Going to the dentist..

I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned the other day. Good, good, my gums are healthy and my teeth are in good shape. I should tell you that I had rheumatic fever as a child and so I must pre-medicate when I go have something as simple as teeth cleaning done. If I do not do so I run the risk of getting an infection of the lining of my heart. I had oncethought this was like getting the flu, feel bad a few days then zip! - all better. Not so. The infection can linger for months and you feel so bad that you wish you would just die (hmmm, not my idea of a good time!), it can leave you with some serious damage and life long repurcussions, and it can and probably will shorten your life. None of these sound like good things to me, thus I premedicate. It's like 4 horse pill sized capsules of antibiotics an hour before your procedure. Makes me feel queasy but queasy for a short period of time seems like a fair trade-off for the potential consequences of not!!!

Now once I get to the dentist with my flossed, brushed teeth and my Tri-Oral mouth-washed breath (I love this mouth wash - it really works. My husband refuses to use it because he says it tastes foul. He sometimes is told he has no choice but to use it when he has indulged in garlic rich foods because it works!!), I go sit in the chair and they start cleaning my teeth. You know the little dnagerously sharp little instruments they use? From my perspective, which is admittedly a bit strange, it seems as if they are crocheting my teeth and this makes me laugh. My dental techs have likely always thought me a bit wierd. I'm sure this is confirmed in their minds when they apply the polishing paste. You see, I like to crunch it. I don't know why - maybe I just want to be sure to get that stuff deep in my teeth crevices to be sure they are CLEAN!!! It is satisfying to me somehow and I always get a little crunching in before I let them rinse it out.

Then comes the time for them to floss. I never let them. They can tell my gums are in good shape so they concede that they don't have to do so. My teeth are really tight together, particularly in the back, and it feels like most floss is as thick as a car tow cable so I only use one particular kind that I have found is thin enough and strong enough and it tastes minty fresh too - what's not to love there? Except of course it IS floss and who loves to floss their teeth?

Then the dentist comes in checks my teeth and tells me I have one in the back that is falling apart. Oh good. He takes pictures of it to send to the insurance company and yes, indeed, the corners of the tooth are falling off - seems I'm grinding my teeth in my sleep. Me? I NEVER used to... could I possibly be under any stress?

hmm, what was the name of this blog again? Oh yes - I have a bit of stress in my life.

It is not ONLY that my son is on his second tour of duty in IRAQ (read HELL) - it is that and all the other stupidity that relates to it. People claiming they support our military but not the war, not the President, not our being in Iraq at all. People politicizing things that are related to the war on terror and denying that we are in a war on terror. People protesting everything related to it and supporting Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink, denying that we should be doing any thing about the evil that is in the world. What the ????? Who would support an organization or an individual who supports the destruction of our nation and our way of life? - oh, yes Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink - friends of Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, hezbollah, insurgents in Fallujah, communism, etc., etc., etc.

You know, we have the right in this country to have any opinion we want. That is so awesome! My son, so many sons, fathers, brothers - and women in the military as well - are in part fighting for our rights. When you fight in support of freedom anywhere, it is fighting for freedom everywhere - but I guaran-damned-ty you that my son is NOT fighting for someone's right to destroy my freedoms, to marginilize me as a human being by supporting the ridiculous God-minimizing-women-hating behaviors of radical Islam (okay, in my opinion Islam in general), or for any ones' right to say or do something that as the mother of a military man who is in the line of danger puts an onus burden of pain on my heart. In fact, I take it very, very personally that my son fights for MY rights. And I think that if your rights step on my heart - he is fighting for my right to punch your lights out!!!!

Well, he is a male - you know they tend toward physical expression of their opinions. I may punch your lights out verbally but I think he would be amused and proud of me if I were to literally punch the lights out of someone who was being an a--hole to me..

Come to think of it -considering the stress level don't be too surprised if I literally resorted to fisticuffs!!!!

In the meantime - maybe I should look for a mouth guard to wear while I sleep or attempt to sleep....