Livingston Dental - October 2020

Livingston Dental - October 2020

800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com

October 2020

Life With Livingston Dental

e G e n

Meet Queenie

Lessons and Memories of Our Family Dog

there were many lessons that Queenie taught us. (Yes, both of us.) Mainly, the nature of people. Queenie was wonderful at many things. She always kept moles out of our backyard. So, while we knew some people would complain about them, Queenie was the best expert mole exterminator we knew. The problem is that when Queenie would do this, she’d patrol between our yard and the neighbor’s. That’s not because we didn’t have fences either. We had an electric fence! Queenie was impervious to the voltage. She walked wherever she wanted. Eventually, my neighbor came to me. He was very upset and began giving me many recommendations about how I needed to take care of Queenie. I listened, then told him about Queenie’s role in my family: to teach our kids responsibility. Naturally, changing her behavior would take time. However, this prompted him to give me advice on raising David. Then, I asked, “Well, tell me your experience with raising children. How many have you had?”

We found her while attending a community event complete with apple bobbing (a Halloween tradition that may be lost in a post-pandemic world) and many other games. There was also a local pound fenced area with all of the puppies they’d been keeping. David was 6 years old, and he wanted to bring a puppy home. I made him promise to take care of it, but back then, I knew he wasn’t super responsible. He’s a dedicated chef for the athletics department at the University of Wyoming today, but back then, he was a picky eater and hated chores! I agreed to getting the puppy anyway, hopeful he’d embrace the chores associated with her. Fellow parents can guess how that turned out. I was the inevitable main caretaker for Queenie, but she adored me — if I do say so myself. She always seemed happier to see me than almost anyone else. When I’d come home from work, she delightfully greeted me at the door. To strangers, though, her bark was certainly worse than her bite. Queenie became an excellent guard dog because she made her presence known, even though she would never have bitten anyone. Queenie warmed up to people once she knew they were welcome.

It was a sad day when Queenie died over a decade ago. I was thinking about her because Adopt a Shelter Dog Month is a wonderful reminder that dogs aren’t just your best friends; they’re a family member that gives you memories and lessons you will treasure for a lifetime. Our dog Queenie was a mixed-breed dog; she looked like Lassie but with black fur. Beautiful and loving, she was a nurturing friend to my children growing up — although I had originally gotten her so David, one of my youngest boys, could nurture her and learn a little more about responsibility himself.

“My wife and I don’t have any; we chose not to,” he told me.

While David might not have embraced all of Queenie’s caretaking duties like I hoped,

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Fall and Winter Sports Are on the Horizon

Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear!

to make sure they work and inspect gear that’s been stored and forgotten, like backpacks and tents, that you might not notice the wear and tear on while out in the wild. You don’t want any equipment to malfunction when you’re in the middle of an excursion.

When was the last time you bought new ski pants or hiking boots? Now that you’re thinking about it, you might be realizing it’s been many years since you updated your most used athletic gear, which might explain why you’ve been colder than usual on the ski hill or why your feet ache after a short hike. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider investing in new gear. It can be very expensive, but you’re in luck — the holidays are just around the corner, which means so are the sales! Before you drop cash on new gear, sort through your current inventory and decide what to keep, sell, and toss. This might be hard and you may be tempted to skip it, but making these decisions can help you save money. If you have equipment or athletic wear that’s still in good condition but you no longer need, find a consignment shop where you can sell or trade it. After all, your gear might be perfect for someone else and still give you some money to get a great upgrade for yourself.

Now that you know what gear you want to replace, it is time for the fun part.

Decide what outdoor activities you want to do in the upcoming months and in the next year. Adjust your inventory to your new needs and research which brands have the best ratings and reviews. Then, find which retailers tend to have the best prices.

Shopping smart takes a little bit of preparation, but it can save you hundreds of dollars and lots of stress during those busy holiday weeks. So, dig through your closet or garage, take note of your current gear, and prepare to find some awesome deals for the whole family on new gear for the coming year.

As you sort through your gear, see if any equipment is damaged and requires repair or replacement. Test flashlights and headlamps

10 Tips for Achieving the Perfect Look If your living space harkens back to your college days of naked walls or too many movie posters, then it’s time to up your decor game. One of the best ways to polish a room and bring everything together is by hanging items on your walls. But if you’re not sure how to go about it, you can end up with multiple holes, peeling paint, or potentially crooked pieces that you’re not even sure look quite right. Instead, follow these 10 steps to achieve the aesthetic you want. 1. Lay your pieces on the floor and play with their arrangement. You’ll get exactly what you want without having to create more than one hole in the wall per piece. Don’t Get Hung Up on Hanging Your Decor

5. If you have a piece that’s loud or eccentric, put it front and center! Making it a focal point instead of hiding it in a corner makes it feel intentional instead of awkward. 6. Even if you’re creating a gallery wall, aim to display no more than five pieces to avoid overwhelming or cluttering the space. 7. When hanging multiple pieces, space them 2–3 inches from one another. The goal is to make the pieces feel connected, not like they’re floating around separately. 8. Align pieces that aren’t the same size by their center point, not by the top or bottom of their frames. 9. If it’s safe to do so, hang each item by just one nail. This makes it much easier to get the piece level. 10. Hammer your nail into the wall at an angle, not straight in. The nail gets a more secure grip this way. When it comes to actually choosing your pieces, find what speaks to you or represents who you are. Decor can be a great conversation piece, and it’s essential to the ambiance of your home.

2. To fill a horizontal space, hang two vertical pieces next to each other. To fill a vertical space, hang one horizontal piece on top of another. 3. Hang your pieces at eye level, around 55–60 inches from the floor. If you have high ceilings, you can increase that height by a few inches. 4. If you’re hanging something above a piece of furniture, put it about 4–6 inches above the furniture and choose pieces that are about two-thirds its width.

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DON’T LET YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY END UP HERE

800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com Livingston Dental

Livingston Dental

Think about it: you’ve paid your insurance bills all year long — so allowing your dental benefits to expire is like throwing all the money out the window ... or paying for a movie ticket, popcorn, and soda and then staying home to watch reruns instead. Now is the perfect time to schedule your dental appointment and take advantage of those benefits before they expire! We’ll make sure you are grinning as much as your jack- o’-lantern (but without all the missing teeth).

Don ’ t forget your beneFIts expire on 12 / 31 / 20.

It will be here before you know it!

P.S. Appointments will fill up fast. Call today!

Can We Help You Achieve Better Sleep? Let’s Talk About Obstructive Sleep Apnea There are a lot of reasons why you may be having trouble with sleep. Sleep apnea tends to be the last of reasons that people suspect, if they’ve even heard of it. Yet, it’s a very common condition. There are more than 3 million U.S. cases per year, and while it can be chronic (lasting years), that doesn’t mean it’s permanent. Your obstructive sleep apnea can be fixed by your dentist — for good.

have trouble concentrating, high blood pressure, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. These are all common warning signs of OSA. Naturally, anyone who can observe your sleep is more likely to notice sleep apnea before you will. WHO’S AT HIGHEST RISK? Anyone, even children, can have sleep apnea. However, it’s most common among men, older adults, people who are overweight, or those who have certain diseases or conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Having small airways in your nose, throat, or mouth or having too much tissue at the back of your throat can also warrant concern. A family history of sleep apnea can be a huge risk factor, as well. Treatment for sleep apnea usually starts with CPAP therapy, which means using a CPAP machine to help you breathe. However, surgical treatment is also available. There’s a reason why dentists are often the first people who find out whether or not you have sleep apnea: We can take a better look at your throat and detect excess tissue in your airways. If you’re worried about your own sleep or a loved one’s, call Livingston Dental and take a step toward peaceful sleep again.

WHAT’S OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA (OSA)? If you have something partially (or even fully) blocking your upper airway while you sleep, your diaphragm and chest muscles have to work twice as hard to breathe. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea can have very shallow breathing while sleeping or even stop breathing entirely for a short while. They may start breathing again with a loud gasp, snort, or body jerk but be totally unaware that it’s happening. WAIT, SO HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE OSA? During the night, you may feel restlessness while trying to sleep, wake up suddenly and feel like you’re choking, or have trouble getting up in the morning. You may experience headaches and fatigue during the day or a dry mouth or sore throat when waking up. Maybe you

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I walked away after that; it wasn’t a big deal, but I didn’t trust the parenting feedback of someone who had never raised kids. When I got inside, I noticed David was watching by the window. He looked at me and asked, “What did the neighbor want?” I made sure to do the opposite of what our neighbor did. I didn’t point fingers. “He isn’t happy with how we are taking care of Queenie,” I told him. I didn’t put all the blame on David, although we had wanted him to be her caretaker. Yet, he still understood he needed to do better, for other people’s sakes. While David owns two dogs now and is a wonderful owner, those years of having Queenie as a part of our family probably taught David how to properly take care of a dog. Although we haven’t adopted another dog yet, we’ve been busy with chickens — a completely different ball game, but we enjoy having fresh eggs all the time. Maybe you can’t replace a best friend, but you can always find one at a local shelter or pound. If you’re considering welcoming a furry friend into your family, I highly recommend it.

Classic Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins aren’t just for pie — they make delicious soup, too! This fall, try your hand at this healthy soup recipe and warm up with a bowl.

Ingredients

Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com

• 1 cup canned light coconut milk • 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 shallots, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 1/4 cups pumpkin purée (homemade or canned) • 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1/4 tsp sea salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté olive oil, shallots, and garlic for 2–3 minutes. 2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. 3. Transfer the soup to a blender and purée. Pour the blended soup back into the pan. 4. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired, then serve!

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on being named Top Dentist of Wyoming 2017-2020!

800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com

Inside Meet Queenie

Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear! How to Hang Wall Decor Perfectly

Let’s Talk About Obstructive Sleep Apnea Classic Pumpkin Soup

Have You Heard of the USS Wyoming?

Stories of the Lead Dreadnought Battleship Have You Heard of the USS Wyoming?

When World War I started, the Wyoming departed for Britain. On Feb. 6, she began her first war operation alongside eight British destroyers by escorting a convoy to Stavanger, Norway. Her firepower was a tremendous boon to the American Navy, but she wasn’t a lead ship yet. In those early days, they struggled with false reports of U-boat sightings — and yet, in a strange twist of fate, the USS New York collided with a U-boat. Although it didn’t sink, damages left the USS Wyoming to be the flagship of the Navy division. She’d later help the USS George Washington escort President Woodrow Wilson to the peace negotiations in Paris. When World War II started, the USS Wyoming began to really shine for her weaponry. Over the course of the war, the Wyoming was used to train nearly 35,000 gunners on seven different types of guns. Because of her extensive use as a gunnery training ship, she fired more ammunition than any other ship in the fleet during the war. On Oct. 30, 1947, sadly, the USS Wyoming was finally sold for scraps. In honor of her service to our country, we applaud her and the generation of Americans who helped her thrive on the seas.

Wyoming has a beautiful name that’s rich with history. As we mentioned about its origin in the last edition, many historical feats have been named after the state. In fact, before and during World War I, the lead ship of dreadnought battleships in the United States Navy was named the USS Wyoming (BB-32). The Wyoming was actually the second ship named in honor of the 44th state, but it has the most prestigious career as a participant in both World War I and World War II. Her plans were laid down at the William Cramp & Sons company in Philadelphia in February 1910 and completed in September 1912. The USS Wyoming was 562 feet long, and — as dreadnoughts were designed in those days — she was absolutely armed to the teeth with artillery and turrets. She boasted a main battery of 12 12”/50 caliber Mark 7 guns paired with six Mark 9 twin-gun turrets and a second battery with over 21 5”/51 caliber guns along the hull of the ship. The USS Wyoming was a powerful dreadnought of its time.

In her early career, she traversed Cuba and the Mediterranean Sea, stopping in Valletta, Malta; Naples, Italy; and Villefranche, France.

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