Today the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.  6 individuals were able to change the lives of millions.  The court stated every life has a right to decide for itself.  But a woman cannot decide for herself when it comes to reproduction.  I understand their value placed on life.  But what is life if it is a result of rape or incest?  Or even an accident on birth control pills?  How will the baby be supported if the mother is not mature enough to take care of it or no one wants it?  Today society is about individualism, not community.  If you hate the idea of wearing a mask during a pandemic because your health is at risk from lack of oxygen, how can you celebrate this supreme court decision about taking away a woman's right to her body and life?  This will not end abortion, just safe ones in those righteous states.
Why bring forth a baby into a world that will discriminate against it if it is part of the LGBTQ+ community?  Or even a minority with racism, misogyny, and even uncovered healthcare benefits?  Healthcare insurance companies won't cover the "pre-existing" conditions.  If one does value life from the moment of conception, then one should ensure its life is given equal rights with resources for basic living.  One should also value the life of the currently living.
Our community seems to have been torn, ripped at the heart of "love thy neighbor".  We've become immune to mass shooting, police brutality, bad leaders, and entertainment opinions as facts.   The country is even divided on the  insurrection of  Jan. 6 because there are people who want to hold onto their power in government.  I mean, having a pension and lifelong health benefit is dang attractive, not to mention under the table perks, for serving one term.  You can make things up and people would believe you.  Millions would believe your lies.  
It's ironic that the people who are celebrating today's verdict are the same people who don't want to pay taxes to social programs.  How does one small portion of the population gets to dictate how the majority live?  Isn't our voting system based on the majority rules?  But money talks and has lot of influence.  Think Delta Dental insurance company.  Their reps cheat their own clients out of a proper payment/reimbursement.   You have to check item by item each time you get a check from them.  It's unreal and pathetic.  But they get away with it because they are huge.
If you study the history to Planned Parenthood, it was the republican way to ensure poor people don't populate their communities.  They wanted to control low-income birth rate, regardless of color.  Then the Democrats took on this calling and made it theirs to give support to women, regardless of class.  But Democrats in the majority seems to be futile right now.  Their lack of action to hold public leaders accountable for bad behavior allows more people to behave badly.  Let's not forget this day that has set us back 50 years.   What is the SCOTUS going to take away next?  Same-sex marriage?   This should tell you no one should have their job guaranteed for life.  If you don't perform your duty well, you need to be fired or disciplined especially if you are there to serve the people of the land.  This mentality is dangerous to a changing world.  We need to move forward, not backwards.  Our founding fathers could not have possibility thought of every single scenarios for the future.   That is why they included the 9th amendment in the Bill of Rights.  What happened to that?

Image from the Handmaid's Tales, where fertile women are forced to have sex with their masters as that is what God want.  Only the chosen few can run the world in the name of God during daylight.   But when nighttime comes, they celebrate with his fallen angel behind closed doors.  In this series, women can't even read in public, even if it's the woman who help formed this society.  Depressing...

A while back, I worked on my cousin who is a physician.  He had an infected tooth for almost a year now.  I lectured him about ignoring intermittent oral pain.  Then I realized as someone who is on the upper echelon at the hospital, he didn't have time to address his own pain.  He was taking care of patients, peers, administrative issues, and families.   He takes his family members to their doctor appointments but ignores his own, until it cannot be ignored any longer.
My cousin is a good guy.  He cares with is big heart on his big arm.  So this made me want to take care of him even more.  A lot of times we forget that doctors, or anyone who takes care of others, ignore their own needs for care, any kind of care.  As a society, we put importance in caring for others.  Often time, caregivers don't include ourselves in that box.  I'm so happy to see that there are still people who whole-heartedly give themselves to their profession and not complain because it's "part of the job".  Given all that is going on and the deterioration of community, let this remind you that there are pockets of hope within society that still want to help each other.  Not everything is left or right, political, religious, or even colorful.  It's simple, black and white: help thy neighbors.

His tooth was fractured all this time, infection came and went for almost a year.  I knew it wasn't just a simple extraction and bone graft.  I opened the area up and found a huge ball of granulomatous tissue and hole in bone.  So please remember not to yell at your providers.  They are working hard to care for others.  
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You know sometimes in any work environment, one can get so overwhelmed and tired.  Tired of the BS from people, tired of the long hours and tired of complexities of the situation that one cannot control.  Then you go home and you're emotionally and mentally drained for your family.  It escalates because we're humans and most humans are emotional creatures.  That is why being in isolation brings about depression and being short with others bring more trouble.
I remember telling a story where my  patient was so sad when he came in.  Then became happy and started laughing as I counted out his pocket numbers because my voice was so tender to him.  I didn't know he had just argued with his soon-to-be-ex-wife.  I just knew he was not his usual self.
I know it is my job to take care of my patients and show them tenderness on top of providing the best dental care I know how.  I'm just happy with them paying their bills.  But it's the little things and thoughtfulness that matter to me most because they thought of my happiness.  Recently, my patients show gratitude in their own creative ways and I can't be happier.  The office receive treats, gifts and cards.  I love everything but I really enjoy reading those handwritten cards.  It's old-fashion, I know.  The sentiments and thoughts put behind them are so meaningful to me.  When a patient moves away and then I receive a handwritten card, it warms my heart.  It reminds me to stay in this place that brings more happiness and joy than not.  The potency of the 5% cannot outweigh the greatness of the other 95%. I am grateful for 99% of those that have crossed my paths.  We can't really have 100% of anything but 99% is pretty awesome.  Yes, this includes the good and the bad.  It makes me appreciate the "good" more and deal with the "bad" better.
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Starting tomorrow, 1/19/22, you can sign up for free COVID home test from this website:
https://www.covidtests.gov
They are allowing 4 tests per household.  They won't ship immediately but a 7-12 days wait is not too bad.  Plan ahead and request yours tomorrow.  There are 1 BILLION tests available so yours will be coming.  If you can't sign up for it, you can always get your test for free at certain sites: Santa Clara Fairground, CVS Pharmacy, Rite Aid, some Urgent Care centers, etc.  There are options.  It's just the timing and wait line.  Good luck.