Shocking News!

As always, it has been forever since I last wrote, but just had to write today. It is getting close to 2 months post-op and I am pretty much back to normal life, in fact better since I am now about 23 pounds lighter (I'm at 122 now) and in way better shape (got back to the gym and everything - although now that tax season is officially starting on Monday I will have to move that workout routine to my elliptical at home).

Sooo.. as I said in my last post, I went back to the ortho for the first time since surgery a month ago. Even though I thought my bite was crazy horrible, he was very happy with how everything looked. And after I had described to him over email (a few days prior to seeing him) how upset I was at how "big" I still looked, he was amazed at how great I looked in person. He said he could still see some swelling, but that for only being a month after surgery (at the time), I looked really good. That definitely made me feel better. But I was still worried about my bite. It seemed like so much still had to be done. So, he slapped some rubberbands on me (two on either side, attaching top to bottom in a small triangle shape) and told me to come back in 4 weeks.

Well, today was 4 weeks so I went back in to see him. Keep in mind, I hadn't even brought up how much longer he thought I would be wearing these braces. I think I was too scared to ask. But, I figured I would be lucky to have them off by June 10th (my 30th bday!!) since that would be a little over 6 months and I always heard it's typically 6 months to a year after surgery. So anyway, he takes a look at my teeth and was just so ecstatic about how great they looked. I do have to say that after he put those rubberbands on my teeth really just started to all fit together so nicely. I really couldn't believe it considering how funky they were immediately after the surgeon took the splint out.

Soooo... for the big huge shocking totally unexpected news.. He said they are looking great and the braces can come off!!!!! Um.. what?!! I figured he must mean, they can come off in a few months, right? So, I ask him, when do you mean exactly? And he said at my next visit, in 3-4 weeks! I honestly can't believe it and I am still in complete shock. I am sooo excited but already freaking out that I will feel naked without them and that they will immediately start "going back". I think this being my third time in braces (and them going back each time) is why I am so nervous about this. But, overall I am just really excited!!! I think my teeth look great but I am a complete perfectionist and I still see a little space but he did tell me before the surgery even, that the way my teeth are, there would probably always be a little space (between my upper and lower teeth on the side, not in the front). So, I have learned to accept that things will never be perfect in my eyes and have learned to appreciate how much of a huge improvement it has been from two years ago when I could stick my entire tongue thru the front of my teeth when my teeth were shut together (aka open bite)! But long story short, I am ecstatic right now!!! YAY for not having braces into my 30s!!! :)

Oh, and just to update everyone on the swelling, "bigness", I think it's starting to look a lot better. To a certain extent, I do think the shape of my jaw/face is a little different, but I think I am probably one of the only people who really notices (back to the perfectionist thing again). I am still getting used to it and I am starting to feel a lot better about it, but am looking forward to the day that I am truly 100% happy, no ecstatic, with how it looks. Right now, I am probably at 75% which is a huge improvement from my last post, where I probably felt about a 25%, at the most. So, definitely making huge strides, and my new much smaller physique is not hurting either! :)

Hope all is going well with my fellow ortho-bloggers!!