Tooth Fun

Okay, so I knew I had a cavity. I had to make two appointments: 1 with the doctor on Thursday, and then the actual cleaning one for today, Friday. Here's how yesterday worked out:

I walked into the office, sat down, got some grief for it being 3 years since my last checkup (and 7 before that). She said to me, "okay, so where's this hole?" I explained where it was, and that Leslie had told me to definitely go see the doctor after looking at it, because it was big and black... She looked back there, and then asked me again. So, I told her, again. Then third time..

I said, "okay, I'm not nuts here, it's as big as day back there on my tooth..." She looked at me with that "okie-dokie whatever" look, then said, "alright, let's have some xrays then." Fine, whatever. So she does her xrays, then tells me it'll be about five minutes for the doctor to come in.

So I wait five minutes, going over in my head how many times I looked in the mirror at that nasty looking thing over the past week wondering when my tooth was going to fall out.. So then the doctor walks in. She says to me, "So, nice to see you, ever.. hahahah" yes yes, funny funny. I promised her now that I basically live off of schedules, seeing me in six months wasn't going to be a problem. She replied, "sure it isn't." Okay, I know that sounds like everybody else, but I really meant it. I said, "no, I mean it, I'm an ADMINISTRATOR now (like that means something), so I really will follow the schedule." She replied, "uh huh. Okay Mr. Administrator, show me this hole (with a rather sarcastic look in her eye)"

So I showed her where it was, then she began the questioning again. I wasn't going to play the game three times in a row again like the first person. I said, "okay, I'm not crazy, the thing is huge, give me a mirror and I'll point right at it."

She said to me, "Well, your xrays look fine, and other than that filling back there in your tooth, there's nothing there."

....I pause.... "filling?" I ask. Then I can tell she gets it.. She says, "oooh, yeah.. Well, I guess if you came to the dentist more than once every seven years, you may spend more time actually looking in your mouth. Yes, the filling that's probably been there for the past twenty five or so years. Is that the 'hole' you speak of?"

At this point the entire office staff begins giggling. Okay okay, funny funny. Oh, but apparently it's REALLY funny, because I continue to hear the laughter for some time. She then tells me, "actually, you are remarkably lucky, because your teeth look really good, considering the neglect. I mean, don't get me wrong, they SERIOUSLY need cleaning, but bone structure etc. look good."

So there you have it... I walked out to the main desk to make sure I was still on for today, and the doctor came out and whispered something in the secretary's ear, to which she started giggling. Great, let's all have another chuckle at filling boy. She then looked up and told me there wasn't a charge for the day. I told her, "Yeah, sure, I mean, the xrays alone and the fact that I came in claiming to have a hole in my tooth when it was a filling is at least worth something."

She replied, "Doctor Roberts said no charge, so that's what it is."

Usually my stupidity ends up with some sort of huge bill attached, but thanks to the wonderful people over there, no charge!

Today was great fun. At the beginning of the torture, she whips out some strange device I've never seen, and tells me, "now this is going to be noisy, and spray a lot of junk everywhere, so get ready." The thing makes a high pitched noise I cannot describe, and each time it touches my tooth it sends one of those brain freeze feelings straight to my.. well.. brain. On one of the FEW pauses, I say to her, "wow, that's some new technology there..." She replies, "No, it's not new, but your teeth have never needed this thing." More good news I guess...

The rest was about par for a regular cleaning.

So there's the tooth fun. Riveting I know, but I just love publicizing my stupidity whenever I can.