Getting To The Root Of An Extraction, Or Learning Buddhist Non-Attachment To A Tooth
Some of you might know that I have been undergoing several major bits of dental work lately: root canal, cavities, crown, and today an extraction. Essentially, I am paying the cost for my dissipated youth in terms of dental care. I am more machine now, than man, twisted and dental. Etc., etc.
Here I am on the other side . . . of the extraction. As you can see by the subject line, I'm feeling perky enough to make puns in the title. Or maybe that's just the local anesthetic talking, as the upper left 25% of my face is still feeling somewhat frozen. It was an interesting sensation, but it is starting to thaw, and my eye is no longer twitching, which was really just at the very beginning. Kind of entertaining, actually, and I think it made me very good company while Jeff drove me home. This started out as an email to Marina and my mom, but it was amusing me so much even as I typed that I decided turn it into a blog entry.
The whole process was pretty painless. Dr. Scharf had a terrific chairside manner, gave me encouragement all along, and it was done in about half an hour. Although I have to admit, the sight of a defibrillator in the room gave me pause.
The anticipation--or rather dread--in the hour or so before the appointment was worse than the extraction itself. Funny how that works, isn't it?
It is interesting, the change in perspective one gets when one falls in love. Growing up, I neglected to take the proper care of my teeth, despite my parents' best efforts. Then in college, and after college, I always seemed to put it off. Pure vanity, on my part. I knew that there were probably problems, but I didn't want it confirmed. Why would I want to know that I was less than perfect, and that it was my fault?
It's easy to be a bit cowardly about this stuff when you're the only one involved. Once I found Marina, though, and once I knew I wanted to marry her, then it wasn't just about me anymore, was it? That gave me the motivation to bite the bullet, so to speak, and start taking care of these problems. An investment in the future.
So for that, as with everything, thank you, Marina.
Here I am on the other side . . . of the extraction. As you can see by the subject line, I'm feeling perky enough to make puns in the title. Or maybe that's just the local anesthetic talking, as the upper left 25% of my face is still feeling somewhat frozen. It was an interesting sensation, but it is starting to thaw, and my eye is no longer twitching, which was really just at the very beginning. Kind of entertaining, actually, and I think it made me very good company while Jeff drove me home. This started out as an email to Marina and my mom, but it was amusing me so much even as I typed that I decided turn it into a blog entry.
The whole process was pretty painless. Dr. Scharf had a terrific chairside manner, gave me encouragement all along, and it was done in about half an hour. Although I have to admit, the sight of a defibrillator in the room gave me pause.
The anticipation--or rather dread--in the hour or so before the appointment was worse than the extraction itself. Funny how that works, isn't it?
It is interesting, the change in perspective one gets when one falls in love. Growing up, I neglected to take the proper care of my teeth, despite my parents' best efforts. Then in college, and after college, I always seemed to put it off. Pure vanity, on my part. I knew that there were probably problems, but I didn't want it confirmed. Why would I want to know that I was less than perfect, and that it was my fault?
It's easy to be a bit cowardly about this stuff when you're the only one involved. Once I found Marina, though, and once I knew I wanted to marry her, then it wasn't just about me anymore, was it? That gave me the motivation to bite the bullet, so to speak, and start taking care of these problems. An investment in the future.
So for that, as with everything, thank you, Marina.
Labels: courage, dental care, facing life, love
posted by Devin at 3:17 PM
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