Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Tuesday, February 01, 2011

I survived

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Thank you to all of you who offered up a prayer for me yesterday. Apparently I am not alone in my fear of dental work. Though my dentist is kind, as are her staff, I don't think they really "get it" or clearly they would not be in the career they chose. No one thinks, "I greatly detest having someone touch my teeth, but I think I'll be a dental hygienist." Nope.

I will tell you that it was worse than I thought it would be, but by the time I realized, it was far too late to stop. I didn't even request nitrous as I had convinced myself that I could do it without, and though it wasn't easy, I did it without (the arms of the chair many never be the same). I was in the chair for two and a half hours -- 150 minutes of my life I can never get back. Hopefully some soul in purgatory benefited from my time. After the Novocain wore off I spent the remainder of the day on the sofa in pain. My teeth just do not, apparently, like to be drilled, nor does my jaw enjoy the vibration. But this morning they feel better and, though I won't be eating anything crunchy for a while, I think I'm normal again.

We had an ice storm overnight -- the storm that blasted the midwest with many inches of snow blasted us with a fine sheet of ice -- we were just on the southern edge of the snow. Schools are canceled and we have more ice predicted this afternoon, so maybe a two-fer is in the works. I have lesson plans to create, a rosary to make, a scarf to block, and three young people to feed, so it should be a good stay-home kinda day.

Hopefully I'll get the next part of the laundry series up this afternoon...
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11 comments:

  1. Poor Barbara. :-( Rosie was at the dentist yesterday, too, to check out a chipped tooth, but she's an easy going, open to anything kind of girl and didn't mind in the least.

    As for the ice, we were supposed to get some yesterday, too. We had a severe weather alert and everything, but on the map, we looked too far south to get anything at all...and we didn't! Tonight, maybe, but I'm still hoping it misses us. :-)

    Hope you feel better, Barbara.

    Love,
    Jennie

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  2. Jennie,
    I am mostly an easy going kind of girl, but my teeth are not. In fact I'd rather have surgery than dental work. The only advantage to dental work over surgery is, I guess, that you get to keep all your clothes on. ;-)

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  3. So happy you survived! I thought about you off and on all day yesterday. I don't like going to the dentist either and have to go in March...along with the GYN and Mammo....I don't like any of that stuff. :(

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  4. I am glad you survived the dentist yesterday! I have dental appointments to make today too. I really, really understand where you are coming from ~ I really hate the dentist. Enjoy your day at home. I think we will be home Wed and Thur due to the weather!

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  5. I am sorry it was so hard! I had my candle lit for you all day. Enjoy your stay-at-home day today.

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  6. Oh, poor Barbara! I was thinking about you all day yesterday though...

    I'm one of the lucky ones, I've never needed any dental work done (yet)

    (I'm not bragging)

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  7. I am glad to hear you survived.

    Like Jamie Jo, I've yet to need dental work and I am very scared of that day when it eventually arrives.

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  8. Cheryl,
    Thank you for your thoughts. Though I don't enjoy going to the gyn, or getting a mammo, I'd do that any day rather than go to the dentist.

    Thanks, Jen. I must say that the only thing that made my appointment tolerable was knowing I could go home and just have a "baby day." Be sure to schedule your appointments on a day when you can relax afterward.

    Thanks for your candle, Sara. Doing some laundry, lesson plans -- enjoying knowing I don't have to go anywhere.

    Oh, Jamie, and Jenny, you are so fortunate. I had a lot of cavities after I had orthodontics (way back in the dark ages) and, to compound it, I have my wisdom teeth. I have some fillings that are old and deteriorating and they need to be replaced now. That's what I was doing yesterday -- having silver fillings drilled out of three teeth -- one wisdom tooth practically in my throat -- and replaced. That's why it took so long and required so much drilling. You girls must have great teeth!

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  9. Glad to hear you made it! I, too, seriously loathe dental work -- even routine cleanings make me grab the chair arms in a death grip.

    Once, during a filling, my dentist (who is a family/parish friend) asked if I wanted to go without drugs because the cavity was so small. I looked at him like he was insane. He said "You've given birth with no anesthesia, this will be no problem."

    Clearly, he does not know me at all. ;)

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  10. I would rather give birth than have dental work! Honestly, I can bear pain anywhere, but don't. touch. my. teeth.

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  11. Well, I'd rather give birth than go to the dentist 'cos it means I have another human to love, but as far as the method of giving birth (mine has always been c-section) . . . .

    I am glad you came through it alright, but sorry it's so awful for you. The only time it was ever terrible for me was when I had a crown done (they made the piece right there which made the visit all the longer) and my gob was open all of about three hours. I have TMJ. I think the thing that makes me the most nuts is when they try to have a conversation with me . . . why the heck do they think it's easy for me to chat them up w/out the full use of my mouth? EEJITS.

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!