by her mother
Once upon a time there was a mommy with a little girl. This daughter was very difficult in her teenage years and was not a good listener; she definitely had a head of her own. This child was very athletic and loved playing softball throughout high school. Upon graduation, she began playing co-ed ball.
Her mother, also a seasoned softball athlete, warned her never to pitch against a man. Of course, during a practice one late evening, she didn’t listen. The man at bat made direct contact with the ball, and her daughter took a nasty hit on the pitching mound which knocked out one of her front incisors.
Her fellow players got on their hands and knees, retrieved the fractured tooth and rushed my daughter to the ER. Our dentist made a gallant effort to save the tooth. It didn’t happen. My daughter required plastic surgery twice to fix her beautiful lips.
From Counting Teeth To Becoming A Doctor
My daughter’s major in college was biology, with a minor in chemistry. I knew she loved the sciences and suggested to her jokingly one day that she should study to become a dentist.
Well, the idea must have stuck because two years after her softball accident, she walked into a dentist’s office to apply for a position as a dental assistant to see if dentistry was a career she might want to pursue. As my daughter began filling out her application in the dental office, the secretary watched as, fingers in her mouth, my daughter began counting her teeth. The office manager was laughing hysterically and helped my daughter complete the application; she did not know how many teeth a child had, either.
My daughter interviewed with the dentist, who eventually figured out that he had graduated high school with her father. She got the job. Within a few weeks, the dentist told her that she was the “best assistant” he had ever had. Well, she did go to dental school, graduating with honors. My daughter’s first name is now “DOCTOR.” We are so proud of her!