So I just got back from yet another visit to my dentist. We’re buds, the dentist and I. I trust him implicitly, despite our rocky history. Do you know the back story? I don’t think I’ve told you.
Well, I did the very scientific search for a dentist by looking in the provider directory at the offices closest to my work and calling the list until I found an office where I could make an appointment fairly quickly. That was this guy. I walked in, he did a whole health history—I mean sitting down with me, asking questions, going through the forms I filled out. I was impressed. And then he says my full name out loud. He says, “That name has a lot of meaning for me.” I had all I could do not to groan out loud. Here we go… “Well,” he says, “my daughter shares your first name.” Ok. That wasn’t bad. “And your last name. My favorite patient ever had your last name. Are you related to a Margaret?”
The wheels start churning in my brain. Margaret? Margaret. Grampy had a sister named Margaret. Margaret lived in DC. Holy crap YES I AM RELATED TO HER. We were both floored. He said he gave her her beautiful smile. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that she was a nasty old bat that we never saw smile, and the bond was formed.
So today I went in for a filling, and came out with impressions done to get a mouth guard. Um?
My last job was very, very stressful. Over the course of my last job, I knew that I had starting clenching my jaw at night. I used to just clench my fists, but my stress level had risen to a whole new level, and so I would not only with the little half moon fingernail imprints in my palms, but with a sore jaw, too. Double the goodness!
Clenching has taken its toll. He mentioned it when I first walked in, that he could see the damage to my teeth. Then, I asked about the space that has formed between my relatively new crown and the next tooth. He did the impressions. I go back in 3 weeks.
The picture has nothing to do with anything. I just like it.
There’s more of the pink blob of clapotis, but it’s kind of boring to show.
We also got another 30 ticks off the dog. The poor thing doesn’t want us to come near her anymore.
(Btw, I love his staff, too. Both of the nurses and the front desk person that see me are amazingly nice, upbeat, personal, caring, they follow up on promises, and they remember who I am and what’s going on when I go in or when I call. They’re also good with the payment plan, since the doc stopped taking insurance. (I can still get reimbursed, I just have to pay up front.) I might knit them all pretty scarves for Christmas. )
