[Super Duper Fantastic] ISFP/INFP. 4w5. World Explorer. Super Hero. Rose-colored Glasses.

An update on the 101 in 1001:

020 – Document jaw surgery. Before and after.
My orthodontist is pretty high tech. “Before” photos are accessible upon logging into their system. Why I didn’t bother to look before is beyond me. They’re not pretty. These are definitely unflattering photos of me. Class III Severe Malocclusion – Woo!

The underbite is rather severe. I haven’t taken updated photos at the orthodontist, but basically all the teeth are straightened out now. A few teeth were removed. And now, there’s no more overlapping of the teeth in the front. The braces don’t fix the fact that my lower jaw is a lot larger than my upper jaw, so I still have a horrible underbite. Jaw surgery will fix that. Can’t wait.

It can and will get worse. Must be prepared. It’s not that I no longer see the world through rose-colored glasses. I still do. It’s just that there are circumstances beyond my control.

So aside from the economy going down the tubes, causing layoffs nationwide, I have updates on my jaw surgery! I’ve had braces for about a year now, and they finally took x-rays to check on the progress. Turns out that I have severe bone loss due to gum disease caused by large amounts of plaque deposits in the gum pockets. Woopdedoo! I will need to see a periodontist and possibly get gum surgery. Fantastic! What irks me the most is that the orthodontist waited this long to take x-rays to check up on things. He then goes on to blame me for not seeing the dentist more often. Hello, I went as directed. Why didn’t you check sooner?

Anyway, gum surgery and seeing a periodontist will cost $. If I can get to see one before the end of the year, that would rock because I still have to use up the rest of my flexible spending account this year. Otherwise, it will be a pain in the rear end to schedule since the beginning of the year is ALWAYS super busy for me.

Ugh!

I don’t have the money or time for this bullshit.

I am currently in a lot of pain. I visited the orthodontist this morning, and they put in additional bands on my four molars, the ones in the way back. For the 9 months or so [I've not been particularly good at keeping track, but I caught a glimpse of my chart this morning], I’ve only had bands on the second set of molars. So now those other molars are covered, and a new wire’s been placed. I’m just a whole lot of soreness…

After getting my teeth cleaned some time next month, I’ll get some more x-rays taken to see how the bone underneath it all is doing. Once all the gaps are closed, I’ll have to make an appointment to see the oral surgeon. I’m, of course, noticing all the changes. The front teeth are no longer overlapping, and the gaps that were teeth pulled out are definitely closing. After the consultation, they’re going to work on widening the upper jaw. That does not sound fun at all.

We’re aiming for a surgery date some time in later spring or early summer. Upon healing up from surgery, another six months of braces and retainers for the rest of my life. It’s really all coming together. What a weird feeling. I remember always “looking into” this, doing my research. I joined mailing lists, read blogs. Still, nothing really prepares you for this.

I can’t wait. I feel like I should be taking more photos to document the teeth and jaw, but I think it’d also be very gross… I look the same on the surface for right now. I was flipping through old images of myself pre-braces, and it was hard to find a good one showing the bottom teeth. I noticed that I tend not to smile as much, or my bottom teeth aren’t really showing when I smile. So anyway, here’s SORT of a before and after shot.

If one looks closely enough, you’ll see the front bottom teeth overlapping each other in all sorts of directions. And with the braces, they all now stand alone. They hurt like crazy though since they’re the ones being pulled loose and moved around.

My relationship with this blog has resembled my dwindling relationship with S. I’m a little less cryptic with him, as our conversations don’t go beyond the 5-minute “Hello, how are things?” and that is all. Are we both just not making the effort? I can’t get myself to believe that the three years invested meant nothing. Am I holding onto something that’s lost?

As those of you who still read this could probably tell, there is a new boy situation. Details forthcoming – I will eventually have to write about it. When I read my blog now, I see GAPS – lots and lots of gaps [like the ones between my teeth!]. Just hopeful/optimistic for when/if it pans out. I didn’t imagine it, as I had previously thought. So it may possibly develop into something. I just know that something is reciprocated, so we shall see. And *gasp* it’s local. Three years of seeing someone several times a year to the possibility of seeing someone ALL the time. YIKES.

My teeth are slowly moving. Seeing results = YAY! I got this special floss a few weeks ago that was way too thick to fit between my teeth. NOW, the floss does just fine. So definite progress!

There is a lot on my “To Do” list these days. I must have been slacking off the last few weeks because how else could everything have piled up so high?

After the rearranging of my room, it is definitely a lot more manageable than before, but I still have the piles and piles of STUFF. Every so often, I tell myself that I want to simplify. But when I look around me, it feels like it will never happen. There’s laundry left to be folded, boxes to be cleared. Oh yes – I have my Spain scrapbook to organize too! Have to get to it before I forget the details…

I have an exam to continue studying for; it’s coming up in two weeks.

I’ve been wanting to get a haircut for ages. I want bangs, and I want to have my hair trimmed a bit, so that it can continue to grow into this long mess. Oh, and speaking of physical upkeep, I need to have some teeth removed for the whole braces thing. I’m going to look like I’m in high school again with all that metal.

I also have to find a tenant for my house in Portland too. ARGH!

And of course, all this is going to cost me!