Tools of healing

Well yesterday was a trip to the dentist. Some of you may remember last year this time I paid a visit to him. This one yesterday was an emergency call. You know the kind when the tooth has been aching up into the bones of one's brain for a few days? It was becoming late in the afternoon. Len came in with Andrea and he smiled. He explained that I needed a root canal. And then he fell silent and just looked at me. I thought to myself, "Well okay. Root canal. I'll come back later - two years maybe?" But then I realized by the type of silence that he meant now - right now. I called out (or was it yelled out?) "You mean now?!" Yes indeed. He meant right then and there. I panicked. Looked at the door to see how far it was for me to run. At that point he sat down on a stool next to me and explained in the gentlest of tones exactly how it would work, what would happen and how root canals these days are really no big deal. Just boring because they take time. He said that I might even fall asleep as they were working and added, "Or there's the music to listen to. Remember how you like the music here?" (How did he remember that?) A weak smile started twitching from my lips. He said, "When it's over, you'll probably go home and blog about it." I beamed, "You remember that?" I said. He nodded smiling all the while. That did it. He remembered that I liked their music and more importantly - I am a blogger!

I settled back into the chair and watched as Andrea laid out all the instruments. When Len returned I said, trying to be funny, "Ah - instruments of torture." He became quite serious, passionate even. "No!" he exclaimed, "They're tools of healing. When it's all over your pain will be gone and your tooth will be healthy again. It's really quite a miracle really. And we take it all for granted." He went on a bit longer and I nodded in agreement. "Now, that is worth blogging about," I said to him.

Well, my friends, the rest is history. Let me just conclude by saying that I have never experienced anything quite like that root canal experience. The atmosphere was kind and gentle. Len explained every step of everything he was doing. Before long my body was relaxing and a couple of times I noticed my foot was tapping to the music. Was that George Harrison and "My Sweet Lord?" And at one stage I was laughing and gurgling all at the same time. "Hey!" He called out, "This is no laughing matter. Remember how you came in here? It was no laughing matter!" I nearly exploded with even more laughter almost spluttering all the equipment out of my mouth.

Tools of healing all right. And I don't mean the tooth in question. Len and Andrea healed my deepest, childhood fear that has haunted me all my life: my fear of dentists!

Comments

[Jean]

Oh, what a nice dentist - I want one like him! Dear Tamar, your dentist knows about your blog - that's priceless! So glad it wasn't too painful and horrible.

[MB]

You are fortunate indeed to have such a gentle, and healing, dentist.

[Joel]

I like your dentist. (My endodontists have been good for the most part -- I have 18 root canals and heartily recommend the surgery to anyone in dental pain. Much less trouble in the long run than an extraction.)

[kimbofo]

I have a dentist like yours. It makes such a difference, doesn't it? I once waited 17 years between dental appointments!! But then I discovered a gentle, kind dentist just around the corner from where I live - and been smooth sailing ever since, although my wallet might not agree. ;)

[Richard Lawrence Cohen]

Please get me a prescription for whatever they gave you.

I've read that advances in dentistry are among the greatest unsung advances in health care in the past half-century or so.

[Joan]

I have a dentist like that - Dr. Maria Cordova in Charleston. Good thing too since I had childhood memories of a dentist with a foot pedal operated drill. Yikes!

[Winston]

Been there. Done that. Fortunately my experience was quite similar to yours. But it was not my dentist. Most of the dentists around Nashville send you to a specialist to get a root canal. I do not remember the name of the one I went to, but all the root canal docs at that clinic had names like Dr. Sir, Dr. Wolf, Dr. Price, Dr. Head ... all names that were words in everyday language. Now why do I remember that?

[Adriana Bliss]

Ouch! I hate dentists. You're a lucky woman, Tamar.

BTW, I love the new profile picture you put up. I rather like the changing shots - I feel like I'm opening a book with my eyes closed. Waiting to be surprised.

[joared]

My body seems to have been permanently conditioned to tense up once I'm in the dentist's chair. Have to periodically do relaxation ex. throughout the treatment.

I don't and never have feared going to the dentist despite having had a very bad incident one time with one dentist in my pre-teen years. All other dentists I ever had have always been really good.

Speaking of dentists' names, know of a Dr. Toothacher. Thought I was being kidded when told about him, but checked and it was true.

Glad your dental experience turned out so well for you.

[Tamar]

I adore your comments! So interesting how most of us fear or simply don't like Dentists. Len told me that when he walks downtown and one of his patients see him - they walk to the other side of the road. Well, not exactly. But he mentioned that very few people are pleased about going to see dentists. Just think about it, people. It cannot be fun to be so disliked and feared all the time! Poor Len. Just for that I am rushing back in two weeks time to finish off the job on that tooth. Hey! And I can't wait! Hm ... I think I'll even take him flowers ...

I mean ... even dentists have feelings you know.