I'd love to be Michelle's husband!

I am enjoying the Jennifer  story I think its very good the level of detail is good it really fleshes out the characters for us. I admit I don't go into as much detail as you partly because I'm not as skilled at writing as you are. Charlie0186 where will your novel be published? I look forward to reading it when your ready to release it.  Thanks in advance  kelly

Chapter 56.

Christy said “well, I think we are about done here.  But before that, I do need to apologize.”

Christy solemnly looked at Sandy and continued “Sandy, I am so sorry I snapped at you.  You were just following instructions.  I hope you will accept my apology.  I was out of line.  And Mandy and Michelle, I need to apologize to you two as well for doing it in front of you.”

Sandy’s face brightened and replied “thank you, it is ok.  You were right.  But thank you.  Apology accepted.”

Michelle was next to speak, she looked at Christy and then Sandy and said “you don nee to apologizsh to me.  Inshtead I need to once again thank you.  And I am shorry for my little come apart.  I caushed it all to happen.”

Christy looked at Michelle and replied “no, you did just fine.  No apology needed.  It is a lot to come to terms with.  You did great. How about I walk you and Mandy to your car.  I can give you some do’s and don’ts, and I will carry your bag with all your goodies. Sandy, why don’t you and Jen go on back to the treatment room, and I will grab Dr.  Cooper when I come back in and we can finish up for the day?”

As Christy, followed Mandy and Michelle out the door of the office, she was going over foods to avoid.  Jen looked over at Sandy and said “after you?”  Sandy smiled and turned to walk down the hall back to the treatment room.  Once there, Sandy gestured to chair one and asked Jen to please have a seat, then rolled a stool over by the chair.  Once Jen was seated, she asked Sandy “so, you are going to get braces?”

Sandy looked over and replied “oh boy am I ever” and went silent again.  Jen was curious what that meant.  Sandy read the look on her face and continued “so yeah, Monday afternoon Dr. Cooper did my my exam and imaging and worked up a treatment plan.  Tuesday morning I got a mouth full of spacers.  I have put just about every appliance known in the world of orthodontics in a patient’s mouth at one time or another.  But never all at the same time.  I guess I am just lucky.”

This only served to pique Jen’s interest more.  She asked Sandy “so, what all does that entail?”

Sandy continued “well, I will be getting upper and lower expanders like Diane.  A herbst appliance like you have.  A tongue crib like Allison has.  Because of my crowns, Dr. Cooper wants to band all my lower teeth.  He is worried brackets might not bond on them securely enough.  That is one thing I have never done, put full bands on a patient.  I didn’t even realize it was still a thing.  So, I have a mouth full of spacers.”  She opened her mouth and showed Jen her lower arch.  Jen could see a little blue spacer between each and everyone of her lower teeth.  She then tilted her head back, and showed her upper arch, which “only” had four spacers.  Sandy continued “they are killing me. As much as I dread getting everything installed, at least I can get these little devils out of my mouth. And I only have the four up top for my herbst.  At least I am not getting bands on my top teeth, they would be so much more visible.  And of course I am getting reverse pull headgear.  Everyone gets headgear it seems like.  Dr. Cooper asked the lab to put a rush on my appliances, they will probably come in late next week.  And then it is B-Day for me.  I guess I am glad I am doing it, but wow…”

She was interrupted by Dr. Cooper opening the door and entering the treatment room with Christy right on his heels.  With a big smile on his face he looked at Jen and said “Ms. Collins, it is wonderful to see you.  And thank you for coming in on short notice.  How was your first full week of braces?”

Jen heard what Dr. Cooper was saying and answered “there were some struggles, but things have gotten easier.”  But while she had been replying, her focus was on what was in Dr. Cooper’s hand.  It did not look like the Crane appliance she had googled online.  Instead, it looked like a neckbrace melded to a Delaire facemask, complete with the headstrap. She thought to herself “what in the world is that?  And what have I gotten myself into?”

Chapter 57.

Dr. Cooper seated himself beside Jen and said "before I talk to you about this new protraction device, I would like to take a look at things.  I am going to go ahead and lean you back."  Once again, Jen was leaned back in the chair.  Sandy inserted a set of cheek retractors in Jen's mouth as Dr. Cooper admired his handiwork. As he started the exam, he said "Christy explained that you did have a little irritation around your back tads.  The antiseptic mouthwash should clear that up.  And she said your hygiene looks great, which I agree with.  I don't see any major points of irritation from your herbst appliance or the hooks for your facemask.  Have they been bothering you too much?"

Jen answered back the best she could with both the cheek retractor and mirror in her mouth "the fir few dayz were bah, but wax really helped.  Thingsh seem to have calloushed up in my mah now.  Mah fashmash is still sore on my chin some mornings.  And turning mah exspander still feels strange."

Dr. Cooper reassured her "that is common.  Most patients experience it.  It is nothing to worry about.  And it will continue to get better."

He leaned back, done with his exam, and gave Jen's braces and appliances a clean bill of health.  Reaching over and grabbing the neckbrace from the counter he said "well, other than the slight irritation around the tads, everything looks great.  You are doing a great job."  As he was picking up the strange looking brace, Sandy removed the cheek retractor from Jen's mouth and raised her chair back up to a seated angle.

Dr. Cooper held out the neck brace in front of Jen and continued on "so, you mentioned that the Delaire mask was still causing you some irritation on your chin.  I think this might be a solution to that problem.  You might notice this is not exactly what you saw online.  I have had my wife Allison wearing it at bedtime since it came in.  I noticed after the first few nights, despite attempts to tighten and adjust it, that she still had some movement between her head and the protraction arms of the device.  It was especially evident when she was sleeping and was not even conscious she was doing it.  This meant that she was not getting a consistent protraction angle or force.  So, I had the idea you see here.  I had the lab replace the vertical protraction arm on the stock Crane with this modified Delaire mask.  It eliminates all pressure on the chin.  But, with the forehead pad and head strap, it securely holds the head in a consistent position through the night.  Do I have your permission to contact Scolicare and see if they would have a problem with modifying your current neck brace with this protraction module?  We have collaborated on a few orthopedic/orthodontic cases in the past, so it would not be a completely new concept.  In the meantime, you could still wear your current facemask for daytime wear."

Jen quickly agreed.  Afterall, she was already wearing the neckbrace and facemask at night anyway.  After getting her permission, Dr. Cooper continued.  "It took Allison several nights to get used to the immobilization of her cervical spine, but it eliminated any and all pressure marks on her face.  She is planning to continue to wear it at night.  I think you will prefer this.  One thing I am having her do is wear springs with it instead of elastics.  Springs are superior to elastics as they offer a higher, more consistent force.  And while I would love it if every patient would wear them full time, I understand that is not practical for all patients."  Dr. Cooper interrupted himself and looked over at Christy and Sandy; "I am so proud of 'my girls' though for all doing it and setting such a good example" and gave them both a big, genuine smile.  He turned back to Jen "you are doing the right thing.  I think that this will make your protraction wear easier.  Which will mean higher compliance.  Speaking of which...' as he walked over to chair 4 and picked up Jen's facemask.  He came back and sat down and pulled out his phone.  He asked Jen "so, about how many hours a day are you wearing your mask?" 

Jen did the math in her head and responded "for the last week I am getting in about 12 hours a day." 

Dr. Cooper tapped a few times on his phone.  After looking at it a moment, he looked at Jen and smiled.  "You nailed it, according to the app, you have averaged 11 hours and 41 minutes a day.  That is the good news.  The bad news is that I really need you to get in 14 hours a day while you are undergoing active expansion and the suture is open.  Can I count on you to wear it at least 14 hours a day for the next 3-6 months at least?"

Jen had her doubts, but answered "I will do my best."

Dr. Cooper assured her "I am sure you will get your time in.  Success of your treatment is as much in your hands as mine.  And I know that you don't want to go through this whole process for nothing.  Plus, the more you wear it, the shorter the length of time you might have to wear it.  So it is a win/win.  With that said, I do want you to start wearing springs instead of elastics. Sandy and Christy can show you the routine at the end.  Now, speaking of opening that suture."

Dr. Cooper looked over at Sandy and requested "Sandy, would you get a couple of Ibuprofen and a bottle of water?" 

As Sandy stood up to go to the cabinets Dr. Cooper turned his attention back to Jen.  "So, the key to increasing the size of your airway is getting your sutures to open.  This will allow us to both widen your palate with the expander, and open it with forward movement from the protraction forces.  The sooner we can get that suture to split,  he quicker you will start to breathe easier.  Maybe get you off the CPAP sooner rather than later."

By now, Sandy was coming back with the Ibuprofen and water.  Dr. Cooper continued "I am going to have you take a couple of ibuprofen if you haven't already, and I am going to make some turns on your expander.  First though, at least temporarily, I am going to cut the archwire between your upper to front teeth."  Once Dr. Cooper had snipped the wire, he continued "I am now going to start making turns.  I want you to tell me when you start feeling it in your nasal cavity and under your eyes.  Did you take any pain relievers before you came in today?"  Jen shook her head 'no' nervously.  The doctor continued "then in that case, go ahead and take a couple and Sandy will recline you back down."

Once Jen was reclined back in the chair with her mouth open, Dr. Cooper inserted the wrench into her mouth.  As he made the first turn he explained "I am making turns now.  It will feel strange, maybe even a little uncomfortable.  Once you start feeling the pressure behind your nose, raise your hand and let me know."  After the 4th turn of her expander she raised her hand and Dr. Cooper removed the wrench from her mouth.

He looked at Jen and asked "so, do you feel it behind your nose?"  She nodded her head up and down.  He asked "do you feel it under your eyes?"  She placed her right index finger under her right eye and responded "I feel it here, I don't feel it under my other one."

Dr. Cooper said "good, we are making progress.  Go ahead and open back up and I am going to make a few more turns.  Raise your hand when you feel it under your other eye please." 

As Dr. Cooper made turns 5 and 6, Jen was in pain.  Her eyes were watery and her lip was quivering, but she let the doctor do his job.  On turn 7 she felt pressure under her left eye and raised her hand.

Dr. Cooper removed the wrench from Jen's mouth and told her "you did great; you are doing great."  As Sandy raised the chair back up Dr. Cooper outlined Jen's new turning schedule.  "Jen, I really want to get those sutures open as quickly as possible.  We just expanded your palate by almost 2 millimeters.  I want you to start turning your expander 4 times a day; twice in the morning and twice in the evening before bed.  I expect your suture to split in the next 5 days.  You will likely feel a pop, and you should notice a gap between your front teeth. Once the suture has split, decrease down to 2 turns a day, each at night before bed.  Then, at your next appointment, we will assess where we are.  Again, you are doing great.  In the meantime, we will contact Scolicare and get to working on your new neck brace with integrated protraction module.  I am going to leave you with Sandy and Christy to finish up; and I look so forward to seeing you at your next appointment."  With that, he gave Jen a big smile, stood, and walked out the door.

Christy came and put her arm around Jen and asked "how are you feeling love?"

Jen winced a little and answered "my mouth is on fire.  I was looking forward to tonight, I'm not so sure if I am up for it now."

Christy's face was dead fallen "don't say that.  That ibuprofen will start to help soon.  Let's go ahead and get your facemask back on.  I will show you how to use the springs that Dr. Cooper wants you to start using."

After a few moments of explanation, and practice runs in the mirror, Jen had it down and had her facemask back on.  This time though it was attached with stainless springs instead of the elastics she had been using.  And much more pressure on her face.

She looked at Christy and said "I'm not sure I am going to manage with this.  How do you do it?"

Christy responded "I will give you a few tips tonight.  At Josie's birthday party.  See, I am blackmailing you.  You have to come to the party to find out" and laughed. She continued "but seriously, I do hope you come; I will be sad if you don't" and gave Jen an exaggerated pout; then giggled again.  She grabbed the bottle of antiseptic mouthwash and handed it to Jen. "Remember to swish with this every night. Sandy, would you mind finishing up in here? I will walk Jen up front to reception and give her some tips on living with the springs."

Sandy agreed cheerfully despite the barking that Christy had done earlier, and said "no, you two go on.  I am as eager as anyone to get out of here today.  It has been a long day.  Heck, it has been a long week, especially knowing I have my own braces and expander install coming up so soon."

It is not so easy to wait for Sandy´s treatment. What a story!

Chapter 58.

Jennifer hurriedly made the walk across the parking lot to her car with her head down. She was still insecure about wearing her facemask in public; and was trying her best to make it to the safety of her vehicle without being spotted.  As she opened the driver door, she thought about how brave Mel was to wear her’s to work. 

Once in the safety of her car, she flipped the visor down and studied her reflection in the mirror.  Nothing looking different.  But it sure felt different.  She felt a level of pain and pressure she had not yet felt in her brief treatment.  It was a combination of pain in her mouth from the aggressive turns of her expander; and the increased pressure on her chin from the new springs connecting her facemask to her expander hooks.  She gingerly reached up to attempt to remove one of the springs from her mouth.  As she grasped it and tried to unhook it, the pain intensified.  She let go of it and received a minor amount of relief.  The second try went no better.  She decided she would just keep it on until she got home; regardless of any embarrassment she might feel from being seen by other drivers.  She hoped that Mel’s gentle hands could help her get the mask off so she could get some relief.

Arriving in her drive, she pulled in and parked behind Mel’s car.  She hurried to the front door, head down once again.  Opening the door, she saw Mel sitting crosslegged on the couch wearing her own facemask, a book in her hands.  The opening of the door had attracted Mel’s attention.  She looked over at Jen and noticed the pained looked on her face.  Concerned she asked “Hey babe, how did your appointment go? Is everything ok?”

Jen made her way to the couch and curled up beside Mel.  She went to lay her head on Mel’s shoulder.  In the process she bumped her facemask against Mel, causing a lightning bolt of pain to shoot through her mouth.  She let out a little gasp.  Mel wrapped her arms around Jen, and with concern in her voice asked once again “hey, are you ok?”

Jen, trying not to move her mouth, mumbled “I feel like I am dying here.”

Chapter 59.

Mel squeezed Jen tight and asked “what happened?  And what can I do to make it better?”

Jen nuzzled closer against Mel and said “Dr. Cooper turned my expander 7 times, and my mouth is on fire.  On top of that he wants me to wear springs instead of elastics.  He said they provide a stronger and more consistent force, but they hurt so much more than the rubberbands.  I tried to take them off in the car but it hurt too much and I gave up.  Could you see if you can take them off for me?”

Mel released Jen and grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her towards her so that they were face to face.  She responded “of course I will, let me see what is going on here. Open up for me.”

As she looked past the facemask and springs into Jen’s mouth, Jen told her “the springs just slip over the hooks like an elastic.  But when I fumbled with them all I did was ratchet up the pain.”  Mel responded “hang on, I have an idea.”

A few seconds later she returned from the bathroom with a pair of tweezers.  She fluffed up a pillow at the end of the couch and had Jen lay down with her head slightly propped up.  She got down on her knees on the floor beside Jen and told her “open up, let’s see if Momma can make it better.”  Leaning over at the waist, her back held rigidly straight by her omnipresent backbrace, she delicately extended the tweezers towards Jen’s mouth.  Reaching in she grasped the first of the two springs and gentle pulled it off the hook, leaving it attached to the mask.  She quickly repeated the process on the other side.  She gently removed the mask from Jen’s face and laid it on the coffee table beside her.  She looked down into Jen’s eyes and asked “any better?” 

Jen returned her gaze and answered “yes, thank you so much.  I don’t think there is anything you can do about this pressure in my mouth from the expander though.”

Mel leaned over and hugged Jen again, whispering “I am so sorry my baby’s mouth is hurting.  Maybe I can do something.”  She leaned back up and quickly removed her own facemask, laying it on the table beside Jen’s.  She leaned in and gave her a very gentle kiss.  She then told her “let me get you something for the pain.”

Jen said “I already took two ibuprofen at the office, I probably shouldn’t take anymore.”

Mel answered “that’s ok, I have a little something else in mind” as she got up and headed to the kitchen.

Jen could hear Mel in the kitchen.  She heard glass clinking together, and then heard the sound of a cork popping out of the top of a bottle.  Mel rounded the corner with a full wine glass in each hand, and a bendable straw stuck in each.  She came over and handed one to Jen and said “I don’t know if you want a straw or not, but I am so used to using one all the time, it feels weird when I don’t.  Take this and let me get one more thing” as she sat her own glass on the coffee table beside the two masks. 

Jen took a sip of wine through her straw as she watched Mel walk over to the kitchen table and grab her purse that was hanging on a dining room chair.  She set it on the table and rummaged through it for a moment until she pulled a brown bottle from it.  Jen thought it was a vitamin bottle.  Mel came back to the sofa, picking up Jen’s legs so she had a little room, and sat with Jen’s legs across her lap.  She looked at Jen and said “I have something that might help if you want it.”

Jen asked “what is it?” 

Mel smiled and said “a gummy, a special gummy that might dull the pain.  It is delta-8, a half of one might help if you want.”

Jen responded “I didn’t know you liked those?  I have never had one.  I mean, I smoked a little pot back in college, but I haven’t had anything like that in twenty years.  Is it gonna zonk me out too much?  And is it legal?”

Mel unscrewed the cap as she replied “Yes, it is legal.  Heck, I order them online and they ship it to me in the mail.  And no, it won’t zonk you out too much.  But it will relax you.”  She took one of the gummies out of the bottle and bit it in half.  She reached over with the half still in her fingers towards Jen’s mouth.  Jen obediently opened her mouth and Mel placed it on Jen’s tongue.  As Mel chewed the half she still had in her mouth she said “half for you, and half for me.  It will take about an hour for it to kick in. In the meantime, get ready for your massage.  We are going to start at your feet and work our way up from there” as she wrapped her hands around Jen’s right foot and gave her a sly smile.