Shelby Cass’s Weblog

…when shall they two meet again…

Thursday was spent on the road.  All day.  Driving.  Well, I stopped to get out of the car in 1 hour incriments (1 hour evaluation in Los Gatos, 1 hour lunch with Max in Milpitis, 1 hour evaluation in Sunnyvale and 1 hour in the chair with my fave cheek spreaders at Orthodontist’ office).  I left home at 9am and got home-ish (stopped at Safeway) at 5.  Only 2 billable hours for that day, and sad sad news for my back molars.

You know how last time I was at the ortho I complained that my back teeth weren’t touching and after many many bite and grinds on the carbon paper the ortho feedback was: it’s just one spot, we can build the tooth up?  THEN when I went to Dr. Steve my DDS he said Uh no, those teeth are nowhere near touching and we can’t build a tooth up that high?  Remember?  I do.  I remember wondering why my ortho would lie to me…or deceive me…also wondered if she was blind.  Well, I wore that newfangled bottom retainer every day and night for months to fill in my gaps, and I went in for my follow up hoping for either good news or an acknowledgement of oversight.  There I was, sitting in the chair doling out ergo advice to the techs (have you ever seen an ergo friendly ortho exam room?) and here comes Dr. Quo.  She’s so cute.  But I reminded myself I was not going to be overpowered by her charms.  I was going to get to the bottom of this life of chewing on only one side.

She looked in my mouth, checked out how my retainers fit, and AGAIN said I needed just one spot addressed to get contact on the back left side.  She (like last time) noted there was a filling in that back bottom molar and that perhaps someday when I got that filling replaced they could build up the composite, but I had already asked Dr. Steve about that and he didn’t think my filling needed replacing for many years.  I was not willing to wait many years.  There was much ahhhing and oh yesing as I explained how horrible life was with the inability to make it even (do you make it even?  I like to chew things equally on both sides…don’t judge me.).  Dr Quo suggested a “turbo”.  A turbo is when they build up many many layers of composite on a tooth to essentially build the tooth up.  I had one before during the post-op my teeth are strangers phase.  So the cheek spreaders were again applied had I known they were coming I would have taken pix (because everyone needs their vanity taken down 1800 notches) and  a lump of composite was deposited onto the top of my bottom left molar.  Then Dr. Quo drilled and drilled and I chomp chomp grinded on the contact paper and she drilled more until I felt pretty even contact back there…                    oh but not quite.  DOH!

I asked to see a mirror and looked in my mouth and lo and behold there was still a very large gap between back top and back bottom molars (see pic from last entry).  My head did not spin, but my mind reeled as I wondered how on EARTH can she be talking to me about these teeth meeting when they clearly are not and are never at this rate going to?!?!  I asked, “So, that gap back there between the back two molars…”  and she interjected.  “Oh.  No.  Those will probably never meet.  After moving your jaw, that’s just how your teeth want to be.”  (Stupid willful teeth)  So evidently she knew long ago that those teeth would never meet and so didn’t talk about them anymore.  When she talked about teeth meeting, she was talking about the second to last molar on the top and the back molar on the bottom.  That 3 decade love afair between top and bottom back molars has come to an end.  And there you have it.  A tale.  Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury.  Signifying nothing.

Blarg.

Here we are again, talking about my teeth.  Really the only annoying ongoing problem post MMA (aside from the numbness, but that’s not really too annoying).  Why a problem?  Well, I personally like symmetry.  I like to chew my food equally on both sides.  If I have M&Ms or something small like that, I eat 2 at a time.  One for each side.  Symmetry, OCD, call it what you will, I prefer to chew that way…and since my surgery, that has not been able to happen.  grr.  argh.

When I first got my braces off I commented on the unequal feeling back in molar-land, and my ortho said my teeth would likely still move a little and not to worry.  So I didn’t.  But it’s been awhile now.  A too long while for me to be satisfied…and so I angst my irk here.  For you.

Here’s where I am in orthodontia: The retainer they gave me for the bottom had hooks that looped over my teeth to hold it in place.  Those hooks, unfortunately, started pushing my teeth apart and I got little gaps.

I’ve already been wearing the new retainer to correct that for a couple weeks so the gaps are not as pronounced.  In case you can’t see it in these pix, it’s where the bubble of spit is on the left picture (so rad, I know). :)  sorry.  In other words, the gaps occured between the teeth that some would call canines (though mine be none so pointy anymore) and the first molar-y looking ones.  What did you want me to say?  Eye tooth and first bicuspid?  Okay I said it.

So they made me a new retainer.  This one actually encases all of my bottom teeth within one piece of plastic with springs to pull the teeth back together.

While I was in getting this retainer, I commented (again) how my back teeth didn’t touch on the left side.  Once again the little pieces of carbon paper were inserted and once again I was instructed to chomp chomp chomp and grind…and I was assured that I was crazy (okay she didn’t say crazy)  and that my teeth did touch.  I also mentioned the numbness I am still experiencing in my gums and teeth, and then that was blamed for my crooked feeling.  But I know that’s not true.  I mean, yes, I am crazy…but no, my teeth do not touch at all evenly on the back left.  Here, judge for yourself and tell me how the carbon paper touched…I’m pretty sure it didn’t.

I went to see Dr Steve my dentist (he looks a little like my boyfriend and has a Shelby of his own) who was about to do the carbon paper thing for me (I felt he was unbiased but skilled in the carbon paper test) when he put the cute little dentist mirror back there and said, “Uh Shelby, I don’t need carbon paper.  Those teeth don’t touch.”  SEE!  Told you!!!  So I’m feeling miffed…but I do have to say that I didn’t peek back there before getting the new retainer so things may have changed.  HOWEVER: they do not feel different.  So I think this is how it has looked all along and I am … irritated?  Yes, that.

But from the front all looks good, and maybe that’s all people really care about (unless they are me and craving a meetup between upper and lower molars).

ta-da  (Just don’t try to chew on that back left side)

I’m also experiencing a little clickity clickity in the right jaw joint which I think is occuring because I chew everything on the right and non-purposely try to make the left molars touch by moving my jaws around (which doesn’t work, but for some reason I notice sometimes I am doing it and I stop when I notice, but still…it happens).

Okay have I ranted enough?

Here’s a little non-ranting story:  Dr. Steve wanted to make sure I was flossing and I told him I have a huge bag of those pre-flossed picks and I floss while I am driving.  He broke in and said “I’m glad you’re flossing but I can’t condone practicing oral hygeine and driving…”  I said, “I don’t look in the mirror or anything and he said “Oh…” and then I thought, did he think I was driving with my mouth open, chin back, and eyes on the rearview mirror peering into  my mouth?  I suppose I could have been.  But no, I just kind of mindlessly use that little pick thing… Geeze, now I feel like a bad driver…but I swear I’m not distracted!  I think I’m more distracted putting on chapstick (and no I don’t look for that either).  I’ll stop now before the non-ranting story turns into a rant.  Wouldn’t want that.

Next entry we’ll talk numbness.  Everyone’s favorite subject.

Dad got a new truck.  This is awesome for so many reasons.  Selfishly I think it is awesome because he could come visit me today (we’ve been visiting him since his last truck went kerpoot since he’s been driving a huge rental moving truck which sucks for gas mileage and parking ANYWHERE).  We got to chatting as we do, and he mentioned his new truck seat was giving him some trouble in the low back area.  He mused out loud that I may be able to do something in the way of help, but then wrote that thought off immediately.  But I heard him…and the brain wheels were a spinnin’.  Okay not spinnin’.  Clicking slowly?  Did I mention he came over so we could go to brunch?  This was pre-food and only one coffee into the day.

We walk down to his truck…new used truck…no bells or whistles which fits Dad just fine, but no seat adjustments either, which made me have to use my brain even more.  I was thinking I’d have fun with levers and knobs, but instead I was left with one 6′4″ body and one truck seat moved all the way back with 6′4″ body knees coming slightly above hips.  Now, if you’ve ever listened to my ergo spout (the thing below my nose), you know that one of the first things you must do when sitting down is to make sure your knees are at or slightly below your hips.  I looked at my poor dad’s lumbar spine which was being pulled forward by his pelvis (which was being pulled forward by his hamstrings) and knew what I had to do.

I quickly walked to my toolbox (aka my car) and pulled 2 seat wedges out of my trunk.  My friend Duncan had purchsed them online and they didn’t do the trick he needed so he’d given them to me guessing I would run into someone in need of them sooner than he would.  Smart Duncan.  I threw one seat wedge on (Dad hesitated and thought maybe it was more hassle than it was worth), but as soon as he sat down, he sighed “OH.  I think this might work.”

*joy*

I’m never one to assume my first pass was the right/only one, so we drove to breakfast (about 15 minutes), and when we took a turn he sighed again.  “Yeah.  This works.”  Evidently, turns were a big aggravator.  So I am so happy.  I helped my dad and he said “Turns out you DO know what you’re talking about (sometimes)”.  Yeah baby.  Yeah.

I know you missed them.

http://web.me.com/cidstrom/Sleep_Apnea_Surgery/Day_1.html

It’s been 2 years and 2 months since my surgery.  Absolutely amazing.  Just looking back at these pictures it’s extraordinary where I was and where I am now.  I feel like I got the gift of life…  I’m not a different person.  I’m still the same old Shelby.  But I think I am the better non-sick version and that is something I didn’t even know was going to happen going into this.  I just thought I wouldn’t look like Gonzo at night anymore.

As I write this I am at my sister’s house in Dublin (no, not Ireland) taking care of her two kids for a week…more than a week actually.  I moved in on Thursday afternoon (it’s Wednesday night right now), they left Friday night, and will be home (from Belize) this coming Saturday night after midnight.  In a million years I could not have imagined taking care of a 3 1/2 year old and a 15 month old for a week+ on my own…I couldn’t imagine having kids of my own would be really all that possible with how crappy my immune system was and how tired I was even on my best day.

Now, I’m not signing up for the baby wagon just yet.  I think my clock is unplugged or on mute, and that’s just fine.  I mean, after all, I just started sleeping.  Why would I voluntarily give that benefit away so soon?  I hear it takes a long time to make up sleep debt…and I have a lot of it.  Sweet, sweet sleep.  I owe, I owe, so off to sleep I go!  However, big drawback to finding out what a good night’s rest REALLY is?  Take any of that away and I am a GRUMPMEISTER!  Steer clear of the modern-day sleep-deprived Shelby.  Now she KNOWS it could be better…and you will PAY! 

Sleep well!

smac

Geemaneeze!

Boy killed on chair

The world, it ain’t safe.

Thing-A-Day Day 6 I’m really liking this project simply because it makes me loosen up on my heavy self-critique.  No time for that!  Of course, I still do some…but it’s nice to start finish and let something go in a very small period of time.  I think that I have always looked too far ahead.  Regarding most things.  I think of something I want to do, then I think of everything I have to do to get to the end, and I am tired already!  Now, it’s almost as if I cut out the envisioning stage…I mean, I envision the thing in my mind…thing being anyTHING that I want to do but now don’t take as much time doing it once in my mind, just act.  It’s quite liberating.

In case you don’t want to look at the thing-a-day site, here’s what I made today:

Padparadash Swarovski Drops - the hard part was making the other side!

Yesterday was kind of rough since I had to go to Honda AGAIN…  This little click clack bang bang sound in my car when I started it and hit the accelerator…that was very annoying and not very little even though I said that first.  I have been to Honday 4+ times in the past 12 months and spent altogether too much money on my Nick (Nick got his name because within 24 hours of getting him, I had nicked the back bumper putting Jeannie’s new bike in and then gotten a rogue rock ding on the windshield on Wolfe Grade which is still there).  So when I went in yesterday for the blinking oil light and the very annoying rattle, I was PISSED.  And I was as much of a heartless bitch as I could muster…which means not much.  But I did manage to say this: “When I came in the last 3 times there were valid problems that were addressed, but the rattle never went away, so I don’t think I should have to pay a diagnosis fee for something I paid you to diagnose 3 times prior. “  Whew!  I felt so mean saying that!

So the guys were afraid of me and my wrath (NOT) and said they’d try to figure out the rattle in the morning (I told them it was worst in the am when the car was cold) but also noted that in the past year I had not gotten an oil change (!!).  I guess I’d been to the shop so many times, in my brain I thought there was oil changing and basic maintenance happening…  So I got a call this morning: definitely oil and filter change needed, and they found what they are presuming to be the cause of my knock knock who the bleep is there rattle.  Here it is:

I got a rock

Really?  A rock?  Here’s a pic for size reference:

THIS?!?

I am taking bets.  Who thinks this was the problem all year…under or on top of my heat shield.  They replace my exhaust manifold and an oxygen sensor…where exactly is my heat shield?  I’ll let you know if the clacking is gone tomorrow morning.  Keep in mind: There was a definite rattle for exactly 1 second on my way home from the rock-ectomy.  Well, at least I got my oil changed.

OH!  Did I mention: I was going to check my own oil when the light started flashing…Reached down, pulled lever and:

I think it's not good when this is sitting on your passenger seat

Not good.

They wanted $200 to restring the cable since you can’t just glue this back on…when he told me that on the phone I busted an F-bomb and he cracked up.  He apologized for laughing but said it was unexpected.  He showed me how to use pliers and pull the cable without the lever…yeah me.  Have pliers will travel.

On my way home from the shop, some dude in a truck honked at me and said “I can fix those dents on your car” and I was in a well populated area that I knew so I pulled over in the Wells Fargo Parking lot and let him look at the dentage on poor Nick that I refuse to get fixed because each dent “incident” is considered COLLISION and therefore would raise my rates and cost $250 deductable EACH minimum (if Allstate was nice it would be $250, otherwise it would be comprehensive and $500 deductable each).  I think that’s how it goes.  In any case, I had 2 major dents on the passenger side of Nick from parking lot FAILS.  None of them mine directly…indirectly my fault because I had the stupidity to park my car.

The first one happened in a school parking lot while I was chapperoning a Great America event for Jeannie when Nick was still a baby.  The second one happened when I pulled into a spot and some old jerk in a huge SUV backed out of the spot to my right with his wheels curved to the right and kept going even as Nick crumpled with a sound similar to crushing a can until he (the jerk) couldn’t move any more.  Then had the nerve to look at my car and say it wasn’t that bad and look at his and there was no damage so we should be ok…I was speechless.  I got his name and # on a post it…and lost it.   And a certain boyfriend of mine has been disappointed in me ever since…  Long story…but you’re used to that aren’t you?

The dude in the truck (the truck was labeled something like Dent Doctor) said he’d fix both big dents on the spot for $300.  I really don’t want to know if I got ripped off.  I just know it didn’t cost me $500-$1000 and I didn’t want a perfect looking door (since I park at Yahoo! where the spaces are so small even motorcycles have to worry about getting dinged) because I would only be hugely depressed the next time I parked at work and got another ding.  So I did it.  And there’s turtle wax on it right now so I can’t see HOW lovely Nick is minus dents, but when he’s clean, I’ll look and be happy.  So there.