Gilly’s Journey Ch. 28
By: NapaCaster

 
I have several stops to make this morning before going for the final fitting of my wedding gown. I also decided that it was easiest to not wear any of my braces today or put on makeup; I don't want it to soil my gown. A simple floral dress and wedge sandals will do quite nicely, but I will wear my white facebow and headgear since I'm getting some pictures taken and a short video made for my friends to see. 

 
My first stop was at the optician to pick up my glasses for the wedding. To go along with my white facebow, I ordered a pair of glasses with white wire frames. I arrived right as they were opening, and my glasses were fitted right away. They looked great and matched my facebow perfectly. As the optician was putting my new glasses in a hard case, she commented that the lenses looked rather unique; she had never seen anything like them before. I explained that I had severe cataracts, and the lenses in my eyes were removed but couldn't be replaced with IOLs. She commented that that is a very rare treatment these days, and I was the first client she met who had cataracts removed and didn't get new lenses in their eyes.

 
My next stop was the orthotics shop to get my wedding braces. With everyone knowing that I always wear a Milwaukee brace and that I often wear KAFOs, Marc and I decided that I should wear them for our wedding, but not the ones I already have. A once-in-a-lifetime occasion deserves something special, and I'm just pulling up at the orthotics shop to pick up my bespoke braces. Collene warmly greeted me with her sparkling metallic smile, and I couldn't help but return the gesture with my braced smile. She looked great in the Milwaukee brace and KAFOs she wears for her disability, commenting on how my white facebow and headgear were the perfect touch for my wedding. She stood up, using her desk for support, and ensured her knees were locked and crutched to the fitting room with me following.

 
Once there, I couldn't believe my eyes; my wedding braces looked better than I could have imagined! The leather was bright white, with a semi-gloss finish to it. Patent leather would have looked gaudy, and a matte finish would have been too drab. However, the glossy, smooth white powder coat finish on the metal parts looked great and matched my glossy white glasses and facebow. The finishes on the metal and leather contrasted nicely and looked great. On my new KAFOs, instead of having the fitting that allows shoes to be swapped out, the white platform wedges with wide soles were fixed in place. This made the ankle area of the braces much more streamlined and sleek-looking. The sandals looked like they would give me firm footing outdoors, too.

 
There was also a pair of white forearm crutches sitting on the table. I prefer forearm crutches; they have the air of a permanent disability, unlike underarm crutches, which are usually just for a temporary injury. However, I noticed the hand grips on the crutches looked different, and there was also a pair of white leather thumb spica braces that match my Milwaukee brace and KAFOs. I looked a bit puzzled, and Collene explained, "The wrist braces were my idea. I thought you could wear them instead of gloves. They lock onto the grips on your crutches, so you can get a good grip with your thumbs immobilized. On the bottom of the grip, there is a little button you can push with your middle finger to release them. Billy originally designed them for me. I have tendinitis in my thumbs, and after a day at the computer, I have trouble gripping my crutches, and these make it so much easier. They should fit fine; we happened to get your hands and wrists on the scan when you got your new Milwaukee braces. I hope you like them!"

 
I took off my thumb rings and handed them to Collene for safekeeping, and she slipped them on her pinky fingers. I then put on the left wrist brace, and Collene laced it up for me, saying hers has Velcro straps, but she thought laces would look elegant for my wedding. My right wrist followed, and the braces felt great, positioning my wrists at the perfect angle to use crutches. I picked up the white crutches, and they clicked in place and were secure even with my hands completely relaxed. I crutched around the room, and I loved how these braces felt on my wrists and how easy and comfortable it was to crutch around while wearing them; my wrists often get sore and weak when I crutch long distances. I looked at Collene and asked to have wrist braces like this made to match my other KAFOs and Milwaukee braces. It was then that Billy entered the room.

 
"So do you like them, Gilly?" Billy said, smiling in his braces and headgear, "They look great on you." I told him that I did, and I thanked him and Collene very much. I released my crutches from my wrist braces, and Billy helped me take off my dress, which was a bit difficult with my wrist braces. I laid on the table, and he removed my sandals and proceeded to fit my beautiful new white KAFOs with their attached very cute wedge sandals. Once my KAFOs were fitted, Billy helped me get up and walk in them with my new crutches. They felt great, and more importantly, for these specific braces, they looked great. 

 
Standing in just my panties and bra, which sits pretty flat against my chest, Billy placed my white Milwaukee brace around my body, pulling the straps tight and securing the neck ring. It was also a perfect fit, and I crutched to the mirror to take a look. When I saw myself, I began to cry. Looking back at me was the woman I was meant to be—a beautiful crippled woman, just like Collene. I was so happy, and for a few minutes, I just stood there looking at my reflections. Just a few years ago, I was alone in the world and just barely scraping by, living a life of constant worry. Then I got the role where I wore KAFOs, then the other one where I wore a Milwaukee brace. Without the money to have fun or seek adventure, wearing those braces brought me comfort and excitement, especially when wearing them in public.

 
Then, when I got the role as B.J. Greene, I ended up with orthodontic braces. All these things comforted me and excited me sexually; I discovered I had a fetish. Then Marc came into my life and accepted everything about me, and now I'm here, wearing bespoke KAFOs, wrist braces, and a Milwaukee brace for my wedding. Damn, the only thing wrong is that I'm not like Collene, where I really need these things. 

 
"Gilly. Gilly! Is everything OK?" I hear Collene say in a concerned voice. 
 

I snap out of my daydream and reply, "Yes, I'm good. This is all so emotional and has brought back all the memories that have led me to this point in my life." Smiling my wide, metallic smile, I say, "Thank you both so much." I crutched over to where Collene and Billy were standing side by side. Carefully releasing my crutches from my wrist braces, Billy takes them and sets them aside, and I give them a big hug, with both of them pulling me in tight.

 
Billy then helped me out of my braces, and I put my dress and sandals back on. With each of my braces and crutches carefully wrapped in soft paper and bubble wrap, Billy placed them gently in a large box and then handed me my crutches to carry, which were also well protected with paper and bubble wrap. I hugged Collene again and said I'd see her at the wedding, and Billy carried the box with my braces to my car and put them in the trunk. After thanking Billy with a hug, he opened my car door and offered his assistance as I sat down. He is a gentleman just like Marc, and Collene is lucky to have a man like him with her disability.
 

******

 
I stopped and got a burger and fries, but I drove to a park to eat in my car. I felt like I was naked without my Milwaukee brace and KAFOs on, and I didn't want anyone to see me without them. I even put the top up on my car to try and disappear, but that was impossible in a red and white '62 Dodge Dart; if it isn't me attracting attention, it's my car. Just as I was finishing up my burger, a group of boisterous teenagers, a mix of boys and girls, approached. One of the boys pointed at me and shouted to his friends, "That's Gillian Anderton! Let's get her autograph!" The group approached my car, and I could see that two of the kids, a boy and girl, both had braces and headgear and looked to be a couple. Another girl was wearing a Milwaukee brace and walking hand in hand with another lass, and they also appeared to be a couple. The rest of the kids just seemed to be friends.

 
You know I don't really like being recognized in public, but I'm always gracious and accommodating when it happens. I don't think of myself as a big star, but the ratings and all the letters I receive prove me wrong. I still think of myself as an accountant who plays bit roles for a little extra money; my fame has never gone to my head, and I only think about it at times like this when I'm expressing my feelings. 
 

I got out of my car to warmly greet the small mob of adoring fans. They all asked me for autographs, and I keep an envelope with photos and pens in my glovebox for times like this. Since I had time, I took a few minutes to get to know these kids and what they thought of B.J. Greene. The girl in the Milwaukee brace, Kerry, said that I inspired her to have the courage to ask Hannah out on a date; the girl holding her hand is obviously Hannah. They are in their senior year of high school and plan to go off to college together. The couple in braces and headgear smiled wide and said they just got braces a few months ago, and they met at the orthodontist. I noticed their braces were just like mine, except for the lack of expanders or tongue cribs, so I inquired about them. They were thrilled to talk about their braces with me, and the girl said, "We asked for the Gillian Anderton look. All the girls want to get braces and headgear just to look like you," she says, turning to her boyfriend, "and so do some of the guys, too."

 
I had fun talking to the kids; it was so spontaneous and fun. I autographed photos for all of them with personalized messages. The girl in the Milwaukee brace even had me autograph her brace. I warned her it would rub off, and she said it was no problem; she is getting a new one fitted later in the afternoon. Finally, after a few pictures with my car, which they all loved in the background, we said goodbye.

 
As they walked away, I heard some of their comments: "She's so cool," and a male voice said, "Gillian's braces and headgear are so sexy," with a third chiming in, "She sure is a tiny little thing even in those high heels; I thought it was a camera trick to make her look so small." I just laughed, got in my car, and headed to the studio. Maybe being recognized when I'm out living my life is not so bad; I really enjoyed talking to those kids, and it seems that in some small way, my role as B.J. Greene made their lives better.

Gilly’s Journey, Chapter 30
By: NapaCaster
 
With the filming of another season under our belts, here is a little update. First, married life is wonderful. Marc and I are closer than ever and happier than ever. I have started active orthodontic treatment once again, and now I wear a lower expander along with my other appliances. It enhances my lisp for filming for the next two seasons, and Marc's actually using it in my treatment along with my existing upper expander. Maggie has a big gap between her front teeth and now has brackets and archwires, along with huge molar buildups, to keep her front teeth from contacting her brackets. She has a real hard time eating and speaking now; I feel so sorry for her, but she never complains and is always upbeat and proud of her braces. 

 
Marc and I are preparing for our trip to Scotland to visit his parents. They know about my KAFOs, Milwaukee brace, and crutches, with Marc simply explaining that they bring me comfort. They accepted his simple answer without question. I'll be wearing my purple Milwaukee brace and KAFOs for the trip, and I'll be using my wheelchair sometimes, too. Of course, my facebow, headgear straps, and glasses will match, too. I wish I could bring my black braces to wear, but baggage is limited on international flights. We are so excited; Marc hasn't seen his parents in several years, and I have never met them.
 

******
 

Our trip to Scotland was wonderful. It's a beautiful country, and the people were so friendly. Marc's parents live just outside Edinburgh, the capital. There were so many sights to see and so much whisky to sample. We made several trips by train to Glasgow, which took under an hour each way. Marc's dad was even up to traveling one day and showed us the house he grew up in. It was a wonderful two weeks, and it was nice to stay with Marc's parents instead of a hotel, but we did spend a night in Glasgow together. We plan to go every year for a visit; I loved the place.

 
******

 
With the filming of B.J.'s junior year in school well underway, she is becoming quite the beautiful and confident young woman and a talented designer. I wear the headgear and glasses that I normally wear—not the ugly black glasses and stupid pink headgear that were specifically for my role—but I still wear the bulky, awkward Milwaukee brace made for the stage. B.J. now dresses very nicely and has become very close friends with Amber; in fact, they're dating. It is the first time either of us has played a lesbian, and it's awkward during scenes that involve intimacy. I wonder what Marc will think when he sees it on TV.

 
Maggie is doing quite well with her orthodontic treatment, and her teeth are looking great. All her teeth are starting to line up, and Marc told her that she would be ready for her surgery shortly. My teeth are starting to look good, too, and they will be perfect by the time B.J. graduates college. Marc turns my expanders for me once a week, and I love the pressure and the little bit of pain. I'm not looking forward to getting my braces off, but there are some new and exciting things that I will be getting for a while, and then I'll be back in braces again simply for my pleasure.
 

******
 

Here we are, between seasons once again. My teeth are now almost perfectly straight, and Maggie will be having her surgery at the end of this coming season of filming; we are both making rapid progress. One evening, as Marc was watching me on TV, I asked him something that I had been curious about: Maggie has never told me about what her surgery will entail. Re-positioning my braced body on the couch to face Marc, I ask him, "Marc, can you tell me about the surgery that Maggie will be having? I'm very curious, and she hasn't told me the details."

 
"Sure, Gilly, I can tell you something about Maggie's upcoming surgery." Marc's braces sparkle as he speaks, "She is such a good patient and just goes with the flow, never asking too many questions or complaining; Maggie just accepts each stage of her treatment as it comes along. She thought you might ask about her treatment and said it was OK if I discussed it with you."

 
"As you know, Maggie has quite a few things going on with her bite. I have been able to correct almost everything with expanders, protraction headgear, and braces. Her teeth are no longer crowded, and her upper arch is almost perfect. I was able to get enough protraction of her upper arch with her facemask to correct all her issues there. However, her mandibular prognathism cannot be treated with braces alone. They will align her lower teeth in relation to each other, but not with her upper teeth. The issue is with the structure of her jaw, and the only way to correct it is surgery."

 
I just sit quietly, absorbing all that Marc is saying; it's very interesting, and he continues...

 
"The surgery will involve cutting away a portion of the jaw bone on each side to bring the lower jaw into proper occlusion with the upper. The cut is plated to secure what is essentially a broken jaw. Then a splint is placed in the patient's mouth, and their jaw is wired shut. They are on a liquid diet for a month as the bone heals. Then, the wires are removed and replaced with heavy elastics for several more weeks, and the patient can remove them and their splint for a no-chew diet."

 
"However, Maggie will be having a new procedure at the university hospital invented by one of the surgeons there that I often work with. He developed a computer-controlled robot that makes the cuts in the jaw bone at interlocking angles. This ensures that the cuts are in perfect alignment and that there is 100% contact to promote healing. The jaw is plated, splinted, and wired as before, but recovery time is shorter, and there is no chance for the jaw to become misaligned, which can happen with the old method."

 
"Now Maggie has an aversion to the idea of having plates and screws left inside her body and worries about them coming loose, which is possible. Since I always respect my patient's concerns, her surgery will not involve screws and plates. After the robot makes the precision cuts, Maggie's jaw will simply be splinted and wired shut. Depending on how she heals, she will be wired shut for six to eight weeks and on a liquid diet the entire time. Then, she will be in heavy elastics for another month or so and can eat a soft diet. Does that answer all your questions, Gilly?"

 
I told Marc that all my questions were answered, even some I didn't know I had. We finished watching me on TV, then went to bed. Thinking about Maggie's surgery got me aroused, and I was curious what it be like for her. Marc satisfied my arousal, but not my curiosity.
 

******
 

We are well into the filming of B.J. senior year in college. She is now extremely popular and dresses very fashionably, often in outfits she designs. Like me in real life, B.J. is starting to look more mature for her age. That means that I look more like a twenty-two-year-old despite being thirty-one, but at least I don't look like a teenager anymore; I'm finally beginning to age. 

 
The romance between B.J. and Amber is quite intense, too. They are madly in love and plan to get married after graduation. Both girls have job offers with a major design house, too. However, this season ends distressingly for B.J., and I'll give you a sneak peek. The last episode will have B.J. visit the orthopedist, and she will be told that she no longer needs to wear her Milwaukee brace. She is elated to be free of the hated device that has been a constant and tormenting companion for so many years, and she happily leaves it behind at the doctor's office.

 
The next scene jumps to B.J. visiting the orthodontist to get her braces removed. We'll film this at Marc's clinic, and he will get to guest star in another episode. Her braces are removed, and she is given Essix retainers to wear, which are not noticeable at all. B.J. is elated to be free of her braces and headgear and walks triumphantly out of the orthodontist's office with perfectly straight teeth and perfect posture, ready to face the world as a beautiful, confident, and very skilled young woman with a bright future in the fashion industry.

 
However, the day does not end well for B.J. As she is walking home from the orthodontist, she is texting with Amber. Distracted by her phone, B.J. doesn't see the fast-moving car as she steps into the street to cross. The season ends with a horn blowing and B.J. screaming with an image of a car coming at the camera at high speed. A bloody and battered B.J., with her clothing torn, is seen lying on the hood of the car with the windshield broken. The screen fades to white with the sounds of sirens and a heart monitor beeping, then the sound fades to nothing as the screen goes black. It's really intense and dark.
 

******
 

With the senior year season wrapping up with a real cliffhanger, life gets back to normal. Marc made me a new set of fake braces to wear that fit my now-perfect teeth. I just love being a brace face and wearing headgear, but fake braces are nothing like the real thing; I really miss my real braces, even though for years they did nothing but look cute and give me a sexy lisp.

 
The cast and crew really enjoy the expedited schedule and shorter breaks. After the next season is filmed, it will be several years before it airs, and we will basically be on a paid vacation the entire time. Who knows if we will be signed for more episodes so we made the next, possibly final, season end on a happy note. After B.J.'s long recovery from her accident, she and Amber get married and move to Paris to pursue their careers in fashion design.
 
 
******
 

Renovations on our home were recently completed, with the addition of a new master suite and our old bedroom made into a guest suite. The timing is just right since Maggie will be staying with us for a while after her surgery. Her surgery is tomorrow, and she is staying the night so we can get an early start in the morning.

 
When Maggie arrived, she had this little tube leading from one of her nostrils. It was taped to her cheek and looped over her ear. Of course I was curious and asked about it, and she cheerfully replied, "That's my NG tube. I think it's kind of cool, and it felt funny when the nurse put it in. My surgeon wants to ensure that I get enough nutrients while my jaw is wired shut, since I might be wired shut for so long. He says supplemental nutrition is extremely helpful for healing and helps with a positive attitude since I'll be getting proper nutrition. I don't even have to eat by mouth if I don't want to. I'll show you and Marc how it works when he gets home." 

 
Maggie settled into her room, and we sat down to chat. She said she had something important to tell me:
 
"Gilly, I met a guy at the orthodontist, and we have been dating for several months. I didn't tell you right away because I wanted to see if things would work out, and they have. Miles has the same orthodontic issues as me, and in fact, we are both having surgery at the university hospital tomorrow. He's a high school chemistry teacher and an overall wonderful guy. I think catching your headgear at your wedding might be working for me."

 
We went out for an early dinner to give her enough time before her surgery. Maggie enjoyed her last solid meal for many weeks, a nice steak dinner. When we got home, Marc went over things with Maggie about her surgery and recovery, reminding her that he would be assisting with both her and Miles' procedures. Confident in the skills of her surgeon and Marc, Maggie got a restful night's sleep.

 
The next morning, we were all up early and headed to the hospital. A few minutes after Maggie got checked in, Miles arrived, accompanied by an older woman. Maggie introduced us to Miles and his neighbor, Susan, a retired nurse who will be caring for him during his recovery. Soon, Dr. Rochester, the surgeon, stopped in to check on Miles and Maggie and answer any questions they might have. Marc then left with Dr. Rochester to go get scrubbed in for surgery; Marc will be assisting with both procedures. Susan and I then left Miles and Maggie with the pre-op nurses and went to have coffee, then to await word from Marc.

 
Minutes seemed like hours as we waited, and I was really worried about Maggie. Susan comforted me and somehow got me to talk about all my braces, and I confided in her my secret. She laughed and simply said, "You're not the only one." I took that to mean that she has similar interests but I didn't pursue the subject. Finally, Marc came out of the OR and said that Miles and Maggie were out of surgery. Everything went well, and we could see them soon.

 
When I saw Maggie, I didn't recognize her. Her entire face was swollen, and her lips were very puffy. Tied around her face were cold packs, and I could see the splint between her teeth and the wires wrapped around the hooks that Marc put on her braces last week. I held her hand, and her eyelids began to flutter, and I asked, "Maggie, how are you doing?" She gripped my hand as she opened her eyes and, without any movement of her face or jaw, weakly said, " ee urts wewe ad (It hurts really bad)" I told Maggie that she would be OK and turned away so she couldn't see me weeping; seeing her like this was so painful.
 

After a few hours and getting her pain medication dosed correctly, Maggie was feeling a bit better with less intense pain. One of the nurses asked Maggie if she wanted to get up and walk around to see if she was ready to go home, and she weakly replied, "ess. i un oo o ome ith Illy un Arc (Yes. I want to go home with Gilly and Marc)"  The nurse walked Maggie around the room, and she was doing quite well. Then she got back into bed to rest. Finally, both Maggie and Miles were ready to go home, and before sitting in their wheelchairs, they hugged.
 

At home, we got Maggie settled in. Marc gave her a dose of her liquid pain medication, and I hooked up her feeding pump, and she fell fast asleep in the recliner. 

 
Maggie's long journey is just beginning.

Your stories never disappoint. Do you already have more chapters written? Hopefully there won’t be an ending anytime soon.

Gilly’s Journey Ch. 32
By: NapaCaster

 
The next several weeks of filming went well, and I am feeling quite at home and comfortable with my casts, halo brace, and my jaw wired shut most of the time. Every other weekend, Marc unwires my jaw and replaces the wires with elastics so I can exercise my jaw and eat solid food. Maggie is still wired shut from her surgery; she is healing very slowly, and I feel bad every time Marc unwires me, knowing that Maggie has been continuously wired shut for over two months. I hope she can get them off in another two weeks, but I have yet to hear her complain about anything. I think Maggie is like me and actually likes being wired shut. Miles has had his wires off for weeks now and is back to eating solid food, but he still must wear his splint with elastics when not eating or brushing.

 
******
 

Well, our schedule got set back for a few weeks. On the day that we filmed the scene where B.J. gets her casts removed and the LLC on her left leg gets changed out for a SLC, the crew ended up getting food poisoning. It was the day before Maggie got unwired, so since both of us were wired shut, we were spared since we didn't eat anything. She is so thankful that she had to spend the additional weeks wired shut, which prevented her from getting sick, and boy did everyone get sick.

 
Oh, and Maggie's smile is looking so good, too. I could tell from her profile that her surgery really changed her face for the better. However, her splint and wires covered up her teeth so much that her smile really couldn't be seen. Now that she can remove her splint to eat and brush, I got a really good look at her new smile, and it is almost perfect. She still has to wear her splint with elastics for several more months and won't be getting her braces off anytime soon, but she is looking great, and she is so happy she is getting her smile fixed. 
 
 
******

 
So, after a two-week break for everyone to recover from the food poisoning—it was really bad—we had another setback. There was a wildland fire that took out the power lines and substation that supply electricity to the studio. At least they arrested the firebug who started the fire, and he will be in jail for a very long time. It took another two weeks to get power restored since there was so much damage.

 
What this all meant was that I got to spend an extra month in my halo brace, short leg cast, and with my jaw wired shut. I was supposed to shoot the scene when B.J. got unwired the day after everyone got sick, so it appeared that B.J. got her casts removed and unwired the same day. Well, that didn't happen, and I got to enjoy everything for an extra month. So when we got back to filming this week, the first thing was B.J. getting unwired, her feeding tube removed, and getting braces again. This was planned as part of the screenplay, but since I was wired shut for so long and couldn't wear my retainers with brackets on them-my teeth had moved quite a bit. So, I got braces again while still in my halo and short leg cast, with it all being filmed for the show. It was quite exciting for both Marc and me to have him working in my mouth with my head and neck completely immobilized.

 
*******

 
Well, the season of filming is almost over, and I got my halo brace off about a month ago, and I miss it. My neck was very weak, so I needed to wear a hard collar for a while, and we worked that into the show. The first half of the season dealt with B.J.'s recovery with Amber by her side, taking care of her. The second half is about B.J. and Amber beginning their fashion design careers, with B.J. facing many challenges. Not only did she have to begin working while still wearing her hard collar, but she also has to wear a KAFO on her badly injured left leg, which has nerve damage. That means I get to wear my left KAFO for the rest of the season. The only scenes left to shoot are the wedding scenes where B.J. and Amber get married. Last season ended in tragedy, and this one ends on a very happy note with the girls getting married and them moving to Paris to pursue their careers with a large design house. We have no idea if we will be signed for more seasons, so we wanted things to end very positively, since positivity and overcoming challenges have been the theme all through the series.

 
******
 

With filming done for a while, it will be several years before the last season we filmed airs; life is once again very relaxed. I didn't like the braces I got after my teeth moved after being wired shut; they were just metal brackets since the story didn't revolve around B.J.’s Milwaukee brace or orthodontic braces anymore. I had Marc put in all the same appliances that I had worn for years, but with two little changes. I used to have brackets on my front teeth, but I had Marc band all my teeth, and they look great. The other thing is that I had him place surgical hooks on my archwires between each band so I could be wired shut at any time with or without a splint. This will be so much better than the archbars I had before; it was quite painful to get them removed. I had them for so long that they started to grow into my gums.

 
I'm also back to living my life wearing my KAFOs and Milwaukee brace full time, and when I go out, I most often use my wheelchair. They still bring me the same comfort that they have for years, and since they are getting worn out and a little tight, I recently got scanned for a new set. They will be ready before our next trip to Scotland.

 
Speaking of my braces not fitting as well as they used to, I've put on a little weight. Not too much; I'm only up to 102 pounds after weighing 96 pounds for many years. My face is starting to age a little bit, and I have a few wrinkles around my eyes, nose, and corners of my mouth. They look cute, but I still look very young. What am I now, thirty-three? I would say that I almost pass for my age now, especially since I have some wisps of gray hair; my mother grayed early in life, too. 

 
Maggie and Miles are now engaged, but they have not set a wedding date yet. She credits her luck in finding such a great guy by being the lucky girl to catch my headgear at my wedding. Maggie joins Sally and me on our Friday girls night out, and Miles goes bowling with Marc and Ron. Even though Miles is a beginner, he has a great talent for the sport.

 
When Maggie and I go out shopping or just for some fun, we often wire each other shut for the day. She asked Marc to leave her surgical hooks for her to have fun with, and she does have fun with them. We love going out with a ton of wires securing our jaws tightly around our splints. Oh, the attention we get, especially with me in my orthopedic braces and wheelchair, and we love talking to strangers. As you know, I'm always in my back and leg braces, and I never wear a hairstyle that I wore on film, so I never get recognized. Oh, it sure seems that Maggie shares my love of orthodontics and is thinking of doing something like Sally with her inactive braces once her teeth are straight.

 
******
 

It's been some time since I last did any writing. Marc and I spent a month in Scotland, and we had a great time. We visited with some family members that he had never met, and everyone accepted me and my braces without question. I used both my wheelchair and my crutches on the trip and had a lot of fun. Marc can't figure out what he likes best, me rolling along side him in my wheelchair or walking behind me, watching me move gracefully on crutches with my legs locked stiff; I enjoy doing both.

 
I have also played a few small roles for Bill-Jack Productions, but I'm always credited as 'Maggie LeBron'. With my hair really beginning to gray, I look nothing like B.J. Greene now. These roles are often just as a handicapped woman crutching or rolling along during a street scene and not actually a character in the production. It's fun, and it's a nice break from my accounting work and working in Marc's orthodontic lab at home. Since Dr. Joe has retired and Marc has taken over the clinic, I now do the books for MacGregor Orthodontics. I'm always finding ways to pay lower taxes and increase profits, and Marc has been able to expand the business, and he has three orthodontists working for him now. Marc only works a few days a week, if that, and he only takes on the most difficult and challenging of cases, leaving the rest to his associates.
 
 
Since the clinic is so busy, Marc was contracting out the fabrication of common appliances like retainers. Long ago, Marc taught me how to make these types of appliances, and I really enjoy the work. I work in our little lab at home several hours a day and I really like it. It's very relaxing and a bit artistic, sculpting the plastic and wires to perfectly and comfortably fit in someone's mouth. Since my labor is free, the only cost is the materials, which are inexpensive, leading to higher profits. Since I don’t really like going out anymore, it gives me a fun hobby that allows me to stay at home, which I like.

 
******
 

Today in the mail, I got the letter that Bailey had warned me I would be receiving. It was a copy of a letter sent to Bill-Jack Productions from the DuMont Network stating that the contract for 'The Life of B.J. Greene' would not be renewed. The reasons given were a general change in television viewing habits and some odd demographic information from the first few weeks of what is now the final season. All previous seasons, teenage girls made up 60% of viewership, with the remaining 40% split between teenage boys and couples between 55 and 70. It makes sense; the program is for teenagers, and the older people are reminiscing about their youth.

 
However, there was a drastic change in demographics for the last season. The vast majority of viewers were adult men in the 25–40 and 41–55 age groups, with the rest of the viewership split as before. This stunned the network and greatly affected selling advertising time. How do you get sponsors for a program aimed at teenage girls when the majority of viewers are adult men? The network and advertising men couldn't figure it out, but I know the reason: It's men like Marc and Ron who have a thing for pretty girls in casts and braces. I know this for a fact from posts on the cast and brace message boards. Everyone is talking about B.J. and her injuries, her halo brace, wired jaw, and casts. It's all fetishists watching!
 

Am I sad that it has come to an end? No, not really. We had a great run and helped a lot of kids out as they faced the challenges of high school and college. The program will be in syndication, so it will continue to help kids out. This is what Bailey and Hailey wanted; they had a hard time when they were young and wanted to show girls that things will work out in the end if they persevere. For me personally, if I hadn't taken this job, I never would have met Marc, nor would I have met Sally or Maggie, who are now my best friends. I got to experience many things that I had dreamed of experiencing during filming, too. How many people get paid to wear a halo brace with their jaw wired shut and with casts on all their limbs? And how many people would be in absolute heaven in that situation? I did, and I was; it was wonderful for Marc and me. Oh, don't forget the other people I worked with and became friends with, like Bailey, Hailey, Jenny, Janie, and Georgina, who just graduated college early with a degree in engineering; her dream came true, too.

 
As to continuing to act, with the investments I made and Marc's success, I don't need the money. Will I continue to make appearances on stage at times? Sure, I think I will. I don't want to be in front of the camera day after day, week after week anymore, but shooting for a few days would still be fun, and I'm still under contract with Bill-Jack Productions. But I'm happy with my life as it is, doing my accounting work and making orthodontic appliances for Marc. I'm also happy living my life as a handicapped woman, too. The few times a month that I go out in public, I’m never without my orthopedic braces, and I still have a mouthful of bands and appliances along with my headgear.

******


Oh, I must apologize for disappearing for so long. With my life falling into a routine, I completely forgot to keep you updated about what's going on. I only remembered because I had to look for a file on a laptop that I haven't used for a couple of years. You must have thought I died or something—I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging like that. 
 

Well, I just rolled back to the house in my new power wheelchair after spending a rainy fall day working in my little orthodontics lab. I made five sets of retainers today and also got caught up on my accounting work. Things are pretty much the same in my life, with Marc and I being as happy as ever. He takes good care of me and doesn't mind that I don't like going out anymore. Every once in a while I let him take me out for dinner, and every so often I go to the grocery store with him. Sometimes I even take my old car out for a drive, but I always have Marc take it to the gas station for me.
 

Marc goes into his clinic a couple days a week to deal with the more complicated cases. He also takes care of all the shopping and other errands for the household and spends a lot of time with his baseball card collection and restoring old Vespa scooters. Marc also still goes bowling every Friday night, and Sally and I hang out together at my home those evenings, cooking and enjoying dinner together. Sometimes Sally talks me into going out for dinner, even if that just means eating in the car at a drive-in. When Marc or Sally convince me to go out, I do like getting dressed up really nice—it makes me feel a little bit more comfortable when I'm out in public, but I really don't like going out. I only do it for them.
 
 
Oh, everything is great with my eyes, and I have about a dozen pairs of glasses now. My teeth are perfectly straight once again, but I am still in my bands with retaining archwires and wearing headgear. Oh, the expanders, splint, and tongue crib are all still in my mouth, too. I love having a mouthful of metal, and Marc recently said there was another appliance he would like to add the collection of metal in my mouth. It's a device that is sort of like a Herbst appliance, but the telescopic sections can be locked in any position to allow my jaw to be immobilized—I'm really excited to get it.
 

Marc is still wearing his braces, tongue crib, and high pull headgear, too. His braces now have retaining archwires like mine and Sally's so his teeth don't move, and his headgear is fitted to be very loose. Like me, he simply enjoys how his braces look and how they feel in his mouth. I like how he looks wearing them and feeling all the metal in his mouth when we take off our headgear to kiss. Since Marc's clinic only takes on adult clients, and he deals with the difficult cases that often require things like headgear, he feels that being in headgear himself and having his assistant wearing headgear puts clients at ease. I think he has a good point—if you needed such an appliance, would you feel more at ease if your handsome orthodontist and his very pretty assistant were wearing them themselves?
 

The only thing that has changed is my hair and my back brace. I now have a full head of long, gray hair, and I look so mature, sophisticated, and sexy. Often, I wear one of my new back braces called a CTLSO. I have several to match my KAFOs, and they are much like Milwaukee braces, but they cradle the back of my head and have a well-padded chin cup. When I'm in this type of brace, I can't move my head at all—well, maybe a little bit—and I love how it feels. 


Sitting in my wheelchair, waiting for Marc to come home, I got to looking at the cast and brace message board. There was a post by a gal that goes by 'L-Cast- with a link to her new business, 'The Clinic', which she stated is a 'place where orthodontic and orthopedic dreams come true'. I clicked on the link and explored the website, which was extremely interesting. I was looking at the services provided—things like getting casts applied, orthodontic treatment just for pleasure like Marc, Sally, and I are enjoying, vintage hospital experiences. Then there was one thing that really caught my eye—electronic paralysis. Ever since I started wearing my orthopedic braces full time, I have dreamed about being paralyzed and really needing to wear them.


I read the bio of Dr. Myra Johnson, who developed the procedure originally as a form of pain control. Then, with her knowledge of paraphilias and BIID, her husband modified the device to provide controlled temporary or long-term paralysis and to simulate other aspects of spinal cord injuries. There are both external devices for temporary use, or after a long psychological evaluation and the use of the external device continuously for one year, the client could then get a device implanted for permanent use. My heart almost jumped out of my chest as I read these words. I could be paralyzed at will and control every aspect of it, such as having feeling and no movement, complete paralysis, or partial paralysis. It can even be programmed to affect bladder and bowel control and it can even cause uncontrollable spasms. Without even consulting with Marc, I called and scheduled an appointment with Dr. Johnson.


When Marc came home, I let him look over the website, and he was quite impressed with the entire concept, especially the recreational orthodontic services offered. He then dug a little deeper into the services provided. Marc then looked at me and asked if I saw the services that Dr. Johnson provides. I said that not only had I seen what she had to offer, I had also made an appointment.
 

Marc stood up and removed his headgear, and I took mine off too. He picked me up from my wheelchair, and I put my arms around his neck since I can't stand without assistance anymore. I put my arms around his neck, and we kissed passionately. When the kiss broke off, he hugged me tightly and simply said, "Pursue your dreams, Gilly, with me by your side."


 
***To Be Continued in 'Leigh and Joel; The New Beginning'***