic is behind my house). So ya, I do think the pics are pretty, but they also make me feel a little queasy inside!!

[klobird]

VOTE FOR KLOBIRD!!!!

I can win an IPAD2 through my ortho's office if you vote for my doggie pic!! Voting ends next Wednesday..the link is on the metal mouth forum under "Let us help Klobird". Ebony put the link up for me. It has my pic so you know which pic to look for. The problem is that there are 6pgs of pics and they are constantly shuffling them around--I guess so everyone gets 1st page exposure. It's sort of like playing "Where's Waldo!".

Also, just for laughs, you can see a pic of my orthodontist. On the left side of the page when you open up the link--look under WALL--press the WELCOME tab...I'd love to hear your comments!!

SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!!! THANK-YOUTHANK-YOUTHANK-YOU!!!!!

[Beauty is Pain]

Hey klobird! Wow, Ipad 2, your ortho's office is generous Hope everything is going alright!!!

[klobird]

Hey Bip--Are you still going to be in braces for the whole 2yrs???--I'm pretty sure I am..

We're almost at 1yr!!! WOW!!! I can't remember a year going by as fast as this last year!!

Are your braces as boring as mine are now??? I'm getting deep sky blue power chains on Monday--I need to start spicing it up a little. In a couple of weeks, I have an adjustment and will be getting what he says is a heavier, stainless steel archwire. No pain, no gain. No sweat, no threat.....bring it on!

[klobird]

I need to journal this although I have blogged quite a bit about it under the metal mouth forum. I have had a whole day of dental stuff, and am really,really worn out from it all...

I had my 6mo. routine check-up today. It all went just fine. Terrified again for no reason. My dentist was pleased with my cleaning, x-rays etc...

Anyway, I went to the ortho 1st to get the archwires and power chains taken off. Then I went to the appt.. Then back to the ortho. (I really like my new ortho assistant now so much--she's so nice).

So, I was 3 hours without my archwires and power chains--it didn't feel so different with them off, but oh wow, when she put them back on....it's just like I had another adjustment!! And I do have one in 3 weeks!! Anyway, I got the blue power chain on top and silver on the bottom. I love them both!!! I really do. But owwie!
Those things are sooo much tighter than I realized--after having them off for those 3 hours..

So, I'm really glad that 6mo check-up is over--I really dread going to the dentist--and it wasn't even bad. Not worth all the fear and anxiety I put myself through beforehand! I watched "House Hunters" on the TV on the ceiling. My cool dentist has thought of everything--she's the best!

[lau]

your ortho is very techy: i pads, TVs on ceilings... that is something positive
love reading your stuff