Last Week...
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Ow, I said as I walked over to the medicine cabinet, how many Advil am I allowed
to take again?
Only
two for the entire day, Chitrak answered,
pointing to the "Directions" section on the back of the bottle.
It's
3:00 in the afternoon, are you positive I can't take just one more?
I held my hand up to my cheek and gently rubbed
my sore spot. Maybe the pain will subside…
SUNDAY
AFTERNOON
Chitrak,
I can't walk any longer, I whispered to him, feeling terribly guilty. We had just finished
eating lunch with some friends and had decided to leisurely walk around town.
As I had been chatting away with Sam, my throat began to hurt. It hurt to swallow. It hurt to talk.
It hurt to touch anywhere in the vicinity of the back, left side of my
mouth.
Quit
obsessing over it, he whispered back. The more you think about
it, the more it will bother you. Let's get you home so you can take some more
medicine.
He’s right. There’s no doubt I would fall victim to hypochondriac
symptoms when it came to my teeth.
Besides, I knew the pain was stemming from my wisdom teeth.
I hope this tooth comes in
soon, I thought to
myself.
MONDAY MORNING 1:30 AM
The
first thing I remember was the pain. It
surged through my gums and teeth like a beating drum in the back of my mouth. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I looked to my right and saw Chitrak curled
in a ball, sleeping peacefully. Whew, please don't wake up!
There was no sleep for me—I was wide awake and doubled over in pain, and I knew there was no medicine I could take. I slipped out of bed quietly, and walked down
the hallway as fast as I could to the restroom off of our master where
I could pity myself without waking him.
This can’t
be happening, I moaned in exasperation. How can
I feel this awful? I grabbed
both sides of the sink to steady myself.
I had already maxed out the dosage of Advil recommended on the
package. There was nothing more I could
do but wait until morning… when I could research an English speaking dentist…
that I could afford… and make an appointment with… and….
I
brushed the thought away.
I
turned on the sink and let the water flow out into the basin. I cupped my hand and placed it under the
faucet, then brought the water to my mouth.
1…2…3…4…5…. Tipping my chin slightly to the right, I balanced the water
over the most sensitive area, counting the seconds in my head
before spitting it back into the sink. A
slight relief.
Again. 1….2….3….4….5… I leaned into the sink, slowly raising my head
to take a long look at myself in the mirror.
It’s happening Megan, my conscience
sang to me. The moment you have been
avoiding. You will
have to get your wisdom teeth pulled, and the best part, you’ll have to have them
pulled out in China!
A
strange, but overwhelmingly wonderful thought crossed my mind. Where
did Chitrak keep the pliers? I was
half tempted to rummage through his tool drawer, and attempt self-surgery, but
the thought of messing it up prevented me from taking any action. I may be my own worst company during the
middle of a painful night, but it’s nice to know I also have a sense of humor
at 1:30 in the morning. I giggled a bit
at the thought of me trying to pull out my tooth like Tom Hanks in CastAway. No, I’m ready for my dentist visit, come what
may. I will go tomorrow. I’m actually beginning to think it might feel
good.
MONDAY MORNING 8:00 AM
I walked into school,
trying to keep my mind off the idea of the crunching, twisting, pulling pressure
of the dentist yanking the tooth from my jaw.
I walked off the bus silently and turned towards the school. Why are
all these chairs sitting in the parking lot? I wondered, pulling out my cell phone. I glanced down at a text from my team leader, sent only moments before. Please meet promptly at 8:30 in front of the school for yearbook pictures.
Perfect. A great day for a photo op.
I wore dress pants and a plain blouse, an indication that I was in a state of pure exhaustion, as I typically wear only skirts and dresses. Dark circles lined the bottoms of my eyes. They weren't difficult to miss with my hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. A splash of makeup and a small smile tried to cover the pain I was feeling, but it couldn't mask the throbbing sensation from the left side of my
mouth. The top of my palate was laced in pain, swollen from the roof of my mouth down to the bottom of my throat.
I spotted my principal talking with the photographer. I ran up to her and recapped all the miserable memories from the night before. She agreed that I must see a dentist. Timidly, I asked, Is there any way you could send an English speaking teacher with me to help me translate? I am too scared to go by myself. I was scared. What if the dentist's English is poor? Will s/he be able to communicate what's going on?
Hanging on to what seemed like an eternity, I stared into her eyes with hope. Let me see what I can do. She said. I have a family friend that might be able to squeeze you in before lunch. I'll call for an appointment and get back to you soon.
Feeling a little relieved, I posed for the yearbook picture and carried out my regular school routine. By the time I had begun teaching my second Kindergarten lesson, my principal had already arranged my dentist visit.
Zhou, my "Chinese Mom" as I call her, volunteered to take me to Asia Dental. She is one of the most generous people you will ever meet, but her English is limited. The thought made me uneasy. She looked at me and told me to make sure that the translator on my phone was ready. It wasn't exactly how I had pictured my afternoon to go. It heightened my anxiety, but there was no turning back. This tooth, whether I like it or not, had to come out!
In her personal vehicle, Zhou drove me across town. Our conversation muddled between Chinese and English, as she reassured me not to worry. She is my friend, she said proudly, tapping her hand lightly on her chest. The dentist has a long relationship with Zhou and my principal. I am in good hands. In the best way I could convey it, I tried to ask her not to leave me once I reached the dentist, and that I was too scared to do it alone. She just smiled and kept driving.
I walked into the dentist office, as I had done before with my tooth cleaning. Dr. Lee, a young Chinese dentist maybe a few years older than myself, met me at the door. He spoke with me as I was escorted to a vacant dentist chair. His English was impeccable and he knew all the dentist-lingo I was using with him. I was finally at ease.
They examined my tooth and took an x-ray. We don't think it's your wisdom tooth coming in, they told me holding up the small x-ray up to the light. You actually have a cavity under a cavity. We will have to do a root canal today, is that all right?
After agreeing, I was taken back to my chair and reclined. Dr. Wei organized her materials on the tray. First, she selected the pick. She pulled off the sanitary wrapper, disposed it in the trash, and then leaned over to examine my tooth. Next came the shot. I didn't even feel the needle enter my gums or the liquid shoot up into my veins, but I could feel the numbness, and it felt nice. It spread around the back of my mouth and alleviated the ache. I watched Dr. Wei lean over me, carefully working away while periodically asking me, Pain?
You're done, she said, as the chair rose. I couldn't believe how easy it was. I was taken out to the waiting room where I was given pain medicine, and signed up for my next appointment. To my surprise, the treatment before insurance was only $76.64. I still need to put on and pay for a crown, but I have been told that my school insurance should pay for most of the bill.
FRIDAY
I am finally feeling 100%. This was by far my most positive dentist experience I've ever had. Many of my expat friends cringe when I tell them I had my dental work done in Kunshan by a Chinese dentist. Some fear it wouldn't be clean enough or they wouldn't have the same standards of a western dentist, but I think these are stereotypes we make up because we are scared and not willing to adapt. Yes, do your research, but a Chinese tooth is the same as an American tooth, is the same as an Indian tooth. Dr. Wei is now our family dentist.
The Cost
Root Canal Treatment: $76.64
I told the ladies at my bus stop how expensive the treatment had been, thinking to myself what a great bargain. They gasped in surprise. Do you know if you go to my dentist around the corner, you won't even pay half that? This means I go to one of the most expensive dentists in town. :-)
