Dear Friends and Supporters, here is Amber's story in her own words:

"In 2015, I had the last 10 teeth on my upper jaw pulled out, for several reasons (bad genetics and excess cavities mostly), and in that process the dentist pulled a tooth without checking the roots and broke a section of my upper jaw bone directly under a sinus cavity. I have been unable to get this fixed due to money and it is now at a point where I have to.

I am 35 years old, 5'5", and 105 lbs. because eating is becoming more uncomfortable with time. I am asking for any spare change to put towards the fees I'm about to get just to stay alive.

Right now, it's at least six implant pegs to fix. There might be a hospital stay to take the bone needed for grafts. Medicine, Doc fees, surgery fees and anesthetic, healing time, and who knows what will pop up during this.

*Update*

Right now I have the initial surgery itself covered, going forward everything donated will be going towards the recovery and actual denture fittings for the peg implants. The surgery is set for 3/17/2023 for all the big work.

I have the best doctor for the job (in my area) and he's been so kind about everything. Recently I got some government health insurance which should help with most of the surgery, but dental didn't quite make it (obviously a liability for them).

My partners have been so supportive and without them idk if this would have even started. Thank you does not cover how amazing my friends are, but I hope you all will take it with warmth. I'm scared, but that's to be expected, I guess."

**Update 2**
It is now June 2024 and Amber has received a generous grant of $3,000 from the RESCU Organization and she is needing $6,500 to afford the last surgery to get her permanent dental implants. We hope to earn this with a benefit spaghetti lunch and silent auction. Please help if you can. Help Amber Smile again!!!

*UPDATE 3! WE DID IT!!*

(IIts Amber! I'm really bad at these update posts but I'm going to try!)

Hey guys it's the day after the funraiser auction and boy do we have an update! It goes here first because it is all thanks to you guys ❤️❤️❤️

Give butter hasn't taken out whatever they're going to, and I won't get to pull for a few days yet, so we don't have a solid number for what was deposited.

However.

What we DO have is solid numbers on exactly what that auction and donation bar raised!

The auction alone raised $3872!!

The donation bar on GB raised another $3796!

AND there have been several donations completely separate of givebutter since all of this began, totalling roughly $1800! (Not counting cash, which I apparently still need to count again)

That does not include everything I already had saved up before this started! I don't even know where to start. You guys did what I thought was honestly going to be impossible. I'm probably going to have teeth in the next couple of months! (Dentist's schedule now being the only thing that can delay it!) it usually takes me a couple of days for big news to really settle in, as I'm on stabilzers 😂, but i am pretty sure i was in shock yesterday. Hell, might still be.

Thank you guys so much. More updates will be coming. I'm going to do my best to cross update between my Facebook page, the GoFundMe, and the GiveButter so that everybody gets the news. I apologize if you have all three!

✨Non Money Related Updates!✨

The next appointment is currently set for July 17th; I wanted it set for after the auction that was the only day he had. And that should be the next fitting. In theory I should have this next fitting, one to test the wax mock up, and then hopefully at most two appointments after that (one to try on the actual dentures and one more if anything needs fixing before I take them home)

I will be spending at least the first couple of weeks after I get them still eating mostly soft food. As, just like with normal dentures, your mouth needs a period of adjustment. Primary difference being that they'll be in 24/7 so, shouldn't take long 😂

At this juncture I think my "first" meal is going to be ribs, after the two week period is up. Still soft but something that I can actually bite into interesting But I may only last a week before I get chips.

Today (Mon, 7\8) is for cleaning the house, so it might take me a few days, but I'm going to do my best to message everybody that I can find that donated or bid. Because I would at least like to personally thank you for this. My tribe in unmatched. Truly. ❤️

Set of 4 Fantasy and Nautical Themed Bookmarks by Leah Patton