SHOW ME YOUR SMILE!

How come Monday's roll around so quickly?  Has anyone ever checked into that? Friday rolls along and you're all gung - ho for the weekend and.... poof!  It's gone!

Now that I don't have Friday's off any more I feel a real time crunch when it comes to the weekend.  For the past few weekends I have been spending a large part of my Saturday's at the dentist... and then the rest of the day - recovering from my time spent at the dentist!  That leaves only Sunday to accomplish everything which up until September 6th I was using 3 days to accomplish.  No wonder I am not getting anything done!

The dentist thing has been a challenge, and a journey I care not to take again for a very long time - even if it is my own darn fault that I am taking the journey in the first place!

You see I have not been to the dentist in over 10 years -  it might even be longer... I didn't have pain... okay  - I didn't have severe pain... so I didn't go.  Also my dentists kept leaving me after a few visits.

This whole thing started a few weeks ago when I had some very major pain in both the top and bottom jaw on the left side of my mouth.  Nothing I did or took helped so finally I decided to make an emergency visit to a dentist.  I went to the clinic I had been to before and accepted any dentist - I was that desperate!

They took x-rays, and a very young ,cute and sweet fellow who reminded me of my 23 yr old son came in to examine my mouth.  He told me I had a very bad infection and then proceeded to tell me that I needed lots and lots of dental work.   He didn't yell at me for not going to a dentist regularly, he didn't even ask when I had last been to the dentist - but because I was feeling so guilty I blurted it out anyway!  He smiled and said "Well it's good that you are here now... and we will fix you up." 

Wow what a nice guy!!  No lecture!!  He gave me a prescription for pain killers and an antibiotic and I booked an appointment to return in 2 weeks time.

I was so nervous that first time back to see the dentist that I couldn't even drive myself.  All I could think of was the "needle" and the "cleaning"  both had me almost physically sick - I was that scared.  The assistant got me all comfy in the chair and by the time the dentist arrived I was hyperventilating so much I was dizzy - seriously - a woman my age in such a panic over a "needle". 

In his quiet manner he talked and worked and the needle was in before I even felt it.... really it was simple and no pain.  "Okay.... I can do this, deep breath...."

He proceeded to fill 2 teeth and put 2 more fillings where my gums had receded, and 2.5 hours later I was walking to the hygienist's room to start my cleaning.

"OMG - I'm frozen and feeling sick again"...  Shaking and really needing to pee!  Off I head to torture #2 of the day.  Luckily my sweet, kind dentist had seen my fear and had frozen both top and bottom of my mouth so the hygienist could do her thing.  I believe they call it scaling now adays - 4 units of it, I am told.  All I know is I was there over an hour and when she said I was done .... well she just was not kidding!

I waited another two weeks and this past Saturday I returned.  No fear this time, and I drove myself... He did 6 fillings (no problem) and just before I am ready to head to the hygienist - we discuss my next visit.
I asked him if it would be okay if I take a month off - after all my pocket book has taken quite a hit (even with insurance).  He says, "Yes - but I won't be here in November... today is my last day here!"

Well Heck - of course it is his last day - here we go again!!!  And I'm thinking... now what am I going to do?    I'm really really liking how my teeth are looking and feeling... I had wanted to finish this work, I had even promised to go for regular check ups and cleanings!

 Have you ever seen a 55 yr old woman cry at the dentists??  Yeah -  it's not pretty!  Pitiful -

Surprise! 

 I booked that appointment for November - and I'm keeping it too.... I'm even going to get a whitening before I'm done... You Betcha!