Pie Pie Pie!

Just wanted to give the update on the party. It went very well and we had about 20 people come! It was almost a bit much for our little apartment but I think it went well. We had some great pies...Chocolate chess, pecan cheesecake, carmel apple, french silk, 2 pumpkin, and oreo bon bons. My only regret was that people don't know the right way to eat pie. Instead of having a sliver of a bunch, they took a big slice of only one. So, only two people tried my chess pie and one friend made a pumpkin that only I cut into. You feel bad going to all the trouble to have no one partake. Alas, I guess only the Jacksons understand how to really appreciate pie!

Pie party

Abe and I are hosting our first party at our place. We've had some other get togethers in the past, but this is our first at our home. I am excited to have people over and use some of the fun things we've received for our wedding. Abe's aunt has pie parties and since I love pie, I thought it was a great idea. I have a lot to do between when I get home and when the guests hopefully arrive. I made a pecan cheesecake pie (see Abe's iron sheff blog for the recipe) last night and am making a chocolate chess pie this evening. I hope it goes well.

My last party only 1/25 of my friends came--I couldn't even bribe them good enough with Abe's amazing carmel apples (again, see his blog). Luckily, Abe always gets a good turn out. I joke that it was a good thing I married him so I don't have to feel like a total dud after my invitations seem to consistenly fail. I hope I break the streak tonight--at least I've had a couple of positive RSVPs.

Facilitator

I recently met an interesting patient in my dental chair. He had been very neglectful of his teeth (see previous entry)and most had decayed to the root. Needless to say, he was in desperate need of some help. I asked why he had come to the college and he told me, "A woman." I found out that after 30 years he was being reunited with his first love next spring. He wanted to make the best impression because he felt this was the most important thing that had ever happened to him. My instructor and I felt awful because the timeline he gave us did not seem reasonable due to scheduling here. We ended up finding a way for it to be done, bending over backwards...it was too touching a story to not help him out. We helped him schedule and smiled, knowing we had done some good in the world. Karma, right...?

Well, after we dismissed him we realized we had a message to give him. My instructor tried to call him using the contact info he had given. His information sheet yielded a very fishy bit of information. His emergency contact was none other than his WIFE!

We were pretty appalled at what we may have done though, facilitating a man in an affair? I am just hoping I'm not a homewrecker by association!

We are hoping that somehow it isn't how it looks. My classmates reminded me, "At least you addressed his chief complaint!" --something you are never supposed to leave undone.

Floss is your friend!

People don't think flossing is important...but folks, I hate to tell you, that silly little minty string could save your life...or at least your ability to eat yummy foods and smile without feeling embarassed.

I've been working in the Oral Diagnosis clinic at school. This is the first real appt a patient makes at the College of Dentistry. Usually this means that the patient has not seen a dentist in years. And when I say years, I mean YEARS, like maybe 10. Sadly, these are people who should be very best friends with their dentists.

Anyway, after you see patient after patient who has less than 10 teeth, you realize that oral hygiene may not be a hoax after all. And sadly, the few they have left are often so loose I wonder why I am scheduling an oral surgery appt to get them out when they could save some money eating an apple.

On a more serious note, it is very sad to see someone come in after years of neglect only to find out they have to have all of their teeth pulled, anyway. One patient sadly told me yesterday, "It's pretty uncommon for people to have any molars these days, isn't it? I feel pretty lucky I have even the one." What a sad mentality but when you work at the dental school I may even start thinking that.

And dentures are no quick fix. You have to suffer through surgery to remove any remaining teeth as well as bony recontouring. Then, you need 6 weeks of healing and then you go through about six four hour appointments and lab time for the dentures to be fabricated. If everything goes well and you keep your appointments, about 4 months later you finally get your teeth. Remember, this is 4 months without teeth...best case scenario. This is eating soup and yogurt and trying to go about your business and social arrangments...without teeth! Once you get your denture, you have appointments to reline and remake them, they are often floppy and you can say goodbye to many foods like apples or corn on the cob and replace them with new friends like fungal infections! Wahoo. You will also have to see your dentist every 6 mo to a year, just like before and will need it replaced about every 5 years. So much for forgetting the dentist forever!

So, this long post is really to say, "Please take care of your teeth." They may not seem important now, but there are a lot of people who are wishing they could go back and spend some time with a toothbrush and some floss now!

Immune system for sell...

I am one of the newest participants in a vaccine trial here at the University of Iowa. Yes, my soon to be six figure debt has somehow convinced me that using my body as a mechanism for monetary compensation is a great idea. To think, just seconds of an injection and "cha-ching!" 75 buck-a-roos!

I was a bit nervous about going through with it but the temptation was too much for me. A potential of $900! And all I have to do is get a shot and a few exams, take my temp for the next few days, etc. But I find I keep thinking I can just back out if I want, any time. All human subject experiments are optional, right? Well, the catch is, I already got the injection which will be the potential harm so no going back now.

But I am beginning to wonder about the cleverness of my easy money. Why would anyone think causing potential and long-lasting health problems would be a good idea? Then again, this is while my arm is sore and burning. HAHA. I am praying I'll come out alive, healthy, immune, and $900 richer.... I wonder if my headache is a side effect? Or am I making it up?

I guess only time will tell.

Brrr...

Iowa winters are cold. We had our first ice storm and winter advisory of the year. Here is a sheet of ice we harvested from my car!

Fit for a King? Or maybe a knight...

So I was just reminded that it is the one week anniversary of a very memorable night (or should I say knight?) in Lexington, Kentucky.

It had been a long day of driving. We were about 8 hours away from Chapel Hill, NC on our way back home to the grind in Iowa after a nice Thanksgiving. Finally, we were to our target destination for the night...Lexington. On our way out we had stayed at a very nice, reasonable hotel. We had hoped to have a similar experience for the night before resuming the second half of our trip. However, there were no non-smoking rooms available and we decided to trek onward. After stopping for gas and another bathroom break, I decided to take the initiative and check out a few rates for some hotels on the same block. A "Knight's Inn" was just next door to the waffle house where we had parked our car. I figured why not see what it was like while we waited.

So, we ran over and they had a few non-smoking rooms left for $49.99. I wasn't too impressed and gave the news to the crew, expecting to leave. But I guess the tired eyes had gotten the best of us...my husband's parents decided to check it out and decided to just go for it. We were surprised how many cars were parked there so were relieved to get a couple of rooms.

As soon as we pulled up we realized what we were in for. The numbers were falling off the doors, first off. After we got settled I couldn't stop laughing. I noticed in the bed Abe's brother was in the box spring was splitting almost in half. I half expected some "special friends" to emerge and greet us. The chairs were very dirty and torn, the remote to the TV did not work, and the heater was very poor. The bedding did not match, the beds were small, and the bathroom was just icky. I felt like I was back in Honduras or Thailand, but at least there you feel like your $10 was worth it.

I cringed as I climbed into bed and saw a very tiny, dead bug...a cockroach? and a hair. I made sure to sleep in my socks and prayed the sheets were otherwise clean. Abe's dad and brother watched the BYU vs. UNC game in a tiny bed which was very humorous. I wondered why our non-smoking room had an ash tray. In the morning I decided that I would feel cleaner to not shower.

I wonder why they chose to call it the knight's inn? I initially thought it alluded to royalty in some way. Now I know it meant you were in for a medieval adventure. Who knew we could have such a rugged treat, right in good ole' Lexington?

I was just glad there was a waffle house next door.