Suzanne and I made our own Christmas Card this year. It is based on images from our travels, and of course I used Photoshop Elements to design the card. Many of the techniques I used were learned from you, my friends, companions, and advisors here in this forum. Most of you are much more experienced and knowledgeable with PSE than I, and you have generously shared your knowledge with me…and many others. I owe you much, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you…and Adobe for hosting this forum. If you would like to see the result of my efforts (and hopefully not laugh too hard) go to my website… <http://community.webshots.com/user/bigelowrs> ….and open the Christmas Card album. It contains two images, one for the inside, one for the outside. The card folds in the middle. I think you’ll see how it works. We mailed out 80 of them so far. I would like to wish all you wonderful people a joyous holiday season, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Bert
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Bert, I am impressed with your photos and your cleverness! What fun it must have been picking out the right pictures and the comment! So glad you shared with us all. Hope holidays are wonderful for you and your family, too! Do
I’ve spent more time in the hospitals since Wednesday than I did in the last 2 years… I think I must have been X-Rayed a few times, without even knowning it.
As for being X-Rayted, ehhh… I’d prefered Ray-traced.. Although some may argue that I spend an obsene amount of time in front the computer, though 🙂
Ray-o-vac… (that’s for when it’s time to remove the dust…)
No, my friend had a surgery this week to remove some infection near the spinal cord. The surgery went fine but then, once we got home (it was a one-day-go-home-now surgery), things started to go wrong. We got back on that same evening. Then this morning, he was still bleeding. They re-did half of the surgery. How funny…
As for my own surgery, I’ve fired my surgeon this morning. I just learned that I’ve waited 3 months because they lost my file. Nice… ! Too … to call me and say "We’re sorry, we lost your molds and personal info". I’m now "shopping" for a new surgeon. But this delay plus the added delay of finding a surgeon, getting the tests done and scheduling the surgery puts me 6 months behind the original schedule. I’m now considering having the "/$@@! braces removed right after the Holidays and cancelling the surgery. If I can’t eat in 3 or 4 years from, then so be it! Pureed food will become a good friend, that’s all 🙂
Ray Oh and on Monday, my eye specialist told me I’m overdue for a new corrective eye surgery (to realign my eyes). Doctors and I have a thing going on, I’m sure. Only I’m not convinced we’re on the same side 😉
Bert, I’ll start by saying that I really am green with envy 😉 The travels in Africa…..bliss! Thank You for sharing your Christmas card with us. It’s really well put together !
Bert, it was supposed to be a minor surgery, but Rick (my friend) is having all sorts of problems. He’s got the hickups 9 times yesterday. The last one, we had to call info-health (the last step before calling 9-1-1) because he could barely breath. It’s a reaction to the codein in his pain killer medication. Then blood things (like a big amount of blood..) formed and his surgery area kept bleeding. I’m learning to speak medical (in French, sorry) these days. And, if you don’t ask anything, they’re simply not volounteering any info… Grr !
My surgery is (was ??) to re-align my lower and upper jaws. But now, I’m really thinking it *was* rather than it *will be*. Braces, surgery, more braces, then retainers. I’m only at Braces 1… And it’s been 15 months. The worst is, I got those additional braces that cross the main one to keep my teeth from moving, while the surgeon was supposingly "thinking" about my case. It’s been 3 months. This week, I learn that you can’t keep those temporary retainers for more than a month. No wonder my mouth is cut all over. Double Grrr !!
Ray P.S. Rick has hidden the various tools we have, I think he was anticipating me trying to remove the braces myself 😉
I will bring my tools over and help you get the wire out of your mouth!
Now Ray your first mistake was not setting down the ground rule with this surgeon. Next time you have an oral surgeon enter your mouth here is what to do. Wait for the right time and when he get real close … just about when he says "Open wide". Reach out and grasps his testacies, gently but firmly and whisper "Lets get a couple of things straight Doc, you don’t hurt me and I won’t hurt you.
He was recommended by my ortho and several other people. But the guy is either way too busy or has a thing against me. I like asking questions, especially when my health is concerned, because I was never the thoughest boy around (got sick several times, in French we say I have no health). What I think happened is that I asked too many questions and that annoyed him a lot. He quietly put me asside, hoping I wouldn’t call back. But, I did. And on several occasions. That was my mistake. I should have listened to my intuition.
This is getting way out of topic, and probably very boring for everyone on this board. Let’s concentrate on this :
Thanks to you all for your kind comments. Suzanne and I had an absolute BLAST putting it together. The original idea…overall theme…was my idea. So, I did the inside pictures and then we worked together on the captions. But I was stuck on the outside, and she had the idea of the STRETCH, which I thought was brilliant. I wanted to use that image anyway. It’s one of my favorites from the trip. I should probably post the card I did last year which was based on our Antarctica trip…I was just getting started in PSE, so it’s not very good technically, but it’s kinda cute. I’ll put it up there just for kicks. Bert
Wonderful card and opening with a pun too! Missed seeing it the first time. Matter of fact, couldn’t see the card first time. Then I noticed there’s s page 2. Duh.
I am truly sorry to hear about your situation, and mad at the same time. My anger is directed at those doctors of yours. I can’t believe such a tableau being played out at this day and age. Franz Kafka could have been writing about your predicament. Is it possible this national health thing removed the money factor which in turn diminished the incentive to treat the patients properly and with due diligence? What has happened to the hypocritic oath?
Pain and suffering from ill health is no stranger to me. Having survived a malnourished and sickly childhood, my constitution has never been robust. Believe me that you will get through all this and come out alright. My grampa told me whenever I was really down, "Things can only turn out for the better. If it is destined otherwise, then there’s no escaping it. So why be bothered. Just take life as it comes, and make the most of it." And he always ended by pouring himself another large one.
BS aside, I hope you’ll get proper treatment and relief soon. Is there some such in Montreal as a TV or radio station like our "(Station)7 On Your Side" that can help taking your case to the people in charge?
Thanks Shan 🙂 I’ll just find another surgeon, that’s really all there is to do for now. Granted, it hurts, but seriously, it’s nothing compared to those with cancer, bone problems, etc. My condition is still very manageable! This morning’s breakfast : Vanilla flavored Boost. And it actually taste good! For every problem, there’s a solution… 😉
To Ray: I’m so sorry things aren’t going well. I remember how you were looking forward to getting this all behind you – or at least being further down the road to having a mouth with no metal.
To Bert: !! 🙂 🙂 I love last year’s card, too!
Thanks, Beth. This year’s card was supposed to top last year’s. Next year…we’ll try to do it again. We have some interesting trips coming up next year, so I should get some new "Christmas card material." 🙂 Bert
Between the two cards, it’s a toss up. The little lion cub from this year is really hard to beat, but those ‘red penguins’ are a priceless breed, too! 🙂
Bert – just got reading this link. Great card and very original. 🙂
Ray – wow – sorry to hear about your health problems. . . I’ve spent my entire life living in a dental surgeon’s chair (or so it seems) and one of my friend’s said I should just get an apartment above the office to save on shoe leather. LOL Hope your problems get sorted out soon and yes health care isn’t what it used to be.
Your: #31 Funny what you said about your dental needs. One of my best friends is a dental surgeon. My wife and I used to spend quite a lot of time in his favorite chair too. For a long time, when I was still single and his kid sister was unattached and helped him out in his practice, other friends used to joke about not knowing whether I really needed dental work or just be there going to court his sister. For some mysterious reason, I have not been going to dentists after the age of fifty five, except for the two regular checkups a year. Very strange indeed.
Hi Ray, Perhaps you should get a second opinion, or more. From your picture, your jaw looks more aligned than most people I know. Every human is asymetrical to a certain extent. Do you have pain? Do you have trouble chewing your food? If not, then you might not need surgery. I would study this in depth, and have an independent doctor give you an analysis for a fee. Don’t let any doctor rush or persuade you, unless there is an immediate need/problem. My husband was almost persuaded to have extensive dental surgery several years ago, and we insisted on a second opinion, and found that it was totally unnecessary. Same with my brother, braces solved his problem, no surgery needed. I won’t go into family details here, but be SURE to get examined by an independent doctor before you commit to anything. Jane
Jane, to summarize, my jaw closes only on 3 teeth (bottom right). That’s it. Braces have put back the teeth straight, but still, no more than 3 of them are touching when I chew. Meat ? Humm… unless choped finely, it’s out of the question 😉 So as fresh carots, apple, etc. I can’t cut anything with my front teeth.
So, I really need a surgery. And on a picture, you can’t see it, but my lower jaw is 12mm (1/2 inch) too back, and the upper jaw is 14mm (a little over 1/2 an inch) to high. And we’re not talking aesthetics here, only the bare minimum to be able to chew. Smilling is another thing (with, of course, a higher bill!)
Hi Ray, I didn’t realize that this was as severe, but still I would get several opinions from different surgeons. Perhaps the teeth that don’t meet, could be capped, therby extending them. One of my son-in-laws had really short front upper teeth, and had each one capped. Solved the biting and smiling problem. He didn’t have an alignment problem, but this could help. Good luck anyway. Let us know what they give you for a solution, what options there are. Jane
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