I've had the same wonderful dentist Terrence Lukens for 30 years.  During the time I was in his care, I never had a toothache.  He took excellent care and was the kindest, most caring compassionate dentist I've ever met.  Suddenly I found myself with no insurance.  I called to find out the cost of fillings, etc, worse case scenarios...and decided my best bet was to travel to Porterville.  I had couple teeth filled.  One evening I ate some Almonds from Costco.  They were like biting rocks.  A few days later I started having pain.  The pain continued for several days then woke me in the middle of the night with excruciating pain radiating into my jaw.  This was my first toothache in my life.  The following morning I went back to the dentist in Porterville thinking it must be the fillings.  Well, she couldn't find anything wrong other than the filling may be a "little" high.  Otherwise, there was no problem on the xrays or on the oral exam. The dentist filed the filling that she thought may be a tad high abut told me she really didn't think it should cause me pain.  She said I was hurting because I had pulled ligaments due to the high filling.  She said it may take 5-7 days and it will be better.  She told me if this didn't work, she could pull my wisdom tooth, it may be putting pressure on this tooth.  It didn't get better.  About a week later I called the dentist, and she sent out some antibiotics.  The pain seemed to decrease somewhat.  It started to slowly bother me again, I couldn't eat on the right side of my mouth and no matter what I tried to eat I had pain.  About a month after I stopped the antibiotics, the pain was starting to feel unbearable again.  I began to wonder if perhaps I was becoming a toothache hypochondriac since they could find nothing  wrong.  One night as I ran my tongue over the tooth, I thought I felt a ridge down the middle of my tooth.  I wondered if it was cracked.  I made another call to the dentist again and she called out another round of antibiotics.  The pain remained the same during the 8 day round of antibiotics. It didn't ease at all.   I didn't want to go back to Porterville.  I didn't like the idea of pulling a perfectly good tooth.  I hated to go back to Dr. Lukens because I had the strangest feeling of guilt.  It was like I had cheated on my dentist.  I would liken the feeling to that of a married person cheating on their spouse of 30 years then getting caught.  Cause you know I am going to have to fess up.  So I called Dr. Lukens office.  It took a couple of days.  I explained my predicament to him.  Once again the xrays looked perfect.   He said. "there is something, but there is no fracture that I can see, let me take a look."  I told him the other dentist thought perhaps I should pull the wisdom tooth.  I told him it hurt really bad each time I brushed with my sonicare.  I also told him I thought maybe it was cracked.  When he first looked he said everything looks fine.  He started with his metal instruments and right away I was saying yes yes thats the one.  Then he turned the small end around and twisted it on the tooth.  The tooth moved.  He said it's a complete fracture from front to back.  He told me it couldn't be saved.  Then he showed me the xray.  He said, "it looks perfect, but look here between the roots of the tooth up inside the gums, do you see these fragments?  They are part of your filling that have traveled up inside the fractured tooth into the root area.  The tooth would have never abscessed because the fracture released pressure constantly."  He told me he had only seen this twice.  The first time, the man couldn't remember eating anything hard, or having pain while eating.  He told me he was sorry it couldn't be saved, I could go to an oral surgeon if I wanted too.  I asked him if he could pull it.  He said yes, I said I would rather you pull it than anyone.  Thank you doctor Lukens for taking such good care of me and my family for so many years.  My straying days are over!

larger view

Sept. 1, 1977:   Wow, it seems like it was yesterday when I made the trip to town to deliver my third child.  I woke up in the morning to an annoying phone call.  While I was on the phone I noticed a slight cramping in my stomach.  So for a joke, I thought I would call my mom and get her blood pressure up.  I called and said "Mom, do you have your hospital shoes on?"  She said, "Is it time".  I said, " no, I'm just teasing you, but I did have one pain".    We talked a few minutes and I had another pain.  I said, "Mom, I just had another pain."  She said "let's keep talking, and time these, you may be in labor."   We talked some more, the pains kept coming, Mom said, "those pains are 5 minutes apart.  I think you need to call your doctor".  I told her to come and get me, I would call from her house.  So I called my favorite sister and asked if she could care for my son and pick up my daughter Brandy from kindergarten, she said sure.  Everything was happening so fast, I wasn't due for another 13 days.  Mom got there and we dropped off Michael.  We went straight to Mom's house.  I called the doctors office they told me to go to Memorial.   Then I called my husbands job, he worked in Taft, they said they would send him to the hospital.  We were off to get a new baby.  I had no idea what I was having.  The pains weren't bad.  I felt fine.  We got to the hospital about 9:30,  They checked me out, I was dilated to 4 cm, it would be awhile.  Then they started the routine which wasn't much fun ( I won't go into detail but you older mothers know what I'm talking about, times have certainly changed).  I had been there about an hour.  When they checked me again, I was at 6.  Still doing fine.   My husband came in around 10:30 a.m..  He gave me a kiss and said he was going to get a candy bar.  So my mom stepped back in.  In those days, you could only have one person in your labor room.  I had a pain and felt the baby move down.  I said, "Mom call the nurse".  Mom said, "they just checked you, everything is fine".  I had another pain and felt the baby move farther.  I said, "Mom call the nurse".  Mom said. " honey they just checked you and you are at 6, it will be awhile".  I said,  "Mom I know it should be awhile, but I just had the same pains I had at the end of my labor with Michael.  I've had two pains and this baby is ready to come.  Now call the nurse for me, or hand me the button and I'll call myself".  Mom called.  She said, "This girl thinks the baby is on it's way".  She couldn't have sounded more sarcastic if she tried.  I thought "UUGGHH, I probably rolled my eyes too".   The nurse came in and started screeching wheres the father.  I said he went to get a candy bar.  She said he needs to get in here and get these clothes on if he is going to observe.  I said mom go get him.  So she ran out one door as they started wheeling me down the aisle.  The nurse was saying pant blow pant blow.  I hadn't taken Lamaze again and it had been two years since I had my older son.  I wasn't sure if I was doing it right so I did a quick "pant pant pant blow" and asked. " am I doing this right pant pant pant blow".  She said,  "just do it whatever you do don't start pushing".  I didn't have the urge to push.  So I kept on pant pant pant blow.  We passed the first labor room on the left.  It was dirty, a baby had just been delivered.  The second on the right had a baby delivered.  The third on the left had a baby being delivered and   the fourth and final one was dirty.  The nurse said they had been swamped having one baby after the other all day.  I asked well where am I going to have the baby?  She said right here and she pulled my gurney off to the side at the end of the hall.  I was looking straight at the Exit sign above the door at the end of the hallway.  She ran and grabbed two small mirrors and attached them to the gurney as my doctor was washing her hands.  My son was born a 10:40 a.m..  He was beautiful.  I hemorrhaged and it was scary.  That made me realize that I didn't need anymore children. Daniel was my last,  happy birthday my beautiful son.  I love you. 

larger view larger view

The only time I listened to music was in the car.  I was a hard working young mother.  When I wasn't working I was taking children to and from games, practice, or grandmas house.  Like so many young people, I lived my life in a never ending hurry.  I didn't realize how fast life was flying by.  Though I've always been a huge music fan, there was awhile when I really didn't listen to music.  I remember friends asking if I liked the group KISS.  I had no idea who KISS was.  My friends were shocked, "you know the guy with the long tongue".  Then I saw a few pictures of them.  Gene would always be sticking out his tongue and I thought he was pretty disgusting.  I couldn't believe this weirdo was so popular.  I mean how many people went around sticking out their tongues?  I had an instant dislike for Gene Simmons and KISS.  This was shocking in itself because I don't dislike people.  I loved the songs Beth and Rock & Roll All Night, but I didn't know they were KISS songs.  Through the years, each time I heard KISS mentioned I would cringe and think UGH!!!  FAST FORWARD TWENTY YEARS.  I'm about 45, being the workaholic I was, I thought I would take a second job and work at the Rabobank so I could enjoy free concerts while getting paid.  One of the concerts I got to do was, you guessed it KISS!  The first thing that surprised me was how many of the fans came dressed up.  I mean if you go to a country concert, you will definitely see some people in a cowboy hat and a few western shirts.  This was different, there were so many people dressed as Gene Simmons.   They donned elaborate costumes and high platform boots and shoes, it was amazing.   I  stood at the feet of this God of a man, wearing his demon costume and I was awestruck.  KISS put on the absolute best concert I've ever seen in my life.  I'm sure the show they put on for the audience was probably the most costly I've seen as well.  I liked everything from the first note to the speech at the end.  I came away from that concert a different woman.  I really liked KISS, but I loved everything about Gene Simmons.  Yes I even liked the tongue.  I watched Gene move, play, stick out his tongue, toss guitar pics.  He did everything right.  I was told last week that Gene never got into drugs and alcohol.   I regret judging this group simply because a man stuck his tongue out.   He's probably made more money sticking out his tongue than most of us have made working hard.  Way to go Gene, I'm glad it worked for you.    No matter what the cost, save my seat, I'll be there for the next reunion concert!  Anyone know where I can find a costume?