I just spent an hour wandering through Walgreens. I billed it as a mother-daughter date. Olivia is great like that, take the girl to Walgreens and buy her a Mcdonalds cone and she'll make up songs about how beautiful you are the whole way home. I like her.
I suffer from canker sores. Did I emphasize suffer? Because you seemed to just glance over that. The pharmacist did the same thing, I didn't take too kindly to that. I realize there are bigger problems that might require a trip to the pharmacy but when you have a canker sore you just can't think of what they are. Sometimes when I am talking to someone and I ask them if they have ever had a canker sore and they say "oh yeah, I think I've had one once before, a long time ago." Then I stop talking to them.
Because I get them all the time and they seem to put them in the same category as a hang nail. And well, it's clearly not.
My brother is the only one I know that truly suffers from these like I do, and honestly some of the times I've felt closest with him is when I tell him I have a canker sore and he nods, very sympathetically.
He has a really good nod.It makes me feel understood.
I think pharmacists should learn how to nod.
Ironically I happen to brush my teeth next to someone who specializes in problems in the mouth. I'm not exactly quiet about the pain brushing causes me. Or eating causes me. Or talking causes me. Or drinking water causes me.........
none of which I have stopped doing.
I just do them louder, and whinier.
Ben told me I should just come in and have him use this fancy laser they have that will laser off the canker sore and prevent it from coming back. Which is amazing right?
I should probably take him up on that.
Except I kind of have a hang up about things touching my canker sore.
Things like lasers.
So instead I just eat corn chips and scream when one touches my my canker sore.
Which is probably about ten times worse than the laser.
This particular canker sore has given me a lot of time to think. Particularly about charity. And my lack of it. I've kind of been in the "fake it 'till you make it camp" on charity for a long time. When I say charity I'm talking the Christ-like, care about others more than yourself kind. A canker sore is the perfect physical symbol of the inner selfishness I find myself battling.
Because when I have a canker sore I could honestly care less if your head fell off. Because my mouth hurts and it's all I can think about. Pretty much every struggle in my life right now is "canker sore" size. But I dwell on them, and think about them and it keeps me from noticing real emergencies in the lives of those around me. Because canker sores are distracting. Not life threatening. Distracting. And distractions are a dangerous thing.
This summer I have vowed not to be distracted when it comes to the people around me. Particularly those I love. Particularly those that yank on my clothes when they want something. Which is annoying. But they need me, they need me to kneel down and stop worrying about what I'm doing. They need to see my eyes, they need to know that I'm only thinking about them and what their worries are. And I need it, because the more that I think about that small uncomfortable problem in my own mouth, the more it hurts. The only time it stops hurting is when I am focused on something else........or someone else.
Or when I eat ice cream.
but well, that just doesn't fit into the analogy.
13 comments:
Seriously? Is it possible we were separated at birth. I have THE most painful HUGE canker sore in my mouth right now. Matt came home yesterday and could tell just by the way I was talking. I get them too. I've heard people either get canker sores or cold sores, not sure if it's true. But me being VAIN thinks about how at least no one can see the unsightly sore. But anyways, I could talk all day about my pain cause no one here cares. I do appreciate the analogy though as my clothes pullers are getting bigger everyday and I keep thinking, stop cleaning and PLAY with them before they don't want to play with you. I would, but my mouth hurts. :)
Sarah you make me smile, I like you even more because you share my pain. we should have a canker sore support group you and I.
I have someone else to add to your support group. Aaron. He suffers tremendously from them too! Crazy who would've known, I guess its not something you just bring up in everyday conversation. Well I actually had Aaron come and read your post. He enjoyed it, he usually laughs at most of your post. Not that canker sores are funny, because he would know otherwise, but just at how witty and clever you are. (I still envy your writing skills:) Love you and miss you. Hey btw you should come visit us in Colorado, you know when you get some spare time. There is this beautiful national park call Black Canyon. It seems like your kind of place. Maybe I'll see you at sisters weekend!
My dad suffers from canker sores and sometimes can hardly open his mouth. I'll have to tell him about that laser thing because I think he's tried everything else in the world and nothing works.
Heather I better see you at sisters weekend, and I defintely want to come visit you in CO, it is one of the places we are looking at to settle down. Tell Aaron there is a seat available for him....suffers unite! Melanie..your dad really should check out the laser....and so should I!
You should have a column. In the paper. You explain things so well. Better than I ever could. You like all my crappy, incomplete sentences?!
Ty and I both get cankers. I hate them. He gets them more than I do. We both avoid citrus stuff because I seem to get them more when I eat a good orange. Anyways, Ty found this liquid stuff called "Kanka" that he swears by now. It soothes and makes it bearable. Though ice cream is ALWAYS another option of soothing. Anything really. Ice cream soothes all. :)
ME TOO, I get them alot...thanks for putting a spotlight on the canker problem ... Kaelen doesn't get them ever so he just doesn't understand! but he gets cold sores alot and I never do...soooo I guess we we never feel each others pain...:)Love You!!!
I would try the laser, sounds like a good deal...
YOu get cankers shell? I hardly ever do. Aaron gets them mostly when he is nervous or worried about something. He said on our wedding day his mouth was full of them. And he got them alot while he was in pt school.
Carly, get ready for me to geek out a bit.
DEBACTEROL!! By prescription; for professional use only. But Dr. Syndergaard could get some for sure. Get the bottle, not the swabs. The swabs are such a waste of the drug. Follow the directions carefully. This has been a lifesaver for me. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I too am an occasional victim of the cuss-word-worthy aphthous ulcer aka canker sore. I've done some pretty lengthy research on the matter. I have yet to try the laser.
Mine are 90% of the time caused by truama; i.e. biting/bumping/Dorito chip stab/etc/etc to the lip and or cheek.
Etiology also includes certain chemicals, or a rise or drop in pH inside the mouth. "SLS" (Sodium lauryl sulfate) in almost every toothpaste has been linked to increased incidence of aphthous ulcers. My brother in law can't look at a freshly cut pineapple without sprouting a canker.
Those little boogers hurt like heck... I feel your pain. I think the Debacterol trumps the laser based largely on the fact that you can have the stuff at home when you need it an don't have to go see a dumb 'ol periodontist to get the laser. Ohhhhhhhhh shoot. Did I just say that? Ha ha. Jk.
p.s. world's longest comment. Call the Guinness Book.
Is it weird I'm so happy to hear all your pain? well I am....love to see this good canker talk support group. Shell even though we are in different countries we can think of each other when our cankers sting.
Oh geeky Steve I miss you, why in the world do we not still live around the corner from you guys? life is cruel, and best friends just don't come around every day. I appreciate you taking the issue seriously, I remember you being a fellow sufferer. that said when I asked Ben about Debacterol he said that the perscription costs like 60 bucks. I guess I'm not worth it. I'm going to try the laser and I will get back to you on the results...maybe I'll submit it to dental town. if it works you will just have to come visit some dumb periodontist you know. and if it doesn't maybe my rich upper class already practicing dentist friend will send me some debactoral. I hear it's so powerful it can make a grown man cry!
I'm so dumb. I didn't even think of sending you some. I actually bought these little glass vials so I could divide up the contents of the swab. Call me or have Ben call me or text me your address and it will be on it's way with detailed instructions. If Ben knew how annoying/painful canker sores are, he would have ponied the $60 you. :-)
Just so ya know, I had the most horrendous canker that I remember having in a REALLY long time. It was underneath my tongue towards the back, which made it extremely painful to talk, swallow, eat, live... I felt like being anorexic because the thought of eating was painful. Anyhow, it's gone now but during the whole ordeal I kept thinking about this post. I hope you never have one like that if you haven't already. Love ya!
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