The tongue

I had to post something about the tongue today. Just had to. I cracked open my Beth Moore Bible Study to work on this week’s lesson and when I started reading that it was about how powerful the tongue was…I just knew it was time to blog.

Yesterday, I went to see my SIXTEENTH doctor about my jaw. I always smile inwardly when people ask why I have braces and I say, “I have TMJ”…9 times out of 10 whoever is asking says they have it too. I always just smile to myself and say something pleasant to them. This morning, when I took both of my kids to their well visits, their doctor told me she had TMJ too…sure she does. Here’s the thing…I HAVE THE WORST CASE EVER!!!!!!!! Ok…I feel better now.

My mom told me yesterday that being the best at having the worst TMJ wasn’t something to be proud of. She’s right…that’s why I never go on and on to people when they tell me they have TMJ too…it’s just not the contest I want to win.

So, rewind to yesterday when Dr. 16 told me she and doctors 15, 14, and 13 have a plan to get me fixed (By the way, she said on a scale of 1 to 10, my severity was an 11…lovely). Praise the Lord. Then today, I crack open my Bible study about the powerful tongue and I just chuckled at how God times everything.

The tongue is my whole problem.

The Bible says the tongue is powerful. This small part of your body can build people up and tear others down. The tongue can say things that ruin relationships forever and restores them too. The tongue is so dang powerful! And it’s ruining my mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, here’s the run down (humor me…I know you don’t really care). My gigantic tonsils (they’re seriously huge and could win an award themselves) are blocking too much of my airway and have been my whole life. (Since I was never a sick kid, the doctors never wanted to remove them before). Anyway, gigantic tonsils are blocking my airway and causing me breathing difficulties…my body has been compensating for this by using the tongue to give me extra breathing room. By doing this, stupid tongue has moved my jaw over, caused my gums to recede, caused at least one tooth to fall out (gross, I know), and created this massive problem I have been dealing with for 13 years. (13 years…click here to read why I’m optimistic this is the year to have it corrected.)

My newest doc is a tongue doctor…did you know there was such a thing? She’s the only one in Dallas…and we have a plan. My tonsils are coming out April 30, the lovely braces will stay on at least another year and speech therapy once a week will take place to put that silly tongue back in the right spot. I am highly optimistic.

It’s been 13 years, 16 doctors, 2 sets of braces, 7 retainers, 1 set of spiked bumpers, three rounds of Botox injections, one gum graft surgery, one crown ,and way too much money…but I feel like it’s almost over.

I just had to blog. With all of this tongue talk in my life, I had to ask…do you realize how potent your tongue is? Not only can it mess up relationships, it can move bones in your face (I have the x-rays to prove it). God created something crazy and powerful when he created the tongue.