The Never-Ending Ramblings...

Ouch

Yesterday was root canal day for me(oh joy). Now, today, its level seven T.O.S pain day. Seems unfair if you ask me; two days of uncomfortable pain. Plus, before the root canal, there was looming anxiety. The older I get, the more unsettling upcoming medical visits make me.

The dentist, who refused to retire – he’d been performing root canals for forty-four years, said I should feel no pain. As in zero. Somehow, this did nothing to settle my anxiety.

“But what if I feel pain, and I can’t tell you about it cuz my mouth is pried open with your torture devices.?” I smiled, hoping he had a sense of humor.

“Don’t worry,” he replied, patting my shoulder. “No one’s ever had any trouble letting me know.”

Of course he was right. When I did feel pain. I let him know by making the pain noise, muffled as it was…with that metal clamp on my tooth and what ever it was he used to keep my mouth pried open. He gave me a fourth shot of Novocain. I was good to go.

I just wasn’t good to go for the ninety some odd minutes it took to complete the procedure. Especially since there was this lugi – stuck in the back of my throat – that I involuntarily kept trying to hock up.

“Pike down, young lady.” He said, “I’m moving as fast as I can.”

Was I complaining? That’s funny; I don’t remember saying a word. Not one single solitary word. But, he called me young, thus smoothing out any annoyance i might have otherwise felt.

Overall, the guy was good. You don’t do something 44 years and not be good at it. (well, okay, I’m sure there are people out there…) my jaw on the left side feels tender and I’m not supposed to chew my Chinese chicken and broccoli on that side of my mouth. Or any food, for at least three days. I have to wait till Monday to contact my reg dentist to set up an appointment for a tooth cap. More joy.

Now, if I could just get rid of this level seven arm pain.