You may have noticed, if you follow me on Instagram, that I’ve got some dental woes going on this week. These are too tiresome to recount here (in brief: nearing the end of the first stage of my Invisalign treatment, the transition to a retainer was delayed by Covid-19 closure; I’ve been trying to ignore a certain tenderness for weeks, but it became much more pronounced this last week and I was finally able to get a dentist appointment; infection requiring two root canals and antibiotics and painkillers). . . suffice it to say that I’m not sure what blogging I will manage over the next week or two. . .
For now, I’m working on my positive attitude, which I’ll confess is shaky and needs considerable shoring up. . . I’ve been meditating and doing online yoga classes (mostly Yin Yang, heavy on the Yin) and working on affirmations and gratitude and, well, you get the idea.
So for now, I’ll leave you with this photo I took on a walk this past weekend. This glorious pink rose
climbs thirty or more feet to the top of a tree in an area I love for its thoughtful and inspiring public landscaping. More than ever this spring and summer, I’ve been so grateful to city and parks planners (and the horticulturists and landscape architects and the gardeners and maintenance workers) who bring the aesthetic joy of harmonious plantings to those citizens who don’t have access to gardens of our own. . . and to those of us who do, but never get enough. Gardens and beautifully landscaped areas humanize the urban concrete in ways we don’t always know we need until suddenly we’re face to face with a fragrant rose clambering unlikely heights through the branches of a tall tree, and we realize we’re smiling more broadly and spontaneously than we have for days. . . .
I would likely wax philosophical about this generous sharing of gardens — and the resources of space across time — but I’m saving my energy for the endodontist’s chair and the ongoing healing.
Wish me luck. . . .
😉
xo,
f
Best of luck with the dental woes, Frances. I did Invisalign a few years ago, and by the end was soooo sick of having a sore mouth every week. My teeth were straighter, so that was good. But I am wary of taking another dental step that my dentist has suggested… because I hate the discomfort. You can't get away from a pain in your mouth.
A few years ago when I woke up late one Sunday morning in the early summer, I found Stu in the garden half tipsy. He'd been woken up around 3 am with terrible tooth ache that couldn't be dealt with until he could call his dentist's emergency line later in the morning. He'd tried pain killers at 4 am, and by the time I found him he'd resorted to the Grand Marnier.
P.S. Don't follow his example. He was sooo sick later. Hung over and in pain.
P.S.S. Hang in there, my friend. xo
Oh Frances, dental pain, especially involving antibiotics and root canals is the worst. It's made so much more difficult by the trepidation we all feel about going to the dentist in these Covid times. I am sure they will do their best by you.
Take your time to recoup your strength and be tender with yourself.
Thanks for thinking of us and posting those photos of the roses. That was a generous impulse. Take care Brenda
I'm giving you all of the healing vibes – and the staying chill while being at the dentist vibes. And the "I can drink wine even if I can't chew, right?" vibes.
Dental pain is the worst kind of agony. Take care and enjoy the flowers on your balcony.
I am so sorry to read this, Frances. A little prayer for good dental procedures to deal with discomfort, pain, and safety. Glad you continue to seek gratitude and beauty around you…charlene h.
I do indeed wish you all the luck in the world. Hope the initial painkillers and antibiotics do their job so that the treatment goes as swiftly as possible. When I go to the surgery tonight to do my scrubbing and polishing, I shall send a plea to the empty chair that the gods of dentistry might look on you kindly. And give everything an extra buffing by way of offering.
I wish you luck. Take care <3
It will pass and everything will be just perfect in the end
Yes,I'm doing gratitude and happiness,as well 🙂
Dottoressa
Very, very hard to wax philosophical when suffering pain and facing a couple of root canals. Hope the procedures go (quickly) and with a good outcome. I'm sure Pater will take good care of you. Thinking of you.
Dental problems are the pits. No question about it. I've had my share of issues…surgery, crowns, infection. About a year ago my new dentist recommended I use a WaterPik daily. He said they are better than flossing and solve many problems. He told me to buy a mid-grade WaterPik on Amazon. Big improvement in my dental health. Best purchase. Might worth a try for you? Hope you feel better soon. Susan
I really, really hope your mouth/jaw isn't hurting you too much right about now. xoxox.
I'm so sorry, Frances. There's nothing worse than dental pain. I went to the dentist the other morning, one of very few trips out of the house since mid-March. I'd had two temporary crowns since January. My appointment to have the permanent crowns put on was in mid-March, and it was cancelled. They've just re-opened and they are taking extreme precautions, including air cleaners with HEPA 13 filters in every room. It was a relief to finally have this taken care of, and to learn that nothing had gone wrong in the meantime. I hope that your problems can be solved quickly!
I'd like to find good online yoga classes. Are the Yin Yang classes you mentioned available to anyone?
I'm so sorry. Dental woes are awful, and very depressing I find. Perhaps without the infection draining your energy you will feel better generally.
ceci
Wishing you all the luck in the world! And impatiently awaiting your very speedy and comfortable recovery from the dental work. Also, thinking of you often.
I think that dental pain takes us back to something primal: to teething. We're little, powerless, and pre-verbal, and it is the worst. So dental pain, even though we're big people, with agency, and language enough to describe things – well, it's not enough.
I'm sorry you're having to go through this. My first root canal was incredibly painful, despite all the novocaine (endo apologized afterwards and said he should have put me under), but the 2nd, on the same tooth 10 year later, went swimmingly. Wishing you an easy recovery, and mashed potatoes.
I'm so sorry, Frances. I hope the antibiotics take effect quickly and your endo appointments are few!
Thanks, all, for your kind comments — Please excuse me for not answering them all, but I'm conserving energy this week, directing it at healing instead. . .
Marie: The online yoga classes I'm taking are through a small studio in my old community — they can be found online at — There are different fee options (I bought a 3-month unlimited). I had trouble locating the fee schedule on the website, but I know now that it's at . . . .
Marie: I forgot that Blogger doesn’t love links in comments. If you google OmTown yoga Nanaimo, you’ll find the studio . Or try cutting and pasting omtown.ca in your browser. Omtown.ca/prices for the fee schedule. They have a decent library now of recorded classes as well so coordinated times for live classes aren’t always necessary
Thank you so much, Frances! I looked at their schedule and there are quite a few interesting classes – scheduling is difficult, though, because of the 3-hour time difference. But I'm going to try a 24-hour pass over the weekend and look at the on-demand offerings.