Getting To The Root Of My Problem

I've been putting off going to the dentist for a long time now.  First, I didn't want to interfere with my internship.  Then I didn't want to interfere with my RD exam study time.  Finally, after months of wrangling for an appointment, I finally went to the dentist.

For a root canal.  You know all the jokes people say about how they'd rather be having a root canal (maybe it's just me)? Well, they're not very funny jokes.  My dentist didn't have knock out gas, or even head phones, which I forgot to bring, along with music.  Instead, to drown out the sound of the drill, I used the cotton plugs employed to stop bleeding.  Needless to say, it didn't drown out anything.

I'm used to dentists who like to talk about what they're doing, both professionally and personally.  It can be frustrating at times, especially when you want to join into the conversation, and your mouth is extended as you struggle to breathe.  But that was only part of my problem this time.  My dentist didn't speak to me at all and I had no clue how far along in the process I was at any given time.

And it did hurt.  Afterwards, I filled a prescription for Motrin 600 mg, and promptly ate one.  I counted the hours until the next one, but got caught up in my job.  I came home to find out that my husband and I had been invited out to a business dinner (a local chiropractor was hosting as a way to drum up business) at a wonderful kosher restaurant.  I was all set to order something really good, when I took a bite of an appetizer and went through the roof.  I had forgotten to down a Motrin and basically couldn't eat.  I was suck with soup for dinner.

Ironically, the chiropractor talked about the evils of anti-inflammatory pain medication as I sat there pinning away for Motrin.  Everything most definitely has its place.  Unfortunately, the Motrin, and pain relief, was miles away.

Something Else That Can Make You Sick

It's hard to imagine what my life would have been like growing up without owning a multitude of these cute little turtles.  I mean, all my friends had them.  Little plastic pool dish, fake palm tree in the center.  Not that they lived long, but they were fun to play with.  If they did make me sick, no one ever linked it to the tiny turtles.

Turtle take-back program aims to curb salmonella risk

I Love When That Happens

I've been thinking about getting another pair of eyeglasses lately.  You know, just in case I lose the other two  pairs I  have.  You never know.

I distinctly remember having a third pair, which is the one I wanted to replace.  I even went so far as to get a coupon for a pair of free eyeglasses.  Today, that all changed.

This morning I left the house early to attend a seminar on eating disorders.  It had rained last night, so I wanted to play it safe and take a rain coat.  While it drizzled on the way there, there was no other major outpouring of rain and I didn't use the coat.

After a scheduled stop at the dentist, I drove home knowing that parking would be scarce on alternate street cleaning day.  But I got lucky.  My spot was just around the block.  So I grabbed my things for the quick sprint to the house and I notice something big in my rain coat pocket.

That's right - 9 months after misplacing them, I found my third pair of eyeglasses.  The same kinda thing happened to me during the summer.  I had replaced my Sansa MP3 paper which I lost, only to find it in the pocket of a purse I haven't used in ages.  And how did I find it - by brushing up against the purse while looking for something else.

The morale of the story is that either I'm getting absent minded and need to chill, or G-d is the best practical joker in the world.  I think we all know the answer to that one!

Starting a Stupid Club

Today was the first day of my new job as part-time clinical dietitian for a regional hospital.  Everything was going great until I realized that I hadn't had my second cup of coffee for the day and was asked to figure out the calories and protein intake for a patient on enteral nutrition.

Surprise - I got the calculations wrong.  I felt so stupid.  My boss just looked at me and told me not to worry, that it's going to take practice.  But stupid is as stupid does.  I decided that it was time to go home.  I had been there for 6 hours, and it was 5 pm.  I was tired, hungry, sleepy, and disappointed in myself.

This isn't the first time I've gotten those calculations wrong, and it's cost me one job already.  But I'm determined to figure it out and get it right every time.

Deep breath.  Exhale.  Keep moving.

An Interesting Encounter

I ran a few errands today, and ended up at Smart and Final to pick up a few things.  Well, one thing led to another and I found myself looking at products I had not intended to buy.  Like the Quaker Oats Granola Bars.  The Oats and Honey variety were on sale, but my heart really goes out to the Honey and Dark Chocolate.  So I turned the corner to the main display to grab a box.

There, standing by herself, was a woman checking labels.  My heart was filled with joy.  She was comparing the merits of the various bars out loud, unaware that I was behind her.  When she looked up and noticed me, she began to rave about her choice, which was good but I felt, a little hard to chew.  Then she went on about the merits of low salt, and we compared our boxes.  She was right.  Hers had 65 grams of sodium per bar, mine had 160 grams per bar.

Newsflash for me - this woman was really thinking about this stuff.  We continued talking about pleasant things, like how we both like chocolate, and then I bid her a good day.  Imagine that - the message about reducing salt intake is getting through.  

Website or Blog?

Well, I kinda muddled my way through the first posting on my website or blog or whatever.  Not sure how that works.

Still hoping to change the affects, but since I just requested the book "Web Design for Dummies," (yes, it does exist) from the local library, it's just a matter of time before I get what I want.

I guess I'm not such a great linear thinker, otherwise I'd get it.  Sigh.

The World Wide What?

I got it into my head today that I should have a web site.  So I did some research and came up with iPage.com, and promptly signed up.  It's called www.nutritionnana.com, and one day, hopefully soon, I'll figure out how to put stuff on it and it will look great.

One day could be a ways off.  I'm resisting the offer to pay $19.99 and have a tutorial, and would rather get something like Web Site Building For Dummies, if such a thing exists.  So if you go to my new web site and see nothing there, then you're in the right place.

Another Bright Idea

It has been unbearably hot here in Los Angeles this past week.  And wouldn't you know it - it's Sukkot, the one time of the year that we eat outside (with the sun beating down) in little wooden booths with bamboo or palm fonds on top.  Oh please.  Talk about torture.  Those creeps in Guantanamo got it good.

So I came up with this great idea - why not put a wet bathing suit top under my shirt and sit outside?  Wouldn't that cool me off?  The answer is no.  It didn't work.  And when I mentioned it to my friend D, she said, "oh, my mother always said that if you wear wet clothes you'll get a cold."

I laughed.  Are you serious?  It's over 100 degrees outside.  How in the world can I get a cold from wearing wet clothing in this heat?

I don't know how it happened but I got a cold.  Seriously.  I woke up this morning, the day after the wet swim suit, and have a cold.  Now D's mother is dead, so is it possible that this is a beyond the grave thing going on here?

Right now, I'm on my second cup of green tea, and wishing I had listened to D's mother.  From the Other Side, no less.