Ch. 189 - Blake and Chris and the WEDD
 
 
Chris and Blake joined the regular breakfast crowd at my home this morning. Blake was wearing one of her Milwaukee braces today instead of her usual Kuehnegger braces with the orthodontic attachment. In fact, she wasn't wearing any of her protraction appliances at all. It was sort of strange to see her with just her bands and the little hooks sticking out of her mouth. With our Milwaukee braces, we can turn our heads a bit, but Blake, being used to her Kuehnegger brace, didn't even seem to try; she just always looked straight ahead. Since her new appliance will be affixed to her head instead of her spinal brace, hopefully she will soon get used to the bit of freedom her Milwaukee brace gives her since she will be able to wear it most of the day. Blake will only need to wear her more immobilizing and supportive brace at home and to bed. 
 
 
With several more people than usual, we had both bacon and sausage today, with eggs cooked to order. Chris and Blake were both apprehensive about what would happen today, but they both ate well. I guess they figure that their teeth will be quite sore for a few days, if not longer, so a good meal was in order. After eating, we all went to clean our teeth and appliances.
 
 
With our teeth and appliances nice and clean, Judy went to get the small bus; she will be our driver today and also part of Blake's support system. We are all concerned about how she will deal with the discomfort, both physical and emotional, that her new appliance will bring.
 
 
The first place we stopped was at Rogers and Jameson Orthotics. Blake finds talking to and being with Rita to be very comforting, so she wanted her to come along today. When we went inside, Collie and Rita were talking while Gary and Billy were in the workshop finishing up on Sarah's spare non-electronic legs. Billy has not done too many of the older-style prosthetic legs, and Gary was giving him some advice on working with these devices. A few minutes later, Emme arrived and was her usual happy and upbeat self. She was the other person that Blake wanted around today since they had formed a close bond at the resort when Emme was blindsimming. With everyone gathered, we made our way to Robbins Orthodontics.
 
 
When we arrived at the orthodontic clinic, Blake and Chris got checked in. Sally soon came out to greet us, and she was accompanied by an older man we had never seen before. 
 
 
"Good morning! I want you all to meet Dr. Walter Wilkinson. He will be assisting Joe today." Sally's orthodontia sparkled in the light as she spoke, introducing us to the doctor.
 
 
"Hello, I'm Walt. I am pleased to meet you all, especially my new patients." Walt spoke with a British accent as he shook our hands. "Blake and Chris, if you would please come with me, we need to discuss some final details of the procedure you both will be undergoing today."
 
 
Blake and Chris went with Walt and Sally, and the four of us just looked at each other for a moment in silence. The words 'the procedure you both will be undergoing' kept repeating in our minds. Then it all came to me, and I said,
 
 
"It all makes sense now! Chris is going to undergo the exact same treatment as Blake. I remember he stayed behind to talk to Joe at Blake's last appointment. Then he stumbled over his words when telling us he needed to talk to Billy about his leg braces. It wasn't about his KAFOs; it was to get a 3D scan of his head. Oh, and his short haircut—that's so the appliance can be easily placed. Chris's underbite is not that bad; he doesn't need such an intrusive appliance. He's doing it for Blakely."
 
 
The others had not seen the computer rendering of Blakely wearing the appliance, so I briefly described it. We have all studied orthodontics and are familiar with such devices, but not Dr. Wilkinson's new design. We talked a bit more, and Rita and I were very concerned about how Blakely would handle wearing this device, while Emme and Judy expressed jealousy. 
 
 
Sally then came and asked if we wanted to watch, but it would be on the monitor in Joe's office. As we went to Joe's office, Sally explained that the entire procedure was being filmed for a presentation that Walt is giving at a convention, and it would be best if we simply watched on the monitor. We got coffee on the way, then sat down on the couch in Joe's office to watch after putting Blake's Milwaukee brace aside; she had taken it off for the procedure. The image on the monitor was a split screen, with one side being Joe's view and the other Walt's. They must be wearing those little cameras on their glasses.
 
 
Chris and Blakely were in separate rooms. Sally was assisting with Blakely's procedure, and Joe's wife, Mary, was with Chris. Soon, the procedures began with Chris getting his spacers removed and his teeth cleaned, while all the appliances on Blake's upper arch were slowly removed along with her lower archwire. After Chris's teeth were cleaned, Joe quickly placed Chris's lower molar bands and metal brackets on the rest of his lower arch, along with his lower archwire with green ligatures. 
 
 
While this was happening, Blakely's teeth were being meticulously cleaned and polished. At this point, we could all tell that she was getting very nervous, with Sally often stopping to talk while holding her hand. Meanwhile, in the other room, the anchorage device was being prepared to be placed on Chris's upper arch. It had bands for all his teeth, with heavy archwires on both the front and back of each band, welded in place. There were also heavy wires that would run across the roof of his mouth, with two wires extending behind the front bands. It's sort of like a spiderweb of wires to keep his entire upper arch moving as one unit. Protruding from the front are two rods that are threaded from just beyond where his lips would rest to the ends.
 
 
The appliance was placed in Chris's mouth, and it seems to slip right onto his teeth without much force. It was then removed, cement applied, and finally fixed in his mouth. The doctors gave Chris a few moments to become accustomed to the device and the two rods protruding from between his lips while they went to check on Blake's progress. Once the doctors left the room, Chris got up and looked at himself in the mirror. He stared at the mirror for several minutes, shook his head, then sat back down in the dental chair and closed his eyes.
 
 
At this point, Blake's teeth were cleaned and polished. Joe entered the room and brought up some X-rays on the computer screen to show Blakely. He smiled as he pointed at the images on the screen and then looked at Blakely, who showed little emotion. The springs must have been working, but probably not fast enough. Joe instructed Sally to place her new lower archwire and ligatures, then begin her IV for sedation; Blake didn't want to be awake for the bulk of the procedure. Turning their attention back to Chris, he was shown the Wilkinson External Distraction Device, or WEDD, that would soon be secured to his skull and teeth. He just looked at it for a moment, then said something to Ben. There was no audio feed, but reading his lips, we thought he said. "I hope Blake will be OK." The WEDD was then held to Chris's head to locate where the anesthetic needed to be injected for the pins.
 
 
The WEDD is sort of like the orthodontic attachment on Lori's cervical halo brace. Chris's appliance is dark green in color and has a horseshoe-shaped halo that is lower in profile than a cervical halo; it fits close to his head. There are three holes, which seem large in diameter, on each side for the pins. The middle holes are just in front of his ears, and from this point, there is a part that goes down in front of his ears and curves around the front of his face. The two holes in this part would line up with the rods protruding from his mouth. It reminded Judy of the facemasks that football players wear.
 
 
Anesthetic was injected into the pin sites and allowed time to work. At this point, Blake's IV was just being prepared for her sedation. Soon, Chris's appliance was being placed, and now we understand why the holes for the pins are so large. The pins are actually stepped, with the part that screws into the halo being larger than the tip of the pin. This is to allow the torque wrench to fit the internal hex of the pin. The device was placed on Chris's head and carefully aligned with the rods protruding from his mouth. The pins were now all torqued, with Chris winching each time the wrench clicked, securign the device to his skull. When the pins were all in place, they were flush or slightly below flush with the outside of the halo, and small locking caps were placed in each one to prevent loosening. Unlike a cervical halo brace or the standard rigid external distraction devices, there was nothing sticking out to snag on clothing or bedding. Maybe this style of pin can be adapted to cervical halos; my halo pins were always getting caught on things. 
 
 
The final step of the process for Chris was to fit the two tensioners to the rods coming out of his mouth. They simply screwed onto the rods and were tightened with a torque driver. We would later learn that they have a ratcheting mechanism to prevent them from being loosened without a special tool. This is to prevent the patient from backing off the traction if it becomes too uncomfortable. These ratchets would be tightened every other day, and Walt had designed them so Blake and Chris would wear the devices for about the same amount of time, despite Chris's teeth needing to move less than Blake's. Chris got up from the chair, took a long look in the mirror once again, and then left the room. The doctors went to tend to Blake, who was now sound asleep.
 
 
Chris joined us in Ben's office to observe the rest of Blake's procedure. We asked him how he felt, and he said there was a lot of pressure on his head from the pins, but not too much on his teeth. Chris now has a very bad lisp, and his cheeks and upper lip are pushed out by the bulky appliance in his mouth. Judy said that he looked really cute with his appliance; he blushed and quietly said with a heavy lisp, "I hope Blake thinks she looks cute in hers. I think this is going to be the worst thing so far for her; she is such a fragile girl, but I love her dearly." Emme was getting ready to ask Chris something, but our attention turned to the monitor. Blakely's procedure was beginning.
 
 
The same sort of appliance that was placed on Chris's upper arch was placed in Blakely's mouth. There were several adjustments that had to be made to get it to fit properly, probably because the scan it was made from was several weeks old. Chris thought that his appliances fit more easily since he got his scan done last week when he got his spacers placed. Finally, the appliance was cemented into Blakely's mouth, and the cheek retractor was removed from her mouth. She looked so peaceful lying there asleep in the dental chair with her upper lip resting on the rods and her mouth slightly agape.
 
 
The external distraction device was trial-fitted to her head. It was just like the one Chris is now wearing, but custom made to fit closely to Blakely's head and was dark purple in color. Several patches of hair were neatly shaved where the two sets of rearmost pins would be placed. The device was put in place over the threaded rods protruding from between Blake's lips and held in place by Sally while Joe and Walt placed the six pins. Since Blake is sedated and sleeping soundly, no anesthetic injections were used. The pins were torqued, and the locking caps were placed over the ends. Finally, the ratcheting nuts were threaded onto the rods coming from Blake's mouth and set for an initial torque. The procedure was over in only a few minutes.
 
 
Joe and Walt seemed well pleased and examined Blake’s and her new adornments, then shook hands. It does appear that Dr. Wilkinson's device will be a lot more comfortable to wear than other external distraction devices, and there is no distracting vertical bar in one's line of sight or anything sticking out to catch on to things. Mary removed Blake's IV, and Sally came to get us so Chris could be there for Blake as she woke up. We are all hoping for the best, but we are prepared for the worst. I hope Chris can handle it if Blake has a meltdown like she has had before; he is going through a lot himself, all in support of Blake.

Ch. 191 - Lori's Progress
 
 
We had dinner at Lori and Scotty's the other night. When we arrived, Lori was strapped in her wheelchair with her KAFO on her crippled right leg. Her chair was positioned so she was upright, with her braced leg taking some of her weight. Her upper body, in its contorting halo cast, was firmly strapped to the chair. I crutched over to her, and we hugged as best we could with my braces and her casted body.
 
 
Lori said that she was doing quite well at this point; there was no longer much pain, but that her cast was extremely uncomfortable as she warmly smiled, showing her bands. We talked for a little while about her cast, her upcoming appointment for X-rays, and the new cast she might be getting. Lori said that was one reason she asked us over tonight; Scotty wanted to ask Joel if he would help getting her to her appointment. She wanted me to accompany them, too. The appointment is on Thursday at Dr. Moore's office, and of course Joel and I said we would help.
 
 
We had a wonderful evening together. Scotty is an excellent cook with Lori's guidance. After dinner and dessert, we went outside to take in the warm, peaceful evening. My attention was drawn to Lori's large therapy pool which she has yet to enjoy, and I really wanted to take a swim. I have not gone swimming since I let go of my legs and thought it would be fun. Joel ran home and got my swimsuit and waterproof braces, then soon returned. Scotty led me to the spare room to change, and soon I was crutching out to the pool in my waterproof braces with sport sandals strapped to my feet. 
 
 
Once I got to the pool, I decided to take off my braces and let my limp body enjoy the feeling of weightlessness in the water. Joel helped me, and I used the grab bars to pull myself into the warm water. Oh, it felt so good; I have not been swimming for a very long time. Everyone enjoyed watching me move about in the water using only my arms, and I really enjoyed floating on my back and looking up at the stars. Being in the water really felt good, with my body completely and comfortably supported without wearing any of my braces. Lori said that she was excited to soon be able to get in the water, especially seeing how much I was enjoying it.
 
 
Finally, my arms were getting tired and my back was getting sore, so I had Joel help me out of the water and put me back in my braces. Then I decided to get back into the water, wearing my braces, to see what it was like. I carefully used the handrails to walk down the steps and get in the water. Being in braces in the water felt different, and it was not as pleasurable as swimming without them. I climbed out of the pool and wrapped my towel around my body. At this point, Lori was getting tired and was experiencing quite a bit of discomfort from the way her head was positioned in her halo. I simply wrapped up in an extra towel, and Joel gathered my other braces and clothing. We said goodnight to our friends and headed home. Once home, Joel helped me to bathe and clean my orthodontic appliances. He then placed my large splint in my mouth, locked my jaw shut around it, carried me to bed, and strapped me in my body brace for a good night's sleep.
 
 
****
 
 
Well, Thursday morning is upon us. Joel helped me get into my brown HKAFO-Milwaukee brace with mid-heeled brown oxfords. He dressed me in a long blue skirt and a white blouse. I did my makeup, put my hair up into a bun, put on my wire frame glasses, and put on my black headgear to complete my look for the day. As I put my hair up in a bun and did my makeup, Joel got dressed, and soon we were having breakfast with our friends. After breakfast, Joel got the little bus, I crutched out and used the lift to get on board, and we were on our way to Lori and Scott's place.
 
 
When we arrived, Scott was just getting Lori strapped into her wheelchair. She was wearing a loose-fitting dress. She didn't have her KAFO on her right leg, but she was wearing her hand and looked very nervous. Scott asked Joel to check the straps securing Lori to her wheelchair. With her chair reclined, Scotty used the attendant control to wheel Lori out to the bus, and the guys got her on board and her chair secured. Once on the road, I asked Lori how she was feeling today.
 
 
"I'm really scared, Leigh. I hope everything has been going OK, and I'm so worried that things might not be progressing well. I'm so miserable in this cast; it's extremely uncomfortable and often painful. It has been the worst part of my recovery." Lori said with a tear in her eye.
 
 
"I can't imagine what it must be like for you. I have worn some very immobilizing casts, but never one that contorted my body like yours does." I said with concern.
 
 
"It has been really tough, but I try to keep a positive outlook. However, the prospect of possibly needing an even more extreme cast scares the hell out of me. How much more can they do to me? My body feels like it is being tied in a knot." Lori began to cry.
 
 
Taking Lori's hand, I say, "I don't know what will come next for you, Lori. Remember that Ben said you might not need a second cast, just an adjustment to the postion of your head and neck? We'll just have to wait and see what Ben and Dr. Moore say. Keep your chin up, kid!"
 
 
Lori's tears turn to laughter, and she said, "How can I not keep my chin up? This cast and halo force me to keep it up!"
 
 
With the mood lightening a bit, the rest of the ride was pleasant, and we soon arrived at Dr. Moore's office. We parked in the back so it would be easier to get Lori's wheelchair inside, and she also wouldn't have to face other clients. Scotty and Joel got Lori and I off the bus, and the receptionist buzzed us in. One of Dr. Moore's assistants was waiting for us inside and took Lori directly to the X-ray room and asked the rest of us to wait in the room we visited before with Blake.
 
 
It was not very long before Lori was wheeled into the room. She thanked Will and Bob, the techs, for taking good care of her and making her as comfortable as possible. It was clear from her voice and demeanor that Lori was terrified about what would be coming next for her—she feared being placed in an even more immobilizing and contorting cast. After quite a wait, Dr. Moore entered the room. She was now in a wheelchair with carbon fiber braces on both legs. From the way she was sitting in her wheelchair, I could tell that her braces were HAKFOs. Dr. Moore was dressed almost exactly like me, and I think we were wearing the same shoes. She was smiling and very upbeat when she greeted us, with Lori trying not to show her fear.
 
 
"Good news, Lori!" Dr. Moore cheerfully said, "You are making excellent progress. After consulting with Ben, we determined that you will not need to have your cast changed; you will just wear this one for another month, then you can begin wearing a brace and begin PT. However, we do need to re-position your head and neck a bit, but this won't be too uncomfortable. We'll also change your catheter today, and I will get the prescription for your braces over to Rogers and Jameson so they can be fabricated."
 
 
Lori was overjoyed that she would not have to go through the ordeal of getting a new cast. A look of calm and peace came to her face when she heard all the good news. Dr. Moore then said that since her disability has increased, one of her assistants would be in shortly to adjust the halo portion of Lori's cast. Feeling a bit bold and curious, I asked Dr. Moore, "I don't mean to get too personal, but it appears your condition has worsened. Are you now wearing HKAFOs?"
 
 
Smiling warmly, Dr. Moore replied, "Please, call me Pam. I'm trying to not be so formal these days; the rapid changes to my body are making me feel different about a lot of things these days. Yes, Leigh, my condition has worsened, and you are correct; I am now wearing HKAFOs. I can get around on crutches, but I'm becoming most comfortable in my wheelchair."
 
 
"I really like your braces; they look good on you. Did Billy make them for you?" I ask.
 
 
"Yes, Billy at Rogers and Jameson made my braces. Billy and Collene are such nice people, and I'm so glad they are taking over for Gary and Rita." Pam smiles.
 
 
"They are very dear friends of ours, with Joel and I helping both Collene and her sister Judy get a start in life here. Collene's sister Judy is like a daughter to us, and we gave her and Jimmy the house they live in and helped Billy and Collene buy theirs. We are all neighbors." I see Pam looking at me with curiosity.  
 
 
"Can I ask you something very personal, Leigh." Pam nervously says.
 
 
"Sure." I know she will ask about why I wear braces.
 
 
"If you don't mind, what condition do you have that requires such extensive bracing, and is your extensive orthodontic work related to it?" Pam asks with a slight smile.
 
 
"I don't mind you asking, but it's a long story. You seem understanding enough that I'm comfortable telling you. Can we set a date for an afternoon together to talk?" I ask with a smile, clearly showing many of my orthodontic appliances.
 
 
"Sure, that sounds great, Leigh. I think I would really like to get to know you better; you seem to be an interesting person, and..." Pam is interrupted by a knock at the door, and a young woman wearing scrubs enters the room.
 
 
"This is Addison; she will be adjusting your halo for me, Lori." Pam introduces us to Addison, who seems quite fascinated with the braces I'm wearing, especially my colorful metallic smile.
 
 
"Please, call me Addy. "The young woman smiles, showing her clear orthodontic braces.
 
 
Pam shows Addy some information on the computer, and then Addy gets the tools necessary to make the adjustments to Lori's halo. Pam warns Lori that the procedure will not exactly be pleasant, and she will feel some pulling on her upper spine. With Pam instructing, Addy loosens the attachments for the four rods on Lori's halo, then re-positions her head, tilting it farther to the right and back while applying a bit of traction. Lori whimpers, and tears come to her eyes, but she realizes that the adjustment is necessary and that it is much better than the ordeal of getting a new cast. Finally, the rods are tightened, and Lori sighs a sigh of relief—the adjustment is complete. At this point, I notice that the space between Lori's shoulders and her cast has closed up quite a bit; Addy has stretched her upper spine quite a lot.
 

Addy takes Lori in her reclining wheelchair back to the X-ray room for a final set of pictures. While we waited, Pam and I set a date to have lunch and chat, and I can tell she is very curious about my situation. Soon there is a notification on the computer, and Pam reviews the new X-rays that were just taken and is satisfied with the results. Addy returns with Lori, and Pam says, "One last thing, Lori. We need to replace your catheter. Addy will take care of that for you. She's very gentle, and it will not be uncomfortable at all for you, Lori. Addy is the best; she takes excellent care of me." As Pam says this, Addy blushes.
 
 
Joel and I excuse ourselves to use the restroom—not because we need to, but to give Lori some privacy. When we return, Lori is ready to go, and we all thank Pam and Addy for everything today. As we are leaving, Addy says to me, "Leigh, I really like your orthodontic braces; they look so cool! I got these clear ones, and I hate them. I only got clear because I thought it would look more professional, but I was wrong. No one cares about an adult wearing braces, and these are so hard to keep looking bright and clean. See how the archwires are chipped already, and I only got them changed two weeks ago. Your braces are so colorful and sparkling bright; I really like them." Pam then looks at my smile, then dreamily towards Addy; it seems their relationship is far more than just professional.
 
 
I notice the chipped white archwires in Addy's mouth and how her brackets are slightly stained. "I can see that your braces are difficult to keep looking great. My orthodontist is Dr. Joe Robbins. Set up a special consultation with him and tell him you are a friend of Leigh Jacobson."
 
 
"Oh, thanks, Leigh. I will call his office this afternoon!" Addy hands me her business card with her cell phone number and personal email written on the back. "Send me your information; I would really like to talk to you someday when we have some time."
 
 
"I will, Addy." I cheerfully reply as I give Addy a gentle hug.
 
 
With that, we all get on board the bus and head home. Lori is quiet, and from the look in her eyes, she is in extreme discomfort right now. When we get to Lori and Scott’s home, Joel helps to get Lori into her bed as I speak comforting words. I remind her that she is half way done wearing her cast, and soon she will be in her back brace and be able to exercise, swim, have fun, and even start working again. This brightened her mood, but she was still in a lot of pain. However, a smile did come to her face.
 

Poor thing; she had endured so much.

Ch. 193 - Good Progress
 
 
I'm expecting a call from Chris or Blake. It's about time for them to get their orthodontic progress checked and for Blake to get her spinal braces adjusted and her 'comfort casts' removed. That call came today, and they will be making a quick overnight visit on Friday.
 
 
****
 
 
Blake and Chris arrived around nine this morning and got settled into the guest suite. They both looked great wearing their WEDD rigid distraction devices that are firmly secured to their skulls and their upper teeth. Blake had her hair playfully styled around the device and looked very nice in her purple KAFO and Milwaukee brace. Her light summer dress looked great on her, and she showed off her braces with pride. Her SATS and hinged LLWC were very worn and dirty, but also highly decorated with signatures, drawings, and other artwork. Simply put, Blake looked stunning, and her upbeat, cheerful attitude made her even more beautiful. The shy and timid Blake we met at the resort is disappearing.
 
 
After they got settled, Blake asked if I wanted to go with them to their appointments and grab lunch. I never miss the opportunity to accompany someone to the orthodontist or orthotics shop, so I said yes. Chris drove us to town, and I noticed that Blake always looked straight ahead; she never turned her head at all, which is something we can do in our Milwaukee braces if we stretch a bit. I asked her why she wasn't looking around like I was, and she said, "Oh, I'm just so used to wearing my Kuehnegger brace that I don't even try to move my head to look around anymore."
 
 
Our first stop was at Robbins Orthodontics, where, as always, Sally was happy to see us. You never know what will be going on in her mouth when it comes to her orthodontics. Today she just had her bands, a large tongue crib, and yellow cervical headgear. What did stand out was Sally's choice of footwear; she was wearing a pair of freshly applied yellow short leg casts with European-style cast shoes, the ones that are impossible to get here in the US. Sally explained that when she stopped in to have lunch with Billy and Collie the other day, a package was delivered from a German colleague of Billy's; he had sent these cast shoes to evaluate. Sally said she immediately offered to get a couple of casts so she could try out the new cast shoes. A little while later, she was walking out of the shop wearing casts and the new cast shoes for the next six weeks. 
 
 
As Sally took us to the two-chair exam room, she and Blake talked about their love of casts and how comforting they feel. Blake said that she was feeling anxious about her new appliance, so she got a couple of casts to see her through the first few weeks of wearing her WEDD, and that now she was doing quite well and was tired of her dirty and worn casts. A couple of quick X-rays were taken, and Chris and Blake took their places in the twin dental chairs. Sally removed their lower archwires, cleaned their teeth and the large appliances fixed to their upper arches. It was awkward for Sally to work around the metal bar that ran in front of their upper teeth, but soon the job was completed and Dr. Joe entered the room.
 
 
Joe asked how they were coping with their rather intense treatment and the intrusive device pinned to their skulls. Blake said she was doing quite well, with no physical or emotional discomfort anymore, but there was constant pressure on her teeth. She said it does hurt a bit when the adjustments are turned every other night, but they do that in the evening after having a cocktail, and they feel fine in the morning. 
 
 
Chris added that he was also doing great with little discomfort, but he has taken some teasing at work from the other guys. Joe laughed when Chris told him that he had acquired the nickname 'Robo-Jaw'. With both Chris and Blake doing well with their appliances, Joe took some measurements inside their mouths, then referred to the computer. With a smile, Joe said, "Good news! You are both making excellent progress—in fact, better progress than I expected. If things continue to progress at this rate, this part of your treatment will soon be over. Once completed, we will move onto the next stage, which will take a long time, but there will be no more intrusive appliances to wear during the day. However, there is one thing we need to do today that will probably not be comfortable: I must check the pins securing your WEDDs."
 
 
Sally had already looked over their pin sites, and they looked great, but the torque of the pins must now be checked. Chris went first, and Joe removed the locking caps from his pins, then tightened them all with the torque driver. Chris only winced when the driver clicked, bringing a very worried look to Blake's face. Soon, the six pins had been torqued and the locking caps placed on the ends. Looking at Chris, Blake nervously asked, "How... How bad did it hurt, Chris?" Chris smiled and replied, "It wasn't bad, babe; you'll do fine. There is a bit more pressure on my head now, but nothing like when we got the appliances placed initially."
 
 
Joe got to work on Blake and repeated the process. She caressed her SATS with her free hand as Joe worked, wincing each time the wrench clicked. When the job was done, she said, "That wasn't bad, but I'm glad I still have my casts on. I just focused on how good they feel to wear, and that got me through it." Joe said he would like to see the couple again in eight weeks instead of six, and by that time, they should be able to have their WEDDs removed. Joe then instructed Sally on which archwires to install on their lower arches, and he was on his way.
 
 
Sally got Chris and Blake's new archwires placed. Blake chose hot pink ligatures, and Chris got dark green ones again. They both knew that their bottom teeth would start to hurt in a few hours from their new archwires, so despite the discomfort from their pins being tightened, they wanted to go have a good lunch. We asked Sally if she would like to join us, and our offer was accepted. Chris drove us downtown to Harry's Grill for an excellent lunch. Of course all eyes were on us, with me on crutches and in all my braces and double facebows, Sally in her casts and headgear wearing scrubs, and Chris with his mouthful of metal and distraction device. However, it was Blake who got the most looks with not only her orthodontic work, Milwaukee brace, and KAFO on her right leg, but also her purple SATS and hinged purple LLWC. She seemed to really be enjoying the attention as we walked to our table.
 
 
It was humorous to watch Chris and Blake eat, navigating their forks into their mouths and around their appliances. Despite all the metal in their mouths and on their faces, they had no trouble eating their steaks. However, they did spend quite a bit of time in the restroom cleaning their appliances after they ate, as did Sally and I. 
 
 
After lunch, we dropped Sally off at work, then went to see Billy so Blake could get her spinal braces adjusted. Blake is like the rest of us and has numerous identical braces; the only difference is the finish of the metal and the color of the leather. Blake carried one of her braces inside, and Chris carried several more. Once inside, Blake and I chatted with Collie while Chris went and got the rest of Blake's braces, including her left KAFO and shoe since she is getting her LLWC removed.
 
 
After a chat with Collie, it was time for Blake to get her casts removed. Billy made quick work of removing Blake's casts, and her arm and leg were thin and covered in long hair and dead skin. There was quite a strong aroma, too, which Joel would have loved. Chris helped Blake get cleaned up and shaved her leg for her. 
 
 
After Blake's leg was washed and shaved, Billy had to go take a phone call and said it would be a few minutes. Chris took this opportunity to remove the KAFO on Blake's right leg, and he massaged both her legs, taking time at her knees and ankles, which have been causing her some pain at times despite her braces. Blake then got a small bottle of lotion from her bag and applied some to Chris's hands, and he massaged it into her legs and feet. Soon, Chris was placing Blake back into her KAFOs, which today had wedge sandals attached to them. It was a cute scene watching Chris care for Blake; they love each other very much. I get the feeling that there will soon be an engagement ring on Blake's finger.
 
 
While Chris was caring for his girlfriend, I noticed several prosthetic legs lying on a table next to a large box and packing materials. They were above the knee leg prosthetics; one set was the old-fashioned all-mechanical type, and the others looked like Otto Bock C-Leg 4 with covers that made them look like real legs. The feet were highly detailed, too, and looked like real feet with wrinkles and lines on the surface. There was also a small retainer case, and I was very curious as to what was in it and who these things were for.
 
 
When Billy returned, he got to work making the usual minor adjustments to all of Blake's spinal braces. As he was adjusting the brace that Blake was wearing, he commented, "Blake, you are making excellent progress with your spine. I think we have your curves corrected as much as possible. On your next visit, give yourself time to visit Dr. Moore and get X-rays taken for her and Ben to look at. I'm pretty sure that you won't need any more adjustments to your braces; you will just wear them to maintain the correction we have achieved. Oh, I spoke to Joe about your orthodontic situation earlier, and we need to discuss a few things."
 
 
Blake and Chris were so happy to hear that Blake's spine is making excellent progress. However, they were both a bit nervous about what Billy wanted to discuss in regards to their orthodontics. Billy and Joe have a history of creative solutions, integrating orthodontic and orthopedic bracing. Looking at Blake, Billy said, "So Blake, you are wearing one of your Kuehnegger braces for at least fourteen hours a day?"
 
 
"I wear it full-time most days, Billy. More than Ben said I need to." Blake replies.
 
 
"Very good; I know you find it comforting to wear. So for your orthodontics, you will go back to wearing your orthodontic attachment when you wear that brace after your distraction device is removed. Joe will give you all the details at that time. Will that work for you?" Billy asks with a smile.
 
 
"Yes, that will work just fine; I like how it feels to have my orthodontic braces connected to my spinal brace. I enjoy the support my big braces give me, and I always wear one around the house and to sleep in, plus all weekend, too. Chris enjoys wearing the big brace you made him, and he always sleeps in it." Blake seems happy to use the orthodontic attachment again.
 
 
"So you wear your Kuehnegger brace every night, too, Chris?" Billy looks at Chris.
 
 
"Yes... Yes, I do. I have slept in it every night since I got it. I do it for Blake." Chris shyly replies while blushing.
 
 
"Well, since you are wearing your brace anyway, we can incorporate it into your orthodontic treatment. I'll have everything ready when you get your distraction device removed. Bring all your Kuehnegger braces at that time." Billy says with a smile.
 
 
While Billy is working with Chris and Blake, I can't keep my eyes off the prosthetic legs sitting on the table along with the retainer case. Finally, I couldn't help but ask Billy about these devices, and he replied, "Normally, I could only say they are for clients, but since you know the clients and they spoke to you about them, I'll tell you. They are for Sarah and Flora. Sarah wanted a pair of spare legs to use that didn't require power. Then Flora asked me to make realistic-looking electronic legs for Sarah, with special attention paid to the feet. With molds of Shelly's feet and legs, I was able to make these very realistic prosthetics. You can open the retainer case and take a look. Flora sent molds of her teeth, and Joe made her a set of retainers with brackets on them. She plans to surprise Sarah with a metallic smile."
 
 
I looked in the case and could just imagine Sarah's surprise and animated reaction to seeing Flora wearing braces. I could also imagine Flora teasing Julie and José with her braces during one of their video chats. I miss those girls so much!
 
 
We said our goodbyes to Collie and Billy, with Billy helping to carry all of Blake's braces out to the car. They took me home, then went to visit with Blake's folks.
 
 
Later that evening, Blake and Chris arrived at our place. They had a wonderful visit with Blake's folks and went horseback riding. The couple went to bathe and change for the night, then joined Joel and me to watch a movie. Both of them were wearing their Kuehnegger braces, and Blake had on KAFOs with clog sandals attached to wear around the house. They looked so cute sitting on the couch, backs rigid and legs braced, wearing their orthodontic distraction devices, and holding hands.
 
 
The next morning, we were joined by all our friends for breakfast, as usual. We enjoyed our meal and then saw Chris and Blake off on their trip back home. Everyone leaves to go about their day except for Judy, who wants to talk to me.
 

"What's up, Judy?" I inquire.
 

"I talked to Myra Johnson last night. She would like to see us today." Judy says with excitement.
 

"Oh, for what? I don't think the devices are ready yet." I look puzzled.
 

"I don't think they are ready yet either, but Myra wants to interview us for her research. It's just a formality; we get to meet her husband and sister and see her lab, too." Judy explains.
 

"Sounds good; this will be an exciting day!" I said with a smile, and with that, Judy and I were off for today's adventure.