Hello all! I've been gone for a minute but I'm back with a whole heap of "issues" for someone to fix. First, the most aggravating and STUPIDEST thing I've done lately...my husbands decided he was going to start dipping again but "just for a little while" he didn't actually come out and tell me I found a can of dip in his man purse (cooler). The next day he brought me home a pack of cigarettes. I can only assume this is a lets be stupid/bad together since I quit smoking over a year ago. I wasn't going to smoke them and then mistake number two happened, I had a mixed alcoholic beverage. Now, before anyone freaks just remember Elode is human! Mixed beverage along with lack of good judgment making skills = smoking cigarettes. Ok, so that's that. The pack is gone after two days and I haven't had any and refuse to go down that horrible path again so I'm not buying any and threatened physical harm to him if he brings any in this house. I've noticed that all day today I have been snacking, constantly! I believe it's from lack of having cigarettes so I'm pissed about that! On to the next issues. I have spacers in my teeth..FINALLY!!! I have a very narrow upper palate that I've been wanting fixed since I was young. We have started the long process of fixing the teeth for a "beautiful smile". Next week we are putting in a palate expander followed by braces. I'm so excited but my orthodontists is recommending that I have SARPE surgery (surgically assisted rapid palate expansion) since I'm an adult my upper palatal bones have fused so it would be faster and "easier" to have surgery AND maybe have my lower jaw moved back. I won't know until January so I'm pre-worrying as usually. I will have to have my mouth wired shut for up to 6 weeks. Blessing for my husband not so much for me. I'm worried about being on liquids for that long and looking sickly. Now I don't know if I should stop actively trying to lose weight or take my chances? Well there you go! One weeks worth of drama!!

@@MichiganChic I love the new pic!!

I'm an experienced "my kids have braces" mom with my fourth child currently having them. I considered jumping on the bandwagon too and I was told that adult teeth and palate move just as fast as a child or teen. Do you have time to get a second opinion? Two of mine had the spacers and then the little implant you crank every night. I'd hate for you to have surgery unless it's what you really want. And you're so tiny now!

@TinyTinkI went to two different orthodontist. The first said Damon braces would widen my palate and surgery wasn't necessary unless it's something I wanted. The second one (my insurance co picked) said If I wanted a "textbook" smile I would need surgery. I told them I didn't want surgery and we are fitting bands next week and putting in the expander on the 16th of December. I will have to have the expander for 6-8 months. It slowly breaks my palate (sexy no?) having surgery would make that process much faster. I'm just going to see what the actual surgeon thinks once he examines me and looks at my molds. I wish my parents would have taken care of this when I was a child but they didn't have the money so here I am. It is what it is. I hope your kids know how lucky they are!!

@TinyTinkI went to two different orthodontist. The first said Damon braces would widen my palate and surgery wasn't necessary unless it's something I wanted. The second one (my insurance co picked) said If I wanted a "textbook" smile I would need surgery. I told them I didn't want surgery and we are fitting bands next week and putting in the expander on the 16th of December. I will have to have the expander for 6-8 months. It slowly breaks my palate (sexy no?) having surgery would make that process much faster. I'm just going to see what the actual surgeon thinks once he examines me and looks at my molds. I wish my parents would have taken care of this when I was a child but they didn't have the money so here I am. It is what it is. I hope your kids know how lucky they are!!

I'm sure I bought our orthodontist a new car over the years! And now three of them don't wear their retainers. Grrrr. They are grown now so it'll be on them. Sounds like you've got the situation covered. I'm glad!!

@@TinyTink Brats! Lol! I hear that retainer is important stuff! I know a lot about the human body but teeth are out of my element. I'm having to research EVERYTHING and now I'm wishing I would have been a orthodontist! They make all the money! Everything's expensive. I have a new Lexus for a stomach and a nice used car for teeth...price wise.

@@Elode Don't beat yourself up too bad about the cigarettes. You are human, but we all know that you can gain control and not go down that path!! We all do things we probably shouldn't. I did Fireball whiskey shots on Friday night- felt guilty about that; but boy it was good.

Sorry to hear you might have to get surgery. I would flip out if my jaw was wired shut. I think my head would explode. I can understand your concern about losing any more weight. That is definitely something to consider. My daughter has the Damon braces and I must say they are fantastic!!! In just six weeks her crossbite was fixed, her front teeth straight. I have never seen such dramatic changes so fast. One of my friends daughter needed a palate expander and she went with the Damon braces and it worked super fast- of course she was 16.

Glad you got your sugar free Popsicles!!

My 'like' on the above post was for the "I did Fireball whiskey" line...

Carry on...

@@Elode you got this!!!

You know cigs were bad mojo, the popsicles are being exchanged, Beans & cornbread (yummy) are on the stove....all is good.

Now - surgery. Wiring your mouth shut??? Jeez, glad I just settled for a Lexus! That's EXTREME WLS!!!! haha

I would have to get with my WLS and ask their take on what to do. You are pretty SKINNY now

Lookout Wendys (frosty & hot FFs!) & DQ (butterfinger blizzards)!

@@glitter eyes Thank you. Maybe I will get lucky with this first expander and my teeth will move fast?! I sure hope so. The only good thing would be losing the remainder of weight and having a reason not to talk to people ha! I'm more worried about having a huge ridiculous gap between my teeth once they do expand but it will get closed back up. I'm not going to work during this time and I will be doing online classes.

@@jane13 lol Funny! I have an appointment with my surgeon in Dec. I'm going to ask him what he thinks.

@@Elode -- There's a little trick that helps with the urge for a cigarette. Inhale through the nose as slowly and deeply as possible so that your diaphragm is working with it; hold to a slow count of ten; exhale through the mouth as slowly and completely as possible, again using the diaphragm. Do it again. It knocks out the cigarette urge; something about taking in a good amount of oxygen. The down side is that it doesn't last, so do it as often as the urge strikes.

If you drink orange juice, it can help, too. A small glass should do it. Maybe even a gulp or two.

If you do dare to take a cigarette, you have to smoke outdoors. The psychological things about being put out like a dog may change your mind.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch Thank you. I haven't had any urges today so I think it's out of the system and I'm not snaking anymore.

I forgot to add in that post that I stopped taking my PPI and have had zero heartburn!!! I'm super excited about that!!

The first time you wrote "snaking," I thought it was a typo for "shaking." The second time I looked it up for slang and found two possibilities. In both cases, it's not the greatest way to be or feel. Glad it's passed.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch lol! I didn't even notice that!! Fixed it! Sometimes I type too fast, I'm trying to get it all down before it erases!