Several weeks ago I was at the dentist and received the ever dreaded news: I had a cavity! Meaning, I'd have to return and get a filling. Not so much the filling that bothered me, but the shot. That terrible horrible SHOT to numb you. Last time I had a cavity filled, I was so afraid of the shot that I went without novocaine. Yup, that's right. I was dumb enough to think that the drilling would be LESS painful than the shot. I sucked it up and managed to survived the somewhat painful filling.
This time, I determined to get the shot. As August 11th, 2pm drew closer, I got more and more nervous. Last night, no sleep. Tossing and turning. Thinking about THAT shot. Got out of bed. Thinking about THAT shot. Did my school work. Thinking about THAT shot. Drove to the dentist office this afternoon and tried to tell myself it would all be over soon. As I sat in the waiting room, the 15 minute wait felt like eternity. I began to sweat and breathe heavily. I kept sighing. The girl next to me kept staring. What was wrong with me?! So I decided to pray. But as I did, I realized how honest my prayer was. I was scared to death of THAT shot! The pain, the shoving of the needle. Now sweat was pouring down my back and forehead, literally. As the nurse called my name I thought perhaps it wasn't really my turn. How many other Elizabeths would be sitting in the waiting room who could get THAT shot in my place?
I took the long walk back to my chair. As I sat down, I began to feel lightheaded. LIBBY, you have got to pull yourself together. I was too afraid to pray. I couldn't formulate what was bothering me without feeling like I would pass out. I had passed out once before in this dentist's office, don't make me do it again. I made it to the chair. Almost there. Now I was trembling. My hands were shaking, my fists were clenched. The doctor walked in and began numbing me for THAT shot. Ok, not so bad. Then the shoving and digging began. Still not too bad. I could do this. I could make it. Then he was finished. Or was he?! One more shot, he said. One more?! I was finished with that dreaded thing. Oh no, one more and here it came. More shoving and digging. When would the agony be through?
After the shot, the rest was cake. No pain, though there was fear of another shot constantly in my mind. Three hours later, the pain of the shot is gone, but the memory is forever in my mind. Perhaps that's the novocaine that has yet to wear off????
3 comments:
I'll be thinking of you when I get my cavity filled in 2 weeks. Needles do have a way of making ya sweat. I don't get panicked about them, nor lose sleep, but when I see them, my BP rises a bit. I'm glad God's grace covers any length needle or any BP reading!
When I was little, my mom made me say the ABC's backwards while I was getting my shot so I was distracted. I also learned to sing "Row Row Row your boat" backwards too! Maybe you could try doing that next time!
My dad was in the ARMY and he managed to scare me into being too scared to be scared of shots, if that makes sense. In the ARMY, they give shots with these pressurized air gun things, kind of like the guns that pierce your ears, I guess. Well, Dad told me horror stories about the guys that jerked their arms away with the needle in it and the needle tore all the way down their arms in a bloody mess. Yes, Daddy was this graphic with his little girl!
"So, you be brave and lean right into that shot, Honey," he'd say. Mind you, I've never been given a shot with a gun thingy, but those words go through my head every time I get a shot and I always "be brave and lean right in." I'm still too scared not to, gun or not!! I picture that gash in my arm to this day! I could have my Dad call to scare you for next time :)
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