So I braved the snowstorm and went on my way to the dentist this morning. It took me about 50 minutes to get there, which isn’t too bad if you live in the USA or another huge country and everything is a minimum of a one hour drive away from your home, but when you live in the tiny Netherlands, where almost everything is right on your doorstep, a 50 minutes drive to get to your dentist is considered to be rather excessive.
However, I got there, told the receptionist it was me that had arrived, she told me to take a seat and as soon as my posterior touched the comfy waiting room bench I could get up again because they were ready to admire my damaged molar.
The dentist looked at the molar, said something like: “Oh, no worries. It isn’t rotten and I’m just going to do some supergluing”, and before I knew it I had an iron casing or form (I’m not sure what the English word for ‘bekisting’ is) around the damaged molar. Then he went to work with electric files and brushes and blue gooey stuff and bright blue lights and white stuff and warm air and cool air and he did a bit of moulding and pressing and 15 minutes later I had a molar as good as new. It’s a miracle. Then his assistant took away a bit of yuck and muck that had nestled itself between some of my teeth and lectured me about flossing EVERY DAY (yes Miss) and I was sent home again. Uncrowned. I think. I’ve never had a crown, but I don’t think I have one now. Do I?
So… it wasn’t all that bad. If only everything in life would be that easy.
And what have I been so busy with lately that I didn’t have much time left to be a blogger? Remember I shot the buns in the ovens? Well, I’d made so many photos of both expecting mothers and they almost all were pretty nice ones, I decided I’d make some photobooks as presents for the mothers to be. I had never made a photobook. But I did a Photoshop course this last Autumn and the photographer who taught us all we now know about Photoshop said that www.blurb.com was a great site for good photobooks.
So I downloaded the blurb-make-your-own-photobook-software, watched the online video about how to get started and the one about lay-outs and so on and then I went to work. Now… I do have gorgeous friends, but in one or two shots they both had a little bit of a double chin, you get that when you look down, it can’t be helped but it can be photoshopped away, and in some shots you could see some electrical wires or a socket on the wall. You know the sort of things that can be a little bit disturbing in a photo. And I wanted my friends to be able to look at their photos without focusing on the wrong things. Therefore I did some crafty photoshopping. Nothing too much, but just enough to make the shots that little bit nicer. I was pretty happy with the result. But it took me quite some time, being a novice Photoshopper.
Then I made the two books. Such fun! I loved it. Thinking about lay-outs and backgrounds and colours. I totally went into ‘creative-Brinkbeest-mode’. But as I am quite a perfectionist with that sort of thing, again it took some time to get both books exactly right.
And since both friends didn’t know about the books, I couldn’t tell you before I gave them to my friends. They both read my blog now and again you see. It would have ruined the surprise.
Yesterday I gave both friends their books. They were happy. I was happy. We were all happy. Now we only have to keep our fingers crossed for all babies to come out quick and healthy and happy too. One of the twins will need surgery after his birth, so that is quite worrying. Please send positive thoughts and energy towards friend. It might help.
Thanks.
Nope, you don't have a crown. LUCKY!! A crown in the US costs atleast $1,000. and requires filing down of the entire tooth to, like, nothing... and a mold taken, a temp crown put on, wait a week or two and then temp taken off and crown put in.
ReplyDeleteLucky indeed, good for you!
dentists and doctors PPPPPPHOOOOOO,<><>><><><><><>trhere i have said it><<>>>>>><>
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteIn the Netherlands everbody has health insurance, so if you have good health insurance your crowns are probably paid for by them.
But I was surprised it only took so little time and work to rebuild the molar. And happy! Can't tell you how happy ;-)
Putz,
I hope you feel better now you've said it ;-)
Glad to hear the tooth was taken care of with little pain (other than the traveling.) Sounds to me as though he made a composite resin of some sort. If so, it should last you a good long while. I had one that stayed well for over ten years, and still had it when I recently got my final implanted dentures.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I am a bit of a perfectionist, which is one of the reasons I haven't made a photobook yet. I just don't have the time. That, and I am lazy!
ReplyDeleteSuldog,
ReplyDeleteWell, you're almost a dentist yourself, with all that knowledge picked up during your own fun time at the dentist's. I haven't a clue what he did, but I'd be happy if the newly moulded stuff stays put as long as yours did. Or even longer ;-)
DBM,
Those are good excuses :-)
Before I read Karen's and Suldog's comments, I would have said, "Yep, the iron casing thingie you have is a crown," but now I just don't know.
ReplyDeleteI defer to those with greater knowledge than I concerning the human mouth and its problems. That might be Karen, Suldog, or any number of people. Or not. I'm just sayin'....
RWP,
ReplyDeleteHow is one supposed to sleep if one isn't clear about having a crown or not? I was sure I didn't have one and now I don't know anymore. I do feel sorry for Prince Charles. (I know that doesn't make sense, but to the senseless perhaps it does ;-))
I always promise the dentist I will try to remember to floss every day. Although earlier this year my dentist told me I had a cavity coming up (my first) and he scared me into flossing. Which I have forgotten a bit about lately...
ReplyDeleteAnd now you've got me scared of the dentist with all your moulding and hacking and drilling and whatever!
Glad to hear the tooth is well and healthy once more :-)
ReplyDeleteYour photo books sound wonderful - what a lovely friend you are. It is worrying about the baby needing surgery - I hope it's easy and quick and he's not kept too long from his twin.
ps: don't worry about the crown; they're overrated and rather heavy to wear, I gather - it's all the precious gems. Watch how the light flashes from the royals' mouths every time they speak - well, it would if they opened their mouths properly.
Sweeet results for that horendous drive! Whoa! We finally have insurance...and I've got an ache...hope no crowning for my tooth too!
ReplyDeleteNeat work on the books....that must have ben hard, keeping th under wraps..good job.
Sending some miricle vibes and prayers for the young unborn!
Prince Charles has been awake for 62 years and counting and still doesn't have a crown, so I'm sure you can handle a little insomnia.
ReplyDelete(Inside joke: When you mentioned Prince Charles I thought about his ears...)
See there, because I am senseless it made perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteThose books sound really lovely, I hope the surgery goes well for the little one when he/she arrives.
ReplyDeleteI need to play around with my photoshop more... all I do with it is the copyright thing.
ps - I might pinch your idea about saying about the follow up email thing if that's ok. I never know whether to answer/comment on a comment on mine, or the persons blog who left the comment. So I might add a note like you have and try doing them on my blog as well. :)
Jabblog,
ReplyDeleteBut opening one's mouth properly is rather difficult when one has a stiff upper lip ;-)
Allhorsestuff,
thanks for the good vibes, they'll need it :-)
RWP,
I knew you'd understand ;-) And I too thought about the ears. LOL
Samantha,
You may pinch my dear ;-)
I didn't understand Photoshop at all when I got it. But now I've done the course it starts to make sense to me. Only I don't believe any photo I see anymore. If you know what possibilities there are... Faith in photographing humanity is gone! ;-)
Happy to hear your dental issues were relatively minimal.
ReplyDeleteAnd all I can think of is floating horses' teeth with a huge file and being glad that the dentist doesn't do that to me.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the dentist's hands in my mouth makes me squeamish. . .
Ah what lucky friends. I love blurb and made two cook books with foolproof recipes in them for Clare and a happless male in LA. I watched him use the Thai Red Curry recipe on webcam last night and he did a pretty good job of it. The first bona fide meal he'd cooked with fresh ingredients in his life! He was thrilled. I hope your friends are as thrilled with their little mementos.
ReplyDelete