My Mom was one smart cookie. Not just book learning smart but smart in the ways of people. And she was imaginative.
For instance, when she was in her late 60s early 70s, she went to the dentist with what she thought was a toothache.
"Mrs. Edwards, your teeth really need to be pulled. You would be better off, healthier, with dentures."
After a long consultation, Mom decided to get dentures.
Mom wasn't worried about having her teeth pulled or the pain associated with new dentures. She was worried, though, about the dentist's offhand remark to "...not be surprised if your dentures fall out the first few times you try to talk or eat. Your gums need to toughen up. Until that happens, just expect your dentures to fall out and don't get upset. It'll pass."
This bothered Mom. She didn't want to have her teeth fall out while she was talking or eating. This was a side effect of getting dentures that she did not want to experience.
So...Mom being Mom, she "pondered" about this. Mom went home, but she wasn't happy.
"What am I going to do about this? The dr. says I need my teeth pulled but that the dentures will fall out and I just have to get used to it."
"I'm not going to have my teeth falling out any old time they want to."
"How can I prevent this?"
"If I use paraffin and make an impression of my gums, like the dentist did, when the paraffin hardens it would be like my dentures."
"Might work."
"I'll try it."
So, she went to the grocery, bought paraffin, and made her "fake dentures" (I don't know what else to call them.)
Mom was taught at an early age that "pride" was a sin. In her mind, making those paraffin dentures was an act of pride. So she told no one.
**********Fast forward a few weeks later.**********
Mom heard a quick triple knock and a voice calling, "Hi Mom! Thought I'd stop by and visit a bit," moments before the door opened.
"Oh no! It's Helen," Mom thought to herself as she ran toward the kitchen to remove her "paraffin dentures."
Helen, seeing her mom run away from her instead of toward her, said, "Mom? Are you okay? What's the matter?"
With guilt written all over her face, Mom turned and said, "Everything's okay. There's nothing wrong."
"What do you have in your hand?"
"Nothing,"
"Doesn't look like nothing to me. Can I see it?"
Mom turned away, then straightened her shoulders, held her hand out and showed her daughter a lump of ....paraffin?
"Mom, what is that? It looks like melted paraffin."
"That's what it is."
"Hmmm."...."And what exactly are you doing with a lump of melted paraffin."
Embarassed, Mom said, "Well...the doctor told me that my dentures would fall out when I first get them because my gums need to get used to the dentures and they'll be sore at first. I thought this might help."
"Sounds reasonable. You'll have to let me know how this turns out. You can put them back in if you want. I don't mind."
"No. I'm not used to them yet. They still fall out when I talk."
"Mom, when do you get your dentures?"
"In a couple of weeks. August 17th ."
**********Fast forward to August 20th.**********
Mom heard a quick triple knock and a voice calling, "Hi Mom! Thought I'd stop by and visit a bit," moments before the door opened.
"Helen. I wasn't expecting you today."
"I had a few minutes before picking Katie up from dance class and thought I'd stop by. How are you doing?"
Smiling widely, Mom said, "Have my new teeth. How do you like them?"
"Looks good. How do you like them?"
"Pretty good. Not as much as my real teeth, but my mouth doesn't hurt anymore."
"How'd that paraffin trick work?"
With mischievous glint in her eyes, Mom answered, "Great. I was able to talk to the dentist. I said good-bye to the receptionist and spoke to the lady in the waiting room. Teeth didn't fall out at all. Then I came home and had a bite to eat. No problems."
The mother and daughter laughed, sharing a moment of closeness.
**************************************************
What does this prove? That sometimes what "always" happens doesn't have to if you just think outside the box.
.
AND--it worked. Mom could not only talk as soon as her dentures came in, she could also eat.
