As the old saying goes, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” I have no complaints, as the Lord has blessed me with excellent health.
When I was much younger, I had a couple of triple bypass surgeries because of my eating habits — greasy steaks on the grill will do it every time. But other than that, my insurance companies have made money on me. Now, here at age 85, the problem with my teeth has caught up with me. You know, you lose a tooth here and there, and while I have been faithful to brush, I have never been a flosser. Well, over the years I have lost enough teeth that I was not pretty and had to cut down on my smile.
To make a long story short, I have had all my teeth pulled and am in the process of getting dental implants and dentures. This is not only expensive but is a process that I would not wish on my worst enemies. As I write this column, I have the top of my temporary dentures and will hopefully get the lower this week. Then it’s a four-month process before I get the final set, and they are supposed to be good and really pretty. The reason for this column is because I feel a lot of my readers, or their family members, are going through the same thing. Our big problem is what to eat when you don’t have any teeth.
Well, you see the title – “A Cool Whip & Jello Sandwich” — and I can not only eat it, but it is very tasty. Just a layer of Cool Whip, then some Jello, followed by another layer of Cool Whip. Here at our house, it has been a constant process of finding “soft” things that I can eat, and we have come up with some good and tasty ideas. I love bananas, and by taking a spoon of peanut butter (not much because of the sugar) and mashing it all together, there is a good meal there. For breakfast, we ordered a very large box of Cheerios, and with some soy milk I am set for the day.
We go out to eat quite often, and at good places like Cracker Barrel, I order red beans and rice and other soft foods that are also good. Janis has also learned how to fix good vegetables that are soft and make a great meal. She set a beautiful plate in front of me yesterday that had fried okra, cabbage, sliced tomatoes, peas, rice and corn, and it was delicious.
However, in the grand scheme of things, here are some thoughts I want to leave with you. While I love my oral surgeon who pulled my teeth and inserted the implants, and my terrific dentist who had the dentures made and installed them, this is something that I would not wish on my worst enemy.
If you still have your teeth, and especially if you are a younger person, please take care of them. Floss, brush and use Listerine on a regular and consistent basis and they will serve you well. They say there is no fool like an old fool and I am a living testimony that this is true. Like I said in the beginning, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” My prayer is that you will live a long time, too, and have a great life — and please take care of your teeth.
—(Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in the Log Cabin Democrat in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated in over 375 newspapers in 35 states. For a personalized copy of “Your Future Begins Today” send $20, which includes postage and handling, to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)