Whilst i write this, outside is the most amazing thunder and lightning storm i have ever seen! it has been going on for over an hour now and the lightning is every 3 seconds, lighting up the night sky. The thunder is rumbling louder than gazs belly (which is saying something!) and the rain is pounding against the tin roof. So cosy in here!
Today has been one hell of a day. Gaz has had an ok day on the computer and has been downloading tv episodes for us to watch down in forster next week. Hopefully we will be too busy to be sat inside watching tv but it will be nice to snuggle up in bed and fall asleep to something like i usually do!
Work was manic. i had an italian guy come in who i tried taking a tooth out on. 20 minutes into trying to dig this tooth out, i couldn't get the tooth to move AT ALL so for the first time ever since working at hervey bay, i had to 'go green'. AKA prepare for a surgical. I basically had to cut this guys gums open to drill away bone so i could wiggle the tooth out but it all has to be done under sterile conditions. I eventually got the tooth out (it was all pretty straight forward once i started the surgical) but this tooth had a curved root with a big bulbous (ball like) end to it. The guy didn't help much during the procedure emoting 'this is taking to long', and 'can we just leave it where it is, i have to go shopping.' What an arse. i was proud i got the thing out by myself...even if the patient wasn't all that grateful. My next patient was a PLANNED surgical. He had an impacted lower wisdom tooth so having had lots of practice by now, i made the incision, removed the bone, sectioned the tooth, elevated the tooth out and sutured all by myself, all within an hour. i was very chuffed with myself! And the guy was a little more appreciative...afterall, if he wanted to wait for the oral surgeon to take this tooth out, he would have been waiting 2 years...with me doing it, he waited 1 week. He can't complain!
The next patient was some silly old bat who didn't even know what medication she was on and couldn't read the medical history form so i had to fill it out with her. 'do you have any thyroid problems?' i asked....'what do you mean by that?' she replied...by this point, i had had enough 'if you don't know what it is then you don't have it!' i said...and we left it at that. The next question 'do you have high of low blood pressure?'.....'no my blood pressure is normal, thats why I'm on medication for it.'.....i didn't bother arguing with her, she was on an antihypertensive drug so i just circled the high blood pressure. She then couldn't remember if she had any stomach problems.
My last patient was a pleasant surprise. She was a woman who i first saw 1 month ago who was so nervous, she stood at my surgery door and burst into tears. She had her friend with her who had to coax her in to my room. The woman had had a previous bad experience with a dentist which meant she hadn't had the courage to come for 15 years to see someone. She had 4 teeth that needed extracting but she was terrified at the thought of having them out. Together we devised a treatment plan to ease her gently into having these extractions and a new lower partial denture. Ive never seen someone so nervous/scared in the chair. I managed to do all the extractions on her but it wasn't easy. She was in this afternoon for a denture adjustment...to my surprise she walked in on her own and sat in the chair. She had a smile on her face and thanked me for how great i had been with her. I was pleased to see she hadn't come with her friend and was now comfortable with walking in and sitting down on her own. We tightened the denture for her and on her way out she gave me a hug and handed me a bag full of gifts...but the best part was the card she had written expressing her sincere gratitude for all the help i have given her and her restored faith in dentistry. It really made my day worth while!
I came home and gaz had my dinner ready on the table...such a sweetheart! we nipped to big W to get some chocolates for staff at work. The thunder and lightning storm is still going!
I spoke to jacqui...this is the lady we spent new years with. She is organising a going away party for me on saturday. She is awesome...shes excited about all these decorations she's got for me and her husband is doing all the food...its going to be great! gaz and i have a busy couple of days ahead of us...lots of cleaning/packing and partying to do!
Any photos? Ian x
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