come get on the powertrain!

Super excited!!!! Went to the ortho today to fix what I thought was a broken ligature but is actually called a "rotational tie" and ended up with an earlier tightening than expected aaaaand the cool, and one and only, power chain.

What is a power chain? Well its a bunch of ligatures (those O-rings around the bracket) connected together to close the gaps in your teeth.

What does this mean for me?? Well, it means a whole lot of soreness and being achy! I really thought they wouldn't hurt because my braces didn't hurt after a week. But what do I know? I've only had braces for 3 whole weeks.

The scary news is that the ortho didn't mention anything about my teeth moving or anything...so I am guessing the power chain is because my teeth are going to take a long arse time.

I can't wait to actually eat something and floss later tonight!

Daily Update....

An upward shot...

Daily happenings..


* Called the ortho...getting my wire/ligature/tie fixed tomorrow.

* Worked like a maniac alllll day---a good solid 9 hrs of work including training an 80 yr old on how to make rate quotes on a new piece of tech called the comp

* Witnessed one of my coworkers take a dump in the bathroom, not wash her hands, and then have her touch things all over my desk. Can you say Revenge?

*Became annoyed by "Vicky" my original Atrium mgr b/c she claims that DESIGNING and CREATING a SALES PITCH ppt is "ADMIN" and I do "NOT" deserve extra $$. Guess what Vicky? GO F yourself. GDWTW! <~ I will paypal you a dollar if you can guess what that means.

*Got Dinner at a local college fast food joint....and flashed my best braceface smile when I ordered..causing the cashier to give me a strange look.

*PEED like 20 times, pooped 2x

*Got my hair pulled out by a freaking indo on the train...train jerked, he wasn't holding on to anything, lost balance, fell on my hair, great.

*Roasted a bunch of YAMS for the weekend....wegmans style.

**Engaged in a deep conversation on why the dirty coworker is soooo slow.

*Had about 1283 thoughts today about ways that Gizmo will die if Mel doesn't take responsibility.

*Winced at the idea that I am paying my second cash installment to the ortho tomorrow of $$$850...EEEK

I hope my ortho says my teeth have been moving a lot tomorrow...but I doubt it. They don't feel like they are doing ANY moving at ALL :(

doggy lesson

NEVER EVER EVER FEED A PUPPY ALCOHOL or GRAPES (OR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO=VINO).

Poor Gizmo, I <3 you.


On another note.....I have a darn sinus infection. Boogies and braces do not mix!!

sinus infection and braces

I think I caught Nan's darn sinus infection/tonsillitis. My throat is killing me and my sinuses are acting up. Great. I have to go back to work with a face full of braces, a terrible sore throat, and boogies.

graduation

The RBS commencement ceremony was this past Tuesday...a very rainy day. At first I was a little anxious/ticked off because I left my house later than expected and almost missed the new "tradition" of walking from the law center to NJPAC. WHOOPS. Thank god J's serious driving skills and running through the courtyard got me there a minute after the cutoff. Of course I see crazy T O Neill, the social retard of a career counselor, and she gave me a surprised look as if "oh, you weren't lying about being a RBS student".

My parents, which is typical of them, were a half hour late even though I told them the grad started an hour early. Both sets of grandparents didn't come. :( Went out to lunch at Don Pepe...my first real meal and sitting a restaurant. I learned a good lesson that I should NOT stuff my face with seafood because it will make my mouth sore.

Nonetheless, food was good and the atmosphere was great, and I am a new RBS alumnae.

Picture of my braces/smile after a full week of being brace faced >>>

Ortho Crazzzzzzy

Went ortho-crazy today and walked around Target's dental section. I didn't find much ortho-friendly products, but I did manage to grab a few essentials.






On another note, this is by far the cutest picture EVER:




Courtesy of Cuteoverload.com

GODDAMN ACCESS

Sometimes things happen because they aren't really meant to be.

Thank god for three things:

1. I won't have to be chummy with a social retard
2. I won't have to worry about sweating 9 hrs a day all summer long
3. That hopefully someday I will select the perfect combination of numbers and win me some lottery money!

Day 4: Graduating to Soft Foods

After 3 full days of eating pureed foods or liquids (soups, smoothies, milkshakes), I am pleased to announce I have graduated to "soft foods". I had the insides of a very soft burrito, a sweet potato (microwaved until it was tiny), and some french fries. Oh, and Babybel cheese.

Now that I have put some actual substance in me, I think I will return back to the gym on Monday. I am planning on doing some serious practice on chewing this weekend. Macaroons, Fresh Mozz, Meatballs, and Pizza. You name it, I'll eat it.

I know all of you are probably saying "stop whining and suck it up", but I will tell you...missing two molars and having a wire cut up your entire cheek till the point its raw and bloody will also prevent YOU from eating too.

About that wire...I finally got it cut so it won't hurt me and give me chipmunk cheeks anymore. Thanks to Dr. Silverstein, who was covering my ortho while he wallows in the sun for a whole week, for removing the extra wire.

Now, if only you can convince Justin to correct his openbite....and get braces too!!!

Day 2: Lessons Learned

Two lessons I learned today:

1. Don't brush/pick your teeth in the floor's bathroom at work--use the private office bathroom.
2. Don't EVER use scope when you have ceramic braces--it WILL MAKE YOUR ENTIRE MOUTH BLUE.


Day 2 with braces has been a very unique experience. Upon entering work, my boss and colleagues immediately tried to catch a glimpse of all of the work going on in my mouth. My successful attempts to keep my mouth closed were going well until the boss jr. (the son) called me into his office for a "chat". Thank you boss jr., I can tell by your immediate "smirk" that you were enjoying my pain.

The best was when I went to my bf's house and watched everyone tear down on turkey, yams, and a good hunk of bread while I was in a corner quietly sipping on some canned soup. yumm.

I must say, the best experience today by far, has been the middle aged Asian woman in the bathroom today who asked me all about my braces and for my ortho's name and number because my braces looked "nice". After telling her my story, she said the only thing that could make me smile all day: "good for you, you deserve nice teeth!". Thank you kind Asian lady on floor 12 of the financial center. Thank you.

NEWS FLASH!

I can't bite!!! My molars don't meet!!! GAH! Looks like soup and water for me.

Here is a recap of my daily food intake for the day:

Pre-Ortho: Thomas' WG English Muffin with butter/jelly & Half a FAGE 2% w/ Peach.
Post Ortho: BK Small Vanilla Milkshake (lunch)
Dinner: Split Pea Soup (a pureed version) and Seltzer (Soda/Tea is a no-no!).
Dessert: Kozy Shak FULL FAT Rice Pudding ................which was absolutely deeeeeeelicious and 5x better than the sugar free version.

Tomorrow will be a full day of work and interacting with people.

Can't wait.

Brace Face: Day 1

The longest two years of my life started today at 9:15 AM. I was originally scheduled to get ceramic braces, but changed my mind and opted for the metal--thinking I would get the same type as my sister and every other orthodontic patient in the U.S.

Since my teeth aren't that bad, just a few spaces and a overbite, I figured it wouldn't look so bad since my sister's looks pretty nice and small (esp considering our small teeth).

After the two hours were done, I went to rinse my mouth and look in the mirror. Total shock and a severe wave of depression overcame me. I quietly walked back to the patient waiting room and sat down in the corner. About a minute later, it hit me: I would have to go to work with the infamous metal mouth. People always say it doesn't look that bad, but I think the assistant had it in for me. This was BAD.

When they brought me into the room to tell me how to clean and what I can/can't eat, I sobbed like my life was over. After an hour of sobbing and arguing that they used the wrong brackets on my teeth, my trusty bf came in and used his lawyerly tactics on them. He talked down the extra $ 500 fee to remove the WRONG brackets off of my teeth to ZERO, and talked the doctor into letting them change my brackets THAT morning--instead of waiting a whole week.

Here are the pictures of my smile, with all types of crazy dental appliances.

I have ceramic braces now. The pain is just starting to come in. The humiliation has subsided. And tonight I am having an entire bottle of Las Brisas (pinot grigio) to toast a full two years of being uncomfortable, in pain, and eating soft foods.

butterflies..

..in my tummy.

so. darn. nervous. I have an interview in two hours for a job I really want. In two days I will have a full mouth of metal and all the nice things that come with it...soup...chapstick...and tylenol. My bf SWEARS braces don't hurt..but that's probably because he has HUGE chompers and a high tolerance for pain.

Thank god this interview was moved to today, I wouldn't want braces ruining my chance of having an awesome job at the union.

just found out my ortho has a patient website.

OH MY GOD. My pictures are disgusting. I needed braces badly ...about a good 12 yrs ago. Tsk, being a 20-something with a full load of metal is going to suck, but the benefits will be GREAT. For one, I would be able to actually break down all of my food! Woot!

So this is my mouth closed.


Please mind the tea stain on my front tooth.

This is what my upper looks like:

Um that dark spot on my lower right corner may be a cavity. My dentist told me in January during my annual cleaning that I had TWO small cavities on my newly formed wisdom teeth. When I went back a few weeks ago to get a cleaning and this prob fixed before i sign my soul to the devil, he thought I was craZy and said I must have made up the whole having a "cavity". Who the hells makes cavities up anyways? And if people do...WHY? Seriously, I really hope that is some sort of food from the lunch I ate before this picture was taken.

Crushin'

Dear Ketttle Corn,

You smell so good and taste oh so yummy. When I think of you I get chills. Your nutritious self satisfies me oh so much. I will miss you. My braces won't care about my cute crush on you. Farewell. I will see you in around 18-24 months.

Love always,

Grabella

Loop'd .....by Lupus

Hoboken's Art & Music fest this weekend turned out to be a perfect day of binge eating. After arriving at 1, the wonderful scents in the air immediately captivated me and as a result, led to my afternoon of overeating.

I haven't mentioned it before, but I am scheduled to get braces on the 12th. Yes, Braces. Yes, metal. No, I can't get invisalign--I have serious problems that can only be cured with metal braces and possibly a ton of rubber bands.

So, to get back to my story...I ate everything I could that I wouldn't get to eat for the two years.

As I was stuffing my face and feeding my belly, I noticed people staring at my lil sis. WHY? Well she has been loop'd by a thing called lupus.

Yes people, it's a real disease. It's incurable, and it totally sucks. It takes over your body and treats it like a foreign object. Unfortunately, the side effects make you feel like a foreigner in your own body. The tell-tale rash, the fevers, the weight gain (from the meds), the uncontrollable growth of hair in odd places, the LOSS of hair on your head, etc etc.

GOD PEOPLE. STOP FUCKING STARING. We should force people to make donations to the lupus foundation just for looking.

No matter what people say, my sister is pretty no matter whaaaaat!