3/31/12 Should I Say It's Going Okay?

Things have calmed down somewhat with the rubberbands. I'm still trying to wear them as often as I can and change them whenever I'm going to eat. I do leave them off for a little while to give myself a break. The inside of my mouth is rough and bothers me a little bit, but nothing like I thought it would. My next appointment isn't until May 11th. I might have to get more of the tiny rubberbands from the orthodontists office. Anyway, I didn't want to say I was doing okay. When I've said it in the past, something always happens...

Take care and have a great day!

3/29/12 Exhausted and Rubberbands

First of all, sorry I haven't posted. With my Mom having broke her shoulder last week, most of my spare time is with her. She is an amazing and stubborn woman and I love her dearly.

Now for an update with the rubberbands. It's going well, but my jaws seem really sore at times and I get a headache. I'm not sure if the headache is due to the rubberbands or stress. Maybe a little bit of both. I am wearing the rubberbands as much as I can and change them several times a day. I have to resist the urge when I take the old ones off to change them to shoot them at people walking by!

Take care and have a great day!

3/26/12 Tongue and Sandpaper

Things are going well with the rubberbands. I'm getting better at putting them on. Taking them off is not a big deal. It's hard to do certain things like cheer on the runners in P.E. class. If I open my mouth to yell the rubberbands break! I can't stick my tongue out at my husband either without them breaking. The inside of my mouth is again feeling like sandpaper. I'm sure the use of the rubberbands is making everything move and the brackets are rubbing in places that they hadn't before. It's been just a few days, so am sure that things will be better in a few more!

Take care and have a great day!

3/24/12 Happy Birthday and rubberbands

First, happy birthday to my 86 year old mom!! I love you!

Now, for the whole rubberband experience. This is the second day and so far, so good. The upper left inside of my mouth towards the front was sore a little bit yesterday. I wasn't sure if it was from the rubberbands or the part on the bracket the holds the rubberband on. Maybe a little bit of both. I have eaten with them on, but it is much easier to take them off and eat. Then I put new ones on. My teeth got a little sore Thursday and yesterday but today really aren't. What's sore is my jaw. With the rubberbands on, it forces me to keep my teeth close together, which I am not use to. It's such an odd feeling. I was so excited when the orthodontist said that I may not need to have the T.A.D. screws that I'll wear the rubberbands and do exactly as he says. Maybe I'll even get them off early for good behavior!

Take care and have a great day!

3/22/12 Sorry I haven't posted!

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile. My almost 86 year old mother went for a walk earlier this week and fell outside her condo. She has a broken right shoulder and a cracked rib on the left. I've been there taking care of her and got home a little while ago. For her age, she is doing remarkably well. She will find out Monday if she has to have surgery to repair it. Keep Betty in your prayers please!

I went to the orthodontist today and he is still surprised at how fast my teeth are moving. He said that I may not need to have the T.A.D screws to help the alignment of my jaw. They did no major adjustments other than they added rubberbands to the brackets on both sides. They said I have to change them anytime I eat. There will be times at work that I won't be able to. I'll have to learn to eat with them on. It'll be okay with some foods, the ones that I can get in without having to open my mouth to wide. Right now my jaws are a little sore, but not to bad. It'll be interesting to see how my teeth move and how sore they get or how chewed up the inside of my mouth gets. I'll keep you posted.

Time to go eat dinner. Take care and have a great day!

3/17/12 Caramel

I had really been craving caramel, one of the things I can't eat because I have braces. The day before yesterday I was grocery shopping and came across Mara Natha Caramel Almond Spread. It was in the peanut butter aisle. I just had some today on an apple cut into pieces (can't bite into them whole, it'll break brackets) and WOW is it good. There's just enough caramel flavor to satisfy that craving and enough almond flavor to satisfy the can't eat almonds craving! I think I must have used almost half of the jar but it was well worth it. YUMMY!!!!

Take care and have a great day!

Ellen

3/16/12 Picking at My Braces

I was out yesterday and had a nice croissant with spinach and feta cheese. Later that day I hadn't realize how much of it had gotten stuck in my teeth. Out of habit I started reaching in my mouth to get some of it out of my braces and wow did I get strange looks from a few people. Oh well, guess I should carry a tooth brush in my purse and find a bathroom to use it in. Trouble with that is I do that at work after lunch and still get a few strange looks from coworkers when they come in to use the bathroom.

The nurse at my doctor's office told me yesterday that she was going to get braces. She's a lot younger than I am, so I'm hoping she will get use to them more quickly than I did. I told her to be sure to call me if she has any questions that only a person who has braces can answer.

Take care and have a great day!
Ellen

2/13/12 Sleeping

The past couple of nights after falling asleep after my poor 13 year old son's coughing stopped I slept especially hard on my right side. When I woke up, I had a small sore on the upper inside of my right cheek towards the front. I'm sure it's from one of the little pieces on the brackets that will eventually hold rubber bands or springs if they are needed. I hadn't had this before. I'm sure my teeth have moved more because things feel out of place from where they were before. Not to bad, but enough that the inside of my mouth is sore again. My next appointment is next week. I wonder where this adventure will take me next! More sore teeth, more sore mouth? Oh well, this, too, shall pass. It's spring break and I actually am going to get the loom ready to weave. At least I keep telling myself that!

Take care and have a great day!

3/11/12 Not Only Quinoa!

I thought the Quinoa was the only thing that really got stuck in my braces and took a long time to get out even after brushing. However, we bought some whole grain bread at Costco today. I didn't think to much until I happen to smile at myself in the mirror and saw a bunch of seeds stuck in my braces and between my teeth. They're small, so didn't feel them. Good thing I wasn't going out in public where I smile all the time. I'd hate to think of what people might think when they would see anything stuck in my braces. Oh well. 6 months finished, 21 more to go.

Take care and have a great day!

3/7/12 Sore Teeth a Little

Everything was fine until I went to brush my teeth this morning. I realized that some of my lower teeth were a bit sore, not as bad as right after an adjustment. It surprised me. They're not bad this afternoon, especially after eating a cookie that was a bit hard. I hate that I can't bite into things that are hard. I have to break off pieces, suck on them until they're a little bit soft. Guess it's better than not eating certain things at all! I can tell that my teeth are separating and I've had more spaces between them. I'm not use to that and have to be really careful about brushing and flossing them and not leaving food in my braces for other people to see when I smile at them!

I'm trying to decide what colors to get for the bands that go around the brackets. I got pink and white last time for Valentines Day. I love some of the dark colors, but they really make the braces stand out more. They stand out enough on their own, I don't need to add more to it. Oh well...

Time to go help my husband fix dinner. Don't know what he has planned. Tonight I'm going to work on a Moebius scarf I'm knitting, quite fascinating! Take care and have a great day!

3/4/12 Quinoa

I thought that greens, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, etc and some meats were the worse thing to get stuck in my braces. They don't even begin to compare with Quinoa, a small grain that tastes delicious and is packed full of protein. We had some with dinner. I love it! After dinner, I brushed my teeth, flossed and even used the small brushes that go between my teeth. I'm still finding little pieces of quinoa in my braces. I sure hope that I don't find anymore tonight. Hopefully none tomorrow, either!

Have a great night!

3/3/12 Do I Dare Say It's Okay?

Things have been really good lately. No mouth soreness or teeth soreness. I know that by mentioning this, that I'll have soreness on the inside of my mouth soon. I have a little now and then, but nothing that has required me to use wax on it. Things are good! My next appointment is on the 22nd of this month. 6 months finished, 21 more to go. I've decided that when the 27 months is done with, that I'm telling the orthodontist to take them off done or not.

I'm still having acid reflux problems and was put on a different medication. I am still convinced that the braces have something to do with the reflux. I know one of the medicines I take for my heart palpitations can cause stomach issues, but I've been taking it for quite awhile with no issues. My husband says that my stomach thinks my braces are food and is making extra acid because of it. Oh well, as my mom would say, "This, too, shall pass"!

Time to go do chores. I need to check our veggie gardens and walk around the property to see how everything is doing. Then I'm hoping to get to my weaving loom today.

Take care and have a great day!