Monday, September 25, 2006

Topical, or No Topical?

I had two dentist appointments, Sat. and today. Saturday, she replaced a filling that had a cavity underneath it. Ummm, how did that happen? I mean okay it was a REALLY old filling but yeesh. Anyhow, of course they numbed my mouth. The problem is, for some reason, I require more anesthesia than most people. They thought they numbed me and asked how numb I felt and I said,

"Numb? I don't feel numb."

Blank stares.

"You don't feel numb?"
"No."
"Here?" they pat my chin.
"No."
"Here?" they flip my lip.
"Nope."
"Hmm. We'll have to write this in your chart."

And then they give me TONS of anesthesia, so much in fact, that they not only numbed the tooth area, and the gums, but also my tongue.

Slo I talth lithe thisth the reth of the thay anth I coulthn't eath at ahl unthil lithe mithnighth.

ANYHOW I had another appointment today.

"That is REALLY a small cavity."
"Oh good."
"Do you want to try it without the topical?"
"Um," and I thought about it.

Because what she was really asking me was, "Is a little bit of discomfort marked with one quick real painful, but fleeting, moment better than a numbed mouth and an inability to eat or speak for the next 24 hours?"

So I went sans topical.

Drill drill..

"Are you okay?"
"Uh huh"

drill drill drill

"Still okay?"
"ugh huh uh huh"

Drill drill

YOWZA OLY CRAP SHIT MAN OUCH THAT FUCKING HURT WHAT THE HELL WOMAN DID YOU HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT FOR THE NERVE

"You okay?"
"Uh huh."

Drill drill

"Okay?"
"uh huh."
"Okay we're done, was that bad?"
"Nope, fine."

Reward for that moment of pain?
The ability to speak normally, drink coffee and eat sometime before tomorrow.

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