Today I am finally going to the dentist to get that crack I have in my tooth taken care of, among a few other uncomfortable things. I'm a bit weary about having a lot of work done at the dentist because of some past experiences I've had.
The last time I had some major work done at the dentist was about 4 years ago when I had my wisdom teeth taken out. At that time they put me to sleep and I woke up in the car attempting to eat a vanilla shake the dentist's office had given us a free coupon for - since after you have your wisdom teeth out all you can have at first is soft/liquid-type foods. I just remember it dribbling and drooling down my chin. That time was fine cause Paul was there with me and I trusted he would take care of me in my delicate conscious state, and he did.
The time before that was when I was still living in Utah and single. I had a job and my own insurance and I needed a couple of root canals done - coincidence that the tooth I am having worked on today, the one that cracked, is the very same tooth I had a root canal on - so I went in, ALONE, to get it taken care of.
I was on my back, getting stabbed with a needle and torchered for several hours, and when it was all over I got up and walked out to the waiting room and up to the desk to pay my bill. All I remember after that is grabbing the counter and then all the sudden I woke up and there were like 8 people huddled around me as I peered up to them from the floor.
I had fainted. I guess being on my back for that long and losing some blood and then getting up so fast and not taking a moment to let the blood flow resume in it's natural direction had an effect. I had this HUGE bruise and some large scrapes all the way down my arm because I tried to hold onto the counter when I fell. Of course I had a headache from hitting the thinly covered concrete floor. So I called home and thankfully at the time my sister Heidi was there and was able to come and get me.
There have been only 2 other times in my life that I have fainted.
When I was younger - not sure what age but I was in Junior high school - I stayed home from school one day because I was "sick". I say "sick" in parentheses because I felt a little sick, I think I had a cold and a small stomach ache, but probably not sick enough to stay home - at least I thought. My real reason for staying home was because it was my mom's birthday that day and I wanted to surprise her with a birthday card - a noble and reasonable excuse to miss a day of school. My plan was to ride my bike down to the grocery store, buy a card, and ride my bike home.
We had ridden our bikes many times to the store of many names (Safeway, Macy's... I can't remember what else) so it wasn't an unusual trek. My little sister Amber accompanied me. It was a fun adventure. When we arrived we got the card and got in line pretty quick. It was my turn to pay and the cashier was making small talk,
The last time I had some major work done at the dentist was about 4 years ago when I had my wisdom teeth taken out. At that time they put me to sleep and I woke up in the car attempting to eat a vanilla shake the dentist's office had given us a free coupon for - since after you have your wisdom teeth out all you can have at first is soft/liquid-type foods. I just remember it dribbling and drooling down my chin. That time was fine cause Paul was there with me and I trusted he would take care of me in my delicate conscious state, and he did.
The time before that was when I was still living in Utah and single. I had a job and my own insurance and I needed a couple of root canals done - coincidence that the tooth I am having worked on today, the one that cracked, is the very same tooth I had a root canal on - so I went in, ALONE, to get it taken care of.
I was on my back, getting stabbed with a needle and torchered for several hours, and when it was all over I got up and walked out to the waiting room and up to the desk to pay my bill. All I remember after that is grabbing the counter and then all the sudden I woke up and there were like 8 people huddled around me as I peered up to them from the floor.
I had fainted. I guess being on my back for that long and losing some blood and then getting up so fast and not taking a moment to let the blood flow resume in it's natural direction had an effect. I had this HUGE bruise and some large scrapes all the way down my arm because I tried to hold onto the counter when I fell. Of course I had a headache from hitting the thinly covered concrete floor. So I called home and thankfully at the time my sister Heidi was there and was able to come and get me.
There have been only 2 other times in my life that I have fainted.
When I was younger - not sure what age but I was in Junior high school - I stayed home from school one day because I was "sick". I say "sick" in parentheses because I felt a little sick, I think I had a cold and a small stomach ache, but probably not sick enough to stay home - at least I thought. My real reason for staying home was because it was my mom's birthday that day and I wanted to surprise her with a birthday card - a noble and reasonable excuse to miss a day of school. My plan was to ride my bike down to the grocery store, buy a card, and ride my bike home.
We had ridden our bikes many times to the store of many names (Safeway, Macy's... I can't remember what else) so it wasn't an unusual trek. My little sister Amber accompanied me. It was a fun adventure. When we arrived we got the card and got in line pretty quick. It was my turn to pay and the cashier was making small talk,
Cashier: "Ohhh, it's your mom's birthday?"
Me: "Uh huh."
Chashier: "...and you're getting her a card?"
Me: "Uh huh."
Cashier: "How Nice. So how old is she?"
Me: "Uh huh."
BAM! I go falling into the metal poles they have separated the isles and bash my chin, which causes my tooth to go into my upper lip.
All I remember hearing is my little sister screaming "EEEEDIIIIITH!!!" and crying her head off. Can you imagine how scary it would be to be a child and have your older sister - the only person you know that is bigger than you and makes you feel safe - faint and bash their face in? Of course there was blood. She must have been thinking I was going to die or something. I woke up to someone dragging me over to a nearby table and chairs and sitting me down. They ran and got me a cup of ice and water and told me to relax, which a did for a few minutes, but I was intent on getting back home so I could get my mom's birthday surprise ready. You have to have priorities. So we rode our bikes home and life went on.
The other time I fainted was in high school during a choir concert. I was on my period (I'm not gonna hide my reasons, get over it, girls have periods). When I was younger my periods were REALLY BAD. The pain I felt during the first day of my "time of the month" was equal to the intensity of pain the contractions during the birth of my sweet baby girl, Madeline, were . This is no exaggeration. Someone always told me that in a way my cramps were good because they were preparing me for having children - Boy were they ever right on the money with that statement!!
So, I was lightheaded from blood loss, I was in severe pain, I was out of Midol, and we had a concert to do, dammit! So we're standing there, singing our hearts out, I'm in pain but this isn't anything new... I guess just standing in one position for a long time and being in the condition I was in was enough for my body to decide it wanted to rest so.... out I went. It was only for a few seconds, and most of my co-student choir people didn't even know it happened because someone helped me go sit down for a minute and was fine after.
I'm a tiny bit nervous about today... Phew! Okay... let's do this! Breathe. Sit up. Don't faint. Life wil go on.
BAM! I go falling into the metal poles they have separated the isles and bash my chin, which causes my tooth to go into my upper lip.
All I remember hearing is my little sister screaming "EEEEDIIIIITH!!!" and crying her head off. Can you imagine how scary it would be to be a child and have your older sister - the only person you know that is bigger than you and makes you feel safe - faint and bash their face in? Of course there was blood. She must have been thinking I was going to die or something. I woke up to someone dragging me over to a nearby table and chairs and sitting me down. They ran and got me a cup of ice and water and told me to relax, which a did for a few minutes, but I was intent on getting back home so I could get my mom's birthday surprise ready. You have to have priorities. So we rode our bikes home and life went on.
The other time I fainted was in high school during a choir concert. I was on my period (I'm not gonna hide my reasons, get over it, girls have periods). When I was younger my periods were REALLY BAD. The pain I felt during the first day of my "time of the month" was equal to the intensity of pain the contractions during the birth of my sweet baby girl, Madeline, were . This is no exaggeration. Someone always told me that in a way my cramps were good because they were preparing me for having children - Boy were they ever right on the money with that statement!!
So, I was lightheaded from blood loss, I was in severe pain, I was out of Midol, and we had a concert to do, dammit! So we're standing there, singing our hearts out, I'm in pain but this isn't anything new... I guess just standing in one position for a long time and being in the condition I was in was enough for my body to decide it wanted to rest so.... out I went. It was only for a few seconds, and most of my co-student choir people didn't even know it happened because someone helped me go sit down for a minute and was fine after.
I'm a tiny bit nervous about today... Phew! Okay... let's do this! Breathe. Sit up. Don't faint. Life wil go on.
2 comments:
Good luck today! I hope all goes well. I hate the DENTIST AS WELL! I had a horrible Dentist when I was younger and it scared me ever since. So when I go I have to be almost put out, it's that bad!I have never fainted before, but I am sure that it is not fun!
Oh Edith! I'm so sorry :) I completely understand. I just had my second root canal done today under a bridge. It was such a mess. I wish the best of luck to you!
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