March 22 – “This won’t hurt a bit”

What a way to start the day.  We found out the when Cailyn took her tumble the other day and cut her chin open, she also cracked a tooth.  She started complaining that her teeth hurt.  As the days passed, she wouldn’t chew on one side and finally was able to pinpoint exactly where the pain was originating.  That led to a trip to the dentist which in turn led to the big event yesterday.  I met Cailyn and Nathan at the pediatric dentist’s office around 8:30.  She had to have a crown installed.  And was she ever a trooper.  She took the attendant’s hand and marched right back all by herself.  I don’t know what goes on in the back of a pediatric dentist’s office, but it has to be better than what I had to deal with back in the olden days of yore.  Now, it wasn’t that long ago.  They didn’t use needle nose pliers and tie me to a chair.  Might as well have, though.  The huge needle that “won’t hurt a bit,” followed by maniacal laughter.  That whirring sound getting louder and louder and closer and closer.  And the indescribable pain.  Not to mention the humiliation of having half your face droop alarmingly to the extent that you drool all over yourself.  No.  My dental experiences have not been happy ones. 

But Cailyn’s apparently don’t bother her a bit.  Of course she did get to drink some happy juice before the whole thing started to keep her calm.  That would have been enough for me.  I would have easily slept through the whole thing.  She came out of the experience a little loopy, but ready to “go to Nani and DadDad’s house.”  Daddy insisted she go home and rest for a while first.  She did throw her head back far enough for us to see that shiny silver crown, though.  Quite impressive.  They even gave her the remnants of the cracked tooth in a tiny little treasure chest.  Wonder if the tooth fairy was able to fit some reward money in that thing?  And if so, would it only be half of whatever the usual booty would be, since half the tooth is still in her head?  Actually, I wonder of the old tooth fairy even entered her head?  I’ll have to do some grandfatherly research and find out. 

Obviously Cailyn did fine.  Daddy and DadDad didn’t do too bad for ourselves, either.  It’s been a long time since I saw an episode of Sesame Street.  That’s what was playing on the waiting room monitor.  Much more exciting than the usual talk show with Kelly Rippa (is that her name?) and her football player guy cohost or Price is Right (just not the same without Bob Barker).  And of course we had our phones with us to keep in touch with the outside world (i.e. check FaceBook posts).  We even went to the Fire Department web site.  I was trying to find pictures of the fire fighters so I could learn who was who before I start visiting around as chaplain.  Not so much luck, but he did show me a video of a call he made.  A truck was on fire.  In a parking lot next to an 18-wheeler.  Did I mention that the parking lot was for a gas station?  Danger.  Excitement.  That’s my youngest son.  Maybe I shouldn’t tell Chris about that one.  Sigh.

Psalms 73:25-26 says, “Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Father, thank you for pediatric dentists and fearless fire fighters.  Amen.