It had been a hectic summer, yet fun overall. But what's life without some ups and downs? While enjoying dinner the night before, with some friends at a Mongolian grill, I lost a filling thanks to an order of pineapple cashew noodles. It was so painful that even drinking a glass of room-temperature water was excruciating.
I was so thankful that when I called my dentist first thing the in the morning, he was able to fit me in last minute, especially on a Friday afternoon. Otherwise, the rest of my weekend plans would have been ruined.
They were closing and the receptionist Nadine, signed me in and packed her stuff up for the night after calling the dentist to the front.
Dr. Davis told Nadine to go ahead, he'd lock up and have a goodnight. Turning to me, he motioned for me to follow him and led me back to one of the exam rooms.
He told me to have a seat while he unlocked his computer to bring up my chart. He asked if Nadine had me fill out the consent forms before she left.
"No, she didn't," I said.
He replied, "No problem," and handed me a clipboard with a single one-sided piece of paper.
"Fill out section A please, section B is just standard stuff, and sign section C."
I'm in my very early 40s, and I've signed dozens of dental and medical forms, so without thinking or reading them I followed his instructions and handed it back to him anxious to end my toothache.
"Ok, have a seat in the chair Keisha. Lay back, relax, and we'll get you all fixed up."
Dr. Davis looked to me like he was in his late thirties and took care of himself too. Standing at 5,11" he wasn't cut and chiseled but he was fit and an average weight for his height. His hair was cut very low, and his lineup was as tight and faded as his beard.
I'd just come from work, and it was summertime, so I had on what I called my summer uniform; a sleeveless buttoned-down collared shirt, a skirt, and wedge sandals.
That also meant, in summer no pantyhose or stockings and if my skirt was to my knees no panties either.
In my most lady-like fashion, conscious of my skirt, I swung my legs up and laid back in the chair. The ceiling TV was on above me; something new dentists have started installing to distract patients. It was tuned to the Game Show Network and Steve Harvey was introducing two new families to face off in Family Feud.
Dr. Davis offered to change the channel, but I said it was fine.
"So, looking at your chart we need to fix that filling of yours and I can also reseal a few others with a new coating while I'm in there. Are you ok with the pain? Fair warning it will intensify. I can give you some gas and freezing if you prefer."
"If there's a pain-free option, I'll take it please." I don't mind pain, I have a pretty high threshold actually, but from experience; the noise, the cold air and the water combination was torture to my sensitive teeth.
He chuckled a little, flashing his perfect pearly whites, before reaching over me for the gas, "Excuse me" just barely grazing my breasts with his arm.
"Without an assistant, it might take just a little longer and they'll be a lot of reaching over. I hope you won't mind?"
"No, I understand. I appreciate you fitting me in on a Friday evening " I said warmly.
"Great, here we go. Hold the mask to your face and take five deep breaths. It should be enough to take the edge off and then you won't feel the needles for the freezing either."
I nodded, took the face mask, and put it over my nose and mouth as the chair reclined.
He started to count me down, "Five - in through your nose out through your mouth. Four - that's it deep breaths. Three -you're doing great Keisha, just a few more for me. Two, aaannnndddd one more. You should start to feel relaxed and then we'll freeze your mouth."
I thought the gas was supposed to make me laugh, but instead, I was just getting drowsy and my eyelids heavier.
