Category: What Now?

Today may have been perfect if not for this.

What Does Stress Mean to You?

~ JodiLea ~ 2 Comments

Final exams? Public Speaking? Drama at Work? Children? Responsibility? Acne?

Each of the above, at one time or another, meant stress for me. The worst stressor, to me, is Dread. Do not confuse dread with fear; that is totally different. Dread is that dark cloud hovering over your head of something to come. You know it’s going to happen. Maybe you don’t know when exactly it is scheduled, but soon. You don’t know how things will go or what realities are involved. The only thing you know for sure is that it will be extremely painful.

No one sat me down and told me, “it will be extremely painful.” I know from experience that it will be painful because I have survived many of these surgeries on a much smaller scale, and they were very painful to recover from.

The Dread (my cloud of doom) began last summer after discussing with my dentist and implant surgeon the best course of action for the bone loss in my jaw and my broken teeth. I would have one or two implants yearly, which did not cover the damage. This was only playing catch-up. We were all sick and tired of my oral trauma. Yet, the solution was horrifying. It was decided last summer. The scheduling messed up in August, so months later, the Dread is monumental.

Tomorrow afternoon the prep for the next day’s surgery begins. No scalpels, just drills. Every implant crown and bridge has to come off before the surgery. The ones in the front will make my two front teeth the only teeth at the top. This look is so cute on little girls. I doubt I will post a photo of this look on myself because I doubt I will get any good drugs tomorrow, no matter how much I deserve them. I’m sure I will rant on that subject in the near future.

Because I like to write “sagas” of crap I have to deal with to work it all out from my head, my next few posts [categorized “Jaws”] could involve details that folks already afraid of dentists may find disturbing. For brave souls that want to find out the truthful impact and the recovery process, for future reference – Please join me. It will be educational. Depending on the comments posted, it could be amusing as well.

TTFN

Catching On

~ JodiLea

We sprang forward last nite (2 am today to be exact), giving back that hour we gained when we fell back in November. It is so easy to change the clocks around the house. My internal clock takes longer. For at least two weeks I translate the time in my head, you know, it’s 7:30, but it really is only 6:30 my brain says.

My brain also has trouble with the fact that tomorrow is the first day of spring. 6 feet of snow is not even trying to melt in my yard because the average temp is 36 degrees. I’m too bundled up in sweaters, and leggings under my jeans to even consider spring cleaning. Well, the house is filthy, so I consider it, but will not begin until I can do it in one layer of clothing.

A friend sent me this photo. She and I both know that this image captures a large part of me. Maybe this is my “inner child”. Yes. I arrange things “just so”, trying to be perfect, and always forgetting one thing. Or more.

Someone needs to tell the weather it is time to warm up.

If you have an image that captures your inner child, please share by replying to this post.

~~ TTFN ~~

What Are YOU Proud Of?

~ JodiLea

Not many of us are Olympic medalists or Nobel Peace Prize winners. This does not mean we cannot be proud of our accomplishments. I’m not talking about the pride before a fall kind of proud. It is certainly not the “I’m better than you!” sort of pride we see all too often these days. It is not a showing off, competing for attention, or vain pride.

No matter how silly or insignificant they may seem compared to those celebrated by the media, each of us accomplishes things we are proud of. We may not even be aware when we do them, but a memory of something brings it up in your mind and puts a smile on your face.

If you took a minute or two and thought about the little victories and accomplishments you feel good about, I bet you could write a list of them.

  • My List:
    • See the Poster on the Right ->
    • I am growing avocado trees from seeds
    • I was inches close to kicking a field goal at Candlestick Park
    • I was “Vanna Bee” when my hubby taught a grade school class about Bees.

None of the above would get me any kudos or recognition. This is fine with me. I did them because I chose to, and in that sense, that also makes me proud of myself.

There are no photos of me kicking or being Vanna because I was busy at the time…
Apparently, no one else in my family can take photos.

TTFN