Dentist

Well, we survived the dentist! Woo Hoo!

The wait in the lobby was interesting. A lady there was trying to have a conversation on her cell phone (sounded like she was talking to her ex-husband to me) and she kept giving Julia, and especially me, the "stink eye" because julia would not stop crying or moving and kept pushing her son (who was about 10 yrs old) away from the video game. I tried to stop all that, but those of you who spend time with Julia, realize that is futile at times. So the lady thought I was a bad parent who couldn't discipline her child, but I knew better and didn't let it get to me too much. So, that was the waiting room episode.

We then went into the room. Julia got on the little chair for about 12 seconds and was then ready to move.....It took me and another assistant to hold her down and restrain her for the dental hygienist to look in her mouth and then polish her teeth. She said from what she could see they look real good! That is great since I can't brush them very well! Then the dentist came in and looked around. He wasn't able to use his instruments to poke at the teeth to look for soft spots, but said from what he could see, they looked good - all things considered. He did say if she ever needed a cavity filled or anything like that - she would need heavy sedation or general anesthesia. Good to know this now as far as her settlement goes - it won't cover routine care, but if anesthesia is required due to her behavior that comes with the brain injury, it will be covered. So, i got that documented today.

It is painful to watch these sorts of things....holding her down like a poorly-behaved dog - that is what I felt like today - i felt like I was at work - and could have used some of my well trained vet techs today! This is stuff I don't think some people understand. Most families take their kid to the dentist and they are done. I have to hold my kid down (and she has to be held down), i have to listen to her scream (and she has to scream because she is scared), and I have to watch her cry and struggle because she is scared and doesn't understand what is going on. It is painful to watch and to have to participate in this sort of thing on a regular basis. Not a pity party here, just a reality that isn't pleasant for me or more importantly HER! Its times like this that sometimes I wish I could just "write a check" and have someone else deal with all of it. But, then again, I would never do that - I will never leave Julia. She needs me to help her through these times - when it was over she grabbed my leg and hung on and it made it better for both of us.

Will let you know how the home health care thing goes later.

Susan