Her Toothy Smile

Michaela had her teeth removed.

Not all of them!  Just two.  It was supposed to be three, but while we were away this summer, nature gave us (and our wallet) a helping hand and one of the three teeth came out at the beach (this cost a lot less and required no sedation or numbing of the gums).

Does that give you the shivers?

A friend came over bright and early in the morning...much earlier than I have been getting up.  She stayed with my two youngest offspring, while Michaela and I went merrily on our way. 

The truth is, she was not merry.  She was very nervous.  She kept asking me about when I had my teeth pulled, what it was like, if it hurt, if there was a shot...  I couldn't remember anything about it, though.  Well, I have a vague memory of singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and calling the doctor Hot Lips or something along those lines.  I don't think it was to his face.  But those memories weren't very helpful as far as easing her troubled mind. 

We had to be there an hour early so they could give her a sedative.  Following this she got to pick a movie and just chill for 45 minutes.  She picked The Little Mermaid.  Can I just interrupt here a second and say that Ursula is one scary woman?  Octopus.  Whatever.  She is pretty evil.  Thank you for letting me share that.   All right...they called Michaela back to the room where she would say goodbye to two of her baby teeth in one quick fell swoop.  (The ones behind the ones beside her two front teeth...clear enough description?)

Michaela is a trooper.  She is brave and calm and I don't know where she came from.  I might think that she wasn't mine except I clearly remember pushing her out.  The doctor, as he was administering the shot which would numb her for the pulling, kept saying things like,"You're the best; what a great patient!"  I assume he says this kind of thing to each child that he has to perform tooth extraction on, but I wonder if he didn't mean it a little more sincerely with her.  She was so still, so trusting.  She did have a "nose" on...that probably had something to do with it. 

I was pretty proud of her.  She faces adversity much better than I do.  Maybe I need a daily sedative and gas mask...

Comments

[Elaine]

Good for her! I'm a big wimp about going to the dentist.