Why I became a Dental Hygienist

I've worked as a dental hygienist for 30 years. It has worked very well for me. There was a very satisfying interval of about 7 years, when I was home with my children; our little family was living the dream life. We went to church and did things as a family. Very nice existence. But I had the feeling that something was going to happen to change this beautiful life. I had a feeling within me that my life would change and I needed to prepare for a difficult time ahead. I studied the Gospel, went to church, had lots of family time and activities, and did all I could think of to strengthen myself and my family.
Then in 1976 my husband, Robert, had a heart attack. While we were out to a movie, he began feeling like he had indigestion. He went to get a 7-UP. It didn’t help so he wanted to go home. We were in the parking lot when I was able to get a good look at him. I decided to drive right to the Balboa Naval Hospital Emergency. He was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit. He was sent home after two weeks and was told that he needed to slow down, quit smoking and drinking, which he did. But he was still having symptoms and decided to move to another branch of Patterson Dental Company where there might be less stress. They valued his work so much they gave him his choice. He could pick anywhere they had an office.
He chose Portland, OR. We arrived Dec 23rd of 1977 and Robert had his first open heart surgery Feb 16, 1978. It failed by June. He told me that he wanted me to get an education so that if he died I would be able to support the family.
My research indicated it would take me 4 years of schooling to be able to make enough income to support the family. I looked into teaching and other professions, and then I remembered dental hygiene.
I had been a dental assistant in my 20s when I was alone with two babies to support. It didn't make enough money and I made up my mind to become a dental hygienist if I ever had to work again.
My research indicated it would take me 4 years of schooling to be able to make enough income to support the family. I looked into teaching and other professions, and then I remembered dental hygiene. Still I thought I'd like to do something in my major at college when I was 19, Sociology or Social Work. Looking at the earnings in that field, I went back to thinking Dental Hygiene.
I researched the schools in our area. There were 7 schools within driving distance. I picked the closest school for convenience, which happened to be the 10th ranked dental hygiene school in the nation. This profession would only take me 3+ years.
I was worried and anxious about being so involved in something for such a long time. What would happen to my family if I was absent from home so much? I was very involved with my children and Robert. Robert was having so much trouble managing his heart disease. It just seemed such a long time to finish my education to be able to support my family. Who knew what would happen in the interim, and would I be employable as a 40 year old dental hygienist? Being 40 years old was a worry because 95% of hygienists are in their early 20s and look like they could be models. My friend said, “You will be 40 years old in 4 years anyway, and if you don’t go to school you still won’t be able to support your family.” Ah, that did it. I was committed to becoming the best hygienist I could, so I would be employable when I graduated.
I spent my first quarter taking only allied health math. It took me 8 hours to finish my first day’s homework. It had been so long since I had taken any classes my brain was mush. I got faster as I went. I got an A because the teacher was terrific. He had a master’s degree in math. He answered every question asked, even if it had been asked before. He loved math so much, it rubbed off on us.
I took my pre-requisites, getting all As. Then I applied to the Dental Hygiene Program and they accepted me, thankfully. I was 37 years old. Most of the students were just out of high school. I was aware that my age would be a factor when applying for a job, so I determined to be the best hygienist I possibly could be.
Robert’s second open heart surgery was my first week in dental hygiene school.

Service Auction

In our Relief Society, we are supposed to do service for people all year.  At this time of year we have a Service Auction, where we track our service activities for about a 6 week period, for which we get points.  So many points for each act of service.  Then we donate items or services for a Service Auction.  There is a light dinner and then the party begins.  We are alloted Monopoly money for our service points, and then bid on the items we donated. 

I donated pumpkin bread, brownies and a taco dinner for two at my house.  They sold pretty well.  I was happy with that.

Last night I really got lucky and got loads of stuff.  I usually bid on nearly everything because it is so much fun. People thought I had more money than anyone because I got so much. I can't help it if the bidding stopped on my last bid.

I got a radiant heat cooker, computer advice, editing advice, an Indian dinner, and a spring statue.  Also, I got a pumpkin.  Well!  I only had what they gave me!  I just got lucky.  I'm usually never lucky in these kinds of things. 

HP Printer woes

My printer woes. 
I got my printer about 1/1/2 years ago.  It has never really worked perfectly. I thought the software wasn't installing well or completly.  I would lose it on the loptop and have to save my printing jobs on a flash drive and print them from Merlin's computer.  Finally, our router went down.  The tech people think someone got in and messed it up.  I didn't have it on a secure setting.  B(

So, we got a new router and I thought that since I was messing with installing the router, why don't I make the printer useable.  So, I uninstalled the software, rebooted, reinstalled, hunted for the router wirelessly from the laptop, then through the router from Merlin's computer.  Never found the printer.  I went through the HP directions for installing and connecting to a router wirelessly, and through an Ethernet connection.  Didn't connect and couldn't find the printer.  So, I uninstalled, reinstalled, rebooted both computers and so on.  I did this several times.  Then we had a friend over for dinner and since he is a computer engineer, I asked him to check this printer/ router situation out.  He went through the same things I did and said I had done it all.  Not to mention I had done it all several times. 

Finally, After working on it again on Tuesday from 4:30AM to 6:30M, I gave in and called hp tech support and paid the $35.  My warranty was out.  The hp tech support lady worked for 5 hours on both computers and printer to no avail.  She really did everything, rummaging around both computers, the routher and the printer.  Finally, we were both tired and I said I needed to eat. It had been from 4:30AM to 12noon.  I told her to go get a diet Coke and call me back.

Her last comment was that it was a router problem. I mentioned the software issue I had told her about before,  and she told me to download the entire installation package online and wait for her call to install.  OK.  The package was too large and timed out, so I just installed it first on Merlin's computer.  I had done this so many times. 

I was talking with my friend, just clicking on "next" or "yes" or whatever, not even seeing what was happening.  All of a sudden, I was asked if I wanted to print a test page!  Yikes!  I just shouted.  YES, I wanted to print a test page.  And it did print. 

Then I installed it on my laptop, and the same thing happened.  A test page.  How very wonderful. I was elated and feeling pretty smug.  Because, I figured it out.  I'm the one who suggested installing a new version of the installation software. 

HP tech support called me just as I had finished installing it on my laptop.  I was so excited and told the new individual the whole thing.  He just laughed.  I asked him, "Am I hearing there will be a job offer?"  He really laughed then. 

My laptop is still having some problems with keeping the printer enabled, but I do have some diagnostics helping me with that issue.  I'm hoping to have that resolved soon.

Still, we can print now, both of us.  I am feeling quite happy with finally figuring this out. AW

This week so far

Monday was a fun day at work.  I got to do some SRP. 
Wednesday I took a friend from our condos to the hospital for a 3 hour test.  But I didn't miss my Wednesday Old Ladie Friends lunch!  I met a lady in the hospital who had a liver transplant.  Her daughter was the donor.  Then she got hodgkin's lymphoma and her husband had a stroke and is partically disabled. We had a nice visit.  She told me stories about her life, which were really funny.  I told her about my blog.  She thought she would start one.
Wed. night I had a political meeting here at home. 
Then Thrus. I took another friend from the ward to her doctor appointment, then to her house for help with nFS.  I made a lunch for us because it takes so long and I get hungry.  Last time I helped her, I didn't eat for 6 hours.  We got a lot accomplished with her nFS, so that was good. 
Today I'm going to try to get my fancy dress finished.  I got the zipper in but then I quit sewing for awhile.  It shouldn't take long to finish it now.  The material was so expensive, I've been afraid to complete the dress for fear of messing it up. 
I'm still working on my book.
This Sunday we have a big regional conference downtown and Pres Monson will be speaking.  I'm really looking forward to that.

It's great to have so much to do.

Here I am at age 65.  So many people complain of being bored, with nothing to do in their retirement age.  But I'm so blessed because I have so much to do.  I'm working on my family history, writing my own story, copying old photos to my computer, helping Merlin write his story, completing a book to sell, sewing, making Christmas gifts, and enjoying our friends.  This is not even mentioning household chores that are always available. 

Sometimes our children invite us to do things with them, which is very rewarding for us.  So many of our friends are taking care of their children and/or grand children, which is certainly an admirable thing to do.  At this time, we are so blessed that our children are taking care of themselves.  We are certainly willing to be of help if needed, but we are proud of them and appreciate the fact that our children are capable and resourceful in this difficult economic climate.

But most of all, I'm growing closer to my dear husband, Merlin.  We married when he was 48 and I was 40.  We are now 73 and 65.  So we have been married 25 years.  It hasn't always been easy.  We had teenage children and he had some adult children when we got married.  Merlin had just been hired by a commercial dishwash machine and product company and we married and moved to AZ.  I didn't have a licence to work as a dental hygienist at that time.  We had less than zero money.  One of our neighbors had a garden and was always calling us to come get veggies from his garden.  I think he just knew we had nothing.  We ate on his garden and my food storage for at least a year.

We have worked hard through all the years.  We are now living in a condo in the Fort Union area of Salt Lake County in a newly incorporated town of Cottonwood Heights.  We finally paid off our condo, we own both cars and we are paying on our burial plan.  Merlin just quit driving for Cargill Meats and we are having more time together.  This has been so much fun.  We are falling in love anew. 

It is a good time to be alive and have so much to do. This makes me very happy.  AW

Retirement age is fun and full of adventures!

Here is the story. 
Monday Aug 24, I got up about 5AM to take a young Brazilian women to the hospital for a laparoscopy. She doesn't have her family here so I was her "mother" for the operation. When she was able to leave I took her home, went to get Rx's, dropped them off and picked up Merlin for his doctor appointment. He had been having lots of pain in his back and has been throwing up periodically for several weeks. It actually took me 2 months to get him to agree to go to the doctor.

We got to the doctor but before we saw him, Merlin told me he thought he might have an UTI.  We told the nurse and she tested for a UTI. Then we saw the doctor. Merlin told him the several complaints; the doctor ran an EKG, said his EKG was fine.  The doctor said he was probably anxious about retiring. The doctor would send his sample to the lab for culture and get back to him. Then he told Merlin to come back to see him after he retired and then we left. I was feeling very uneasy about the doctor's evaluation.

We had to visit our daughter-in-law's mother in the hospital, who had a pacemaker replaced. This was about 3PM and I had not eaten since 7AM. I was getting pretty hungry so we were going out to eat after the visit with Sharon, the pacemaker woman.

So we left there about 4PM to go eat. On the way, Merlin had to stop and throw up on the side of the road. Sheesh! He said he wanted to go home and rest. I said he should not go to work the next day. Of course he said he was going to work. I dropped him off at home and went shopping for the lunches I make for his 3 day driving route.  I put together a very nice food package for him for the three days he is off driving the semi loaded with Cargill Meats to 4 states.

I called our son Scott to see if I was being overly concerned because our doctor was taking his symptoms lightly. Scott is a physician. Scott said we need to find another doctor. OK. Then Merlin called me and said he was really miserable and needed to go to the ER.
So, there I am at Target, also I'm out of gas, AND worried about Merlin. I called Scott back and told him we were on the way to the ER. Of course I messed up trying to fill the gas tank and had to do the credit card stuff all over again.

I picked up Merlin and arrived at the ER at 5:30PM. We got right in. Scott came a few minutes later. They gave Merlin morphine for the pain. . . two shots. Still I had not eaten (it's always about me). Scott and I sat with Merlin for moral support, waiting for the tests to come back. Merlin was doing just fine on his two shots of morphine.  Finally, at 9:30PM Scott and I went to the cafeteria to get some dinner. They have the best cafeteria in the world.  A food critic should go there. When we got back, Merlin was in a nicely drugged sleep, finally out of pain. By that time the doctor felt Merlin had a kidney stone.

They were going to run some kind of scan that needed dye, which takes some time to assimilate. Scott was comfortable with the kidney stone diagnosis so he left about 10PM. Merlin had to drink a lot of dye stuff, that tasted like Crystal Light, over a hour and a half time period. I helped him keep up on his drinking schedule.

Now here is the funny part. The technician came to take Merlin for the scan at about 12midnight. As he was getting the bed ready to move Merlin, I asked if Merlin could walk to the test site! Merlin of course said he could. (In his drugged state he could do anything.) The tech guy said sure he could walk. So off they go, Merlin trying to keep his privacy as much as possible wearing one of those hospital gowns. As soon as they were gone I jumped into Merlin's bed and went to sleep! When Merlin came back, he was not surprised at all that I was sleeping in his bed! Make the real patient walk to his test so I could sleep. It's so about me!
Since then we have an urologist for Merlin so he doesn't always have to go to the ER, and he is feeling much better.