Picture It...

I spent almost an hour yesterday laminating about 15 file folder games and laminating my little alphabet people because I thought maybe I'd have a minute to cut them out today after the dentist since I couldn't go anywhere for 24 hours.

Here's the story of my day:

Lorazepam 

(This is not an actual picture of the medicine I took this morning.)

Took this at 7:30...by 8:30, I was feeling a little woozy.  

Then we got into the car and headed to Dr. Locke's office.

Once there, I was taken straight back by a very sweet nurse.  She put me in the chair, laid the chair back and then she covered me with a lovely, white hospital-grade blanket.  Haha.  Then came the following:

Blood pressure/heart rate monitor

(Not actual picture from office.)

Goggles--Eye and Full Face Sheild--only mine were pink :o)

Ah...the "laughing gas" mask (not the actual picture).  First it flowed with beautifully clean Oxygen.  Five minutes later, I couldn't feel my body.  It was flowing with lovely Nitrous Oxide.  The.  Entire.  Time.  I remember telling her about going to the dentist when I was little...the dentist called it the "Mickey Mouse Nose".  And it clicked each time I breathed in or out.  I loved that.  At least, that was the story I was trying to tell her.  Who knows if that's what I actually said to her before I told her "good night".  Haha.

Then that same sweet nurse placed these headphones on me.  From them flowed lovely classical music.  She turned lights off and left.  But, not before crushing up one more Lorazepam and putting it under my tongue.

**After I had all the above "attached" to me, I remember saying to the nurse: This would make a great Facebook profile picture."**  LOL.

In came Dr. Locke to check on me.  He told me I was doing great...and that's about all I remember.  I was feeling pretty good.  I was in and out of sleep.  I remember fighting it and thinking "this is what Hallie does every single night when she's totally exhasuted"!  haha.  I remember giving in b/c I thought "when else am I going to get to sleep *this* well?!"  But even though I was "out of it", I wasn't unconscious.  I heard Dr. Locke and the nurse talking.  I remember him giving me the shots to numb the areas where he'd be working.  But I also remember not having a care in the world that he was doing this.  I also remember thinking "this is how they should get terrorists to talk" b/c I would have answered any and all questions with pure honesty b/c I didn't care. lol.  I remember wondering how they were keeping my mouth open b/c at the time I wasn't even sure I had a mouth.  But then I realized that there was some type of little prop that held my mouth open.

Dr. Locke worked diligently...at least I guess he did. :o)  At one point, I remember feeling a little pain when he began working on my root canal.  I also remember *trying* to ask what happened to the laughing gas.  Because my once-completely-relaxed body was beginning to tense just a little bit.  He checked it and said he didn't realize it was off.  About 10 seconds later, I was happy again. :o)  And the drills.  Oh, how I hate the sound of the drills.  But you know what...I heard them...and I closed my eyes and went to sleep. :o)

When I was done, Dr. Locke told me I did a wonderful job...there was some talk about other teeth and different work I need done with the nurse...but I don't have a clue what it all was.  Then I was given two Tylenol and two Advil and a bottle of Gatorade (with a straw).  I had some great difficulty trying to take those four pills...and drinking from a straw.  But with lots of fumbling, and laughing, I eventually got them swallowed.  I drank the Gatorade with great pleasure, not realizing how thirsty I actually was.  At some point, Jonathan was called.  An intern with TSTC came in with a wheelchair and whisked me to the front door...backwards, actually.  I remember saying thank you...and I don't remember much after that.  Evidently, Jonathan drove me home and I went to bed.  I do remember asking the time--12:00 pm.  I had been there 3.5 hours.

The next thing I know, I'm waking up at 7:15 pm.  Wow.  I stumbled into the kitchen and saw the Gatorade bottle sitting there from earlier...there was *maybe* a sip left in it!  I had no idea I had drank the entire bottle. Jonathan brought me two Tylenol and two Advil (doctor's instructions) and something to drink.  I managed to eat some supper...but not without accidentally using the tooth that had a root canal.  Talk about PAIN!  Thankfully the meds started kicking in, and along with an ice pack, I was starting to feel OK.  Let's just say the rest of my meal was eaten with extreme caution!

To our surprise, Dr. Locke called to check on me around 8:30.  He is a super nice guy (and the husband to our super sweet music teacher at my school!), and he has wonderful "dentist-chair-side manners"!  His staff is exceptional, and I don't think I will ever visit another dentist office.  My fear of the dentist, however irrational, isn't completely gone.  But he and his staff totally understand that.  And they do everything possible to make your dental experience a pleasurable one.  Hmm...the dentist pleasurable?  I never thought that phrase would come from my mouth!

Today's experience--very pleasurable.  There, I said it.  And I really mean it!

If you have a fear (irrational or justified) of the dentist, and you live in the Waco area, I *highly* recommend Dr. Corbet Locke.  If you don't live near here...I *highly* recommend sedation dentistry.  Click *HERE* to read about it on Dr. Locke's website.  You can also read testimonials about it on Dr. Locke's website.  Maybe I'll be the next testimonial!  Ha!  I'm kidding. LOL.

Oh...and that first picture?  Yeah...that was taken about 20 minutes ago. Obviously since I slept *all* day, I didn't cut out any of the laminated goods.  Oh well. :o)