Inspire Me Monday - A Cautionary Tale

(This is my post for the "Inspire Me Monday" blog hop at the Create With Joy blog.  Click the button above to find more inspiration!)
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Have a little one that does not like to brush their teeth?  (I know, what in the world does this have to do with creativity and/or inspiration?  Hold your horses, I'm getting to that.)
At 8:15 this morning, I was in the dentist's chair.  Why?  I was getting fitted for a set of dentures.  I am 51 years old (I don't feel that old, though.)  How did this happen to me at such a "young" age?
My mother was a good one at reminding me to brush my teeth.  I don't know why but it's just not something I ever caught onto by myself.  I'd like to lay the whole problem at the feet of genetically soft enamel.  But I can't.  If I want to find the source of this difficulty, I need only look in the mirror.  Of course, looking back, I now regret not having paid more attention to my dental health (brushing after every meal, flossing, etc.)
Last October 8, I went to a dental clinic sponsored by the University of Kentucky clinic system.  They helped out low-income folks like myself with dental, eye, and "female" care.  I had every single one of my teeth pulled that day, and the first week of recovery was ROUGH.  I'm pretty sure I took my Tylenol quota for the year within the first two weeks.
My church had let me know about the clinic and are assisting me with the cost of the dentures.  I could not have gotten this far without them.
Now, some people may look down on me after finding this out, for my lack of discipline...or whatever.  But I cannot, nor will I, worry about that right now.  Nor am I looking for pity.  I would like people (especially children) to learn from my example...and NOT do this to themselves.
There is a website, MouthHealth.org, that gives a lot of good information on dental health for all stages of life.  This is not a "sponsored post".  I have no connection or affiliation with the ADA or any dentists for marketing purposes.
I also don't want to scare people into taking better care of themselves.  I would really, really like to i-n-s-p-i-r-e people at really how easy it would be to significantly improve their health and their lives by engaging in a few simple acts of self-care on a regular basis.  In the end, it really is much easier than the alternative.
And if you already do this, HUZZAH!  Pat yourself on the back!  And after that, I invite you to join me in encouraging others to do the same.
Happy Monday, y'all!