First, I went to the dentist! I was anxious due to my tender incision area, but the people at my dentist office are amazing, and it was a gentle cleaning. And I finally had those nasty peridex stains removed!
I asked if they had any pictures or x-rays of me before braces, and if they wouldn't mind emailing them to me. So, vola, I've updated the pre-surgery photos gallery. Now, I haven't been in braces long, just over a year, but I guess I forgot what my teeth looked like. That being said, I don't have any regrets about this whole crazy process. If I had the option of going back, I would do it over again. I'm only a little impatient about the healing, since my face is still very tight feeling and my nose is just doing weird things. Like... one notril is bigger than the other, the tip, and sometimes it looks lopsided. so.. I'm a bit eager to *hopefully* see it go back to the way it was, I've got no clue what it is doing at the moment.
On a semi-related topic, sharing pictures in my gallery is an interesting thing. I'm never been a teeth-smiler and I was never happy with the way my teeth looked, I'd love to get them whitened after braces, and I had that whole underbite thing going for me.. So, normally, I would never share those kinds of pictures with anyone, but for some reason, blogging to you guys, I feel very safe and connected. And to all the orthobloggers- I think you are some of the bravest people to share your journeys with us.
Back to today's adventure at the OS: We took my first batch of post-surgery x-rays. It's really neat to see the difference of the position of the jaws, also, the new hardware. It's sooo.. !! A mix between weird, cool, scifi, neat, crazy, and wow.
We also spoke about the chin/neck thing. I told him I wasn't really interested in the chin implant, but was interested in the lipo. I asked if they had computer imaging, so that maybe I could see for myself before things are concrete. Leibold said they didn't have it at the school, but he had it at his own practice and he would input the information here, and share the results with me the next time I come in.
Speaking to my parents about this is upsetting. I feel like, by wanting this, I'm vain or frivolous and this is something completely unnecessary. Plus, the cost, $860 is a lot of money. I don't expect her to pay for it. I've never spent that much on anything in my life, I'm an avid saver, and to spend so much on something like that makes me feel like it could go to better use. My dad says I should wait until I get a job- which makes no sense to me "Oh, hi, I just started work. I need to take a week off so I can get some crap sucked out of my neck, k, thanks." I've got time to heal right now, this is really my only chance to get this done if I'm going to before I enter into a career.
Speaking to my mom is a little frustrating, I don't think the doctors would call me a good candidate if it was unnecessary. I don't think my neck is fat, I just want a little definition. And I don't think it's unreasonable. And I think that is better than having an implant or having bone cut. I feel so torn up about it, I don't know what to do.
That is about all for now, thanks for listening to my rants and raves! Here's today's recovery pic. (can you tell by all the pictures that I have a favorite shirt? hehe)
