Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Therapy Socks

Even though I did lose my shoes and then left home without my mobile phone and had to go back for it plus the errand list I wanted to get through after my dental appointment yesterday, I thought I was super relaxed about having a cavity filled for the first time in at least ten years.

I mean, hey! I remembered to bring a sock to work on!

And then in the waiting room, after cheery exchanges with the receptionist and the dental assistant I pulled out my sock and suddenly thought,

GAH

DRILL

and then

OMIGOSH

i didn't bring a stuffed animal


When I first went back to the dentist as an adult following a long separation from my hometown one, I had to bring a stuffed animal with me every time to get through all the work I needed done.  Maria, who was the dental assistant even then - it's a new dentist now but she stayed on - was very sweet about them all and my original dentist was eventually able to congratulate me on being able to come to a checkup without one.


Well, yesterday I wanted one, and what I had was knitting, so I was Resourceful.

I took the pattern out of my knitting bag, a linen satchel from Tiny Happy, and rolled the sock in progress around the needles for maximum squish before stuffing it back in.  And then I just held that bag.  It sat in my lap for the duration, getting flipped over or around every so often when I noticed I was clutching it in a death grip.  It really helped!

(That and the classical track from 'calm radio dot com' which was offered to me through headphones.)


Test Questions

1. Do you think the musicians who did the recordings for calm radio had any idea their work would eventually find an audience in people undergoing dental procedures?

2. Where did I finally find my shoes?

3. How relieved was I to have them back?

4. How far did I get on that sock, anyway?

5. Will a bag of knitting be sufficient to get through other dental procedures such as replacing an old, deep filling?


Answer Sheet

1. I hope not.  Though on the upside, what other audience is more desperate to offer undivided attention?

2. Not in any normal dumping point or at the cottage as very much feared, but in an outside pocket of the suitcase that had been to the cottage.

3. SO relieved.

4. Into the toe, hurray!

5. I don't intend to find out.  Somebody's coming with me next time - maybe Edgar, my Easter bunny?


or... h'mmm.  maybe that cake of delicious yarn he's posing with.

2 comments:

Bonny said...

Oh Mary! No stuffie to cuddle and squish during dental sessions? Oh, know your pain and anxiety! Yes, I need a stuffie to grasp desperately during drilling, too.

About a year ago, I had to have crowns fitted, 4 of them. They sat 2 next to each other top and bottom. To make them fit properly, they had to cut away part of the bone. I know, scary!! I did what was suggested and took some heavy duty pain killers before I arrived for the procedure, but then I forgot my stuffie/stuuffed animal. That's when I found out my dentist had one available to cuddle. Like a life line in knitting, that stuffie helped calm me down.

I've always had a really hard time at dentists. I don't mind admitting I still need a stuffie during difficult procedures, even after all these years.

Good luck with healing! Ice packs are another necessoty to clutch against you cheek or jaw.

Mary Keenan said...

Stuffies really are vastly underrated, aren't they ;^) I can't even imagine going through the procedure you had but I was very proud of myself for agreeing to have my wisdom teeth pulled a few years ago, just so I could get braces. I didn't clutch a stuffie that time though. I brought my sister!