Speaking of buddy, back in school we have this buddy system where the senior buddy (coming from the previous batch) gets to help his/her junior buddy in Dent subjects by sharing transcriptions, books, etc. Though some of my batchmate were malas with the buddies they had, I was lucky to get a responsible buddy. Not only that she lent me her transcription but also her book which I think she bought pa from the U.S. kasi amoy States pa. (I have this habit before of smelling book pages aside from newly xeroxed paper. Hmmm...sheer joy!) Oh and while most of my batchmate clutch their borrowed transcriptions in SM and generic palengke bags, Doc A would give hers in sossy paper bags!
One time, I got another batch of transcription from her, this time in a Nordstrom paper bag. A batchmate of mine joked, "Uy, nag-shopping ka?" Duh! Yeah, Resto 12B transcription's on sale at Nordstrom today. (Doc A, I hope you don't mind if I wrote about your transcriptions and the sossy paper bags!)
Anyway, back to pedo day, I appointed 2 patients for A for today but unfortunately the other kid was sick daw. I felt bad that I would make Doc A go all the way to Marikina for just one patient. Aba, mahal na ang gas ngayon! Good thing, I had a back-up patient: Robyn.
Yes, today marks the first time my daughter sees a dentist. Well, she gets to see ME (a dentist too) everyday but for her, I'm "Mommy" and it's hard to instill to her that "Mommy" and "Dentist" is the same person. I can't be the same person who would extract her teeth and later tuck her to bed at night. Baka pag nasaktan ko siya during treatment, gantihan ako sa gabi at ahitan ako ng kilay habang natutulog!
I remember a conversation I had with a fellow dentist-mom. She extracted one of her son's molars rather than bringing him to another dentist. The boy screamed and shouted during the procedure while she reassured that everything's OK and that mom (the dentist) won't hurt him (which of course, she eventually did starting from the injection part). She said it was hard seeing her son that way but she doesn't want his molar to get worse. But what was harder for her to accept was what happened after the extraction: her son said to her "Mama ang sakit! Ayoko na sa 'yo." Then the kid ran to his dad. From the time I talked to that dentist-mom, I decided that I would never treat my own daughter. If ever, she'd need RCT in the future? We'll troop to Dr. C's clinic.
The first pedo patient is scheduled at 11am but I brought Robyn with me to the clinic at 10am. We practiced sitting in the dental chair so she would get used to the chair going up and down, etc. I showed her the mouth mirror, which she enjoyed putting in her mouth so I end up replacing the mouth mirror for the 1st patient five times!
Anyway, we still have to let the 1st patient go ahead, even when Robyn was there first since Erap and I share the same principle: "Walang pami-pamilya, walang kama-kamag-anak!" Unfortunately, that boy was really a pain in the pw*t so the treatment took longer than usual. So long that Robyn was able to sleep while waiting despite the loud shrieks of the patient. Secretly I was praying that the boy won't destroy my dental chair since he keeps on standing on the unsupported side of the chair. Son of a tofu! Kaka-full payment ko lang niyan!
After an hour and so, it was finally Robyn's turn. As much as I want to take a picture of her in her first dental experience, I can't since she had to lie down on top of me while I act as her overly cushioned Papoose Board. (To non-dentists reading this, a papoose board is a device to immobilize patients during treatment, wrapping the patient like a burrito.)
A papoose boardRobyn cried her kawawa cry while Tita Doc A cleaned her teeth, good thing I didn't get to see her face, otherwise I would've also cried. Although cleaning is not painful at all, Robyn's not used to it yet and she's sleepy and hungry that's why she's a little cranky during the procedure. In a few minutes, she's done! Talo pa niya yung almost 4-year old kid who had the same procedure done but took an hour and a half!
Not so good news: Her 72 & 73 seems fused. Review Wheeler's Anatomy topic on Dental Anomalies.
Robyn's fused teeth look something like this
Good news: No cavities!
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