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Monday, May 22, 2017

Cavities Can Be Healed!

I mean who knew right? No one teaches you this when you are in school, there aren't any news articles on it, not even your dentist recommends trying it. So how did I stumble across it? Well back in January my 3 year old was diagnosed with a small cavity between his 2 front teeth. Although devastating, this was no surprise. When flossing his teeth the dental floss would get caught on a mystery rigidness.I would literally have to tug it off. Even though I looked I couldn't see anything, so I reasoned he must have a cavity.

It was super frightening because she suggested capping both of his teeth and sedating him to do so, OR putting silver diamine fluoride 

on his teeth which would "arrest" the decay and turn the cavity black....no thanks.



  Silver Diamine Fluoride




The dentist said cavities between the front teeth in young children is common..almost a given. Except this isn't normal for me, I have 4 kids (one is only a year) and this is the first toddler to have a cavity. She asked if my son drank a lot of juice? Nope, maybe one small pouch a day. She acted as if we gave him tons of juice, and she wanted us to stop. Nope. My son refuses most food and juice. He will NOT eat fruits or vegetables except french fries and apple sauce/juice. The only meat he will eat is chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausage, and bacon. Desserts are in the clear and most chips, most junk food too. Occasionally he will eat the toddler pouches that are fruit and veggie mixes. Those are good days. But like I said he won't do that often. It really sucks, and he is the only child I've had like this so far, so I am confused.


So we told her we'd think about it. But there was no way I would do oral sedation, that is crazy cakes. I have read so many horror stories about kids dying. Plus we had a bad experience with my second oldest daughter. When she was 7 she was given oral sedation (we couldn't be there either during the procedure) because she had two teeth coming up behind her bottom teeth which hadn't fallen out yet, so they pulled them. They said they were only giving her oral sedation, but sneakily gave her laughing gas as well. When I saw her with a mask on they said it was for oxygen. She was so out of it that she was hallucinating and trying to fight us screaming and crying. When I had called her dentist they said she was "fine". Months later when her top teeth had yet to fall out, here came her permanent teeth coming in again, and yet again the dentist wanted us to do oral sedation and remove them. When I told the dentist (a different one, there were 2 in practice together) what had happened before, he had frowned and said that was "weird". BUT STILL RECOMMENDED it!! I refused and let them fall out on their own!


This is why there was no way we were going through that with a 3 year old, it was too risky.So I went home and started tons of researching and had to sort through lots of info. I knew the special diets wouldn't work since my son won't eat. So I had to settle on a routine I knew we could do!


Brushing twice a day.. in the morning we brush with xylitol, floss, then pour ACT cavity protection on his tooth brush and put a dab of crest anticavity tooth paste on it and brush the cavity area and leave the toothpaste on the area.


increased milk and butter


decreased sweets..the first week or two it was nonexistent.


floss twice a day


give him Zellies xylitol candies after each meal 3 or 4 at a time.


here are pictures



















So far it looks a bit improved there is more white in the inner middle, and when we floss the floss goes down smoothly with just a hint of jaggedness on the end. If I went by that alone I would say his tooth is pretty much healed. Of course we will have to wait for his next dental visit, which is in July.
The brushing routine and candies are based on Dr. Ellie Phillips, and she invented the candies. I emailed her with my problem and she replied that she didn't agree with the surgery for a 3 year old. I am so happy I did research and found great information. Check out her site: http://zellies.com/zellies-story


I'm not getting paid or anything. It's just that when I was searching and in a panic any information was a big help. anyone out there with a similar story?









Friday, May 19, 2017

The House

September 29, 2009. Just another day for the whole entire world, except to me and my family. It was the day that my maternal grandma died. Up until then I had never lost someone that I had been really close to and loved a lot. It felt like my heart had broken, and it took a long time to feel normal again. But it was a new kind of normal, because life never is the same again when someone who had played a big part in your life is no longer around.

When I was grieving (and you know I don't think it ever stops) I tried to give my pain a name, a meaning if you will. I thought of it as a house, a house filled with lots of items and furniture, I guess a house of memories. Some days, most days, I would "stop by" the house, open the door and go inside and touch every item, look at it, reminisce on it. These were the days when the pain was great and the sorrow so heavy that my heart ached... literally ached. Other days, I would "pass by" the house, maybe glance at it and just keep walking. Those were the days that I felt calmer and the grief was bearable.

My mom, well, she'll never be the same. She was there with her mother, along with her sisters, caring for her as she was dying. She was there when she took her last breath, she was the one who cleaned her moms lifeless body before they came to take her. After that my mom said she would never let me or my brother do that for her, because of how badly it broke her heart. But who wouldn't do this kindness for a loved one? I wouldn't want some stranger to do it, and do it coldly at that!

I felt so bad that I wasn't there for my grandma, especially since we were very close. She told me things she didn't tell the other grand kids or even my mom for that matter. I listened to her old stories and we talked about anything and everything over endless cups of coffee. Sometimes I'd spend the night over her house, me, my mom, and my first daughter (I was a teen mom). I am so grateful that at least one of my children got to know her.  I am so sad that she missed out on meeting my two newest children.

While it doesn't exactly have the same meaning anymore, I still think about the house metaphor. But I can think about my grandma and still feel happy with the memories, and laugh about some of the things she did or said. I no longer need to keep her old things, I'm good with just the most important stuff. I guess I realized I don't need to keep tons of stuff to remember her.

But most importantly I look forward to seeing her again. A friend once told me that I would probably be one of the first ones to welcome her back since I wasn't able to be with her as she was dying. I wasn't able to go to her funeral either...we couldn't afford it. I cried like a baby over that. I still cry about it now.  The brothers lovingly made it so that I was able to listen in though. I will be forever grateful for that. But how I hope I can be one of the firsts to see her again, and introduce her to her great grandchildren.

Scriptures I found comforting and still do: Matthew 19:26 -Looking at them intently, Jesus said to them: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Luke 20:38- He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him.”
Job 14:14, 15- If a man dies, can he live again? I will wait all the days of my compulsory service until my relief comes. You will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your hands.

And finally: 

With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes,and death will be no more,neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.The former things have passed away.” 

                                                    Revelaions 21:3,4

If you have a loved one who has passed away and would like to see them again in a paradise on earth please visit: www.jw.org to learn more.


Monday, May 15, 2017

Manic Monday

Happy Monday! How did your day go? Mine was pretty good. I got most of the house chores done early during the day. Did some home school planning. I just have to make an item for my shop and I will feel very satisfied, well that and get in half an hour on ABC mouse with my son.

What's for dinner tonight? Left overs! We had chicken strips and veggies yesterday, so tonight will be even more of the same, or maybe I'll make some pasta with the chicken strips. Transforming this meal only takes the addition of cheese, sauce, and spaghetti. Then you have chicken parmigiana or something like it.

 My baby is now a 1 year old, and she is now very temperamental, and it is kinda sad, because she used to be so happy. She still is very happy right after a nap or when she gets up in the morning, but whenever she doesn't get her way it is screaming, crying, hitting, and biting..Oh My! I don't quite remember the other 3 going through this, and i know every baby is different, but this is ridiculous.

We recently introduced her to food, as she was exclusively breastfed the first year, since she seemed to be bothered  through my breast milk, by so many "normal" foods that I ate. For example, rice made her vomit.. a lot. So instead of rice cereal I decided on trying oatmeal. It was going good for about almost a week until she started getting really runny bms, with a horrific smell. Turns out a lot of babies can't handle oatmeal.UGH. So now I am going to skip cereals altogether and just start on veggies, and meat. Fruit is last since it is sweet, I don't want her to not like the regular foods.

I love being a mom, I love staying at home with my kids, and I love my family. How about you momma's out there?

Oh, and it is that time again. The final Bible based Alphabet Workbook Sheet download. So you all will have the Abc portion. Then in June, be on the lookout for the Bible based Alphabet Workbook.


Until next time!




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