10.17.2011

Dum Dum, Give me Gum Gum!



For the past approximately 20 years, I have not chewed gum.

I have TMJ disorder, and for years, it hurt to chew gum. Like, major pain, severe headache lasting throughout the following day, and hurting my entire skull. Throbbing. So, I had to finally call it quits. Gum and I, we broke up.

And then. Just a few weeks ago, I had a little night out. Maybe I had a little to drink. Maybe I had a lot to drink. Who's counting? And when the night was wrapping up, someone offered me a piece of gum. Which I think most of us realize is nice person code for "You got some major funky breath going on." And somehow, my soggy inebriated brain thought that sounded like a great idea. So I took a stick of gum, and Oh.My.God. It was like an orgasm in my mouth. I had no idea how much I had missed Gum. I had no idea how amazing the new flavors of gum tasted. I had no idea what I'd been missing in all these years!

And here's the most amazing part: I did not get a headache.

And maybe you know by now that I have an itsy-bitsy bit of OCD, and I tend to obsess on things. It's not addiction, exactly. It's just obsession. Harmless little obsession. *cue Psycho music*

So, that's what's up with me and gum now. It doesn't give me a headache any more. I don't know why, but I'm not questioning Gum. I am obsessed. I am a gum fiend. I chew gum, I buy gum, I search for gum. I ask for gum. I smack gum and I pop gum. I chew like a cow. I am totally obnoxious. See, what I had forgotten about gum is that for some weird reason, chewing gum makes me happy. It puts me in a better mood. Who needs Prozac? I have spearmint Extra, baby.

Which leads me to the burning question on my mind this Monday morning.

Do you have any gum?


6 comments:

April said...

I chew gum a lot, too...I think it helps keep me sane! :) My fav. is Double Bubble bubblegum...YUM! So glad to know that you didn't suffer a terrible headache from chewing some! Maybe that's a thing of the past.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I am not a gum chewer but I do buy gum when I have a coupon. Every once in awhile I will have a piece and I do enjoy it, just never think about it. So glad you are back to chewing, enjoy....

Frogs in my formula said...

LOL. You crack me up. I used to get a ringing in my ears and the doctor blamed it on gum, so I stopped cold turkey. Gradually I introduced it back into my life (mints are not the same) and, just like you, the old problem never came back. Woohoo for gum. Chew till you can't chew no more, sister.

Unknown said...

I wonder if the problem magically resolved itself when your issue with icecream also resolved? :) Wouldn't that be wonderful? Now if only *other* issues in life could be so easy to change?! :)

Helene said...

Wow, that's odd that you're able to chew gum now without suffering from a headache! Aren't our bodies so freakin' wierd? Suddenly, it seems I'm lactose intolerant. Like overnight kind of suddenly. I'm having a hard time parting from cheese but it doesn't seem to like me anymore.

I go through phases with gum where I'll chew it every day and then I could go weeks without it and never think once about it.

Crystal Escobar said...

That is awesome! I seriously can't live without gum, or chapstick :)