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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 / 9:23 p.m. ~Oral Trauma, But Gently So~ My mouth is hurting, or rather one side of my jaw, and I keep remembering him sticking that needle in and holding it there, and asking me if I could feel it, and how I couldn't really move my mouth to talk, and I could feel it, because I knew it was there, but I couldn't really 'feel' it, so I shook my head, or muttered "Unh uh". I was early and they were running late, and I jokingly said, "Well don't rush", meaning hey, this is a dentist's office, you guys are drilling and stuff, don't hurry anyone along. And the 'assistant' was so so so nice, got me a heated herbal neck pack, for the hell of it, and headphones to listen to her Fleetwood Mac CD, and asked if I wanted the TV hanging from the ceiling to be on, but I couldn't stomach the idea of watching TV there. The chair became so very comfortable, I became so very relaxed (after skimming both Time and Newsweek), but she kept coming in, fiddling about with her tools and setting things up for the doctor, and she apologized every time, "I'm sorry we're running so late, you're next, I promise", or "I'm sorry you're having to wait", or similar, so I took time to reassure her, "I have the whole day off just for this momentous occasion, and I'm a very patient person, so no worries, I'm good". I wanted the doctor to tell me more, I wanted him to say, "Okay, now I'm going to stick the needle into your gum, and you won't feel it, but I'm going to do it anyway", or "Now I'm using this drill bit to pry off the old silver filling before I put in the new resin filling", but instead he talked of frankincense and myrrh (spelling?), and asked what the latter is, and the headphones kind of fell off my left ear, so I had Fleetwood Mac serenading my right ear, and the sound of the drill, and the swishing of the water to rinse, and the suction tube to suck, and then she'd hold the sun lamp thing under the filling, and I know because I pointed and made a "Whassat?" kind of sound. When it was all over I said, "Such a production! It never used to be like this!", and the doctor agreed. He told me again the benefit of the new filling, only after I asked, shook my cold hand and I apologized for it being cold and he asked why it was, but for that I have no answer, and he was gone. I asked the assistant to please wish him a Happy Holiday for me. The herbal hot pack came off, the headphones, and the credit card came out, I paid, and the receptioist told me how wonderful it is to work for the dentists there, mine in particular, and what perks they get, and the other nodded, and I half-jokingly asked if I could maybe work there too. And I left, in a daze. I slept late today, mostly because G cat came in to spoon late, under cover, and I love her little warm furry body next to mine, not that mine is warm and furry, but we cuddle exceptionally well. And I had a headache when I got up, and I wasn't hungry, so I didn't eat, and I was terribly worried my car would not make the trip to the other side of town to go for the new filling, so I was tense, nervous, anxious. I made it, and once in that chair, with the heat pack, the herbs, the music, the waiting, I was so relaxed. I couldn't eat afterward, of course, half my face was numb. I didn't try the difficult left turn in traffic to get back on the highway, but took the long way back, past my old stomping grounds (hence the dentist on the wrong side of town - I used to live near there, when I was a teenager, and that was where I went to get my teeth cleaned, and to get my initial fillings, only two upper molars, one of which is now replaced), and noticed all the new buildings, townhomes, new shops, restaurants, etc., and then the time, and it was almost time for the matinee of "21 Grams", so I decided to go see it. I had to decline my free popcorn on Free Popcorn Thursday, as my mouth was dead, but the theatre looked great, they've been renovating. This old, old theatre, new bathroom design, fancy fixtures, nice, nice, nice. And the lobby is almost redone, couches to sit on, etc. Sweet. Good movie, very heavy, very non-linear storytelling, fragmented story told in bits, little bits, and the memory of the viewer is tested. Maybe six of us in the theatre, and one walked out. Not sure why, but maybe he wasn't getting it. Amazing acting too. Just a really intense little film. Thai takeout, home via the highway in a car that has really shut down. Every hill slowed me down to 45 or less. Embarassing ride in the far right lane, saying, "Aw, just pass me, will ya?" to myself, a lot. Tomorrow, hopefully, we get it running on all four cylinders, which would be extra super good. I can't believe I made it there and back, really. I ate Basil Rolls, Nam Sod, and Chicken Coconut Milk Soup, from the left side of my mouth. And yet I got mint leaves stuck in my right upper teeth. Go figure. And yes, yes, I have Garlic Pepper Tofu left over for tomorrow. I couldn't eat it all, was quite stuffed, and not well from all the oral trauma. My mouth has post traumatic stress syndrome. Then, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas", and now some online time, and tomorrow I must get up early to see if the Site Manager has time to swap out my spark plugs. Then, because I slept 'til noon today, I must go first thing to get the plugs. If he's not available, I'm going to a Goodyear or somewhere for a basic tuneup. Either way, the car is in need right now. Ow, it hurts to yawn. Oh, oh, oh, I love that someone did a web search and ended up reading something in my diary, and actually signed my guestbook to tell me! That's how it's supposed to be, thanks. Cost of the War in Iraq
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