Back to the dentist...

11 June 2014: Wednesday found me back at the dentist to get the temporary crown adjusted again. Even though something is still going on and I'll almost certainly be back at the dentist again, I am still going to call out my dentist and his staff as source of Wednesday's gratitude. Once again, he was so kind and understanding. I mean, do I wish the darn thing would just feel NORMAL? (It's been like ten days..) Yeah, but it's not his fault and I have faith that he'll help me get it back to normal. This will be a bit challenging, since he's on vacation and I'll almost certainly have to see someone who is covering for him...and a root canal might be involved...but yeah, he still rocks.

Comfortably numb...

15 July 2019: Sitting here about 3 hours post-filling at the dentist. My bottom lip is still pretty numb (at least 50% of it), which is strange, as always. But I've also been thinking about how cool my dentist is: smart, funny, kind, and just all-around wonderful. We've been through a lot together, so to speak, especially in the summer of 2014, when he was especially kind when Ryan died and my teeth-grinding/jaw-clenching came to a kind of tipping point.

During that summer five years ago, his daughter, freshly graduated from college and about to start dental school, sat in on an appointment. Today, she's the newest dentist at the practice. He and I talked about that today. "I remember thinking," I told him, "'Boy, she's got a long road in front of her.' Yet now, here she is! That's how time works, I guess." He rolled his eyes, laughed, and agreed.

And so it goes...

Reunion at the dentist...

27 May 2020: When I had my last dental cleaning in November, I scheduled my next appointment. The hygienist, who I adore, told me that my buddy Carrie had just been in the day before. Since Carrie's husband usually has to drive her (she doesn't drive), we decided to schedule our next cleanings on the same day, one right after the other. "You can make an afternoon of it--go get lunch! Have fun!" the hygienist (Alisa) said.

Fast forward to today and a whole new world in so many ways. Got to the dentist and saw James waiting in the car in the parking lot. Following the new procedures in place, I called the office to let them know I was there. Alisa came out, took my temperature, and asked some screening questions. We went in and, for the most part, it was a normal cleaning. (There are a couple of tools she can't use anymore because of CDC guidelines.)

In some ways, it all felt kind of normal. I love Alisa and the dentist and it was good to see them and talk with them both, even with layers of protective gear. And Alisa made sure I got to talk to Carrie in person, as she was leaving and I was mid-cleaning. I kind of looked at her upside down and saw her face in person (not counting Zoom) for the first time since March 13. Weird and strange and sad and wonderful.

A perfect evening...

24 June 2014: I started the day off thinking I would be getting a root canal. And--get this--I was actually disappointed when that didn't happen. (Long, boring story, but the short version is that I am holding off on any further action until my regular dentist gets back--so long as the pain doesn't get worse. Right now, it's still quite manageable with ibuprofen and Tylenol PM.) Still, I am physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to be done with all of this and it was frustrating to realize that that's not happening anytime soon.

Anyway, I got home from the dentist by 9:00 a.m. and was exhausted--I think from not having slept well the night before and just being a bit overwhelmed. I crashed for most of the morning and had a kind of gloomy day. Then I got over it and realized that the lack of a major dental procedure meant that I could go to my buddy Tim's for dinner, something I was really looking forward to and probably would have had to skip if I had the root canal. Dinner at Tim's is always amazing. And I got to visit with some of my favorite people, including Tim's partner, Kevin, and Cory and Hannah, some former SU students who are great friends.

So yay for no root canals (yet) and for good friends.

If you need a dentist...

9 June 2014: If you live in this area and need a dentist, take my advice: go to Dr. Seidman in Hagerstown. He's amazing. Everyone in his office is amazing, too. They are beyond competent, very kind, so accommodating, and (always a plus for me) pretty funny, too.

I had a temporary crown put on on Wednesday, but since then, it never felt right. It wasn't full-on pain, but more like pressure, throbbing, general "not-right-ness." I was really scared that it might turn into something really bad--big old pain. So I called today and they told me to come on in when I could. They'd fit me in. So, after class this morning, I drove over.

Dr. Seidman examined me, said the temporary crown was too high, fixed it, and answered all of my questions. He did so with patience, good humor, and reassurance. One of my big fears when it comes to all things medical/dental is being a hypochondriac or a bad patient. It's kind of ridiculous. But Dr. Seidman said all the right things: that I was right to call, right to come in, that it would have gotten worse if I hadn't.

Of course, there might be something else going on with the tooth. But if there is (and please, let's hope there isn't!), I feel better knowing I've got a doctor who wants me to bug him about it. Long story short: these folks rock and I am lucky that someone recommended them to me.

Tooth drama continues...

15 July 2014: So this tooth thing continues to be...well...a thing. The pain still hasn't ever really been excruciating (thank God!), but it is still not fun. I found myself getting really down and anxious about it on Monday night. So on Tuesday, I called the dentist and he (amazingly) fit me in again. This time we are going with some antibiotics, hoping they do the trick (it's a bit more complicated than that, but I am simplifying). And just like that--with a new plan of action and a blessedly open schedule starting on Monday (A&R ends on Friday, so no more worrying about scheduling any appointments around other commitments), I am feeling optimistic. 

Almost time, but not quite...

18 January 2021: Because Shepherd built an extra week into the break between semesters (at the cost of Spring Break) and because today is a federal holiday, my classes (MWF) are starting about a week and a half later than usual, and starting on a Wednesday. It's strange how I can feel that difference. It feels off. And starting mid-week is also weird. But I am a creature of such habit that I suppose that's not surprising. 

I did manage to get quite a bit done today: finished prepping for all my classes, made the copies, got the attendance cards ready. Washed the chalkboards in the second-floor classrooms, something that makes me feel good and soothes me. Last week, Betty, Brenda, and I rearranged the rooms so that desks are actually six feet apart. (They were not last semester, frustratingly.) The rooms look so different and strange. I cannot wait to get our seminar table formation back. Weird vibes before the semester even starts, especially recognizing that the silence in the building today won't be that different from what it's like when things start up tomorrow. Campus is going to be so quiet. 

When I went for a little walk around town, I saw Carrie coming back from her own stroll, so we visited outside for a bit, which made me happy. 

Then I had to head back to the dentist for a follow-up on this filled tooth that still doesn't feel right. Fortunately, nothing looks wrong and he thinks I just take longer to feel normal after these things. There really isn't much pain so I don't mind waiting it out, especially when he kept saying, "I'm not going anywhere" (in case it gets bad). He gets me. 

Now I am watching an old Super Password re-run (which really soothes me). Then I'll get some fun reading done and settle in for a night of guilty-pleasure-but-I-don't-care TV. Day by day, we get through...

(Sometimes I hesitate to write these diary/log-of-my-day posts. They are kind of boring, I think. But every once in a while, I suppose they are good for capturing a frame of mind, a moment in time.)

Spring yard work...

12 May 2026: Just finished the lawn and am taking a little break before trivia. 

It's been a busy day, but kind of casually busy, if that makes any sense; no real stress or rushing. Or rather, when I felt like I needed to be rushing and thus stressed, I realized I didn't need to be doing either.

Voted this morning. Planted a little redbud tree sapling tree a neighbor was giving away. Went to the dentist. Went to Walmart to get (more) mulch and some odds and ends. Wandered through Sunny Meadows on my annual annual-buying trip. Came home and kept working on the spring clean-up and prep work I started yesterday. Listened to a New Yorker Fiction Podcast story while I did the latter--a kind of tradition. (Yard work--fall or spring clean-ups--and Christmas light hanging/taking down=New Yorker Fiction Podcast episodes. A little tradition that I quite enjoy as it makes the tedious work more pleasant.) Then mowed the lawn. 

Tomorrow I'll see about getting the flowers in the ground and porch pots. Need to spread the weed and feed, too. I've got a couple of work obligations, but will do my best to stay unstressed/unrushed. 

It's almost like these little yard rituals--a yearly necessity--need to be done before I can settle into whatever summer break rhythm will emerge. 

Unexpected Snow Day

13 February 2024: For complicated and boring reasons, having campus close all day today when we got more snow than expected is not ideal. 

At the same time, it meant about six fewer hours of meetings that I had to go to.

Then my 11:00 a.m. dentist appointment got canceled and the whole darn day opened up. 

So...I powered through my next entry (admittedly a short one) and it's done. 

February 13 and two entries done for this month. Feels very good and the vibes of this whole week have taken a change since yesterday.

At the same time, I am lowkey bummed to be plan-less on Galentine's Day. I just wish I had more "hanging out" friends. It bums me out--enough that I don't even like to say it out loud. (Hilariously, "I Can't Make You Love Me" is playing on Pandora as I type this.)

But if I work on it for a bit, I can remind myself of the good vibes that I wrote about above and of the fact that I do have a couple gals here to hang with. Well, Jo, anyway. (BabyCat also lives here.) In a little bit, I'll finish the rest of my work up here in the office and head downstairs to chill with them both. Today, that and a completed entry is enough. 

When a book-work day gets away from you...

20 February 2024: Even with a dentist appointment this morning, I still spent over eight hours on campus today...yet somehow got almost no work done on my next entry. Moreover, I had also planned to get a more grading done than I did (still met my goal, but had hoped to maybe surpass it). And I had planned on completing a draft of a presentation that I have to give on Saturday. I got nothing done on that front.

Meetings, emails, and other Senate-related time-sucks just stole the day away. 

Very discouraging, but I am telling myself that I will make tomorrow evening and all day Thursday really count. 

Tooth (or lack thereof) update #2

It's an achy day here and a quiet one as I recover. The implant went in this morning and it should give me a good bit of discomfort for the next day or so. The actual procedure wasn't bad. The only part that hurt was getting the Novocaine shots. This isn't to say the procedure was pleasant--nothing pleasant about all that drilling, poking, lots of pressure, and a device that sounded/felt like a mini-jackhammer. And (it gives me the willies to even type about this) I am hoping to never have to repeat the experience of feeling something being screwed firmly into my jaw. Again, it didn't hurt, but it sure didn't feel normal. Now there's this metal bar in my jaw. It looks something like this, although I haven't had a very good look myself. It hurts to open that far and I also don't want to be icked out by any blood or gore.

Once again, I was described by the doctor as a "perfect patient." Once again, I was extraordinarily pleased with myself. Yeah, I got issues.

Anyway, I go back in nine days, then wait three more months for my regular dentist to put the crown/actual new (fake) tooth on. What a process!

Dinner at Kazu

4 June 2014: Another long, strange, not-entirely-great day, this one highlighted (sarcasm intended) by a visit to the dentist to get started on a new crown. (This was a long time coming--a tooth that has two big, old fillings in it and needed to be taken care of sooner or later...) So yeah, not great. But I had something fun to look forward to: dinner in the evening with my friend, Tim. It's always great to get a chance to see him over the summer (he lives about an hour away and doesn't come to campus that often between semesters). We hadn't hung out since we got back from Massachusetts, so it was nice to catch up. Suddenly a not-entirely-great day got a lot better.

Good for what ails ya...

9 July 2014: I had round two of my root canal today. As I said earlier today in a text to a friend, it was "Root Canal 2: The Sequel. This time it's deeper, longer, and ouchy-er." Unexpected twists included a previously undetected nerve (perhaps why I was still having pain after Round 1, some instruments that seemed more appropriate for mining and others that seemed like something out of science fiction, and the promise of Round 3 later this month. Anyway, the dentist warned that I might be pretty sore the next day or so and while it isn't awful (yet?), it ain't pleasant, either.

But as my post's title suggests, there are some things in my life today that have been good for what ails me. Pain medication (duh!), the couch, Netflix (working my way through Season Two of House of Cards), and this guy...

 

He's been my sweet little shadow since I got home. (He's even sleeping next to me now, having found me upstairs in the guest room.)

I am pretty sure I've violated a self-imposed rule from earlier in the year, when I said I'd use cat-related things only once a month for these "year of thanks" posts, but it's been a long month (more than a month, in fact) with this tooth thing, and I can't help myself. I mean, look at these feet!

Plus, the medicine might be making me a bit loopy.

Stay or go...

18 July 2022: At several points today, I found myself thinking about how young people decide whether to leave their childhood homes (meaning areas, not necessarily a single structure) or stay (or perhaps come back after college). I guess it had been on my mind in abstract ways since my trip to NY last weekend. 

It came up today at the dentist, when the hygienist asked me if I miss NY. I told her that I missed some things, but was pretty happy with where I am now. I thought about it later, realizing what a privilege it was to have options--to have choices about what I would do, to have the luxury of leaving without great amounts of guilt or obligations and try to make some new, different version of myself.

And then this evening, it came up (as it frequently does in discussions of Appalachia) at a reading I attended by Gretchen Moran Laskas. She pointed to this debate as central to Appalachian literature (which is spot-on). 

It's always kind of humbling to think about the dramatic ways privilege, luck, and chance shape your life.