If it's not one thing...

...it's a root canal.

An emergency root canal.

This morning.

Oh, yeah, and the tooth right next to the one that needed the root canal? Yeah, that one. It probably needs to be extracted or have this fancy-type surgery.

Seriously, though. I heart my dentist. You see, growing up our dentist was a family friend. He was also quite awesome. I never knew that the thing they use to put in the Novocaine was a needle. Because it never hurt when he put it in. He was that good. And his hygienists (the best of whom is his wife) are also amazing.

So when I grew up and moved to the big city and had to find a dentist I was pretty shocked at the mediocre people parading as dentists. Also. My dental insurance. Sucked.

After I got married and therefore got on my husband's amazing health insurance I started going to the dental practice he goes to. And they are so so awesome.

Case in point: this morning.

I knew this was a problem tooth. The dentist knew it was a problem tooth. A time bomb really. So when it started hurting this weekend I wasn't surprised. Called Monday to make an appointment; I wasn't in too much pain so took the Thursday opening.

Then yesterday. Holy Hell. Pain.

Called this morning at 8:30am and they said come right over.

When I got there the dentist took an x-ray but didn't even look in my mouth (thank goodness, it was so sore!) she called the endodontist and explained the situation. The endondist said sure come on over.

The endodontist did these strange tests with hot, cold and biting on balsa wood (it's sterile! she assured me! whatever! I said, just make it stop hurting!). And then the root canal. And this other problem tooth we can deal with later.

I'll tell you what, though, I'm thoroughly enjoying this mild post-root canal pain. It is 100 times less than what I was feeling yesterday and this morning.

Analysis needed

Okay, friends, I had the most bizarre dream last night.

So I was at the dentist--but the dentist was our priest and the office was actually a pick-up basketball court, with a game going on! And the dentist is pulling my teeth and basically telling me that my teeth are terrible. He gave me an epidural which didn't numb anything but was more of a very strong anti-anxiety drug. So I was totally chill and cool with everything that was happening.

My one concern--not that this dentist/priest was pulling my teeth, not that he was telling me I had bad oral hygiene (which is totally not true in real life; I am obsessed with my teeth and go to the dentist every 4 months!), not that I had a needle in my back and these huge guys were playing basketball right in front of me, almost hitting me multiple times. Rather, my concern was that I wouldn't be able to drive myself home and for some reason I couldn't think of anyone to call to come get me. Finally, I thought of my friends Megan and Katie (girls, we must get together soon!) and relaxed because I knew they'd come.

So amateur (or professional?!) dream analysts, what in the world does all this mean?

Here's my take on the most obvious themes:

Dentist-anxiety? Now, I do have a dentist appointment this Thursday. However, I am in fact looking forward to it (yes, I am strange!). I love a good teeth cleaning. So, dentist-anxiety is out.

Priest as dentist? What the heck could that mean? Is my soul in peril?

Lack of people to come pick me up? Am I worried I have no friends? No one to rely on? Well, if this is it, it just isn't true. I know there would be dozens of people who would come pick me up if I was unable to drive due to an epidural after getting several teeth pulled at a pick-up basketball game.

What do you think?