Project 365: April 10

Today I went to the dentist - one of the least favorite things I'll ever do. Try thinking of some really awful, unpleasant, miserable even, things, and this is worse - for me.

While I hate going to the dentist, I do not hate my dentist. Actually this dentist brought me from a frantic patient who required major relaxation aids to an almost calm (I still do a little stress wiggle with my feet) adult-like patient.

I'm thinking my fear of dentists is probably something in my genes, but I know that it wasn't made any better by the guy I went to as a child - he was scary & mean. My teeth were pretty bad (because I didn't brush them very well - duh!) and there was a period of time when I was in the 5th grade that I had to walk to his office by myself after school every Monday for 3 or 4 weeks to have work done. Can you even begin to imagine the dread I must have felt? Walking there alone. Sitting in the waiting room alone. Being in the same room as the torturer all by myself. I'm over it though - can you tell?! Anyway, I sure hope he's retired by now. I wonder how many other kids he scarred for life.

My current dentist also treats my kids. He's wonderful with me, and even better with them. It helps that he goes to our church and they see him on a regular basis and not just for cleanings. It also helps that he's not scary or mean!