Minor Miracle

This has been a very intense week started with Monday with the meeting with Elaine, an old friend from Boise. Then my Assist meeting On Tuesday then my dentist appointment yesterday and the arrival of my glasses at Costco Then actually going to pick the glasses up.

For the past couple of months and has weird sensation in my mouth. Sensation has not been a traditional toothache, But a sensation just the same that has been uncomfortable. And more importantly I did not want the sensation to progress past the uncomfortable stage. I talked to Dianne about oral sensation I was having and she encouraged me . to make the appointment. which I did. I was hoping the appointment would reveal a cavity which would easily failed but filled and be on my way. The appointment was set for 1030 on Wednesday morning.

I actually slept fairly well for the night before a dental appointment. I think I have grown out of my dental phobia at least it's not as severe as dental visits once were. Dianne drove me to Drew Luke's office. It was interesting when we got there to be met by the dentist and not his staff. Obviously, Drew opened the office by himself the staff was not there yet – –which I think he was a little pissed at least Irritated. It took a minute for him to find my file but eventually we got to the process looking at my teeth. Drew took a bunch of x-rays and finally informed me he found the problem. The tooth actually number two which is at the far end of my mouth, which has been filled with A number of times. But there was still decay and the doctor informed me they are talking a root canal or extraction. The root canal would be at least $1000 in extraction maybe 300. The position of the offender was not critical so the choice of Extraction was a no-brainer. I was okay with extraction. Dianne had the Dr.'s staff make the call to the oral surgeon to make the appointment. And I heard the time 12:40 PM. I assumed it would be a day or two about a week but I kind of freaked when I found the time was that same day just two hours away.

The oral surgeon was one I'd gone to a couple years ago when I was still working. I thought he did a great job and I did not anticipate any issues or problems with this iteration oral work. We tried to kill two hours productively but it was difficult. Dianne went to a world store close by and I figured I'd better eat before my whole life changed the next couple of days. I ended up going to the market that sold food and grab the last of the morning menu bacon cheese biscuit. The second terror I got that day was when I learned that I would not be put under for the procedure. On the previous extraction I had been mercifully put to sleep. I just figured it would be the same but I was wrong.

The assistant asked if I wanted laughing gas, Nitric oxide, and I was perplexed that was when I realized the doc was only going to use a local anesthetic!! I'd ever used nitric Oxide. She kept asking cause I kept having a weird look on my face until she finally said “I would use it” so said I yes and started pumping me with gas. Didn't really do anything for me I couldn't figure out why people wanted it so badly. Finally the doctor came in and gave me the shots. Here I should segue into the story of needles in the eye but I'll save that for another post Maybe sometime this month.The doc waited another 10 or 15 minutes And jumped into action. And before I knew it the tooth was gone no pain nothing just the cleanup and directions. There is minimal bleeding but I left with a big wad of cotton in my mouth icepack against my cheek and a handful of prescriptions.

He spent the remainder of the day watching television and waiting for the Novocain to wear off and the pain to begin…. I was still waiting, At 10 o'clock I went to bed I was still waiting I was still waiting I woke up this morning at 4 o'clock there is no pain! Another miracle my medical life.