Blog 24 – BITING
This time I have
written about a problem - only to be read by people
who do not complain ….
Nothing in our body
was programmed for so long, to live past 90?! We have artificially, through brilliant inventions, managed to repair most anything.
I have had a new hip and
both knees replaced, a face lift 20 years ago to look younger; we
concoct all kinds of ugly green drinks to swallow to clean up
our liver and stomach (sort of a roto-rooter for our clogged veins) thus permitting our heart to beat much
longer then it was designed for.
What I am concerned about is my teeth
- biting in particular.
Remember biting into
an apple when we were young? No problem, just fun!
Well, do not try it now
please. Also, a nice bagel with cream cheese and lox? Rather ask the nice man to cut it for you
into smaller pieces and just pop it in.
I just returned from
my very capable dentist (many diplomas hanging around for
reassurance) and found out that I grind my teeth in my sleep, and therefore my teeth break in
places or get slowly worn down. By the way do not try to shop around
for a cheaper dentist - there is no such person around.
They have in the
office a list of repair prices.
So pick one you like who is an interesting person, with
sense of humor, and knows his business.
Why settle for less if the price is the same?
In Summer I have my
teeth cleaned by a modest dentist working alone in Cape Cod
without a big office or assistants to help, yet the prices are almost
the same..
This awareness of the
dangers of biting into something hard continued for many years until last
summer when I forgot my own advice and have bitten too many times
into hard food.
I lost half of my front
tooth which had to be fixed with a hot special bonding tool and compound. Had to go to the dentist at the Cape who
usually only cleans my teeth, (not my regular genius dentist in
Winter). “No problem,” he said. “I can fix it.” He did-- and we hoped it
will last to the end of my life.
Always the optimist, I
ate happily, biting away on harder foods.
One sunny day recently
in Sedona I felt something moving between my front teeth, so I visit
my talented regular “problem fixer.”
“Am I imagining doctor
something jumping around in my mouth?”
“No-- you are not
imagining it” the dentist replied.
The whole filling put
in a year ago did not last and had to be redone.
Now there were three
people around me, giving an injection to feel comfortable and each one
with all kinds of tools just invented. One hour later and 300 dollars
poorer out I go with a stiff upper lip and trying to smile.
Some repairs I have
needed for my teeth are over 1000 dollars (and these are just small repairs). My daughter promised to talk to our
bookkeeper about deducting this from my taxes- not to worry.
As usual I started
thinking of my home in Krakow Poland where my brother and I ate
dinner with our parents at 2 pm each day. I remember always seeing
next to my father’s dish cut up pieces of bread and I
wondered why. Now I understand -no
biting!!!!!
All the same problems
come to the one who managed to live past 90- just hope the money will
last – or maybe finally to get false teeth put into a glass cheerfully at night? Why bother with such trifles? One should be grateful to have gifted, good-looking, kind
children and grandchildren. I can walk, read, drive a car (during the day
and not far), see friends, listen to music….so much to be
grateful for.
Just remember - no
biting into a hard bagel!
- Nika Fleissig
Please Read My Blog Here:
http://www.lifebeginsat90.blogspot.com/
Order our book, From Miracle To Miracle: A Story of Survival (via PayPal):
http://www.FromMiracleToMiracle.com
Please view my art here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikafleissig/
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