Thursday, February 7, 2013
Redeeming the Past
There is little time to blog these days, but, I want to capture my current thought on what I'm going through.
21 years ago I started braces, not the kind of braces you find today, but the kind of braces that went around each tooth, each band was very LARGE. The experience was not grand, and had from it came a lot of hurt, emotionally. After my braces were taken off 3.5 years after I started, I was so disappointed, mostly cause I had large gaps between each tooth and then I was given a football type mouth guard with a tiny slit in the front to breath through (which for me was nearly impossible since I am mouth-breather). Then I was told to pull my upper lip for 4 hours a day since I had a short lip (okay really you think that will help?!) To this day, no amount of pulling that upper lip has caused it to change in length...go figure.
I spent the last 15+ years saying I would NEVER do braces again, even though I was very self-conscious with my current smile. Long story, extremely short...God has taken my "never again" and turned into another opportunity to forever put my trust in Him. He put everything together for this time. One of my BFF works as the Treatment Coordinator at the Orthodontic office here in town, so I had peace going in, knowing my BFF would be the one taking the x-rays and pictures, etc. If she had not worked there I know for a fact I would not have been willing to go (fear can be so crippling). The Orthodontist is a great guy, he's actively involved in our church....somehow that brings a little more peace as well.
Jan 2nd - We drove to Rapid City in a blizzard to see a Oral Surgeon about possible jaw surgery. He thought upper and lower jaw surgery would be good, but not 100% worth it as it would be real invasive and expensive (like $17,000 - we weren't sure if our insurance would cover the costs). We left there knowing that it was NOT an option for us, thank God that was clear! Herbst appliance would be tried instead.
January 16th - I went in for my review, decided if I walked out of there without starting the braces, that I would never do it. It was either now or never kind of thing. So I started braces that afternoon. (second time in one life - this will be my last time!!!) The top braces were put on and spacers were put in to make room for the herbst appliance.
January 22nd - Went in to get fitted for herbst appliance.
Febuary 5th - The herbst appliance fits (!) and was glued on and screwed together. My mouth is a bit sore, mostly caused by the screws on the bottom molars which are rubbing the inside of my cheeks. Hopefully the pain will subside in a week or less. Tylenol, wax and cottonballs have come to the rescue. Chewing is funny as my teeth are only hitting the 4 crowns and my bite is different then before the placement of the herbst appliance. Side to side movement is very limited and the little "hydraulics" (bars that connect the top to the bottom) are kinda in the way of brushing and chewing, not so much chewing but pushing the food around in your mouth. I feel like a baby, learning how to chew food in a new way.
And so begins a new journey. 24 months of braces...man, am I ever going to have a million dollar smile! :) One thing I am so thankful for: God redeems the past, and takes the painful memories and washes them clean, removing the crippling fear, yet he leaves the power that enables me to share about his glorious redemption. Isn't that just how he works!! So full of redeeming power and grace, it covers every single area of my life. Praise God! To God be the GLORY!
21 years ago I started braces, not the kind of braces you find today, but the kind of braces that went around each tooth, each band was very LARGE. The experience was not grand, and had from it came a lot of hurt, emotionally. After my braces were taken off 3.5 years after I started, I was so disappointed, mostly cause I had large gaps between each tooth and then I was given a football type mouth guard with a tiny slit in the front to breath through (which for me was nearly impossible since I am mouth-breather). Then I was told to pull my upper lip for 4 hours a day since I had a short lip (okay really you think that will help?!) To this day, no amount of pulling that upper lip has caused it to change in length...go figure.
I spent the last 15+ years saying I would NEVER do braces again, even though I was very self-conscious with my current smile. Long story, extremely short...God has taken my "never again" and turned into another opportunity to forever put my trust in Him. He put everything together for this time. One of my BFF works as the Treatment Coordinator at the Orthodontic office here in town, so I had peace going in, knowing my BFF would be the one taking the x-rays and pictures, etc. If she had not worked there I know for a fact I would not have been willing to go (fear can be so crippling). The Orthodontist is a great guy, he's actively involved in our church....somehow that brings a little more peace as well.
Jan 2nd - We drove to Rapid City in a blizzard to see a Oral Surgeon about possible jaw surgery. He thought upper and lower jaw surgery would be good, but not 100% worth it as it would be real invasive and expensive (like $17,000 - we weren't sure if our insurance would cover the costs). We left there knowing that it was NOT an option for us, thank God that was clear! Herbst appliance would be tried instead.
January 16th - I went in for my review, decided if I walked out of there without starting the braces, that I would never do it. It was either now or never kind of thing. So I started braces that afternoon. (second time in one life - this will be my last time!!!) The top braces were put on and spacers were put in to make room for the herbst appliance.
January 22nd - Went in to get fitted for herbst appliance.
Febuary 5th - The herbst appliance fits (!) and was glued on and screwed together. My mouth is a bit sore, mostly caused by the screws on the bottom molars which are rubbing the inside of my cheeks. Hopefully the pain will subside in a week or less. Tylenol, wax and cottonballs have come to the rescue. Chewing is funny as my teeth are only hitting the 4 crowns and my bite is different then before the placement of the herbst appliance. Side to side movement is very limited and the little "hydraulics" (bars that connect the top to the bottom) are kinda in the way of brushing and chewing, not so much chewing but pushing the food around in your mouth. I feel like a baby, learning how to chew food in a new way.
And so begins a new journey. 24 months of braces...man, am I ever going to have a million dollar smile! :) One thing I am so thankful for: God redeems the past, and takes the painful memories and washes them clean, removing the crippling fear, yet he leaves the power that enables me to share about his glorious redemption. Isn't that just how he works!! So full of redeeming power and grace, it covers every single area of my life. Praise God! To God be the GLORY!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)