Mad Tooth!

Mad tooth

Never underestimate the power of the madness of a tooth. Thankfully we have come up in the world with regards to dental help. The days of bite the bullet have come and gone but there have been a few times it crossed my mind.  Some time ago I went to the dentist with hopes of a simple checkup and cleaning. A Thursday morning appointment seems easy. Right! By Friday noon ish and I am climbing the walls and ready to go eight rounds in the MMA cage with a wild critter with the craziness of pain. So, wouldn't ya know no one is in the dental office that I had the cleaning done in to help me with the after math of the killer madness in my mouth. My dear wife with her heart of gold does her best to find me a dentist with heart to help my case of trouble. Being in so much discomfort I considered resorting to pulling out my own tooth. Yep, the thought comes to some of us that have lots of tools around. Luckily, we found an office open, with time to spare me a bit of a looksee at the enraged chopper. Any one that has known me for some time, knows I don't find comfort in a chair for dental purposes.

 I would rather visit with a doctor or a dentist in the canyons or the woods than their office. Seated in the chair and looking out the window thinking about how this royally bites. Doc J as we will call him enters the small room. We get the howdies done and get to the let's have a look around. Some touch and probing and we can tell the general area and tooth. So just to be sure and clear Doc J does a somewhat simple and small test for clarifying the exact irritated spot. A super frosty Q-tip and Wow! I was a thrashing like a crazy soul a looking to exit the window. Mind ya me moving forward with that much effort would be like maybe a Bear after me kind a deal. By this time the Doc is like yep “we call that a hot tooth”. Hot or mad either way is fine kind of a mess to be in on a Friday afternoon. He is like we're not drilling in to that critter today. We will have to give it some antibiotics and pain relief for a few days to get it workable. Knowing how life goes for me with some substances I would cross my fingers with some 800 ibu and clove oil and hope for the best for the weekend. Anyone been mouth and tooth impaired knows ya get to the point of “I so much need a burger and fries” kind of hungry. Between pain and starvation, it really reminded me of having tonsils out in midlife. Yes, I had my tonsils out in my thirties. Soft foods do not do life justice by any means and if someone should be bold enough to try to tell you anything different they have obviously been living with too tight of jeans on. I was sure hoping for the Hulk to rock me to sleep or even Thor to tap me with his hammer upside the head so I could get a little shut eye. By the time Monday morning came I was thinking why it can’t be Tuesday already this is getting super old. But by Tuesday morning I was just wanting to sleep in, I was dragging around like a zombie. Wouldn't ya know I was thrilled to cheese on crackers at an ants family picinic to go to the dentist for once in decades. Mind ya I still would have been happy with seeing Doc J out in the back country and not with his pricey chair in his office. 

About this time, I am reminded of the John Wayne saying “courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyways”. I saddled up and found my way to the dental chair. Doc J worked magically and at a point in the process turned some of the task of the madness to his very skilled partner Doc B for the extreme curved rooting of the mad tooth. One of those super hard to get at curvy rooted monster teeth. There are moments that I haven’t feel super excited to be in that pricey chair but being numbed of the pain was relieving. Do not underestimate the driving force of pain to change the course of daily living in one form or another. The worst smells, feelings, and sounds have always been around the dentist or doctor cubicle for me and they aren't some fond memories either but I couldn't think of them at the time. Happy to have that pain to a livable point and knowing I still would have to return for a crown, I thought of ways to get out of sitting in that chair any time soon. I will tell you that I have had lots of pain filled times from road rash and burns to head smacks with hard objects.

 Some painful moments being a bit more emotional than physical. I recommend meeting people in more joyous ways than at painful rock bottom but should you be in a painful situation I hope you have good people that help you find relief. Hopefully those people that help you with your struggles have some super great friends and associates that are there to back them up. As much as some of the biggest tough guys would like you to think they don't fight battles with an army of prime picked gladiators they are more successful with some friends by their side or even behind them. Still not feeling super excited for visiting the dentist but should I find myself crawling walls in pain I hope that help is there with someone like Doc J.

Fire And Ice!

Fire and ice

A number of years ago, some of my family and I spent some time working for a residential treatment center. I happened to work as their recreation and sports director. We came to know the person working as the secretary and my wife and I became friends with her and her family. The owner of the facility was known to be kind of a bully more often than not. I rarely saw any one set him in his place but nearing the end of the whole ta-do with us there, she (Secretary) gave him a whooping of words.

Over the years, the adventures have continued. Runs to the mountain getting fire wood to hiking. We had the opportunity to foster a boy with special needs because of her influence. That was a special time in our lives that we will never forget. A lot of growing for our family as well.

We all have our fears. She was with us once as we visited a promenade recreation spot in southern Utah. After hiking for some time there, we decided to tackle some of the shear crags with a rope or three. Rappelling is an empowering adventure that is great for concurring fear and placing trust in someone else. I learned a new expression or two also, “Brown” and “Good times”. She has a lot of quick wit snap backs that would catch a not so ready person to do battle you would be beaten down faster than a dollar store camp chair.

Mind you not everyone expects a to get blown away by small size packages but that is where ya get some “Fire and Ice”. Powerful stuff in fire and ice. All is good unless you happen to be like some crap stick of wood and stir up things ya shouldn’t. But keep in mind that most fiery people also have a heart of gold and that is why they draw people too them. If by chance you are one of those crap stick peeps, may heaven help you cause you’re on your own. Hopefully you can run fast if not as my friend would say “Sucks to be you!” Fire has a power to create its own weather and still make ashes of things. But with that in mind it has the power to warm body, and soul. When water freezes in hard places like rocks, the rocks break and scar. Cold and full of power to change things. Both fire and ice change and shape the world around us. But even when we change we need to be our selves. Be yourself, an original is worth more than a copy.

Many years have come and gone since we all came to know each other and a lot has changed but the friendship is all good. We are all miles apart but that is how life happens. Kind of reminds me about a song back a few years with words like this.

 “Just yesterday mornin', they let me know you were gone
Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can't remember who to send it to
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again
Won't you look down upon me, Jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
I won't make it any other way
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again
Been walking…

Friendships last when we understand that we have to dwell on the things we have in common and that we cross paths for a reason. Treat people with kindness and respect. My friends know who they are.

OREOS!

OREOS!

Who would have thought it could possibly be about the Oreos?

While tripp’n the country with family we decided that the house needed checked on and my friend Mozie needed someone to fill him a bowl of food maybe some attention also. Of course, we made sure to stock the house with food etc. Being gone for a week and a half is a bit much to expect someone to look after the place by the Hollar. We asked our friend what kind of things needed to be added to the food stocking as we wanted there to be some things of the delicious nature for them. The only sure answer was Oreos and ice cream. I was expecting to be given a list of the usual things like pizza, soda, chips, and a bag or two of cereal. Keep in mind most peeps don’t want to put ya out with a list of crazy food items but I would want someone to feel welcome to take care of stuff and find food that looks good too. Having had peeps work for food in the past for me and me cook up some grilled items or meat loaf and thinking I somehow was being a cheap scape at that. Upon returning home I was trying to pay them for the helpful nature of things and was given the red light. I insisted that there must be some kind of fee for a job well done. We finally were able to agree on the remaining un-opened package of Oreos. I should add I have since purchased more of them and plan to give them to this friend too.

A small lesson to anyone know your worth. Granted a package of tasty treats may not be pricey but it allows someone to let you know that you are valued. Always except some treats you can always share them with someone else. People want you to know you are appreciated. Our value is not determined by the opinion of another. Oreos taste great!