Donuts for dinner

Slept OK until I woke up to the sound of Ron vomiting. 

I hope that isn't going to set the tone for the day.  "Supposed" to be about getting me to the dentist and my molars fixed.  He hasn't said he can't do it, just said he wanted to sleep later. 

After my shower, I will tell you about the produce box I am thinking of signing up for. 

OK, long day, but home now. 

I had an uneventful shower, got dressed, got ready for the dentist.  Had quite a bit of trouble getting Ron ready to take me.  He kept drinking in the kitchen and was moody, bitter, and angry.  All day, he was groggy and disoriented, and very weak.  He had to ride in his wheelchair to the dentist. 

Let me backtrack.  Years ago, in CA, I attended a community college and got a pretty good grounding in small business and accounting.  One day I found a flyer for an organic produce delivery service.  You called and signed up, selected what you liked, and they delivered a box full of organic produce every other week.  I signed up. 

I ate more fruits and vegetables during this period than I had in my life!  I really enjoyed the service, and, after we moved to Texas, lamented the loss.  I hated to turn off the service. 

It was fun to go through the box, share things out with coworkers (I got the box at work), and carry it home to Ron.  He would eat various things, I made a leek and potato soup he loved, with huge leeks I got from the service. 

I recently found a service in Houston.  I currently do not eat many fruits and vegetables. This might be a good way to do it, BUT I don't want to jump in and commit until I am sure this is something I will use. 

One barrier to that has been my messed up teeth!  Two molars acting up makes it hard to chew. 

So, this morning, off to the dentist.  Ron mumbling nonsense in the back of the cab and me thinking "It was a bad idea, to bring him".  When he could talk, I told him next time I will take a cab and leave him home, he agreed.  We got to the office and they wanted me to fill out paperwork.  They had my forms from the previous practice, which is now closed and permanently moved.  The new place is bigger and spacious, and in a more upscale neighborhood. 

I filled out the health questions and wrote down my medications.  They took it. 

A guy came in over half an hour late, for his appointment, had a surly attitude, flopped down in a chair, turned his cell phone volume to "MAX", and began streaming spanish-language videos.  Very rude, I felt. 

Ron didn't much like it either.  He was OK with the television, but that and the podcast (or whatever) was too much.  He asked the guy to turn it down.  The guy basically told him to f*ck off. 

Ron's face twisted.  People don't understand a head injured blind person cannot tolerate a lot of stimulus, and multiple yakking things, especially in another language, are painful to him.  I asked Ron if he would like for me to take him outside.  He said yes. 

I took him out, glaring at the butthead as I did so.  The staff asked me what I was doing and I explained "He has a head injury" and they understood completely.  From that point on, even during my tooth getting drilled, I worried Ron was getting into trouble out there, would fall, get robbed, etc. 

They called me back.  I saw our "old" dentist, jolly as ever.  He would be working on me today.  Good.  I know him, he has done good work on me and Ron, and someone I like supporting.  I saw today he drives a very modest looking 20 year old car.  I chatted with him, asked about his girlfriend and the dogs, etc.  He asked about the business. 

They took the X-rays.  They had a new person doing it.  I was nice to her and didn't bite, but those films have gotten really big, or my mouth is shrinking.  I was glad when they finished.  I had 2 teeth that needed work.  #18 was the worst, that had painful things sticking up and totally unable to chew on that side.  #2 is a little owchie, and I can feel a hole, I just need to get that addressed before it gets worse. 

They came back and said they could do one tooth, I had to pick.  I picked #18.  Right now they were saying it would just be a filling and I wanted to keep it at that level.  #2 will wait a couple of weeks. 

They came in and quoted me.  I told them I wanted the discount plan.  They said it would be $165 for the both of us, for a year, but I would save that just today by using it (they didn't tell me the last but I figured that out from the brochure).  They went away and worked on the computer. 

They came back and quoted me $400 ish for both teeth and the discount plan.  I said I would take it.  This is why we have the savings, so we can do this.  Not to buy inventory for work, but to fix our teeth and take care of important medical issues for us and the cats. 

But it would be less, they said, because I was only doing the one tooth.  At the end it was $325 for discount plan, and 3 sided composite filling with special painkiller I will talk about later. 

Let me just add, at this point I was absolutely thrilled it was just going to be fillings, I was terrified I would have to get crowns or root canals. 

Doc came back.  One thing I love about his staff, they hide the tray with the needle and all the instruments of terror. 

I have had some bad experiences at the dentist, most notably my forcible extraction of 4 teeth under a local only, at age 12.  My mouth was full of blood, I kept hearing the roots crunch in my head, etc.  Awful experience.  Totally helpless. 

Doc may not have heard the story but he is a very compassionate dentist.  He does what he can to make it easy. 

After I was reclined, they brought the tray over and Doc shot me up.  They went away for a while.  I started getting numb.  They came back.  I told them I was ready for my tattoo.  :p 

They laughed and put me back again, and then the dentistry began.  Even a good dentist, working quickly, is still stressful for me.  I didn't sweat, thank God I put enough deodorant today, but it was just awful, all those hands and tools in my mouth, the drill whirring, just END it already.  I kept reminding myself to breathe.  Thank God I only needed a filling, albeit a 3-sided one.  He told me he was putting a special pain medication on the root and did some shoving with a tool.  The actual filling part wasn't too bad.  He did several layers so I won't be sensitive.  Good. 

Finally, all done.  On the one hand glad I only had one filling done but on the other hand not crazy I have to go back.  I went up front, most of the staff was gone.  Not sure if it was lunch or just an early close on Friday.  Nice if you can get the latter. 

The clerk rang me up and I paid her.  She wanted to set up my next appointment so I told her I would have to talk to Ron, first. 

I went out and found him.  He said he was cold, so I moved him to the sun.  He was more coherent but not great.  We agreed to do the next filling, next month.  On a Wednesday,  Ron said, at 10 AM.  I went back and told her that.  She set me up. 

The dentist came out and talked to Ron - he likes Ron a lot.  Ron looked terrible but not much I could do about that, this morning. 

He called the cab, who came.  I told Ron I wanted some donuts.  There was a Shipley's (my favorite) nearby.  The cab came.  He is basically a 4-door sedan.  Ron had a tremendous amount of difficulty getting into the cab.  We went to the donut shop (walking distance, for next time) and I went in, eagerly anticipating a delicious apple fritter.  I had been thinking about it my whole time in the chair. 

And they didn't have any.  I was disappointed, but the lady pointed out some sort of apple donut and said it had an apple filling inside.  I got that, and some Bavarian cream.  I love those. 

After that, Ron made some rude cracks about my weight, and said he wanted to go to Taco Bell.  We got a gift card for Christmas.  I took that and ran inside.  He said he wanted 7-layer burritos.  I got them, and a drink for me. 

My face was still very numb and I had trouble drinking.  It made me appreciate what a stroke victim goes though.  Against my advice, Ron ate a burrito in the cab.  I would not have wanted him to do that if he were my fare, but Arturo didn't tell him to stop.  From what I can tell he did not make a mess. 

We came home, I put the food in the garage.  Arturo started checking the computer to find another trip.   Ron took forever getting out of the vehicle and I worried he would fall.  It took about 2 minutes to get out of the sedan and into his wheelchair.  Finally made it, I got him into the house and put the food away. 

I tried to take a nap but too much adrenaline from the chair earlier.  I did take a little peek over at #18 with my tongue.  I used to have a really annoying, large, gap between it and #19.  He filled that in. 

The dentist called it "A big 'ol filling" and told me to let him know if I had any trouble.  I will be seeing him pretty soon anyway. 

Ron broke a crown, probably a tooth, eating nuts a while back.  He saved what broke off and we need to take that in and see if we can fix it cheaply. 

Ron told me he made the trips for tomorrow, before he fell asleep.  I have some prescriptions ready, but not all of them.  The ones I do have only total $42.  That is awesome. 

I'm just glad today is over.  And yes, I am having donuts for dinner.