"No Dentist!"

I left two notes on bathroom mirrors, so that I’d remember that Will couldn’t eat or drink anything this morning.  A friend had recommended an oral surgeon to me.  One who has a lot of patients with special needs and does general anesthesia in his office.  Saving over a thousand dollars should have felt better!

I talked to Will about going to the dentist and getting his teeth pulled.  “No dentist!”  He insisted.  Then he added a “no school” because he didn’t want to go there either.   

I felt reassured by the other patient in the waiting room – a teenager with special needs.  His mom said that they’d been coming there for years.   I told Will he’d wear a mask and go to sleep.  He practiced his snoring in the waiting room.  I was nervous for him.  He wasn’t thrilled to be there.  But it was over quickly.  I think he pinched everyone in the room when he woke up.  (I trimmed his fingernails when we got home.)  Sadly, I’d forgotten to warn him about his face feeling funny and hurting and he was not calm enough to listen to me after it was over. 

It was very sad.  He sobbed for 15 minutes in the car on the way home.  Then he pinched me.  As I stared at the blood on my arm, I felt slightly less sad for him.  But his day was ruined.  I kept him home because I didn’t think his teachers would appreciate non-stop pinching when presenting Will with a demand.

When we got home he said, “cut.” I thought he asked me for a cup.  I turned to the sink and filled up a glass.  He didn’t.  He picked up scissors and put them by his lips.  Even though I didn’t think he’d cut himself, I was afraid to leave him alone after that.

Will’s mouth minus five teeth had better equal no braces!  Because if it doesn’t -- I need arm guards . . . and possibly a blood transfusion!