So, if you are queasy or easily disturbed. Don’t read this blog. 
About 5 years ago, I woke up one morning with some weird growth on my gums. Right in the front! I remember it perfectly because I went out that night to a party (which I don’t normally do) and I remember thinking “Great! this is worse than a blemish for a night out!” I thought at the time it may have been a piece of food or a fingernail. I had just quit smoking and my new habit to stop that one was biting my nails.
Fast forward to about a month ago. Yeah, I let it go. For 5 years. Was just this ugly growth that never changed shape or size. I guess I just blocked it out. It was on the side of my face on my gum where you couldn’t really see it, but it cut my smile down from where the gum came over my tooth.
Anyhow, FINALLY. About a month ago it started to bug me. I mean really bug me. Maybe the holiday season, thinking about how family visits and pictures for family and all that. And it’s days were numbered. I made an appointment to get a referral. I don’t understand what the point of referrals are. But that’s neither here or there.
They refer me to a specialist and my appointment was today. For the past week since the appointment was made, I have absolutely tortured myself over this stupid lump that I paid no mind to for 5 years. I had a bad headache all week and was just really scared. I hate… No, I don’t hate. I am petrified of doctors and dentists. I guess I can attribute it to growing up in a family with no health insurance and we always just “walked it off”.
So, today was the big day. My wonderful husband took the day off to accompany me. Probably because he knew if he wasn’t present, I would’ve chickened out. My parents watched Abby for me and of course, Kaity was in school. I had to get it done today. There was no backing out!
The waiting room was 70 degrees and that’s freezing to a Floridian! I chattered the entire time I filled out the new patient record. Was a really nice waiting room. I guess it was a place for cosmetic surgery. There were ALL older ladies in there with their husbands. The men were reading golf magazines and the ladies were all decked in furs and jewels, waiving their “cosmo” magazines across their faces like it was hot in there. *rolls eyes*
The nurse called me in. I go in to the room and she could tell I was cold. Gave me a blanket and everything. She hooks me up to the blood pressure machine and I warned her off the bat that it was going to be outrageous. My pulse tapped out at 124 and my blood pressure was 138/110. I guess that’s bad, so she offered to gas me.
I put the gas on and the nice smelling vanilla was good for a few minutes. Then she said it was time for the gas. I breathe in a few times and instantly I feel the tingle all over my body that she had warned me about but for some reason, totally took me by surprise. I felt like I was going to pass out and scared the crap out of her when I lunged forward asking her to take it off. She turned off the gas and the sweet vanilla smell came back for a few then I took off the mask. I told her “I guess I’d make a lousy drug addict”. 
So, no gas for me. But oddly, just that brief period of having it did bring down my stress levels. The dentist comes in sporting the whitest, brightest smile and I was like “Ugh! I want my smile back! Just let them torture you.”
They numb me up with the ointment stuff. (Side note: ointment is a funny word) Sensing my paranoia, he recommended that I keep my eyes closed the entire procedure. And I did! It’s not pain that bothers me, it’s not really the thought of the dentist either. It’s those shiny, weird alien utensils they swing around my head while they hover over me that bothers me.
I could feel the needle going in for like 3 seconds and then I was totally numb. To make a short story even shorter. They cut off the stupid thing, lasered my gums back into place to seal them, sucked my mouth with some funky water thingie, stuck on a band aid and told me I was done.
I thought for SURE at the time that once that numbness wore off, I was going to be in the worst pain of my life. They prescribed me some prescription strength Aleve and I was thinking, “Yeah right lady! I’ll be calling you guys for some serious stuff later!” But here I am, several hours later. The numbness is about gone and I feel fine. I don’t doubt I’ll have some soreness over the next few days. And the band aid thingie is supposed to last at least 3-4 days (he said possibly as long as a week) and it’s annoying as it keeps rubbing inside my gum-line and behind my lips. But I am quite surprised at how easy this really was.
The scariest part is still ahead. They are having the growth tested for cancer and all that scary stuff. I’m feeling pretty good that it is nothing serious. So, we’ll know soon.
Aside from all that. I must say, I feel like an idiot. Dentistry has made leaps and bounds since I last went. Luckily, I haven’t really had a reason to go. The dentist said “you have great teeth and good genes”. That made me feel pretty good.
But it’s time to start taking care of myself. I’ll be 30 in April. I no longer feel I have youth on my side. It’s time for science!
So to all the scardey cats out there. Dentists rule! Just get yourself fixed. You’ll be glad you did.
SMILE!
~Baker April
