Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Well, I received a call late yesterday afternoon from Parker's pediatric dentist here in town stating they had an immediate opening for an appointment with sedation for today. A little backstory: Parker had an appointment a while back and we were informed that he did, in fact, have a few cavities. We were upset about it, but immediately scheduled the next available appointment for him ..... which was in mid-AUGUST!! So, getting the call that he could be seen on the 1st of July was great news for us. We happily accepted the appointment and began the fretting.
Parker was NOT to have any thing to eat OR drink (and thus, no nursing) after midnight, and we were to be at the dentist's office by 8 am. The night actually went smoother than I expected: he woke up 4 times, shut in his room with just Daddy, and either laid back down on his own to sleep or was put back to sleep by Jeff. Even though I was sleeping alone, I didn't sleep well at all. I kept worrying and tossing and turning. Even though I had set the alarm for 7 am, when I woke at 6:30 am, I decided to finally get up and shower (I continued to lay in bed for 15 minutes debating going back to sleep or not). I made sure to wait on waking up Jeff (and thus Parker) until the latest possible, 7:10 am.
I am not quite sure how it happened or why, but Parker did NOT ask to nurse or for food when he first got up. I still don't understand it, though I am grateful. We finally head out the door just before 7:30 am.Once we got to the office, we see the dental assistants arriving (some at the same time as us, some after), and we opt to take a short walk, since we were early, and to keep Parker's mind off of wanting to nurse. We watch a squirrel run along a roofline and jump to a tree. I was actually surprised, on looking into the tree, that s/he actually had what seemed to be a nest. I hadn't ever thought of a squirrel seeking comforts like that. We finally decide to see if they've opened up yet, and head back.
We get inside, and Parker heads to their train table, except it didn't have a train there. Instead, it had these large Matchbox-brand cars that you could press and they'd light up and make noise. Parker loved it. He happily played while I read and signed the consent form. The receptionist went over with both of us what the gameplan would be. Finally, Dr. Mixon, the dentist comes out and goes over, again, what they'll do: give him Versed nasally, wait 5 to 10 minutes for him to get loopy/drowsy, and then take him back. He also let us know that it should take about an hour once they have him back there, and then we'd go back and wait with him while he came out of the Versed more before we could take him home. I'm getting more and more nervous as we talk about it, but remain brave for Parker.
The nasal thing wasn't nearly as bad as any of us (including the dentist and the staff) expected, and it was quickly mitigated by those trucks. The effects were seen quite shortly afterwards, with his eyes drooping closed while he continued to play. I finally sat him in my lap while he played with the trucks, so he wouldn't fall down while standing. After a few more minutes, he moves into Jeff's arms, and then we sit and watch the beginning of the Wiggles. I bring him a little "choo-choo" train, and he happily drives it up and down Jeff's arm until he continually drops it. The nurse then comes and gets him, and there is no protestation at being in the arms of a stranger or leaving his parents behind. That was hard to watch.
So, Jeff and I try to settle down for the long wait with some books, not having had any breakfast yet (didn't want Parker to see us eat or drink and want any). So, Jeff heads over to the Village Market and gets us Ghiradella hot chocolate and a muffin and breakfast sandwich to split. We sit and read, and wait. I finally get up to go to the restroom, and the receptionist offers to go back and check on him and let me know when I left the restroom. It had only been a half hour, so I was surprised when she told me he was done. I got back out to the waiting room and told Jeff, and started gathering our stuff. We go to the receptionist's desk, and Jeff starts paying while I go back to see Parker, who I can already hear crying.
When I get back to the room, he is being rocked by a nurse, and he is definitely upset. He is happy to see me, and I take him in my arms and get the BIGGEST hug ever. We sit down to rock, and nurse. He's so happy, but I'm worried he'll get too much on his stomach too quickly and get him to stop. We do this a few times, interspersed with him drinking some water. Finally, Jeff has to take him, as he can't be in my arms and not nurse. So, we head on home, stopping briefly to pick up some watermelon and applesauce for him. He falls asleep shortly before we reach home. Once we stop, though, he wakes back up crying. We get inside, and I nurse him, trying to get him to go back to sleep. Jeff ends up rocking him back down, and we all take naps, since it was such an exhausting night and morning. We wake up, eat, and contend with a still unsteady Parker who refuses to accept that he's not at 100%.
It is now after 11 pm, he is up, has eaten applesauce, watermelon, yoghurt, french fries (I know, I know), sweet potato, baked beans, and toast today. And mommy milk. And water. He's also had 2 good naps. Now, if he would only get tired again .....
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