I was going to start this blog with today's events, but decided it would make more sense to start it in June, the day I decided it was time to get over my extreme dental phobia and give the experience another chance... so here we go. I booked my appointment and waited ever so patiently for that day to arrive.
Finally it is time, I am going to have a root canal on number 18... that sounds very dentist like, this of course is my left side back molar... OK so Im in the chair and very fearful but acting tough which is my way, no-one must know... Inside Im freaking out...The dentist chairside manner is OK, he numbs me and begins his procedure, I have no reason to doubt his training or abilty to perform this little task.
Many times during my stay, he jumps up and leaves the room while I am sitting in the chair with a piece of what I hope is clean plastic holding my mouth open, a thin covering over my whole mouth. He of course is discussing at legnth the importance of dental care with another patient, I am the one with a mouth full of plastic, freaking out and wondering how long the numbing lasts and hoping it doesnt wear off before he returns???
But I am not alone in this room, I am left with the dental assistant who in conversation it comes out that I am a registered nurse, she feels it necessary to tell me about her MRSA infections, her scars and open wounds on her face are because she cannot stop picking her face and that she is taking narcotics regularly... Can this adventure get any worse... Im having fun now. Bring it on.
The dentist returns, believe it or not Im thrilled cause Im tired of my conversation with the MRSA infection carrying, face picking, narcotic popping assistant.
He begins again after an apology which truly didnt feel sincere in the least. Into the procedure he tries a different approach (his words) and an instrument flies off into my mouth, he is screaming to the assistent SUCTION, of course imagine my fear knowing the this is the above described assistant and Im hoping she hasnt popped any pills lately that would keep her from getting the suction quickly enough to protect my airway..
Finally the procedure part is over, now the part where the assistant begins to work on fitting me for my crown, imagine my delight at having her hands inside my mouth, I had visions of little MRSA bacteria swimming happily into my bloodstream and inside my tooth, but I must be paranoid..
So on to current times, a week ago, I start getting a nasty little toothache that quickly became crazy insane bad, morphine drip bad, desire to harm kittens bad.... So a trip back to the dentist, a new one as mine was not in (gosh golly darn) who nonchalantly says to me so you know about the instrument (file) left inside your tooth from the last procedure.....SHOCK must have showed on my face cause Im like NO....What does that mean... could that be my problem... why I have been in mind numbing pain for the last 4 days, missing 1/2 day of work and more sleep than I care to think about....
So being an RN I know that we are pretty fussy when we open someone up, to the point of counting every sponge, every instrument to insure all are accounted for...but Im assured this happens and is a risk of the root canal. Im not annoyed it happened cause Im aware stuff happens, Im ticked off that he didnt tell me it was there... SURPRISE, you have a potentially abscess/infection causing problem in your tooth that I caused and I know about it, and you dont, so instead I am going to put a crown on it and hope for the best.... If it doesnt work out then we will fix it.
Thankfully the endodontist was in the office and redid the root canal (just what I was wishing for) confirming I had a nasty little infection going on. He tells me this will be the first of at least 2 to 3 dentist office visits, goody... I felt that I was silly for my phobia.... however now my fears are confirmed, the dentist is a place that induces terror in me. Will always induce terror... Is it necessary yes it is, and yep Ill go back, Thursday to be exact, this is three days from now... knowing all the while that.....
I am not cured....
Many times during my stay, he jumps up and leaves the room while I am sitting in the chair with a piece of what I hope is clean plastic holding my mouth open, a thin covering over my whole mouth. He of course is discussing at legnth the importance of dental care with another patient, I am the one with a mouth full of plastic, freaking out and wondering how long the numbing lasts and hoping it doesnt wear off before he returns???
But I am not alone in this room, I am left with the dental assistant who in conversation it comes out that I am a registered nurse, she feels it necessary to tell me about her MRSA infections, her scars and open wounds on her face are because she cannot stop picking her face and that she is taking narcotics regularly... Can this adventure get any worse... Im having fun now. Bring it on.
The dentist returns, believe it or not Im thrilled cause Im tired of my conversation with the MRSA infection carrying, face picking, narcotic popping assistant.
He begins again after an apology which truly didnt feel sincere in the least. Into the procedure he tries a different approach (his words) and an instrument flies off into my mouth, he is screaming to the assistent SUCTION, of course imagine my fear knowing the this is the above described assistant and Im hoping she hasnt popped any pills lately that would keep her from getting the suction quickly enough to protect my airway..
Finally the procedure part is over, now the part where the assistant begins to work on fitting me for my crown, imagine my delight at having her hands inside my mouth, I had visions of little MRSA bacteria swimming happily into my bloodstream and inside my tooth, but I must be paranoid..
So on to current times, a week ago, I start getting a nasty little toothache that quickly became crazy insane bad, morphine drip bad, desire to harm kittens bad.... So a trip back to the dentist, a new one as mine was not in (gosh golly darn) who nonchalantly says to me so you know about the instrument (file) left inside your tooth from the last procedure.....SHOCK must have showed on my face cause Im like NO....What does that mean... could that be my problem... why I have been in mind numbing pain for the last 4 days, missing 1/2 day of work and more sleep than I care to think about....
So being an RN I know that we are pretty fussy when we open someone up, to the point of counting every sponge, every instrument to insure all are accounted for...but Im assured this happens and is a risk of the root canal. Im not annoyed it happened cause Im aware stuff happens, Im ticked off that he didnt tell me it was there... SURPRISE, you have a potentially abscess/infection causing problem in your tooth that I caused and I know about it, and you dont, so instead I am going to put a crown on it and hope for the best.... If it doesnt work out then we will fix it.
Thankfully the endodontist was in the office and redid the root canal (just what I was wishing for) confirming I had a nasty little infection going on. He tells me this will be the first of at least 2 to 3 dentist office visits, goody... I felt that I was silly for my phobia.... however now my fears are confirmed, the dentist is a place that induces terror in me. Will always induce terror... Is it necessary yes it is, and yep Ill go back, Thursday to be exact, this is three days from now... knowing all the while that.....
I am not cured....
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