Nightmare on Dental Street

The bets are brewin’ at the dentist’s office, I know it.  There’s a pot with my name on it!  The pot that all the hygienists, office personnel, and even the dentist herself is throwing money into…

I’ll bet you anything she will be back!

Unfortunately, they’re RIGHT! 

Let’s rewind a bit.  A few weeks ago my very back molar on the bottom left started to hurt when I chewed on it.  Not like a toothache kind of pain.  It was a sharp pain whenever I would bite down. 

Trusty ol’ Google to the rescue…

Fracture! 

No way!!  I don’t chew ice (ok, maybe when I’m pregnant but that doesn’t count)… I just eat.  FOOD!  Food can’t do that, can it? 

More research revealed that bruxism is often to blame.  Darn bruxism!!  Why do you plague me? 

Then it was on to study the tooth itself.  I turned on the flashlight on my phone and began investigating.  Sure enough, I could see the break.

And the next day… it still hadn’t healed.  What!?  I can hope… that it might heal… overnight.  A good night’s sleep can do wonders for one’s body.  It just doesn’t seem to heal teeth. 

STUPID BRUXISM!  Did I say that already?

I called the dentist, got in within a couple of days and really hoped that they would let me in on some groundbreaking new way of fixing broken teeth.  Put it in a cast for six weeks?  I could live with that!  Teeth are bones… bones heal, right?

Um, no.  Teeth are dumb.  They didn’t get the memo.

And all the dentist did was confirm my fears.  ROOT CANAL!  I’ve never had a root canal before.  Scary!!  Plus I had SIX cavities!!  SIX!!  I went years… 12 years or more without a single one and now I have SIX???  Ugh! 

I promise I brush my teeth!

The torture began….

1st visit – Confirm my fears

2nd visit – Root canal performed.  Not as bad as I anticipated during the process but the aftermath was a nightmare.  I have a hard time numbing on the bottom usually because the anatomy of my jaw is different according to every dentist.  And my tooth had a hard to reach root.  Anatomy… who needs ya?  And the hygienist left the temporary filling too high, so…

3rd visit – same day as the second visit.  Had them drill it down a TON so I could actually close my mouth.  That tooth and the one above it were the only ones that would touch.  OUCH!!  That tooth was SO sensitive.

4th visit – prepare the tooth for a crown

5th visit – molds for crown

6th visit – right side cavities filled by endodontist who listened when I told him the fillings felt wrong.  Filed them down accordingly.  (Fillings don’t match my teeth… good thing they’re all on molars.  Isn’t that the whole point of white fillings?)

7th visit – Crown placed… WAY too high and after drilling it down to fit so I could close my mouth again, she had drilled all the way down to my real tooth.  Appointment set to try remove that crown and start over.

8th visit – left side cavities filled by the dentist this time who doesn’t believe me that they feel too high because her ‘special blue paper thing’ says it’s fine.  Oh, I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize that you ARE my mouth and you KNOW how it should feel.  IT’S TOO HIGH!!  FIX IT!   **Sigh**  (Once again they don’t match.)  Also, first crown removed and new molds taken.

9th visit – back the same day as the 8th visit to make her file the fillings down more.  She wanted me to wait until the numbing wore off to ‘make sure’.  Pretty sure I know they don’t feel right when only that side of my teeth will clench together.  I didn’t wait for the numbing to wear off, either.  I got home from the previous visit and called right away to get in.  Still too high but better… she DOESN’T LISTEN!!  Can I get the endodontist back?

10th visit – Got my second crown placed.  It’s a much better fit than the first but still a little high in the back… which is why I’ll be going back…. for an 11th visit. 

Can’t……… wait……….. woohoo.  **Said in an Eeyore-ish kind of way** 

And when I come through that door, they’ll put on their cheesy smiles while rolling their eyes behind my back.  It’s written all over their faces and I don’t care!!  You’re getting paid good money and I want it done right!! 

That’s all I have to say about that…… I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.  NIGHTMARE I tell you!  STUPID BRUXISM!!

On to happier dental news. 

This little snow princess just lost the second of her two front teeth. 

And if you can believe it, the Tooth Fairy forgot to come 5 NIGHTS IN A ROW!  We figured it was all the snow storms we were getting :).  When she finally did show up guess what she did… she left H a dollar that was already hers!!  (How was I supposed to know the dollar with the small blue ink smudge from the dryer was the one she had in her back pocket?)  WHOOPS! 

And these two handsome devils just completed their first SUCCESSFUL dental visit (different dentist, thank goodness)!  C has been a few times before this but this was the first time they were able to actually clean his teeth and get some x-rays.  He was so nervous about certain parts of it that he would literally shake.  Being the mean mom that I am I laughed.  B was nervous at first but he got over it pretty quickly.  No cavities for either of them!

 

Any dental nightmares you’ve had to deal with?

SPD–What fun!!

I try not to complain too much, I really do.  The fact is, I have really great pregnancies… or at least I used to.  Aside from a preeclampsia scare with K, the first three of my pregnancies were amazing!!  No morning sickness, no abnormal pains, nothin’!  So maybe I gained a bit too much weight but let’s not talk about that ;).

And then I got pregnant with C.  Still no morning sickness (thank goodness) but for the last several months of my pregnancy I had pains that I had never felt before.  I got shooting pains down my groin area, the sciatic nerve was a mess, and I felt like my pelvic bone was broken!  At night I would have to have Anthony push me or pull me in order to roll over in bed.  My bone felt like it was being crushed.  And getting up from a sitting position was never fun.  I never mentioned it to the doctor because I figured it was me just being a baby.  Maybe it was normal… maybe?

Then I got pregnant with B.  Things went along smoothly until the very end, maybe just the last month or so.  Pelvic pain, again!!  Only this time it was for much shorter period of time and not nearly as painful. 

This pregnancy has been a bit rough with the sciatic nerve thing and the groin pain but nothing I couldn’t handle… until now.  For the past few days my pelvic bone feels like it is crushed, just like with C… only WORSE!!  Seriously, I thought I was going to die for the past couple of days.  It’s the kind of pain that you don’t even know how to describe.  The kind that, when trying to describe it to others, you are sure they are looking at you thinking, Oh brother!  Get over it!  You’re pregnant and that’s just part of it.

But when it stops you dead in your tracks,

Standing up from a sitting position causes you to just about buckle over and fall to the ground,

Having to stand there, after gasping, for several minutes in a room full of people you don’t know at a bridal shower,

Mustering up just enough strength to keep from crying out in pain… crying real tears,

Just to have the pain subside enough to take the short walk to change your son’s poopy diaper in the other room,

Everyone stopping what they are doing to make sure the extremely pregnant woman is alright,

Wondering if she’s having contractions…

It is sooo real!!  And so not fun!

And that night I cried real tears three times just trying to stand.  Anthony tried to help me up but it didn’t make much of a difference in the pain.

It had started just a couple days before and I had done some research. 

What was this pelvic pain I was having?  Was it common?  Was it real?  Does it have a name? 

Indeed, it does!!  SPD… aka Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction or Pelvic Girdle Pain. 

Yesterday was spent in my bed… the whole day.  It’s the only time I felt relief.  Now trying to roll over from one side to the other was not fun at all but as long as I was still, things were happy! 

However, today (Monday) I would not be lucky enough to have Anthony home with me to pamper me and take care of the kids while I hung out in the bed.  So, early this morning I sent him to the store for a donut! 

Not one that you eat, silly, the kind you sit on.  I thought maybe if I could sit without pressure under my pelvis it would help.  It has helped somewhat but I also called the midwife’s office to find out if there was anything that could possibly be done. 

After talking with one of the midwives, I found out that it is too late in the game for physical therapy but she gave me the number to a chiropractor that deals with this sort of thing on a regular basis.  The appointment is set for tomorrow and I can’t wait!!  Never been to a chiropractor before.  I just know I am willing to do whatever I possibly can to help my poor pelvic area feel better.  Even just a little bit! 

I’m thinking that getting this baby out would be a GREAT option but it doesn’t look like that’s happening soon enough.  Still barely dilated to a one and no effacement whatsoever.  UGH! 

 

Have you ever dealt with something like this?  Any chiropractic help or anything? 

A Dental Emergency, a Cape, and a Glove

This past Sunday night, my parents came over to play some games.  Hand and Foot!  Ever played?  It’s a card game.  Similar to Canasta.

Well, when we play games at our house, Anthony and I like to do it a little later so the kids can go to bed and we can play in peace.  Not too long after we had sent them to their rooms, H came back into the kitchen complaining of a sore gum and a bump above her silver tooth.  It’s the tooth she had worked on years ago after I noticed a gigantic cavity.  I’m positive it was the result of bathing her teeth in soda every time she got the chance.  She wouldn’t just drink it, she had to swish it in her mouth before swallowing. 

When I took a look at her gum, sure enough, there was a bright red bump.  I knew instantly what was wrong…. the tooth had died!!

A dead tooth means a trip to the dentist to have the culprit removed.  I know from experience.  Twice, in fact.  K has had two teeth die.  TWO!  A dead tooth causes infection which can affect the permanent tooth underneath if not removed.  They first told me that it happens 1 out of 50 times a baby tooth has work done.  It was just bad luck!  The second time, we were told that it happens 20% of the time to baby teeth.  AND we were told that it can NOT happen to adult teeth.  Good to hear!

I called the dentist first thing Monday morning and we had an appointment set for that afternoon.  Upon seeing the x-ray, the dentist confirmed my suspicion.  Oh, and this time I was told that it happens a third of the time… what the heck?  AND, it CAN happen to permanent teeth as well.  I’m beyond confused. 

Luckily, the tooth was already loose.  The dentist was sure the root had dissolved because of the infection. 

Sadly, that was not the case.  The tooth broke right at the gum line and all the roots were still inside.  Poor H had to endure the likes of a small spoon digging up in her gum for the roots which ended up coming out in about a hundred shattered pieces.

 

Finally, it was all out!  They put the main part of the tooth in a little box for the tooth fairy to find.  H’s very first visit from the Tooth Fairy!!

Did I mention that the tooth STUNK!!  Holy… somethin’!!  Not even joking, it was foul!  There was definitely infection goin’ on up in there. 

Now I can breathe again…

Thanks for caring. ;)

And now for a look at some future fun we’re going to have with H’s tiny palate.  (Seriously, she’s got the tiniest mouth.  The dentist always comments on it.)

Take a look at those x-rays below… the two bottom ones show the infected tooth.  The black in the root area is BAD!  That’s how they know the tooth has died. 

But now, look at the top x-rays.  Notice how twisted and mangled the gigantic permanent teeth are.  Those are her 2 front teeth (top left) that will be coming in once she loses the baby ones.  I’m 110% sure we’re going to need some intervention in the form of an orthodontist.  Ya think?  Just a wee bit crowded!!

Anyway, H was a true superhero and they gave her a cape to prove it. 

She adores it!  It only comes off at bedtime and when she showers.  Other than that, she wears it everywhere!!

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And now, on a completely unrelated note, apparently C found some scissors in the girls’ room.

 

This should be effective… A was NOT amused.

A Little TMI… Sorry!

Today I can’t find my bra. 

Strike that, I can’t find the right bra. 

I have 3 bras… TOTAL!  Well, 5 if you count my two sports bras.

The three normal bras that I own are three different sizes.  One is a size A, another a size B, and the third is a D.  The D is a nursing bra so I guess that doesn’t technically count as a normal bra.  At one point, I also had a size C but it seems to be missing at the moment. 

Why would one have such a variety of bra sizes, you ask?  Well, before having children, I was always an A (I know, and it gets worse).  During my pregnancies, I always graduate to a B for the bulk of my pregnancy and toward the end, I am a full C.  Once the milk ducts do their thing after having the baby, I am a very full and very painful DD!  Yes, Double D!!!  OUCH!  That lasts for about two weeks.

They ‘slim’ down to a D for a while after that and eventually settle for being full C’s while the baby is nursing at regular intervals. 

Once the baby has started eating more table foods and it’s getting closer to the time to wean (around 7 or 8 months), they ‘slim’ down even more and settle for B’s.  I can handle the C’s and the B’s.  I rather like them then.

It’s always a sad day when the baby stops nursing for good.  I know what’s in store.  They slowly shrivel more and more every day until eventually…

They’re A’s again.  Very stretched out A’s.  You see, going from A to DD takes quite a toll on one’s girl parts!  Let’s just say, there were LOTS of purple lines during that first pregnancy. 

But it gets worse… (how could it get any worse, right?)  Oh but it does……

They shrink even past the point of being A’s.  They shrivel down to aborigine looking AA’s.  

**Sigh**

If you are a mom with the same sort of problem, I feel your pain.  If you are a guy and you are reading this… I am so sorry (and slightly embarrassed… but not really)!  Just something I had to throw out there. 

And that’s where we’re at now.  But do you know how hard it is to find a AA bra?  I can’t find them anywhere!!  And I refuse to pay Victoria’s Secret prices when I can go to Target or Ross and get four or five bras for the same price!  Unfortunately, we’re poor, so I can only afford one bra even at Ross prices.  But they only had A’s, not AA’s.  So, I went to Target (this was several months ago) and found the same problem.  But who wants to waste gas driving back and forth?  So, I settled for an A at Target prices.  Yes, that is splurging for me! 

At any rate, I have only one bra that {kind of} fits me.  Can’t find it.  This never happens!

Hope I find it before the girls have to go to dance class.  That could be embarrassing!!

 

Sinful Chocolate Chip Oreo Brownies {triple threat!}

This past Saturday, Anthony had the ‘privilege’  (if that’s what you want to call it) of running yet another marathon.  He had been carb loading all week long in preparation and on Friday night, he left to go to Logan.  K was lucky enough to go with him.  Anthony’s sister was running with him so her husband and son were able to spend Saturday morning with K.  She even got to run the last 2.2 miles with her aunt and cross the finish line with her.  I can’t tell you how proud she was. 

Anthony was even more proud when K told him that she wanted to someday run a real marathon with him. 

Well, Saturday was also the ‘big game’!  Utah vs BYU!  I won’t gloat but….

 

Go UTES!!

 

{Cougar fans, can we still be friends?} 

Anyway, after running a ridiculous 26.2 miles, Anthony had to drive his sore legs, blistered feet, and raw nipples home.  Yes, I said nipples!  You see, it rained throughout pretty much the whole duration of the race meaning that all the runners had blisters covering their feet and the males (at least most of them) had bleeding nipples… Anthony was one of them. 

The proof was on his shirt.  I really should have taken a picture of the shirt when he got home, darn it! 

I tell him I’m really sorry and that I feel bad but maybe just a small part of me thinks Well, now you know how I feel during the first SEVERAL weeks of nursing… FIVE TIMES!!  Oh, and at least your nipples get a break and can heal… mine had a tiny creature feeding on them every couple of hours.  OUCH! 

Sorry if that was TMI.  But I think next time he’ll sympathize a bit more…

Now where was I?

Oh yes, so he drove himself and K home that afternoon.  We had plenty of time before the game but I had already been busy from the time the boys went down for their naps making treats. 

I had never made these particular recipes before so I was unsure how they might turn out.  Let me tell you… they were SOO good! 

I’m only going to share one for now.  I’ll share the other in a later post.  Just think cheese and bread.  And Sarah, if you’re reading this, think high school!!

But right now think of chocolate chip cookies, Oreos and brownies!  Now think CARAMEL!  Mmmmmm, are you drooling yet?  Yeah, me too.

This is from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  The original post is here.  This is my take on this decadent treat!  Only slightly adapted.

Let’s get started…

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Preheat the oven to 350*

The first thing I did was make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.  I then lined a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and sprayed it with non-stick spray.

(That’s what the original post recommends.  The next time I make it, I think I’ll just spray the pan itself but feel free to do it however you want.)

Then I pressed the cookie dough evenly into the pan.  The whole recipe.



And now you’ll take Oreo cookies and layer them on top of the cookie dough, like so… (you can use regular or double stuf)



I hope you have a brownie mix on hand. 



A normal family-size mix is perfect!  Make it as per the directions and pour over the Oreos.  You’ll probably have to help it spread since brownie batter is quite thick.

 

Are you dying yet?  My cousin called this a heart attack in a pan. 

Bake it for 45-55 minutes.  Mine took closer to the 55 minute range. 

Once you take it out, let it cool to a comfortable eating temperature and serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce!  You could use hot fudge if you’d like.  Or both!  I won’t tell ;)



 

This really is best eaten warm but if it cools to room temperature, no worries!  Just stick a piece in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. 

You’ll think you’ve just died and gone to heaven!! 

 

 

Bruises

Me + Moving Dressers = Not a great combo!

That dresser and I.... we're not friends anymore.