Thursday, March 01, 2007

This post is NOT about the weather

I have been told I blog quite a bit about the weather.

I have been told that maybe I blog too much about the weather.

So this post will not be about the weather. It will not be about the huge snow storm that is due to arrive in the next few moments -- dumping another foot or more of snow on top of a foot or more already on the ground. I won't comment on the back-to-back storms ripping through Rochester.

I will, instead, write about ...

Let me think.

I know.

I will, instead, blog about ... the dentist. Maybe this will make you all wish I blogged about the weather.

Yesterday, I went to the dentist. I really love the dentist I go to. Well, love is a strong word. I don't really love going to the dentist. However, Kelly Dentistry is good to me. During the first months of our Minnesota adventure, when I developed the tooth pain that would later lead to my wisdom teeth coming out, and an atrocious dry socket (that I talk way too much about so I'll refrain), Kelly Dentistry was recommended to us by one of the dentists in JB's class. (They go to dental school and then medical school in order to be oral surgeons.) Anyways, Kelly Dentistry features a husband and wife -- "Dr. Laura" and "Dr. Adam". It's just a nice place with nice people. Their waiting room feels like a living room complete with a fireplace and big plush couches and chairs.

What I don't like about the dentist is that every time I go in there I have to practically prove I am not pregnant. They always seem to want to take x-rays, and they are always fearful of performing x-rays on pregnant people. However, as I have mentioned before, I have no ability to prove my lack of pregnancy so it always goes into a lengthy conversation about whether or not I am positive I am not pregnant. Dr. Laura tries to be gentle, but it still is a stinky conversation.

I also don't like when the dentist has to give me bad news. Today the news was that I need to get two crowns.

I asked the Dr. Laura what would happen if I didn't put these crowns in. As soon as the words "root" and "canal" came out, I agreed that I would get in as quickly as possible for these two crowns.

"Wow," she said. "Usually people put up more of a stink."

"Why?" I asked. "How much is a crown?"

Her response is the reason people up a stink.

Since one crown costs $915 I was a little taken a back by this. People say infertility treatments are expensive! Geeesh, my two crowns will cost me what my transfer in May will cost me. Forget reproductive endocrinologists -- dentistry is where the big bucks are (cough, cough -- Rachel -- the future dentist among us.)

I was relieved when I got back to Mayo and checked my FLEX account. I have over $3,000 in there. You get $1,000 a year which I obviously haven't taken advantage of. I'm going to change all that. FLEX money is for eye and dental. I plan to buy a ton of contacts, a couple more pairs of glasses, and two crowns for my teeth.

How's that from refraining from weather talk?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

if you come to the dental school, i'll do the crowns for $500 each! i mean, i'll pay the school $1000 to put 2 crowns in your mouth (that's pretty much how it works!)

TAV said...

what exactly are crowns? am i retarded?

Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Rachel could you explain this better?

As I understand it, your tooth begins wearing away as you get older and the filling for cavities could slip out. The crown replaces or holds these fillings in.

Anonymous said...

that's pretty good, wendi. while "fillings" go into your tooth structure, a crown is more of a "cap" over the top. a crown is needed if there is a large filling that breaks or is in need of replacement. By just replacing the old filling, you are risking fracture of the remaining tooth that is there, which, like wendi's dentist is worried about, could lead to the need for a root canal. if you end up needing a root canal, you have to have a crown on that tooth, anyway, so it's much better to get the crown pro-actively than wait for more trouble to happen.

p.s. just to dispel a nasty rumor that root canals are painful...they aren't! the infection that leads to the need for a root canal is what causes the excruciating pain that people associate with a root canal. the root canal, itself, takes that pain away!

Anonymous said...

Rachel, you almost make me want to have a crown and root canal, you make it sound so pleasant and fun! :)