OMG, Susan. What an accomlishment! Congrats a thousand times over.

I've worn braces for the past 3+ years, and when the inside of my mouth gets destroyed (assuming its destruction similar to yours), rinsing with salt water helps it heal more quickly. Staying hydrated also helps. In fact, when my mouth gets chewed up, it's usually because I am dehydrated.

I hope you recover quickly and are able to get some restorative sleep.