Dental Work Leads to A Stressful Week

This has been a rough week. So much so that physically I have been a bit off my game. So here is the short version. In November, we took my baby girl to the doctor for a routine appointment. She had a cavity and needed to get a filling. Sounds easy enough right? Nope, not with a child with a high level of anxiety. The visit didn't go well and she absolutely freaked in the office. They brought her back up front to my husband and said we would have to try and think of an alternative.

photo credit: arcadia dental group 

They offered using one of the security blankets that are designed to help them feel snug and restrains them a bit.  That might work with a younger child but at almost 5 feet 5 inches tall and 120 pounds, it isn't going to work for her. So, that meant sedation; and $1,100 later she has her filling. You read that line right $1,100. Most of that went to the anesthesiologist. They put a few sealants on teeth while we were at it, and an hour later, they sent my slightly loopy baby girl home with mommy.

As much as I hated paying the money, I was more concerned about whether or not we would get her to cooperate. I felt so bad for her. If we weren't able to get it done, I was afraid we would never get there, and she may never agree to visit the dentist again. The night before I had to make an hour by hour chart for the big day. There were dietary restrictions of course, and sending her to school with something like that would have been a huge mistake. So it also meant explaining why she wasn't going to school. The schedule worked well. She asked a zillion questions, but that's my girl! When I picked her up from my mom she was a nervous wreck. There was a bit of a melt down and she began to cry and tell me she did not want to go. Eventually though, we worked through it and she did great!

I was almost as nervous as she was. I could barely eat for the 48 hours before the procedure. There were so many things to consider, what if she refuses to go? What if the schedule I designed for her to look at isn't enough to make her comfortable? What if she sneaks and eats with she isn't supposed to have any more solids? What if she freaks when they take her back to put her to sleep.... and on and on.

In the end, it all worked out. I am hoping to learn how to be prepared for the worst without expecting it. I was so sure something would go wrong that I made myself sick in the process. It's a learning curve and soon, when the next crisis for her arises, I will probably do this all over again. But hey, I am her mommy and I love her to pieces. If it means missing a few meals worrying about her, I can afford it. I need to lose a good 20 pounds anyway.