I was out with some friends on a Thursday night - we went to Denny's, played a board game while we were there, and ended up staying until at least 3:30 am or so. Then, none of us were really tired, and someone needed to buy some paint for something, so we decided to walk to Lowe's, which is between an hour and an hour and a half walk. Which was an exciting idea to me - I had never walked that far before, and I love going on walks. So on our way to Lowe's, we're all walking along and I step on a spot on the sidewalk that apparently had ice covering it that I didn't see, and I completely biffed it. I don't have any idea exactly what happened between slipping and landing, but I ended up face first on the sidewalk. And honestly, for the first few seconds I was just trying to figure out where it was that I hurt myself. It was so cold, I couldn't tell at first..
Anyway, I could tell that I hit my mouth and probably my nose, so my hand went immediately to cover it. And when I took my hand away and looked at it, I was obviously bleeding. It turns out I had busted my lip (luckily not bad enough to get stitches or anything - my lip healed in a few days, but it was swollen for a couple days), and I broke one of my front teeth - about a third off the front, and a lot off the back. After going to the dentist that Saturday, he put some composite stuff on it to protect the nerve until I went in again this morning and got a temporary crown put on it while they start working on one that will match my teeth. At this point, I'm doing quite well, and just looking forward to the time that my smile looks as normal as it once did. :) (Some friends and I have a way of saying that if you slip and fall on the ice here in Utah, then "Utah has claimed you." Until this point, I could declare "Utah has not claimed me!" I guess Utah wanted to spite me, and now my declaration would be "Utah has owned me!")
This is what I looked like the Friday morning I got back. My top lip is really swollen on the front, and the bottom of one of my front teeth is missing, though there was a lot more taken off the back of the tooth when I fell.
This is what I looked like a day or two later, after seeing the dentist for the first time. With the composite stuff on it, it's less noticeable, plus my lip was starting to heal.
And this is where I'm at now. You may not be able to tell in this picture that the tooth isn't exactly like my other teeth, but it looks pretty good, all things considered.
This experience is one I certainly never want to go through again, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Not only was it devastating to me to lose that chunk of my tooth and has been a big hassle, but it's also significantly slowed my walking speed when there's ice on the ground - I used to be fine walking on ice, I might occasionally slip, but I'd rarely fallen. After this, it makes me a bit anxious to walk on ice.
However, that said, there are still blessings to be found in it. Not that I think cracking a tooth is a wonderful thing, but it really opened my eyes to the love and support that I have, especially from my family (both in Texas and up here with me). I'm especially grateful to my mom, who has dealt with so much on my behalf. I really am lucky to be in such a position, and I'm so very grateful.
And then people always take things for granted, and you don't appreciate things enough until they're gone. All things considered, I really do have a lot to be grateful for. It reminds me of a poem:
Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair.
I envied her, she seemed so gay, and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobbled down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
And as she passed... a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs, the world is mine
I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.
Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew,
he couldn't hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine!
