“Because of the unending pain from my dental problems, I began praying for God to end my life, let me fall asleep and never wake up again.  Following the second call I received from the DDS program after submitting my application, something inside of me began to see endless reasons and possibilities up ahead in my life, and my life really started over again with a sense of hope that today, as I’m writing, I’m still smiling.  Two days after the broken-down and infected teeth were removed, the first thing I noticed was no pain.  Also the horrible taste that I’ve had in my mouth for years was gone.  That in itself was such a blessing I really did feel like getting the dentures was a bonus.  Everyone that has seen me comments on how I look.  Mostly I hear ‘what did you do, you look so young suddenly, you look 20 years younger.’ Maybe someday I’ll get used to this and the giddiness and sheer joy will ease off a bit, but I’m not counting on that. 

I never knew what it was really like to have somebody care about how I felt!  I know now that nobody should ever have to go through life alone, left out or pushed out by others.  Thank all of you so very very much.  Nothing is more valuable then actually knowing, hearing in somebody’s voice, that you are really cared about by someone!  It’s still like I’ve had a blast of miracles occur in my life and I’ve started over, a new person, full of hope, reasons to be alive.”