Wednesday, January 28, 2009

That's why they call it laughing gas

I hate the dentist.

No wait, let me rephrase that:

I hate GOING to the dentist.

MY dentist is actually a really nice guy and is very good at what he does. But still... I HATE GOING TO THE DENTIST.


Bad experiences (PAIN)are all that I have (TORTURE) to motivate me and thus I am not very good at making appointments for such things as root canals or any other follow up procedures that lead to UNENDING AGONY. So when I chipped a molar a month ago I just dealt with it. Even when the filling that WAS in said tooth fell out because well, the tooth was CRACKED I did nothing.

Finally the gaping HOLE in my tooth started to hurt so bad and Ibuprofen was not doing the trick and I couldn't even COMPLAIN about it because every time I DID Matt would say, "Have you called the dentist yet?".

So this last week when I couldn't tough it out any longer I called and made the appointment.

Last night as I was lamenting the foreboding events that laid before me today, Matt suggested I ask for the laughing gas.

Me: I've never had it before.

Him: You haven't!? You should!

Me: But it costs extra.

Him: It's worth it! It's so nice, you'll love it!


Hmmmmmm...


(So ladies and gentlemen, I give you my first ever experience with laughing gas.)


A few minutes after they placed the "nose" on I began to feel all tingahleeee... and HEAVayee. My senses changed and I was introduced to what I like to call,


"DELAYED REACTION WORLD"


I'd hear something, feel something, SMELL something and it would take a second or two before it would hit my brain what it was! It was like what it would be like to live as a cartoon! You know, where the character runs off the edge of a cliff and doesn't know it until he looks down and sees the earth is no longer below him? THEN he falls!! I totally get that now!! It IS POSSIBLE!! It was like, DUH! Why didn't I ever understand this before!! It was all soooooooo interesting and new and sTRangE and...

funny.


I smiled to myself. Wow! So this is what every one's been talking about! Sooooooo cooOOOOOOL and niiiiiiiieeeEEEEsssssssssss...


Then I giggled. Outloud.


I couldn't help it.


It was like a switch that I couldn't turn off, I couldn't stop the giggling! I realized I was probably making a fool out of myself so I tried to explain...


"I see now why...hmmmeeee hee hee hee, they call hihiiitt... haaa hee haa hoo lllaaahhhfffing gggaasS!!"


Dentist and nurse politely exchange knowing glances and smiles.


"It rrReellLee gives you ah.... heeheehee hooo, hee hummmmm... ah uNiQue perrrspectiiihhhv on things!!!"


(Uncontrolled laughter at this point.)


He turned the mixture down after that.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Ahhh. My favorite thing ever. Laughing gas. I feel like I am flosting and flying and giglling all at once...until they do a root canal with it. Nothing is good enough to block that torture!

Aaron/Kami said...

That made me laugh! I work at a dental office, and when we get people like you, we turn the gas down too! :) ...but isn't it the best stuff ever!!!!

Afton said...

Kami - I am now classified as "one of those" huh?!!! I just don't react very well to stuff like that I guess! It was nice to have during the proceedure, but I don't know if I will ask for it again. It made me sick afterwards and I had the worst headache that didn't go away for 2 days!! Is that normal??

Shirley's Blogg said...

I always have the laughing gas

Unknown said...

I have never had it! I am going to my second dentist appointment in 8 years and I am expecting something terrible. I may get that gas yet!

Eddie Storms said...

The sedation really helps block out that feeling of unease during those dental appointments. It does make one look a bit goofy, though.
And based on your blog, you were VERY goofy, ha ha. Still, it's great that it helped make the appointment easier for you.

-Eddie Storms