I started to write a story. I am not sure if someone will like it, so give me some feedback, please. I want to know if I shall go on.
Julia
Hello, unknown reader. You see, I am not sure if any reader gets my story in his or her hands. It’s not easy to tell my story to a particular listener. I don’t have many friends, to be honest, only two or three. My school life was very strange. None of you would like to experience it. OK, let me start from the beginning. All may be caused by day of my birth: 13th of December, Friday. This date determined all my life or at least bur I thought that until not too long time ago. My parents gave me nice name – Julia and I was average baby, beloved by my parents as well as my both grandparents. As my mummy works like my dad I started attending nursery school and then kindergarten. I liked going there. Kids were nice to me, friendly, played with me, no prejudices. Are you curious why they should have prejudices? I looked like a bunny, my front teeth were protruding. As my mom and dad called them cute I didn’t realize I look “different” and I felt good. When my milk teeth started falling, my new growing teeth were big and prominent too. And since they were big, my mouth was small for them. I did not care of that much as I didn’t know that it is something wrong. I got a new nick – Minnie Mouse which I didn’t mind much as I liked Minnie as average girl in my age. But my teeth became worse and worse. My second incisors were big too so they didn’t have room and they grew behind which made my bite open and my speech was lispy a bit. My parents found that funny and cute so I didn’t pay much attention to that. When I was at high school my classmate noticed it and some laughed at me, mostly them who were around the “queen of the class” Amanda, whose teeth were not straight as well and she even has an underbite. I began being annoyed with my teeth and I wanted to do something about it. I even started to cover my mouth with my hand when I smile or laugh. Some of kids at our school had braces and I asked my parents for let me visit some orthodontist. Our family dentist recommended me to do that as soon as possible and gave us an address of her fellow student from the dentist faculty. I was very nervous about it as I noticed that the kids with braces were not too popular and sometimes they got some bad jokes from others. But better to get some jokes for some time than getting jokes and hating comments for all my life. So I decided to visit Dr Lavigne which my dentist had recommended me. My mother went there with me as I was only 17 and I was glad for her company which gave me some support. Dr Lavigne was not very old, I guess a bit over her thirty just like our family dentist, Dr. Shapiro, which was logical since they were fellow students. She was very nice and friendly. She examined my all mouth:
“Julia, your teeth are in a real mess. If you should have come earlier it would be much easier and shorter treatment. But it is all right that you came now, I can still help you but now it will be longer distance run. Of course you need braces. Are you willing to cooperate with me in full?”
“ Yesh, Doctor, of courshe. I will do anyshing what you will order. I want to have normal nishe shmile ash anyone elshe.” Yes, I spoke this lispy way so no wonder that my schoolmates made fun of me.
“Great, Julia. So first I need to make some X-rays and impressions of your teeth. Do you think I can make it just now? I guess that is better to start as soon as possible. Is it OK for you?”
“Yesh, doctor. Go on to do whatever ish nesheshshary.”
So she made X-rays as well as impressions of my teeth. I must admit that it was any walk in a rose garden but Ihad to overcome it as it wasn‘t worse thing than I imagined.
„We are ready for now. I will study it and I suggest a treatment plan which will be sent you through email to you on the next few days. Let me know if you agree with it so that I would prepare appliances for you. OK?“
I looked at my mom with question and she nodded. So I agreed as well. We said thank you and good bye and left. I was more nervous now but in the same time excited how it will be with braces. I hoped that I will not get more jokes than I was getting until now.
In two days the treatment plan came to my mother’s email and we both read it with great interest. There were many words we didn‘t understand but I could read something like a twin block appliance and after that fixed braces. I didn’t know what the twin block means and it scared me a little. But I was really decided to go through every kind of treatment to get rid of my messy and ugly teeth. We confirmed the treatment plan and we got an answer that my appliance will be ready in two weeks. I wasn‘t sure if I should be scared or looking forward to that. My feelings and emotions were mixed, once dominating fear, once looking forward to. Strange, isn‘t it?
The two weeks went so slowly and I started be more curious, more nervous and more impatient. But finally they were over and my big day was tomorrow. As my appointment was in the afternoon at 4, I needn’t apologize from school and my Dr Lavigne wrote that mom’s company is not necessary. I really was very nervous but I overcame that. I stopped at reception and I was sent to the waiting room where was only one boy about his thirteen with her mother, having something what looked like a horse bridle which didn’t help me from my nervosa but I didn‘t run away even if I was almost about it, lol. In a minute they was called in and in some while they left again, he was still wearing it and was about to cry. I hoped not to get the same thing and when I was called my legs were so weak.
„Good afternoon, doctor, sho I am here and very nervoush.“
„Hello, Julia, don’t worry, It will be OK, no fear, please.“
„As you know, we will start with a twin block appliance. It is supposed to be worn full time but I guess you will need to get used to it first so for the first week you will wear it at home as much as you can. Of course wear it for sleeping. You will have to learn to talk with it, so I recommend reading aloud and sing aloud. Your speech will be affected with it but if you practise it could be good and almost perfect, you will see.“
„ I hope I won’t talk mush worshe shan I shpeak now. What doesh it look like, pleashe?“
„Look, this is your new appliance. This is your upper plate and this is your bottom plate“
I could see something like dentures which my grandma had but without teeth but with some wires instead of teeth. They both were cut in the middle and connected with something metallic. They looked like some strange bugs. Oh, damn, they looked so big for my mouth.
„Are you afraid of them, Julia?
„No, not very mush, doctor. I am only curioush how they will be in my moush.“
„So let them try in, OK?“
„Yesh, I will have to live wish shem for shome time“
„Open wide, please.“
„aaaaaaa“
She put upper plate first, I heard some click sound, then bottom one with the same sound.
„Close, please“
My mouth was full of plastic and started to be full of saliva, which was much worse as my tongue has suddenly small room and swallowing was impossible.
„sluuuurrrr“ what an ugly and embarrassing sound! I felt so humiliated and scared how I will look and talk with this stuff.
“How do you feel, Julia? No pain or too strong pressure?”
I shook my head and I made the embarrassing sound again. Oh, you cannot imagine how bad I felt. I must say that I was blushed as a beetroot. The doctor had to notice my feelings.
“Don’t worry, Julia. The salivating will stop soon, when your glands get used to this foreign object in your mouth. It won’t take long, be sure.”
I was glad she said it, but still it didn’t help me much. I was very scared that somebody would see me with the block before I will get used to it at least a bit.
“Julia, now I need you to sit here for some time. I wonder if your new appliance does not make any sores on your gums or palate, is it OK for you if I take another patient in the meantime?”
I shook my head again, still scared to talk.
She opened the door and called someone. To my big surprise it was my classmate Amanda, the one who laughed at me most. She was settled into next chair. My embarrassment was huge as I was afraid of what she would say to my braces. I knew she need braces too, but she didn’t mention she was visiting the orthodontist as well. To my surprise she was in the same situation as me. She looked surprised too when she saw me in the chair. My mouth had to look puffy and my face was red.
“Amanda, your appliance is ready. I hope you do not mind if you get it in Julia’s presence.”
“No, madam, we are classmates, and she will see me with it as well I will see her with hers too, I guess.”
“As I told you, you will get an activator which must be worn full time. But I understand that you will get to use to it as well as Julia to her appliance. Here is your activator.”
She showed her something even bulkier than my plates. It looked like my plates connected together. It did not look like it could fit in her mouth. Of course I was watching it with an interest and I knew that her laughing at me finished. I even felt some sorry about her as her appliance was bigger than mine. But my mouth was full of saliva again and I had to make the horrible sound again. Amanda looked at me, but she didn’t smile.
“Open, please.”
„aaaaa“
When she inserted the appliance in Amanda’s mouth, it looked even puffier than my mouth. She got red like me when I got mine. I could see fear and embarrassment in her mouth and I understand her very well. As our chairs were rather close each other I touch her hand for support. She looked at me with amazement. I gave her my smile with sealed lips even if the smile was forced a bit.
“No too pressure or even pain, Amanda?” The doctor asked.
She reacted just like me – with shaking head.
“Sit here for a while and wait, please, I need examine your mouth if you won’t have any sores from the appliance, right?”
Amanda nodded for answer and made “sluuuuurrr” sound which made her blush.
Doctor came to me and took my appliance out which wasn’t possible without pouring some saliva on my chin and my blushing. Doctor gave me some paper tissue for wiping my chin.
“Open wide, Julia, please.”
“aaaaaaa” She examined my mouth and said.
„It looks good; my technician is perfect as usually. Do you think that you will be able to put your appliance in your mouth yourself? Don’t take it for the labial bow (she pointed to the front wire) but for these loops (pointed to wires on side of plates). The bow could be twisted.”
“Yes, doctor, I understand it and I am sure I can do that.” I was thinking that I will be allowed to leave.
“So show me, please.”
I inserted both plates in my mouth and the doctor looked satisfied.
“So we are ready for today and I would like to see you in a week to see how you get used and if it really fits well. And there is a rule – you come as well as leave with all your appliances in your mouth. Another thing – when your appliance is not in your mouth it should be in a box or in a glass of water, in no case in a hanky or even in your pocket. Small advice, rinse it whenever you take it out of your mouth and keep it clean, you can brush it with a soft brush and mouthwash for fresh taste. Good luck and bye for a week.”
“Hanh you anh bye”Ouch, such a huge lisp. I looked at Amanda. She looked very embarrassed, so I touch her hand again and pointed to the door and at myself to sign I would like to wait for her. Her eyes got bigger but she nodded. I left the office and sat down in the waiting room. In a while she came with her puffy mouth and came to me. To my surprise she hugged me.
“Now we awe on hh hame boah.”(we are in the same boat) I told her with a bit saliva on my chin which I wiped. My lisp was so embarrassing, but I didn’t feel too shy as I knew hers won’t be better.
She nodded and added “Yeah. We couwh be fwienh now.”She wiped her chin just like me.
As none of us had box, we had to leave with our mouths full.
