Yankers

Em had two extractions today. One was a baby tooth and doesn't really count. The other was a molar that was so far gone I couldn't talk the dentist into attempting a root canal.

You know it's bad when someone won't take extra money you're begging to spend.

Em was very nervous. They gave her gas, then a couple vials of Novocain. Then they tried to pull the tooth and she howled. So they gave her a third vial.



Then the dentist tries again and she howls. I could tell, he didn't believe she was feeling anything more than general pressure coupled with anxiety, but he caved and gave her a fourth shot. He said that ought to keep her numb for four hours or more.

And then he wouldn't even let her have the souvenir. Said some nonsense aobut OSHA not allowing anything with blood out of the office. I pointed out that my dentist gave me a wisdom tooth he'd pulled in a plastic box and he said that was a long time ago. I said, what, two years is a long time? Maybe it was three, but it wasn't like we're talking last century.



So I settled for shooting some pics.

I was going to take Em to school, but she'd sussed out that she could get away with taking the day off on account of this. She wasn't about to give up the holiday she'd paid for with such angst and pain.