Friday, April 29, 2005

The Unexpected Day Off

I didn't expect to miss work today.

I didn't expect to wake up with a fever, a swollen right cheek and a numb face. I didn't expect an abcess tooth. I didn't expect EH to have to miss work today either, although I did expect SG to be off of school.

I did expect to reach my asshole dentist. I didn't expect him to close him office for the day and not respond to 3 emergency pages. Or, maybe I did. He's been flakey...always rescheduling my appointments. I don't think he has time to be a dentist. He has way too much to do and patients seem to interfere with his personal time.

I didn't expect to get desperate enough to go to my online insurance provider directory and hunt up a new dentist. I didn't expect the very first name I called to be incredibly attentive, caring and helpful even though I wasn't even their patient. I didn't expect her to call an endodontist on his day off and I certainly didn't expect that endodontist to call me back within 3 minutes to check on me.

I didn't expect to be referred straight to an oral surgeon who was equally incredible and asked me to come straight over. I didn't expect to be put on antibiotics and Vicodin. I didn't expect to be scheduled for surgery for a week from today to cut five teeth out of my mouth - 4 wisdom teeth, two of which are abcess and one broken tooth in the back of my mouth.

Being a serious dentist-phobe, I didn't expect to be so overwhelmingly charmed by a dentist, an endodontist and an oral surgeon. I didn't expect to schedule the procedure with minimal fear and a sense of comfort believing I'm in good hands with a surgeon I've known for all of 8 minutes.

I didn't expect my crummy insurance to cover much of it, but it did. I may not have expected the expense, but it's about 1/3 of what I probably should be paying.

I didn't expect to be so postive about it. I'm more excited about firing my unresponsive and often unavailable dentist to become an eager patient of the new dentist. I feel like I found a treasure rather than like I am going to have my mouth hacked to pieces. And c'mon, you guys know I'm not the "look on the bright side" kinda girl.

Of course, that could be the Vicodin talking...

Posted by Red :: 5:42 PM :: | ---------------------------------------