JUST A LITTLE LOPSIDED

I have this strange lump on the roof of my mouth. It's been there for as long as I can remember. A dentist once told me it was probably just a calcium deposit or something, and I needn't worry about it unless it starts growing some day. Most of the time I forget it's even there, but once in a while, my tongue will knock against it, and I will realize that it is a bit sore for some reason. Then, try as I might, I cannot get my tongue to leave it alone, which only exacerbates the problem. It's sore right now, which is why I'm sitting here thinking about it. I probably just scorched it with hot food, or nicked it with a fork, but every time this happens, I can't help but wonder, "What if it's growing?"

That's not the only thing strange about the roof of my mouth. It's also rather lopsided. One side's crevice is much deeper (higher?) than the other's. My orthodontist saw it as an indication that I came dangerously close to being born with a cleft palate, but that it finally sealed up in the nick of time. Lucky me! Of course, that's not the only thing that is lopsided about me. I also have one eye a bit droopier than the other, and one boob that is decidedly larger than the other. Then there is that whole bizarre thing about my uterus having a room divider slightly off center, which is what caused all of my miscarriages.

When I was about to undergo surgery, to switch it back from a duplex to a single dwelling, they first sent me down to x-ray. They said it was not unusual, in someone with a malformation such as this, to find other things that went awry. They just wanted to be sure each organ was in its proper place before they started cutting on me. Good idea! Fortunately, they all were.

No one knows exactly what caused my special little quirks, and as far as quirks go, they could have been a whole lot worse. However, one of the first things my surgeon asked me was, "Do you know if your mother was given DES before you were born?" It was a new wonder drug that came out around that time, which was supposed to prevent miscarriages. Unfortunately, they found out later on that not only was it pretty much useless on that front, it also played havoc with the resulting progeny's ability to procreate. My mom had no memory as to what she was given, and her OB was long gone by this time, so we will never know for sure. However, Mom did have a miscarriage shortly before she became pregnant with me, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that was the case.

So, here's what I'm tryin' to tell ya. No doctor, or drug company, or GMO-wielding scientist cares about you, your body, or your off-spring, in the exact same way that you do. They are each operating according to their own agendas. You must take charge of your own destiny. Be diligent, ask questions, do your research, then make an informed decision as to what is best for you. If you don't, who will?