Tooth update
Sunday at four we were in the doctor’s office. She said the tooth wasn’t wiggly enough and she would need to "make room". (The last time I heard that euphamism it was in reference to an episiotomy.)
This required first numbing the gum, then an injection, and then pulling. Big girl did a great job. She got upset twice…the first time toward the end of the injection when her lip started getting numb. And the second time after the tooth was out. I think that both were just that she had experienced things that were completely new, and not really the pain.
One part which was weird was that I held her hand but she didn’t understand the concept of squeezing when it hurt or was uncomfortable. She didn’t squeeze my hand (and I couldn’t look, so I didn’t really know what was going on.) I never thought of that as a learned response, but I guess it is.
The postscript is that she is excited to look like she is "going into first grade" because of her nice tooth gap. The toothfairy did pay a visit, and we will see what her reaction to her first real money in her possession. (The tooth was worth 10 shekels about $2.50) Also, I asked her if she still liked the Doctor, and she said yes…so if anyone needs a good pediatric dentist in Jerusalem (fluent in English, Danish and Hebrew) I can give you a referral.
I’m fairly certain that my parents had to tell me to squeeze when it hurt. My dad once let my sister bite down on his hand when she was having some sort of medical procedure done. She bit to blood… He realized that the squeezing thing works better
Glad to hear the ordeal is over.
Comment by triLcat — May 14, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Yey big girl!
I also had to be told to squeeze the hand when it hurts.. and I did a lot of squeezing back in the day - I have really lousy teeth.
What is she planning to do with all the money?
Comment by Ayelet — May 17, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Oh, Kol Hakavod. Back when I was her age they would have had to knock me over the head otherwise I would have run away…of course when I was her age we didn’t have pediatric dentists in every city.
Comment by Orli — May 21, 2007 @ 1:52 pm