Today was the day. I've been waiting two months for it - admittedly with much apprehension, but also with a determined resolve to do what needed to be done. I did it. It's over now, and I'm beginning to let the relaxation return to my frayed nerves. It's been an interesting day.
What, you ask, am I talking about? Dental work. Take a moment to stop snickering... thank you. You see, there are few things in life that I dread more than dental work. I'm not sure why, other than the obvious "it hurts" reason that most people share with me. Maybe I had a traumatic event as a child, one that's been mercifully pushed back out of my memory banks. Whatever the reason, I always get a bit freaked out about having dental work done. I don't say it's reasonable... I just know that I get like that! Nevertheless, and in keeping my word to my son (who insisted that I promise him I wouldn't "wimp out" and cancel the appointment), I went. My dentist was totally understanding and quite patient with his chair filled with middle-aged anxiety. The procedure went off without a hitch, and other than some slight soreness from having to sit with my mouth wide open for an hour or so, all seems to have gone quite well. (Perhaps some sensitivity, but I think that will pass in a day or so.)
So... why do I share this story of my unfounded and somewhat irrational fear of dentistry? Because God deserves the praise - even in things as small as this.
I last mentioned my issues with dental problems in my post of July 17, in which I rather bluntly stated,

"I’d rather be bedridden with projectile vomiting and diarrhea than have a toothache."

I then went on to explain how my teeth, I believe, serve as my 'thorn in the side'... whenever I have problems with my teeth, I come running in prayer to God. I still believe that, and I still come running! Today, as I settled uncomfortably into the dentist's chair, my prayers begin to flow like a river. I prayed for God's peace, for God's comfort, for God's mercy, for God's healing. I prayed for my dentist, and for the others who, like me, were uncomfortably waiting their turn under the drill. I prayed with sincere thanks to God Almighty, who I knew was with me - just as He always has been - offering praise and gratitude for delivering me once again from the perils of my lackluster dental hygiene over the years. And you know what, God blessed me, calming me through the procedure and walking me out on the other side with the work accomplished - and with me once again reminded how much God loves me... even in the little things like dental work.
Thanks to all who have prayed for me, but most of all, thanks to my Heavenly Father for His unending love and compassion. For His endless patience with my quirks, and His merciful understanding of my often silly fears. I've always been told that the love of God won't bring you to anything the grace of God won't bring you through. That's the truth. And while I am most certainly aware that there are truly those in significant need throughout this troubled world, I am also gratefully acknowledging that nothing - not even a fat man's tooth - falls outside the reach of God. All praise and glory to Him. Always.
Please pray for each other, and may God bless you.

"Dr. Lopes, you can now say that you've been prayed over through an entire procedure, because I started praying when I hit the chair and didn't stop until you finished the work!" - Jeff Jeter

I needed new shoes because I'm going to work tomorrow. Not to actually do any work, but to discuss how I'm going to go back. This is pretty exciting, though I'm also a little nervous. It's a big thing for me. It's been nearly 2 years. I think I'm going to enjoy getting back to work. I'm certainly going to enjoy being able to start saving for the future. Not only am I going back to work, I'm working towards something. I've never done that before.

It's going to be weird meeting people I knew before. I don't know how much they know about what happened with me or where I've been these past couple of years. I suspect they only know that I was ill. I should probably think about how much I want to disclose about my illness if asked. I think I'm going to be fairly open about it. It'll be nice getting to know people now that I'm healthy and not permanently exhausted.

Other stuff has been going on.

I lost my debit card on Friday night, It disappeared into the gaping jaws of an evil cash-machine. It's not been a big deal, but as a consequence I've now used my checkbook for the first time in three years.

On Monday I got my blood taken. They should have the results Thursday or Friday. I now have a little bruise over where the needle went in, which is the first time that's happened. I also went to the dentist. The last time I went they fixed one of my front teeth. This time they fixed the other one. There's quite a lot of dental composite over them now There's a bit more work to be done, but it's all at the back of my mouth out of view, so the cosmetic stuff (it all needed to be done anyway, but the dentist made it look nice) is complete. For the first time in years I have a nice smile. It's not exactly gleaming, but it looks really good. I'm so happy about this.

I'm still getting over my cold. What with that and the infertility stuff, I've been missing updates to my webcomic. I'm going to try to start that up again, hopefully this Friday.

There's other stuff I want to talk about, which is going to get its own post shortly.

For many people with slightly stained or yellow teeth, the dream of having a bright white smile just the celebrities seen on TV can become a reality but it does take some work. If you have a desire to get your teeth whiter you need to start using whitening toothpaste. Proper personal dental care using this form of toothpaste (which does contain fluoride to fight tarter buildup and prevent plaque) will enhance your smile and help with your self esteem.

Unfortunately, many teeth whitening toothpaste users claim that these dental products don't actually improve the color of their teeth because it is a result of a naturally occurring event within our bodies as we age. With that said, if you still want to improve the whiteness of your teeth you should start by visiting your dentist in order to obtain his or her recommendation for the most effective over-the-counter teeth whitening dental products. You could also decide to use their professional teeth whitening services if you are in need of faster or immediate results.

Many rich and famous celebrities have professional teeth whitening treatment performed in order to meet their own special needs and desires. They usually prefer this form of treatment because some over-the-counter products contain bleaching agents which have been known to actually cause damage to the mouth and gums of its users. In order to avoid this simply listen to your dentist's recommendations and then adhere to the product's instructions in order to avoid any adverse side effects.

Yellowing of teeth and tooth decay are brought on by an indulgence in eating surgery candies, items or treats. However, what most people don't know is that it's not the amount of sugar that you consumer which leads to tooth decay, but the how and when you eat your sugar snacks. As you drink sodas or eat foods loaded with sugar throughout the day your tooth enamel gets exposed to harmful acids. Some items such as cough drops and breath mints might appear harmless but they also contribute to this problem along with hard candies.

Most dental professionals and dentist advocate or recommend maintaining at least a 3 hour break between the consumption of drinks and food items that are comprised of sugar. In the event you must indulge in some sweets then you should make every attempt possible to eat them with a full meal in order to allow the increased saliva production the opportunity to wash away any harmful bacteria and the sugar that causes tooth decay and staining or yellowing of the teeth. Every dentist readily agrees that eating sweet foods before going to bed is without question one of the most damaging things you can do to your teeth based on the diminished ability to produce saliva while sleeping.

In order to help maintain your white smile some helpful tips include brushing your teeth regularly and especially after eating a meal, chew sugarless gum, instead of sweets for snacks try eating popcorn, cheese or yogurts, rinse your teeth with a teeth whitening mouthwash and include some carbohydrates with all of your meals.

my friends and i all work in wine, all love wine, and all spend many a night sitting around drinking it...and invariably, we all end up with purple teeth. i discovered wine wipes vis à vis 15〫C wine shop...albeit, they may taste salty, but if you are a fraction of the fashion victim that I am, you'll think it a smile (ha ha) price to pay for some fresh pearly whites after a full day of tasting, out and about, or just at dinner at home with some friends.

you can thank me later. ; )

B has been a little cranky with his two upper front teeth coming in. Which is understandable, but thankfully they are now in. And then today, while we were playing with a flashlight (his new favorite found object after diaper boxes), I discovered that not two but four teeth had been coming in at once, and he had two more bottom teeth on the sides that seem to have just come up in the last day or so. So instead of four teeth, he has six. Exciting! Only fourteen more to go, right?

He has also figured out that his most favorite found object, the diaper box doubles as a walker. He has just started pushing them around. People keep suggesting I get him a walker, but seriously, he is not a baby who needs encouragement to be more mobile. But I am going to get him one of those fun table things this week, because all he wants to do is hold on to tables and grab things, and our coffee table is not so fun and leads to head injuries. And all he wants to do in his room these days is hold on to his bookcase, so it seems like a good idea. And maybe I just want an excuse to go to the toy store. Haha.

Also! While he can say mama and dada, it is mostly just babbling, but today while we were playing in his room, he crawled up to me and tugged on my pants and said "mama." It was the cutest thing ever, and totally made up for his decision to scream because it is fun for most of the day today. Which was both hilarious and tiring.

Speaking of flashlights, I pulled it out because numbers 54 (wow with shadows) and 139 (create light shows) in the Play and Learn book sounded pretty fun. And they were. It was pretty grey today, so it was a great day to turn out the lights and play with a flashlight. Which in the end, ended up in his mouth, and his cheeks were so red. Haha.

This should be a fun week. Except for tomorrow, when I go to the dentist for fillings. But I have to say, as much as I hate going to the dentist, I do enjoy laying down in silence except for the adult contemporary music in the background. Wednesday we go to the toy store, and Thursday to the mall to run some errands. Friday is unspoken for, and Saturday is Ryan's birthday. I think we are going out for dinner that night. And Sunday is Thanksgiving, which should be fun. B is old enough to sit in his highchair and eat a little holiday fare. I bet he will like cranberries.

I really need to get back into the knitting. I have to make the other bootie, some mittens to match his hat, and work on the sweater I started. It needs a front and two arms. Maybe tomorrow. There is just so much I want to knit, it hurts my head a little. I am a little hestitant with the sweater, I think it will work better as a cardigan. But I really wanted to make a turtle kneck. I guess I will figure that out. But first, the other bootie.

After I had my wisdom teeth out I had dry sockets for a week, and I couldn't be on pain medication because I was working as a bookkeeper and it just made my brain too loopy to function.  Every day for a week I would say to the live-in, "you know, this really hurts, I don't think it's supposed to hurt like this"  and he would say, "oh, stop being a baby, it's supposed to hurt like that."  Later my dentist confirmed my belief that the aforementioned level of pain was not normal.  The live-in insists I did it to myself.  Well, as soon as I woke up I drove myself to get some take out buffalo wings because he was at work.  Sometimes you just want what you want. I'd already had a really nasty situation earlier that day when I'd tried to get to the pudding, which his mom had crammed into the clear vegetable drawer of the fridge.  I couldn't get that damn door open, I could see the pudding and I really wanted it, I just started sobbing.  It was horrible, but I made the major mistakes of the pity party which are 1.) sobbing in frustration when there's no one around to hear it 2.) sobbing while female.

The live in, not to be outdone, had to be taken to the emergency room on the day of his wisdom teeth surgery.  On the way home he was hamming it up, talking to his ice pack like it was a telephone, giggling like he was at a slumber party.  I went to change his guaze and, evidently this is a common thing for guys, as soon as the nerve was exposed he passed out.  I turned around and he had fallen head-first into a trash can.  I kept pulling him upright and he kept falling back in it.  The neighbors called an ambulance and, behold, that stunt got him months of pity.

Oh my god.

Fast forward to the night of September 29th...with his tooth in his hand he starts laughing and saying, "Tooth Fairy now I have a tooth for you. Wait until you see my list!" He starts writing his list, but he quickly realizes that his handwriting isn't small enough to fit his list on a 3 x 5 note card. Katie to the rescue. Take a look at his note to the Tooth Fairy.

The Tooth Fairy left him this note. The poem on the left hand side reads: "Roses are red violets are blue I will use your list starting with missing tooth number 2!"

He is looking forward to tonight, Papi (dad) will pull out tooth number two...OUCH!

(*ü*)

Annars har jag inte gjort allt för mkt än så länge. Plockat undan lite. Promenaden blev endast till Hemköp och tillbaka. Har gått med på att jobba extra 2 dagar denna veckan. I morgon och onsdag. Sen har jag tor och fre på mitt schema. Blir några extra kronor iaf. Alltid bra med extra kulor.

jaja

Jag har ALDRIG varit nöjd över ett foto på mig där jag ler med öppen mun. Men detta kan jag leva med. Mamma tjatar så mkt på mig att le mer nu när jag fått mina snygga framtänder. Det är ett helt år sen jag fick dom snart. Mina fina porslinsfasader....

But a quick scan of Google led me to Doc Holliday, of O.K. Corral fame. Yes, the Doc was a dentist, gambler, and gunfighter. D.H., it occurs to me, could also stand for Dental Hygienist, so there's another (loose) reason to go with those initials.

How many famous people can you think of whose initials are D.H.? In a couple of hours, I thought of seven. I think by Wednesday, I might have twice that many. Check back on the 8th for the list.

The same man that many praise on his slogan of change.  What type change are you all supporters wanting can I ask.  Do you think it's cool to hang with a druggie and their clan of people that hate America and all it stands for?  Do you think it's cool to trash talk our United States Army and Marines, Navy?  Do you think it's cool to trash the American flag and show disrespect for it?  Do you think it's cool to steal rob and commit fraud with voter registrations?  Do you think it's cool to scam people and use them to manipulate others and promise things which can never be? Do you think it's cool to have a person tell you what you can or can not say?  Do you think it's cool that Barack Obama defended the Acorn group and taught them what they know today?   Well if you answered yes to any of those then by all means Barack Hussein Obama is your guy. 

I know as always you want the evidence well just watch below for all you need is here:

Are you convinced yet?  If not keep watching!

How about now?  Still don't believe that your guy is no good?  Keep watching this video then:

You still not convinced that Barack Hussein Obama is a crook then keep watching!

So do you think this is cool?  Is this cool to you?  What is so cool about it? There is more!

You still loving this guy?  This is change we can beleive in huh! Keep watching this is the real deal!

I rest my case.

I will be going for an op soon to get my four dysfunctionally places Wisdom teeth surgically removed. Then I’ll wait for that to heal and get some professional orthodontistry done.

"Look at ME, no tooth!"...lots of blood

"Can't wait for the Tooth Fairy!"

With that, the theme for this week is "Teeth." 

Enjoy your week, and I hope you find many chances to flash your toothy grin.

Directed by Mitchel Lichtenstein

Starring Jess Wiexler 

Ok, you can easily piece together the premise of this movie from the trailer.  But what you can't appreciate is the expert hand that delivers a high concept idea like this in such a technically competant, skillfully acted, and craftly written way.  Adverb nazis eat your heart out.

All kidding aside this is the best quirky horror movie since May, previously reviewed by Sir Dantasia, viewed by both of us, probably on the prodding of AICN recommended geek movie pundits as Harry Knowles.  I got the word on this one from Mark Kermode initially, but Dan told me to check it out after his viewing.  In the vein of Saved! and Masters of Horror's Jenifer, this film delivers the goods (by the way, to fully appreciate Jenifer, rent the DVD and watch the deleted scenes, D'Argento fans eat your **** out).

This movie could not have achieved its intended affect without the talent and skill of actress Jess Weixler and guiding mind of Mitchell Lichenstien.  Jess had an amazing way of delivering the performance required of such a tongue-in-cheek role as the protagonist of this movie.  She handily shifted her acting between surreal and sublime so expertly that the role was completely believable.  The direction cannot be ignored also, because I've seen this kind of genre blundered before and the overall vision of this project is evident and laudable.  The cinematography (Wolfgang Held) should also recieve praise for such parsinium shots as Dawn's ride back to her home against the backdrop of the nuclear silos and the creative disguise of "suggestive material."

I pray we see more of these two artisans in future Hollywood cannon as they both have command of their professions.  Big applause for a highly entertaining, comedic, and satisfying visceral horror romp.

However. My orthodonist felt it was necessary to shave down the space between my teeth so that when invisalign adjusts them they will fit better.  And oh my god. First of all, now I have a new greatest nightmare du jour.  I experienced both the drill and then the manual file, all while the assistant looked on and chuckled at the sheer terror in my eyes. Second MY TEETH LOOK DIFFERENT. And uglier. I'm so angry about this; they're all straight now without that cute beaming outward character to them. I paid $4000K for invisalign so that my teeth could look better, not so that they would resemble a group of perfectly lined commie soldiers (yes that is how i think of them now).

So lesson is: if your ortho says s/he wants to shave your teeth, Do Not Consent.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.708684&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Feel free to contact us for the secret to strengthen those pearly whites. And we can even ask Lakhwinder to give you one on one advise (If his busy schedule allows.....)

Nos, eltelt egy kis idő, mióta az utolsó fogas kérdésekkel tarkított szösszenetemet és aggodalmaimat kifejtettem. Azóta túlvagyok jópár amalgám eltávolításon és foto tömésen, vagy a fene sem tudja mi a pontos megnevezése a módszernek. Most éppen egy ideiglenes hidat viselek. Csütörtökön szépen lecsiszolták két fogam, hogy a közöttük elterülő hézagot aztán pótolják. Mit ne mondjak, nem volt kellemes. Kaptam érzéstelenítőt is, de azért éreztem, amikor matattak a fúrófejjel az amúgy is agyontömött fogamban. Az még talán nem is lett volna annyira vészes, de szokatlan módszer számomra, hogy vízszintes helyzetbe döntenek és úgy hajolnak a szájamba. Éppen emiatt, amikor fúrnak, faragnak állandóan folyik az anyag a torkomba, ennek következtében pedig egyfolytában nyelnem kell. Mindenkinek rossz, nekem azért, mert azzal küzdök, hogy ne hányjam képen az orvost, neki meg azért, mert nem tudja rendesen végezni a munkáját. Egypárszor azért szóvá is tette. Ez van. Nem tudok mit csinálni. Bocsánatot kértem miatta és egy kicsit kellemetlenül is éreztem magam. De nem torkolt le a dok, azt mondta ez reflex. Akkor nem értem, miért kell minden alkalommal megjegyezni. Jó, nem bántóan. Csak, amúgy is kiszolgáltatott helyzetben vagyok és akkor még ez a tőlem független dolog is idegesít. Vagy lehet csak én nem vagyok hozzászokva a mélytorkos cuccokhoz. No, röviden ennyi. A héten megyek vissza vázpróbára. Pár nap múlva meg átadásra. Aztán még lesz jelenésem. Ez a próba sem lesz egyszerű. Mondta a doktorbácsi, mivel alul nem a legjobb pózban feszítenek a fogaim a technikusokat jól megdolgoztatom. Még ezzel is csak fokozza az izgalmamat. Remélem nem leszek olyan nagy kihívás. Hamarosan kiderül.

Impartial, objective, non-judgmental me can't take sides, but I can share one observation that I haven't heard or read anywhere else, and I don't believe you'll hear or see anywhere else.  That is one of the great bonuses of reading this blog.  Insight as deep as a kiddies' pool. 

And you'll find it on the other side of this picture that...well, really...doesn't it make Joe and Sarah look like they waltzed out of there and into a car with a "Just Married" sign on it?

So here it is: Those two have great teeth.  Super smiles.   

If I were a dentist, I'd put their pictures up in my office.  The American Dental Association must be so proud to have two of the greatest sets of choppers running for the second most powerful job in the land.  (Well, not really, but...).

After all, who doesn't love a great smile?

Enjoy the weekend.