When you become a parent, there is a point at which the over-clichéd "it hurts me more than it hurts you" becomes more certain and true than the Salvation Army red-bucketed bell ringers who show up at every mall in America immediately following Thanksgiving dessert. When an ankle is sprained or an arm broken or a chin split, we’d gladly assume the pain and treatment for our children.
My middle child is the one in our family who needs us to feel his pain, even if it’s just a paper cut or hang nail (which in his case is the approximate equivalent of decapitation or loss of limb); if we don’t adequately commiserate, he’ll make sure we know he’s in pain, loudly, proudly, and with all the drama and pageantry fit for a queen.
Not a surprise to us was Thomas needs braces. What was a surprise is our discovery that the kid is missing (counting 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9…) TEN permanent teeth! You can imagine our confusion that his course of orthodontic treatment would include, paradoxically, more extractions. (Counting again…) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 over the past two years–four the first time, five the second, and most recently, two more ripped from his (post-procedure) bloody gums.
When we found out about the last two extractions, Tad and I went to the mattresses for the kid. WAS THIS REALLY NECESSARY??? Dr. M patiently and thoroughly explained just why it would help give him an eventual "best" result.
Let’s just say Thomas–a 13-year-old, image-conscious middle schooler–was a bit more difficult to convince. Short of ripping our clothes and donning sackcloth and ashes, our sympathy was a large measure of consolation to him, almost as good as the 600 mg ibuprofen he popped like Smarties.
Why this story, now? Click the picture and see what’s in the mystery box (and thank me for sparing you color…sepia-izing it minimizes the dried blood…).
Thanks to all of you who ventured a guess on Wednesday’s picture; the first commentor with the correct answer came quickly, Ellen, but the following made me smile or giggle or snort or blow a little spit on my screen:
- nose hair collection box, Erica (the most disgustingly original guess)
- "I sink it’s maybe, um, beach clothes or, um, some decorations. Or maybe it’s just nothing.", Jenny, but her four-year-old’s guess (interesting how a toddler mind thinks)
- tiny pieces of gold, frankincense and myrrh, Jen (cause it means she’s reading my blog)
- lined with cotton to protect the umbilical cord stumps, Kaytabug (I was wondering if anyone would guess u.c.s. because I actually have those somewhere, I think)
- the small amount of "free time" you get in your day, Kenna (ahhh! thinking outside the box!)
- where you keep your bad thoughts. Obviously, from the size of the box, you don’t have many, Robinella (the flattery at the end got her a mention 😉 ).
- An AK-47? A basketball? A guitar pick? Min (the random insanity, though totally predictable, is just one of the many reasons I **heart** this Mama)
If you email your snail mail to me, y’all…one day please don’t hold your breath in the meantime, I’m REEEAL slow :/ I’ll get a surcie in the mail to ya!
BIGTIME hattip to Willowtree, for finally giving up how to make your pictures switch when you click ’em (word of advice, if you click his link here, DO NOT click his picture in the post. Trust me on this…).
I was going to mention that your clickable picture was easier to take that WT’s. Those are some honking big teeth!
Oh, poor you, my youngest sounds like a similar temperment, and I can’t even BEGIN to fathom how he would be!
(Loved the ‘went to the matress’ reference. I knew right away what it meant because I LOVE the Godfather movies, much to my husband’s chagrin!)
Beckie, that was the word the dental assistant used–“Those are some big honkers!” Ha!
Lisa, hehe, we really did try to find a way out of it for him…but crazy as it sounds, it did make sense what Dr. M was trying to accomplish (my hubby loves ganster flicks, so, yeah, we’ve seen the GF a thousand times…).
I know nothing about orthodontic work, but it seems to me that pulling out that many good teeth is a bit excessive.
BTW. For some reason this post wouldn’t load from Bloglines.
I would say that is in excess. Especially to
“pull now for the sake of the future”. I should stop now before I go into a massive rant. And those are big honkers.
Oh yeah and I forgot…Pete’s dentist is determined he’ll need braces, but his teeth look exactly like mine did and he’s a big kid, not tiny so he should have a good sized jaw for those big teeth, and my teeth are almost perfectly straight.
Poor Thomas, that sounds brutal. I hate the dentist, he wants my wisdom teeth but I am holding out till they really really hurt!
Like the picture clicky thing, haven;t tried to do it yet!
I was missing four permanent teeth. Just had the first of the four baby teeth pulled at age 30. But my tooth in a blue box is no where near as pretty as those two. It had a cavity and since it had been in my mouth for 29ish years, the roots were twisted and gnarly.
I feel so badly for Thomas.
Oh that sucks, I feel for him. Hopefully he can look towards the future and how pretty his teeth will be. 🙂
PS – I didn’t guess cuz I was gone, I always miss out on the good stuff. I’m never going anywhere again. 🙂
Ouch, poor kid.
I guessed right. A true confession is that my daughter (the one who stands second in line to your child with dental horror stories helped me guess this one)She’s had every dental contraption known to man stuck in her poor mouth. She’s even had transplant surgery YUCK! Anyway did I win anything I forget if there was a prize? 🙂 I’m not greedy…really…(I’ll email you my address, just in case)
I thought so! Too fun!
Really? All 6 of us smile-giggle-snort-spit- a-lil producers receive a surcie? How cool are you?!
My oldest had to have 2 baby teeth extractions and one silver tooth extraction all in the name of braces. I had to have my wisdom dug out in the name of braces they also pulled 2 permanents on the top to make room. I can feel your sons pain too!
But his teeth are picture perfect!
I am catching up on my blog reading (WAYYYY behind!) and saw you mentioned me in your “guess what’s in the box” update! HA! I tried the “email me” button, but it comes up blank…. So I’m hoping you see this and can let me know your email address!! 🙂