As I sat in the dentist's chair and tried to think of England this morning I think I might have had an epiphany. No, it wasn't the gas. It really wasn't. In fact that is what my epiphany was all about. Not having the gas.
The dentist wouldn't let me have the gas. He said doing a filling in a top tooth makes it too awkward to have the gas tube in the patient's mouth. So I basically had to suck it up and be brave. "You have a baby don't you?" Ummm yeah, so? "So you've been through childbirth you can handle a filling!"
Well, see that's just the thing Dr Chipper Pooface. I have been through childbirth and despite what people say I have not forgotten the pain, in fact I am remembering that pain right now and I think I'd like to take that dental drill and ram it up your chirpy cakehole.
I've found, as I get older I have become more and more resistant to 'being a big brave girl'. The way I see it, life is short why spend time and money on things that hurt? Dammit I wanted the gas this morning.
The twitty nurse who kept calling me Karen and bumping those big ugly sunglasses into my eye said the cost of the gas was double the cost of the filling. I didn't care, I wanted the gas. I did my very best adult pout but it had no impact. Not sure what angered me more at that point- that I couldn't have what I wanted or that my once persuasive pout had become nothing but a tired facial expression on a tired adult face.
A few weeks ago I was scheduled to have minor surgery on my eye under local anaesthetic but I chickened out and cancelled the surgery because the surgeon thought it would be a lot easier to avoid a general anaesthetic. Giving the probing receptionist a half-hearted rambling excuse I cancelled my appointment the day before and then I ended the conversation with- gosh I'm so sorry my baby is crying I really must hang up now.
Thing is, I have had plenty of operations and medical procedures as a child and as an adult and it wasn't until I gave birth to my daughter that I really became a sook about pain. I guess today I just figured, life is short, you can't get moments back so who would rather sit in the dentist's chair in agony having injections into their gums when they could be sitting there high on the happy gas dreaming about marshmallows and pony skin hobo bags?
Bravery is overrated I think. Are you brave? Have you become braver as you've become older or are you like me? A great big giant sook now?
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I think as I get older, there are things I become braver about, but my teeth and eyes AREN'T two of those things!!!!! Someone would have to totally put me out to even look at my eyes (I can't even handle eye drops) and I make sure the dentist knows that I don't even want to hear the drill. I'm a baby when it comes to these two things. You're right. Life is short. Why pay to be in pain? Be brave about important stuff. A cross country adventure, making a new recipe, your kids getting older.
ReplyDeleteI think with time, since I know what pain feels like, that I have become a bit of a scaredy cat, when it comes to pain. I actually do well with it though sense it's a mental game too.
ReplyDeleteI don't consider myself to be brave; but I think the older you get, the more to tolerate. I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I've given you an award, so check out my blog.
I don't consider myself brave - I just have a high tolerance for pain.
ReplyDeleteExcept when it comes to my teeth. I am a big, giant baby in the dentist chair and must have the numbing shot - but not the gas.
My one experience with the gas was enough for me... I was twelve and I was having my wisdom teeth extracted. On the gas, I thought I was Dolly Parton or Reba Mcintyre - I was singing whole-heartedly to the radio which was playing country songs that I had never heard before. The nurse even had to come in a couple times and ask me to stop because the whole office could hear me! I was mortified - once the gas wore off, of course!
I've never even been offered the gas for dental work, and I had to have eight fillings over two appointments! Moral of the story there is - don't leave it 10 years between visits!
ReplyDeleteI actually used to have fillings without anaesthetic because I was more scared of the needles than the drill. Madness. I managed childbirth twice on just gas & air, maybe I do have a high pain threshold after all!
Mel xxx
YES! Girll I was saying that last week.. When I was younger I used to go into the doctor like nothing.. He used to do his work and I was fine as long as he numbed it.. When I started getting older in my teenage years I started fearing the dentist amongst other things.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are younger we are more daring and dont think about pain or anything and now entering adulthood we are more aware of repercussions so we think about things twice.
Samething with driving.. When I was 16 I used to take my sisters car and drive it. I live in NYC to I didnt get my drivers licence until I was 23 and havant drove in about 2 years. Ii dont dare take the car because Im a little scared now all of a sudden..
So yes we are getting OLD!! lol
Great blog.. I'm always tuned in.. lol
Denisi <3
You mean that they can't just give you a nice shot of novocaine and be done with it? (or is this only an American concept?)
ReplyDeleteAlso, how is avoiding general anaesthetic to a very sensitive area (your eyes!!!) considered easier? I'm only guessing that it's easier for them.
I think it has nothing to do with age and everything to do with common sense.
I am NOT a fan of pain. i think we've come a long way in modern sience. and i intend to use every last bit of it.
ReplyDeletethat and the dentist freaks me the fuvk out and i hate it so much i cry almost every visit. i just hate it.
Kristi it is the shot of the local that I hate! I wanted the gas for that. Ha ha yes I am that sooky.
ReplyDeleteI'm scared of needles and MANY things have been put off because of that fear. I look after my teeth as well as possible because I'm afraid I may one day need a filling, and thus a needle (I assume).
ReplyDeleteI did have a wisdom tooth out once, and the nice dentist numbed my mouth with some stuff, and then gave me a needle. It was a totally painless experience.