Saturday a week from today the month will be half over. That
is the best the rest has to recommend itself, so far. Laura and I each have
dental appointments in the rest of the month. Mine is the semi-annual cleaning
and hers a cavity to be filled.
When she came back to the waiting room after her semi-annual
clean and told me about the cavity she added, almost in the same sentence, “Dr.
Bob says to tell you it’s not my fault!” and I had to chuckle.
These children
did come to us with few social skills, and Laura the least of all. Tooth brushing
was nonexistent for her. She simply “forgot.” We established the routine of
smelling her breath for toothpaste, morning and night, to release her for
school or bed. Weird, but effective.
Then at age seven or eight, Dr. Bob came out to tell me
Laura had a cavity, and was it OK for him to take care of it now instead of
another appointment. I agreed, with the caveat he tell her the cavity was the
result of not brushing her teeth. Dr. Bob was appalled. A terrible thing to say
when it might not be true. But, it might be true, so he agreed and got the job
done.
This time, he wanted me to know, the cavity is the result of
an area of malformed enamel. Which makes
me think, she certainly brushed her teeth almighty well these last seven years
to forestall a cavity in an area of no tooth enamel.
Laura’s dental appointment is the last week of the month,
spring break. I have a fine record of
not taking the children from school for any appointment, and I kept it again,
getting the dental appointment on spring break.
Sadly, I heard from her father today that his father had
passed away and the memorial service will be Saturday, a week. They will have
to travel the last Friday before break, and Laura has to see if that can work
with her exam schedule. I’m sure she can work it out.
So, March is not shaping up with the best of them. It still could
exit like a lamb, after the bone numbing cold with which it came in.
After a full afternoon of eating watermelon at the old house.
Your calendar is pretty full. That last picture is adorable, juice all over her and that grin!
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
And the obligatory self inflicted hair cut.
DeleteIt's funny but I was counting the days on my calendar today too to see when the month will be half over! I also have dental cleaning next week. I went to my appointment a week early (my error for plotting it into my digital calendar incorrectly) only to discover the office was closed for a conference. I wish Laura well in travelling to the funeral and you well with the teeth cleaning. Personally I find teeth cleaning worse than any other procedure.
ReplyDeleteSo do I. There is a standing order in my chart not to polish my teeth. On inquiry, there is no benefit and it takes an extra ten minutes to floss all the damn grit out from between my teeth. I may even have saved myself five dollars. I did save myself a lot of grief!
DeleteThe tooth polishing always makes my nose itch!
DeleteOf course, all those nerves are there!
DeleteI have a family history of poor enamel from my mother's side and a grand daughter has inherited that, so she sees a dentist three times a year. My children inherited good teeth from their father's side, only three fillings in four adult children.
ReplyDeleteWho is the watermelon baby? Laura all those years ago?
What a cute little girl. I relate to the dental appointments as I had a root canal done a couple weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI'm on countdown till take-off...and it's scaring me as don't at all feel organised. This long month seems awfully short.
A parcel arrived today. &*> More about that over on my page next Thursday. Can you feel the hug? YAM xx
I think its admirable that you did your best to keep the kids in school and not out for appointments. Convalescences for Laura on the death of her grandfather. Not sure if they were close or not, but a death of something significant like that may make one pause about their own mortality, no matter what age they might be.
ReplyDeletebetty
It doesn't sound as though you are going to have a lot of spare time does it Joanne?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't taught teeth cleaning well and wasn't'issued' with good teeth either..wish I'd had a teacher like you..and a caring dentist
ReplyDeleteI had a grandmother who was a dentist, it did not improve the condition of my teeth as a child, sometimes you need some luck too. You are an amazing grandmother who takes care of every detail.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have the first dental appointment over for this year!
ReplyDeleteI have fillings in my mouth from childhood (10 y.o.?) that are admired (?) by my dentists today. I'm 76. A result I think of poor genetics, a sweet shop on every corner, and less than desirable brushing discipline by my mother. You are to be commended for your consistent attention to the myriad details of raising children!
ReplyDeleteAnd I've had dentists who replaced every childhood filling! I'm sure mine started the same age as yours, and I will be 76 this month!
DeleteI used to wet the soap to make my mother believe I had washed.
ReplyDeleteI just wet the washcloth. Now I see why I was caught!
DeleteMy daughter had a strongly scented soap and she would smell the kids hands after they 'washed", if she could smell soap she sent them back in.
Delete"Couldn't"
DeleteAt a certain age, I do believe that eating watermelon naked is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful caretaker, in every sense of the word, you have been for these children. Your attention and loving care is your legacy that they will always carry.
So sorry to hear about Laura's grandfather's passing. My last father was a dentist and I am glad to hear about Dr. Bob who sounds like a good one.
ReplyDeleteI need to go to the dentist but I have no dental insurance and everything I need done will be expensive as in replacing old old old dental work that is falling apart. the back molar upper right reminds me with every meal. two weeks ago I thought the loose tooth I've had for so many years I can't remember was finally going to really fall out but it's firmed up some so I guess there was a little infection in there that cleared up on it's own. a funeral for a grandfather. when was the last time Laura saw him?
ReplyDeleteI have no dental insurance, either. I realized long ago how much the insurance providers actually pay, which is a reasonable charge. The dentist charge is inflated, the insurance pays UCC (usual and customary charge) and the deal is done. I worked for a dentist for several years, so now I have an interview with dentists' office managers about how much to charge me. If we don't agree, I move on to the next dentist on the street.
DeleteJames has no car and rents one for family outings. He took all the children to visit the grandparents shortly after they moved here, seven years ago. The Laura who came back was not the Laura who left, and I deduced it had been four solid days of bullying from, at minimum, the next two older siblings. The next time he wanted to take them, I kept Laura home. Their father was quite miffed, asserting he knew when it happened and was swift to break it up. We all know how well that worked! If she goes, she'll be fine this time.
I still feel it unfair that I was not allowed to go to my grandpa's funeral. Yes, I too forgot to brush my teeth when I was a kid, and today I am paying the price for it.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so very well.
Joanne, the middle of March (March 15th) or the Ides of March is a special day for us. We moved to Texas on that day 48 years ago... in a sandstorm... with 2 babies. Definitely unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteAnd referring to dentists - even getting my teeth cleaned is an ordeal for me. I do take good care of my teeth - mostly to keep me from having to go to the dentist where my heart races out of control... don't know why, but apparently dental phobias are common. Yes, tell Laura to take good care of her teeth!
The hubs and I have become 'pro brushers and flossers'. We both detest going to the dentist for cleanings...posishings not necessary? Hah! Guess who may nevver get a polishing again. Laura was a lucky young lady to land in Grandma Joanne's lap.
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky in that I don't seem to be prone to cavities. I've had two wee ones my whole life. My dentist, whom I've seen on and off for 18 years, has told me I don't need to come in more than once a year. That said, I feel like upping my yearly dental visits to twice annually. Overall oral care is important, so why not?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise in my mail yesterday! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI have paid enough to my dentist to send at least one of his children to a good college. My kids all take care of their teeth because nice teeth are very important in today’s society and also for one’s health. No matter, I still hate to go for my appointments. I’d rather have a colonoscopy.
ReplyDeleteI have and always will dispise dentist.
ReplyDeleteDoes the dentist have any explanation for the missing enamel? I wonder because long ago I had a friend whose little girl didn't have enamel on some of her teeth. The pediatric dentist asked if she (the mom) had experienced a shock around four months into her pregnancy. She had, and he said that was the reason for the lack of enamel. I don't really understand since babies aren't born with teeth, but something must happen during that time period that causes development of enamel when the teeth do arrive. I hated going to the dentist when I was young but don't mind now. In fact, I need to make an appointment for a cleaning and check up. I have dental insurance through my job so I might as well use it.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Without going into details again, yes, that's when my daughter's perfect little rose colored world disintegrated. I'll ask Dr. Bob.
DeleteJanie Junebug; toothbuds form within the jaw quite early in pregnancy, and some children, very few, have been born with one or two teeth, usually one.
DeleteWhat an incredible grandma you are. You have given so much. I guess I read between the lines that she doesn't really appreciate it but perhaps she will in time.
ReplyDeleteEven if I didn't care, I assumed the responsibility. And, I do care for her, so that's not much of an argument. Interesting point, though. It's like getting up in the middle of the night because your kid's crying.
DeleteOddly enough, I really liked my dentist as a child. It has gone steadily downhill since then, and it's been a long time since I was a child. I say thank goodness that Laura was able to have stability and care in her young life. There is no substitute for it. It's a bonus that you have developed a closeness over the years.
ReplyDeleteI hate getting dental work done, probably because I've always had to have a lot of it. I inherited the gene for soft enamel from my dad and it's a wonder I still have my own at all. They only have to last another twenty years or so, though! ha ha Good on you for standing firm on all the things needed to raise healthy children. It's a constant battle when they're little; when they're teens it's all out war at times.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, I got my 6-month teeth cleaning the last Wednesday of February. All was well except that I needed to floss between the back molar on the left side and the next teeth. It's hard getting there, but as we both know, where there's a will, there's a way! Peace.
ReplyDeleteSweet baby-now-adult!
ReplyDeleteMy brother Robert and I hated Dr. Fred so badly that I kicked him (I was 4). AFter that, he gave Mom a brown bottle with instructions to give us 1 tsp. before we came.
because we older folks have been to dentists all our lives, we have real teeth while my folks' teeth were worn and falling out.
Such a sweet picture. Am sorry for the loss of her grandfather. When my kids knew I would smell their breath to see if they brushed they put a touch of toothpaste on their tongue. I had to stand and watch! Oh the memories!
ReplyDeleteThat crossed my mind, too, as I wrote this.
DeleteYes, she did well to avoid a cavity for so long. My parents must have done a good job with tooth-brushing because I didn't have my first cavity till my late teens!
ReplyDelete