Friday, December 07, 2007

Glamorous Vacation

I had some dental work done yesterday, the kind that involved 8 injections and some intimate time with a drill. Some of you might recall that I am a bit phobic about the dentist.

Don't feel too sorry for me, though; I only felt the first 3 shots in their full glory, despite the topical numbing agent. I didn't feel the next two at all, and the last three were but mere pinches. In my gums. And only the second filling got contaminated by those bleeding gums, requiring redrilling and touch-up work. So today my jaw is still sore from tensing it so hard while keeping my mouth wide open for two hours.

But I digress a little.

While waiting for the anesthesia to take effect, I managed to read the first three chapters of my new novel. Well, not my new novel, but you get the idea. I didn't have spend that time worrying about the baby, since Paul took the day off and stayed home with her.

And, for me, I was unusually relaxed. My fingernails didn't even draw blood while clenching into the opposite hand in my good luck squeeze position.

Even the dentist noticed.

"You know, I see some mothers of young children who say that it's actually a bit of a relaxing break to sit here and have a cavity drilled. It's funny that anyone enjoys this."

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that was it. Sure, I was enduring one of my least favorite activities in the world, but, hey, I got a morning off!

And then Paul, the girls, and I all went out to lunch together, where I realized that I couldn't even slup water neatly, though I did manage my milkshake nicely, thankyouverymuch.

5 comments:

Rob Monroe said...

Milkshakes are much easier to keep in when your mouth is numb than water! Good call!

Orange said...

Hey, you know what? Nitrous oxide is custom-made for you. My cousin was always highly anxious at a dental visit, even a mere six-month cleaning. Then I suggested she ask the dentist to give her some nitrous. Now that's a vacation from your cares! She makes it through cleanings without nitrous, but for any dental work, she gets the gas and is worlds more relaxed. Try it. You won't even have fingernail dents in your hand.

ccw said...

I relate to this post; it's sad when dental hell becomes a nice break from parenting.

ccw said...

Meant to add- this is why I love spending two hours getting my hair done. It certainly was cheaper when I did it myself but nothing beats being pampered without people running around screaming.

Sarahlynn said...

Rob: Gingerbread holiday milkshake with a cookie on top! (which I saved for later, when I was no longer so numb.)

Orange: I KNOW! I have been tempted - many times! - to change to a dentist who offers nitrous. I want it so badly. But I've been seeing my current guy for 10 years, and I'm friends with his wife, who runs the front office, and and and . . . sigh.

CCW, amen to that! Theoretically, it's possible for me to paint my own toenails. But I prefer to have pedicures, even if only a few times a year at inexpensive places, because it's ME TIME. Hair coloring will probably come soon, as the greys are being to invade more quickly than I'm ready for them.