BRACES OFF!

BRACES OFF
Yes! They're off! Actually, they've been off, for a while now. I was actually keeping my de-bracing secret for when I came home to my mom- she was SO SURPRISED!

Sorry it's been a while since I've updated my blog. I've been at my parent's for the holidays, so just getting the chance to sit in front of the computer, and taking and uploading pictures is kinda hard. (This is actually an older picture of when the braces just came off.)

It's so nice to not have braces on, being able to floss and brush, and eat, and everything feels so much more free. My orthodontist office gave me some laffy taffy and runts afterward.. I found that kinda funny, because I could'nt eat it anyway due to my jaw. I am totally jealous of Rachel's orthodontist.. flowers and cake after jaw surg and braces?! *envy envy* ;D

THE PUFF
My neck still feels sore.. and there's lumps of scar tissue and bumps here and there, but I just need to be patient and wait for the final result. Who knows, maybe my face will catch up to my neck!
My face still gets it's uber puffy moments. Honestly, sometimes I get really embarrassed of some pictures taken of me. It just doesn't look right sometimes, like my cheeks are unrealistically cherub like and I can still *feel* some of the swelling in my face. (Some pictures come out fine, but others just leave me thinking "What is that? Me?") I just hope it does improve and this isn't how it will be forever. It's already been 6 months, though, and most people I see are "so past the puff" at that time, but I can be patient too.


GARBAGE MOUTH
Just recently I had every post-braces person's nightmare- My retainer was thrown away.
I have an Essix retainer, and usally before eating, I rinse it out then sit it on a napkin to dry. Well, that night, I fell asleep on the couch without it, and the following morning I was looking for it so I would wear it during the day instead.

My retainer was missing.

It was cold.

It was raining.

It was garbage day.

So, after looking around the house franticly, I beat the garbage truck and brought the cold, soaking trash back to the house. It looked like an animal had gotten into the garbage overnight, so I had hoped that no racoon had dental problems, thus stole my retainer.
I also called the orthodontist before diggind through the decomposing mess. They said it would take a week and nearly $200 for a new retainer! UGH! It couldn't get any worse! The essix retainer is made out of a plastic similar to soda bottle plastic. How in the world do they charge $200 for a new one?!
I dug through the trash, no luck. It was so cold and gross that I couldn't go much further, so I waited until the day got a little better.
That afternoon, my mom came home with gloves and my mom, dad, and I (C.S.I.- Dental) dug through the rest of the muck... nothing..

until-- My dad pulls out my retainer! We had just missed it from the garbage that must have fallen out of the bag when the animal got into it!

Now, after many cleanings, my retainer and I are now happily reunited. :)