Things that Happened this Week

So I’ve been slow to post. For the first time in a long time I have a bunch of unfinished drafts waiting for me to finish them.

This week has been hell. Aia woke up Monday morning with a fever and her entire face swollen. Naturally I panicked, called the dentist (who didn’t answer the phone) and the doctor. The doctor thought it was the mumps (back up, I gave her pink children’s Tylenol before all this. Not stupid.).

Crap I thought…mumps aren’t too bad…we totally have two weeks before Disney World, so she could still go and maybe I could work from home.

But then she couldn’t move and the doctor had me feel around her face. It’s not mumps, they told me to head to the nearest children’s hospital cause it could be meningitis. (For those that wonder there’s a children’s hospital still at St. Jospehs).

So after wandering around construction at about 80mph downtown while on the phone with work (they were having a mild panick attach because the realized (again) that they can’t do the website without me and they need training) we found St. Jo’s. It took another half hour to find parking. I finally found a $3.00 a day emergency lot.

We get her inside and through triage. I spent most of the time explaining what all the equipment was for (thank you birthing and kidney stones) so that she’d stop being scared of it all. The doctor comes in (no random nurse to do things, nice!) and declares it multiple abcess teeth that need to be taken care of today. They give her children’s Motrin and a perscription for pencillian and off we go.

Have I mentioned the dentist still hasn’t answered the phone at this point?

I started out of the lot to find out they only take cash or check, no credit (Who does that?) But the gate guard just lets us go. So we drive to Golden, which I70 midday traffic is pretty good, just so you know.

So I show up at the dentist office, explain the details and that they should answer their phone or at least check messages. They take Aia right away and take pictures. They decide to pull the teeth the next day. And we are sent home to eat, do mold, and keep the fever down.

Cue about 8:30am on Tuesday with me driving pell-mell late to the appointment because I took I-119 cause H56 was closed the day before and on Tuesday they close I-119 and opened H56 (Signs,people, SIGNS) instead so I had to go around the mesa to get to Golden. Good thing I lived in that neighborhood as a child and knew how to get around it. We get there late, but they still take her right away (love that dentist!).

So the shots begin (which go much better than the last time). However they can’t get her numb and have to stop. They send me with xrays down the street to the pediadontist. They take use right away, pull the teeth, give Aia a fudgecycle, and tell me that she has to come back for spaces (think braces that push instead of pull) and that she has to more teeth on the verge of bad but they think they can save them next week.

So after I feint from brokeness all is well. I’m not a fan of broke (especially when I finally had replenished savings a bit, all gone now.) But at least Aia’s okay. Now I just need to figure out how to pay for braces right now. Crap.

Back from the Dentist…Horror Stories

I finally save up enough money for Aia and I to go to the dentist (she’s been going regularly, I have not) and things explode.

The dentist asked us to never come back (that’s a first, usually I leave in a fit of rage before they ask me to leave). Aia had to have a root canal. One month ago she had a filling, no problem. Two weeks ago she had her teeth cleaned, no problem. Last week I had my teeth cleaned, no cavities or problem. Today we went for Aia’s root canal.

Now this dentist seemed okay. He had assistants, he had fairly low prices and was fair when I found problems. He had modern equipment. He claimed to do kids and adults.

Aia was pretty scared of the dentist, but when they brought the nitrous oxide out she freaked out. We got her calm but the bite block hurt her mouth so much she wouldn’t hold still for long periods of time. Her gum was enflamed, and the root canal took some time. He wouldn’t talk to her, comfort her or ask her questions…half way through the procedure he told me he really couldn’t handle kids at all and would send me to a specialist. BTW, it’s best if you found a new dentist too, even though I’ve paid all the bills. They gave me the name and the address of the dentist who fucked up Aia’s fillings and hates insurance last year. Just great.

FTLG. I managed to stay nice. This is the second time a dentist has embarrassed himself in front of me. The second time when dealing with a root canal I’ve had a dentist flake out. What is it with dentists? They might be good at what they do but then they’re probably retarded when it comes to insurance. Or they are half-assed. Worse they’re stupid. Even worse they pretend you have cavities so they can make you pay for expensive procedures (had that happen too). It seems to take forever to find a decent one, and then something happens to them and you have to start the process over.

Now Aia has a root canal and I can’t seem to find anyone willing to cap it and get her teeth protected. Friends have family have given me some recommendations, but they either don’t have room for months or they can’t seem to answer their phone…ever (sis the gal you sent me is in that last category).

Aia isn’t happy right now but okay. I’m not happy either.