Val Unwittingly Makes The Pony Skittish

Val is on-call 24/7/365 for her offspring. No time is a bad time. Not that I'd let on, anyway. With my helicopter up on blocks, I can at least do my parenting by text.

Let the record show that The Pony took a day off last month for a dental appointment. He had a couple appointments for gum stuff that he did after work. He needed three fillings, which were scheduled for his new day off, Monday. And he will be taking a couple days off to get all his wisdom teeth pulled later this month. 

Let the record further show that Thevictorians are not dentist people. Oh, we made sure the boys had checkups through childhood. But now that they're adults, it's not a high priority. Nothing to be proud of. Just revealing the truth. Hick goes for regular cleanings and a checkup every six months. Yet he is the one of us with the fewest teeth!

Anyhoo... at 12:01 a.m. Monday, I got a text from The Pony. I was sitting at the kitchen table playing solitaire on HIPPIE, what with my internet currently being an on/off situation.

"Oh! Could you text/call me around 6:30 or 7? I've got my alarms, but having a tough time sleeping and need to be up and moving early for the appointment at 9 for dentist stuff."

"Yes. I can do that."

Another text came at 1:32. I was still playing solitaire. My record time dropping from 3:04 to 2:57.

"Ugh still not sleeping well. Why am I so nervous for my fillings!"

"It's no big deal. Only the shot to numb you might pinch a bit."

"... for fillings?"

"Yeah. They give you a shot in the nerve, and you feel like you have a fat lip. Might give you more than one, depending on the location of the fillings. I was never afraid of the actual dental work. Just the feeling of being TRAPPED in the chair, knowing I couldn't get up."

"Huh. Didn't know they numbed for that. Now I'm more nervous!"

"Tell them you are nervous. They will be extra nice, maybe. They will put that sucker thing in your mouth for the spit. Like hang it over your lip. Unless they have new modern ways."

"Yeah. I'm gonna try to sleep again."

"Okay. I'll give you a call."

Of course I felt like a heel. Like the worst mom ever. I had made my sweet Pony more nervous than when he reached out to me for reassurance! At 6:25 a.m., another text.

"6:25 now! I live!"

"Good to know!"

Of course I called The Pony anyway, to try and calm his fears, and tell him that even though Hick was going to the city for a pain consultation, I could drive over to Bill-Paying town to the dentist if The Pony needed me. I think that helped a little bit. The Pony admitted that yes, he'd had a filling before, but didn't remember being numbed, since it was way back in middle school or early high school. Anyhoo, I told him to keep me updated.

9:44 a.m. "Update: I am numbed on three quadrants of the mouth. The sound of the needles going in was the worst."

"Ooh! I never heard them!"

"I have good hearing! I could hear that little punch sound as it goes in."

"EEK!"

"Yeah! Very! Top left and both bottom sides are numbed."

"It gets tingly when it wears off."

10:13 a.m. "I am free and filled."

"That was pretty quick after the shooting! Now you can have a nap."

"I want some food now but that is an unequivocally bad idea!"

"Yes. Save it for normal lips."

10:51 a.m. "Mmm hmm. I think I can start and handle a burger and fries and a shake! I just finished my other errand over here."

"Be careful chewing, and wipe your mouth!"

"It's probably a good idea."

"Did they say how long to wait before eating?"

"They did not! It's fineee."

The Pony loves Steak N Shake. Couldn't pass up a garlic burger, fries, and shake. Said the burger didn't even need chewing, and the fries barely did. I think The Pony is going to survive.