No, it’s not THAT kind of talk. Where is your mind after all? Pillow Talk was a movie!
Barb of Before Morning Breaks, did a post that asked her followers what part of their lives would be good material for a movie. I was stunned because I could not provide a coherent answer. I was in the middle of writer’s block and saw my life as blah, bleh, and borrring. But Barb’s personal advice went like this, “I know about that lizard you keep for a pet and that is not part of a normal day.” Well, the lizard was just visiting, and I have nothing left for a pet but a paranoid, schizophrenic dog (perhaps fodder for another fabulous post?). But then, maybe I could write about my pillow?!
Flashback to 3 months ago: I woke up one morning and could hardly open my mouth. Some would rejoice at this phenomenon, but I was trying to bite into a slice of toast and experienced a huge, horrible pain. This was not particularly alarming because it had happened many years ago when my son was in diapers.
In that long ago period just after the dinosaurs, diapers were made of cloth and had to be secured with diaper PINS! My son was a squirmy baby who kicked and struggled so I held the pins in my mouth while controlling his flying little legs and I would CLENCH my teeth! Result: I could not open my mouth wide enough to eat a sandwich. A very wise dentist asked me, “Are you gritting your teeth?” Ha! And once I discovered the diaper pins were the cause, I relaxed the clamped jaws and the whole problem disappeared.
Not so this time. There are no diaper pins to deal with of course since my son is a grown man. Another wise dentist said, “Maybe you are grinding your teeth at night.” How could I control that? There’s a device you can use like the football players and boxers do, but I fear that would keep me awake all night. So, I have been suffering for 3 months. Granted, it has slowed down my eating habits but weight loss is not a happy side effect. I just take longer to devour the same amounts.
Where does the pillow come in? Patience.
The pain in my jaw became even more troublesome to include shocking stabbing pains and the inability to yawn. Have you any idea the frustration of a Half-Yawn? Horrible! Two more trips to the dentist and hundreds of dollars later, the pain was still there. Until – –
Suddenly I had an idea. Maybe it was my pillow! I was fighting with the old pillow because it went flat over time (well, flatt-er). I was boosting my head up with my fists and guess where those fists were braced? Against my jaw! So I bought a brand new pillow. Sleeping got easier but the jaw pain stayed awhile. Still, it seemed to get a little better each day.
This morning I yawned! A full wide open, cover-your-mouth intake of breath to push the oxygen through this depraved deprived body, get the heart moving and provide a sense of well being. What a difference a pillow makes! Doesn’t that sound like it would be a good song?
I LOVE MY PILLOW! But Barb, do you honestly think this is movie material?
Well, maybe not exactly movie material unless you could include some hot dude! Many years ago, after dinosaurs and before cellphones, the woman who worked in the cubicle next to me complained about back pain all the time. She was about 25 or so. One day after we played tennis, I stopped by her place. She had to get something from her bedroom and I tagged along. I immediately saw why she had back pain. Her mattress was from when she was 5 years old. It was about 3 inches thick and curved like a hammock. She replaced it and her back got better so your story is not far fetched.
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Hello Virginia, I didn’t open your post because I thought you might be talking about certain antics. The picture of Rock Hudson and Doris Day took me back to my childhood. Mum would watch Pillow Talk whenever it came on the TV. Whilst here though let me tell you that my dentist says that I must grind my teeth whilst asleep because I sometimes have trouble with my jaw too. It feels like I can’t open my mouth wide enough to yawn and it hurts to try. Apparently when I’m stressed, (When am I not?) I do grind them. I have some mandible exercises to do. Great post. From Chris 🙂
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Wow, who would have thought!
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I used to clench my jaw. Then it went away. The dentist said, “Did you quit your awful job?” And I had!
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Wow! Glad you got out of that awful job and no longer clenching. 🙂
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Amazing huh? 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by Chris – and your comment too. I don’t think I have much to be stressed about, but who knows? The pillow has sure helped. 🙂
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Kate, you probably would have spotted my flat pillow right off and saved me 3 months of agony. And what a wonderful thing you did for your co-worker re the 3 inch mattress causing her back problems.
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Yes, Dor, this is movie material if you’d add the lizard which sneaks in while you sleep which is the real reason your jaw hurts because you’re clenching your mouth shut, trying not to scream or giggle while he licks your toes.
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Actually, you’ve made me think. I’ve had a sore shoulder for about 3 months. I finally figured out I was hunching one shoulder (just one) as though I were trying to keep a purse strap from slipping off. I was hunching it ALL the time. But you know what? I think I’ll get a water pillow to support my neck. It couldn’t hurt could it?
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That’s all that matters too. 🙂
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Thanks Barb, but I’m afraid this would not be a sell-out film! 🙂
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A water pillow? Haven’t heard of that, but worth a try. I also have a friend who refuses to carry a purse. Sorry about your sore shoulder Barb.
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Who’da thunk? Your pillow and your fist under your jaw. Eek!
I get a sort of TMJ on and off, have had it for years… er, decades… since I bit rather too enthusiastically into a pizza! I’ve some exercises that help but it does take a while for the benefit to show. (Email me if you want me to tell you about them.) Curiously the first time I did them years ago they did nothing, when I started doing them again about a year ago, they helped. I can open my mouth wide now, though I avoid doing so for long periods, just in case!
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Thanks Val! My dentist did give me a little set of jaw exercises I try to do several times a day and the pillow is helping too I think. If the TMJ comes back, I shall email you for help. Perhaps your exercises are better. At any rate, we can trade ideas for relief. 🙂
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Okay. 🙂
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I had a sore neck from using double pillows and do a lot better now with just one. Sometimes my shoulders will ache from bra straps digging into them. Then the only remedy is to go braless for a while. And a heavy shoulder bag can cause shoulder pain, too. I have to either clean out my bag or hug the bag to my side to take some weight off my shoulder. Do you wonder why you might see a man carrying his wife’s handbag? Poor guy!
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Good solutions to an annoying problem. Sometimes it’s amazing how simple remedies can help.
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I loved your punch line! Thank you for sharing this post with us. You had me on pins and pillows. (Groan!) Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Now you’re probably going to want to smother me with that pillow!
My three children are all adults now too, but I certainly remember those pins and how many times I stuck myself while trying not to stick a squirmy baby. Sometimes my Beloved wife and I would outsmart ’em by double-teaming them!
Now it’s our turn to watch our oldest and his wife go through everything with their three month old–our first grandchild!!!! We’re loving life! I’ve wanted to be a grandfather about as long as I wanted to be a parent.
Russ
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Sharing the love http://blessyourhippieheart.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/share-the-love/ Check it out 😉
Lori
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Thank you so much Lori for your wonderful “Share the Love” award. No rules? Even so, I think you are closing the generation gap! Love, Dor
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Thanks very much Russ for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment like you have. I’m so glad you enjoyed the Pillow Talk blog post! 🙂
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Hi Dor! Thanks for sharing a picture of your hero! Funny what a difference a pillow can make! 🙂
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🙂 Thanks Cathy!
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