“Remoted” – Workday 111 / Day 158 (Friday)

Took a half day off today. It had been three, maybe four weeks since I was last at the dentist, so I thought I should pop in in case they missed me.

Not entirely true. It was because of ice cream. And how I hit the roof when it touches a tooth near where the new crown was installed. (Is that the right word, “installed”? I should ask my niece with the dental education.) It didn’t seem like the newly crowned tooth, that one has been great. From what I could tell by my purely unscientific methods, it was the neighboring tooth. And with careful tongue placement the issue can be avoided, but that didn't seem like a good long-term plan.

Anyway, they were able to see me within a day of calling, so I worked this morning, then headed to the dentist for approximately the 10,000^th time since June. Today, several of my teeth were tapped. They were also sprayed with cold air and caressed with a swab doused in some cold agent. There was an additional x-ray. There was no clear problem found. I was sent on my way with well wishes and samples of a toothpaste for sensitive teeth to try for a few weeks. We’re going to “keep an eye on it.” It was a relief and a much better outcome than hearing “oh, you need a root canal in that tooth with the brand new, expensive crown,” because that is the response I half-expected and fully feared. 

Dinner/groceries!

Then I went for ice cream, which was kind of funny considering that was the triggering event for the day of dental. I won a gift card to an ice cream stand in a raffle at work in March or April, and I finally got to break it in with Mom, my sister, and nieces. It was a beautiful blue-sky afternoon, with exactly the right amount of breeze to feel nice and also be super annoying as it continually blew our hair into the ice cream and our faces. This was not a good day to be without the pony tail elastic that usually adorns my wrist. Love the farm stand ice cream, but I’m not really a fan of the ice cream hair styling product. 

Upon arrival home, the decision was made to order pizza, because I'm lazy and also my favorite local shop that delivers sent me a coupon last week for a free birthday dessert that expires today. This shop has great pizza and a really good dessert menu with options ranging from $1.50 to $7. The online ordering system means I don’t have to speak to anyone, which is a huge plus, because I am old and tired of having my pizza order laughed at. (Yes, it’s happened. More than once, in multiple states.)

Moosie, king of the stare.

After choosing the toppings for my large pizza/grocery order (black olive and pineapple) it was time for the dessert menu. I was torn between carrot cake, cannoli, and baklava. It was a little hard to focus because Moosie was giving me the stare over the edge of the couch cushion. He does this a lot and it freaks me out a little. On a whim I checked off a $7 container of ice cream, thinking that the coupon wouldn’t work on the most expensive option. But it did work, and now I am restocked with ice cream for home, and flush with the feeling of victory from scoring the expensive dessert. 

This was the best day in a really long time, even with a dentist appointment.