MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Bruxism and my Nighttime Dental Guard + Japanese Magnolia Blossoms

Strange feelings... had nasty neck pain while driving down to Florida after Christmas.

Thought I'd slept wrong on my pillow but it didn't go away...

Then I felt my FIRST EVER toothache, thought that one of my upper right molars needed maybe a filling.

So I did tough it out as there were way too many things going on and I made an appointment for Tuesday afternoon on February 2.

My dentist checked the x-ray that his assistent had made, but there was no infection or anything wrong with my teeth.

BUT he discovered that my lower molars got loosened already and that I probably needed a Nighttime Dental Guard due to teeth clenching.

So I went to Walmart to get my Oral–B Nighttime Dental Guard...

Paid some $ 20.00 and after supper did start the molding procedure as shown on this video: Oral–B Nighttime Dental Guard – Instructional Video ←click it.

Of course I did not win that battle and went to sleep without wearing my Nighttime Dental Guard!

After two nights trying in vain to remove my molded dental guard from the green impression tray

—even after placing it for 10 minutes inside the freezer (as suggested) I was not able to release it.

Pieter tried the next day to wrestle it out. So finally I was able to wear it on February 2nd.

I must say that I slept like a ROSE so it must help a lot.

My pain also is gone!

Have any of you ever used such a Nighttime Dental Guard?

Never knew that those symptoms of neck pain for instance came from teeth clenching...

Info found under: Mayo Clinic Bruxism (teeth grinding)

Hah, hyperactive... that does ring a bell!

My sleep quality has greatly improved I must say and I sleep a lot deeper now and feel much more rested.

This morning around 10:00 AM with the sun shining brightly...

This is the Japanese magnolia tree that is recovering over time as a big tree fell in it and broke off a main stem.

Tornado weather can be treacherous.

Our other Japanese magnolia tree is now free since the huge oak tree on its right got cut down.

More light, space and food!

Our vinyl picket fence marks our border. Sturdy placed by Pieter on top of concrete blocks that serve as a water barrier from water running down to our lower area near creek.

Still beautiful even with lots of petals already on the ground from days of rain and wind before these sunny days.

Nature's Poetry...

At 10:00 AM it was 17°C or 62.6°F.

Today it will be 24°C or 75°F and 7°C or 44.6°F at night.

Tomorrow looks great for biking at 26°C or 87.8°F

BUT on Saturday it will go as low as 0°C or 32°F... during the night!

This is typical Georgia—going up and down and spring starts about 7 times... 😏

Monday, February 13, 2023

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

This is a photo, taken on Friday, February 14, 2014 on Saint Valentine's Day when we were in The Netherlands and visiting Mom during her long hours of Dialysis.

We did visit her 5 times during dialysis, one afternoon we missed — as we were visiting a 1st cousin—but that was when Dad was with her.

Mom has been a great role model all her life and I pray that I too will remain in such high spirits till the end of my CKD.

Oh, Mom so enjoyed our visits...

Happy Saint Valentine's Day to all of my readers!

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Spring in our Garden

This was a lovely week with sunshine!

Spring is unfolding beautifully!

February 9, I walked over onto the neighbor's property to capture our blooming Japanese magnolia from there.

Just showing the bay window area from our home and the blind wall where the dining room is, no windows on that side.

Now from our side towards our home...

LOVE those perfect flower buds and there were already some petals on the ground.

Wanted to capture them because it would rain in the later afternoon and night.

A pine warbler is enjoying lunch on the tray from our previous Sharp microwave, set on the oak stump.

Happy daffodils near the Japanese Magnolia as you can see by its petals on the ground...

Our Fiberglass Window Boxes are filled with yellow pansies.

Tiggy Tiger girl is head butting one of the planters...

That's the one where that poor friend cat often lies in for looking at us.

Our Renewal by Andersen bay windows look nice from outside!

A closer look at the yellow pansies.

Pieter bought them early at our local Home Depot just to make sure we had enough for all window boxes.

On the veranda side they got planted mid January but the bay windows after the Andersen windows were place on January 17.

I've hung the crocheted curtains back after Pieter drilled tiny holes into the fibrex of the new windows.

That worked perfect and after laundering the curtains and then stretching them out while still wet, we hung them on their 925 sterling rings (thin ones!). See post below this one...