(Warning, this post sounds like a sob story and reads like a travelogue.)
Some time ago I realized that my number one greatest fear is going to the dentist. Honestly and truly, there is nothing I dread quite as much. Hours before I go, my heart starts racing, my palms get sweaty, my breathing becomes shallow. And that usually lasts until an hour or two after I'm done.
Especially when I have to get cavities filled.
Well, I'm going to the dentist today, and you cannot believe how much I want to be there . . . now!!!
You see, a week ago Saturday (on October 17) I went to sleep with a headache (I'm pretty much a big whiner when I get headaches because I rarely get them). I expected it to go away by morning, but it was still there through most of Sunday. It came and went through Monday, and on Tuesday it was joined by a mild toothache. I didn't think too much of it, because my teeth are hyper-sensitive as it is. But the headache and the toothache both continued, and worsened, through Friday.
I finally concluded that the headache must be a result of the toothache, so I called the dentist on Friday. Unfortunately the receptionist said they couldn't see me until Tuesday. I thought I would survive that long. Well, on Friday night and Saturday day, I thought I was going to die! The pain came in waves, each one bigger than the last. When they hit, I couldn't function. I would curl up and hold my head and sob. I had been taking a little bit of pain medication on Friday, but finally Saturday afternoon I resorted to prescription doses of IB Profen. It seemed to help somewhat, but after another bad wave hit Saturday evening, Royce said, "That's it, I'm taking you to the hospital." I cried and said I wouldn't go, that he couldn't make me.
Well, he was frustrated because I'm being a cry-baby but I won't do anything about it. I told him that if it was that bad on Sunday he could take me to the hospital. He said, "Whatever, you'll just fight the tears or walk out of the room or something so you don't have to go." He knows me so well!
Luckily, the pain
was better on Sunday, and mostly on Monday too (consistent doses of prescription-strength IB Profen are amazing!). But today the headache is intense, and I cannot wait to see my dentist so he can tell me what the heck is going on. If anything good comes of this week of pain, it may be that
it is the beginning of the end of my greatest fear.
I will overcome! (And I'll keep you posted--I'll probably have to have a root canal or some other lovely procedure. Yay.)
UpdateRoot canal it is. Think of me today at 3:15.