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| Read about another adventure |
Kalisha has been having a toothache and that is putting it mildly. She had 2 teeth removed a few months ago by her dentist and although she has the highest pain tolerance of anyone I know, she literally screamed during the procedure. When she needed another one extracted because of a horrific toothache every couple of days, I was at a loss of what to do.
Her Behavioral Consultant came to the rescue by asking me if I had contacted Dr. Lee, here in Fort Wayne, IN. No, I had not but I was willing to see anyone to get her out of this pain. She missed her volunteering and her Friday morning cooking classes because she wasn't able to go. The pain would subside during the day but recur nearly every night.
I called on Tuesday and wonder of wonders, (it's another God-thing) there was a chance of doing the procedure the next day. This dentist/oral surgeon has a large practice but two days a week, he does dental procedures for special needs individuals and he does them at a hospital under anesthesia. While the patient is sedated, ALL procedures are done at one time: fillings, cleanings, x-rays, extractions. That way there aren't multiple trips to further traumatize the patient who may already be severely apprehensive.
This wonderful man's name is Dr. Steven B. Lee and he is a dedicated, caring man.
Okay, now for the humorous part of our day. The two things Kalisha hates the most are getting up early and not eating...especially breakfast. Guess what? We had to be at the hospital at 7:30 and she could not eat or drink anything. Oh, my gosh. The attitude came on with a capital A. She was not going, I had not discussed this with her, she didn't care if her tooth hurt forever, she liked pain and she really liked laughing gas (which the last dentist used and didn't work) and she liked laughing and being funny and she wasn't going and she was going to tell them she had eaten so then they wouldn't do the procedure.
I listened to this barrage of statements for about 2 hours and then I told her she was going, she was having it done, I didn't need to ask her permission and now, BE QUIET. Yes I know, I need counseling in being a supportive parent. NOT.
By the time we arrived, she was processing the whole thing and asked me to forgive her, which I did. We met Dr. Lee (discovered we knew each other from a previous church) and he talked to her for a long time. Very encouraging and supportive. Great.
Then the nurse told her there was an opening that day and they would be able to take care of her that afternoon. **Did you catch that? Afternoon....
I wish you could have seen Kalisha's eyes when she realized there would be no food or drink until MUCH later in the day, possibly dinner time. She actually handled it pretty well, but when a woman setting across from us in the registration area unwrapped a cookie, I was afraid Kalisha might wrestle her for it. :)
I didn't eat either because I couldn't do that to her, so we were both hungry. They got her ready for surgery later in the day...IV, gown, everything so she would be ready when it was time. At one point, she told the nurse, "I changed my mind. I'm not doing this."
At one point, the nurse was discussing height and weight and physical condition with Kalisha. She asked, "Are you active?"
Kalisha replied, "You mean like sex?"
I thought the nurse was going to slide right down the front of the cabinet from laughing. In Kalisha's defense, I have to say that every time a doctor uses the word, active, it is when they are asking if she is sexually active.
They wheeled her away around 3pm. She came back to recovery around 4pm, looking like she had been run over by a truck; the way everyone looks when they come out of surgery. Dr. Lee explained everything and talked to her too although she doesn't remember any of it.
Okay, now it is time for me to get the car while the nurse pushes her down to the front doors of the hospital. Maybe it was my food-deprived brain or maybe not, but I got on an elevator on the 5th floor and tried to go to the ground floor. The doors closed but the elevator wouldn't go anywhere. WTH? As I am searching for a way to make it move, I read a sign that says, "Staff Elevator...Badge Required" Oh for heaven's sake, now I am hungry, thirsty and trapped on a stinking elevator! As I frantically thought of things to do, I was mentally deciding to use this scene in a future novel. (IF I didn't die on this elevator, of course)
Finally, I got it to open the doors but now I was on a deserted floor somewhere in the hospital. No people, no noises, no equipment, no beds...Yikes. I took the stairs.
I hurried because I knew the nurse and Kalisha were waiting for me. As I tried to leave the parking garage, I realized I had not had my card stamped. It cost me $5 to get out.
We made it home and she is feeling much better today.
Just another day in the life of Kalisha and Gloria...I'm going to miss these adventures when she moves out....well, maybe not.
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