August 24, 2005

The tooth, the whole tooth…

So when you’re going abroad for a longish time, you’re supposed to get all your dental work done before you leave. And coincidentally, the half-fallen filling that was happily making do in your tooth decides to act up around the same time. So you VOLUNTARILY (yes! How asinine can you get?) go to a dentist to have things done about it. You call up a hospital (2 bucks for the phonecall) and go to the OPD (100 bucks of your dad’s hard-earned money for the masochistic pleasure of having a doctor poke your injured tooth and see the reaction in a small round mirror).

On the way to the hospital, I was all edgy and fretty (my word), and I decided to switch on the car radio and take the next song that played as a cosmic sign of what lay in store for me.

Radio Mirchi was playing “Ik pal ka jeena, phir to hai jaana”

I burst into laughter. It is a confused mind’s way of bursting into tears.

“Are you comfortable?” the doc asked me as soon as I told him what my problem was (no, not the one about my compulsive need to be sarcastic, the one about the half fallen filling). “Has anyone EVER been comfortable in this chair of yours?” was my reply.

This is a trick test that all my doctors have to go through. If they laugh, I’m happy (as happy as I can be under the given situation). If they smile, I pull through. This guy made no reaction. He was poker-faced. That spells trouble. A comatose porcupine has a better sense of humor. (Ok. I overdid that. I’m hyperventilating: forgive me. You’re not the one in the dentist’s chair, you smug pests!)

So he did the needle and mirror routine, and uttered the two words that make my innards shrivel up and dehydrate and turn into an uncooked pack of Maggi 2-minute noodles, with my brain as a the Masala Tastemaker.

Root Canal.

On Friday, I am having a root canal.

I thought accidental admissions to fancy universities, inexplicable finger twitches, and root canals happen to other people. But no. They all happen to me.

Stay tuned for Friday’s follow up entry:

“…and nothing but the tooth”

13 comments:

First Rain said...

I am sure sympathy is not what you need. Maybe a tranquilizer would be better!

Oh .. n Congratulations - for the fancy university.

Domesticated Bachelor said...

me a vetran of many visits to the dentist's chair - gave me maximum pleasure when i spat on his shirt. Had two extractions - on either sides... and after the second one he asked me to wash my mouth... and i tried to do it; but having no control over my muscles... both sides were numb - the bloody water just sprayed onto him!!! *GRIN* so consider it as a revenge for all people like you and me! *GRIN*

Domesticated Bachelor said...

it should be spelt "veteran" :D and btw, congrats too! *HUGS*

Anonymous said...

And don't forget to get your vision check-up and stuff done...even if you have no power. Seriously.

shub said...

haha!! can u believe it ...i went to the dentist too before i left for sing....i went the previous evening!! n she asked me to come back the nest day..for a coupla fillings!! what torture!!
ditto ash...had the same thing done myself too :)

PS: congrats on the admit into fancy univ:)

Kaala Kavva said...

Reached ur blog while roaming around..
(on the net obvsly)

aha!
i've had a root canal

and believe me..
its much better n less painful than a drilling or filling practice..
(yes! practice)

anyways
best of luck

Anonymous said...

Ow! My sympathy.

Hornswoggler said...

good luck from the bottom of my soul. am going thru similar situation...sort of. mail follows

Anonymous said...

All root canals are acci'dental'. :) You never plan on having one done. Admissions to fancy universities, on the other hand, are not. Only the deserving make it through. Congrats yet again!

Anonymous said...

Um.. if it's any consolation, you won't feel a thing after the injections. And the irksome nerve being removed is probably the best thing.

- Veteran of 4 root canals

Anonymous said...

yday i watched as my frnd got a root canal done.
i will spare the details or u wud faint!

P.S. i've got 3 done myself!

Sonia said...

Shudder! I just had mine done a few weeks a ago. do NOT remind me! Good luck!

Anonymous said...

CAPital!