This week, more so than a lot of weeks, I’m looking forward to the downhill slide of Thursday and Friday. It hasn’t been a bad week so far, just a week full of waiting for the poo to hit the fan. I’ve felt like I’ve been ducking all week, and all the while wondering if I’m even ducking in the right direction. The sword of Damocles has been held high all week, but I’m not confident that the thread from which it dangles is all that trustworthy!
Valentine’s Day was on Monday. I hate that I expect anything on this day, but deep down I do. I always go into that day mentally propped up for the worst, just in case, you know, and this year was no different. Of course, all that worry was for naught. Oh how I do love Mr. Boom!
Monday was also The Day That Chirp chirp Got Braces. She’s nearly 14, but has only lost a few baby teeth. Her four canines were pulled two years ago and still haven’t come through. Her mouth is tiny, but she’s definitely got her dad’s twisty curvy oversized teeth. This poor child hasn’t lost a single tooth without hours of trauma and buckets of tears. For her, the pain of a dentist visit begins when the dentist first gingerly puts a finger in her mouth. The numbing gel makes her cry. She’s very---sensitive.
Miracle of miracles, though, she was an absolute dream patient during the procedure to put the braces on. I was so incredibly proud of her, as well as really gobsmacked at how much mature she’s become over the past year. I thought about singing from the rooftops, but that might have embarrassed her….
Monday was also the day I took my grandma in for surgery. She was clearly suffering from a case of the nerves, and decided to take it out on me. I let her go on for a few minutes, then offered her the chance to get her own freaking ride to the hospital and find someone else to take the day off work to care for her afterwards…but maybe not in quite those exact same words. Maybe a little closer than they should have been, but anyway…
Her surgery went fine; I got her home, fed, tucked into bed, and then faced the daunting task of making a wonderful and memorable meal for my dear husband—who needed to eat in 25 minutes. After all he did for me, he got a measly 25 minute meal. I really should do something nice for him…
Tuesday: back to the hospital with grandma; back to the orthodontist with Chirp-chirp; back to work to handle some “situations” that came up while I was gone. Success on all three accounts, but still!
Tuesday also had me helping a rancher I’d just met search a creek for a little calf that may or may not have been born to a nearby cow in distress. There was a sort of “please find it, please don’t find it” track repeatedly running through my head. He called a hand in to take care of the cow (and the unborn calf?) while we continued our stream survey. I wonder how it turned out. Last I saw, the hand was pulling and pulling and pulling, trying to get the calf out.
Today I’m going to try to make pita bread for the first time. I *could* put it off for another day, but I guess I’m getting used to that sword over my head. Would a sword be an accessory? Does it make me look fat? What the heck is a fashion accessory anyway?
And is it Friday yet?
Oh No! The cringing guilt this post has dragged up! I knew from a very early time that my eldest was going to need braces, poor kid even chipped teeth when she talked! That was five years of vicarious hell. She loves her teeth now and says how grateful she is that I did it for her. My youngest is different. Not a good tooth former. She took ages to get her baby teeth and ages to lose them and like chirp chirp, she never lost the upper eye teeth. We were told the grusome details about cutting holes in her palette and attaching hooks to her secondaries and bringing them done over a period of a year or so and then the straightening...Emma just wasn't that brave. There are still people we know at the age of 50 and 60 who still have their baby eye teeth and are fine but...I still feel guilty. Should I have pushed harder (to be honest I didn't feel that brave either). I feel guilty that I wasn't more demanding when she was younger and take her to another dentist instead of the old wait and see if they come. Perhaps if we had acted sooner? All my family has beautiful straight teeth and we never had to face this when we were growing up. I hope all goes well for her (chirp chirp)and you of course because you'll be with her all the way.
ReplyDelete