Wednesday, June 28, 2023
In August of 2007, Gramma’s driveway jumped up and knocked out two of Benjamin’s teeth. Well, actually, it might have been me, because as he walked up the sidewalk, with blood dripping around his mouth, I said, “Did you knock out any teeth?” He paused, thought, then spit out first one, then the other tooth into his hand, saying, “Now I did.” If only I hadn’t asked!! We raced to the dentist, who wired them back in. He said they might last a month or a year or ten years, because the roots had been severed and they were dead.
Benjamin decided to check into health recently and went to the dentist for the first time in…a while. I guess he thought the teeth were done and that TB needs implants. Today was step one: removal of those old teeth. Here’s the game: Can you figure out which two they are?
Benjamin had to start precautionary antibiotics this morning. That means he had to swallow a pill for the first time. That’s right: Over three decades of not needing pain relief or any medication. He went to the internet for advice and managed to get the first pill down. It did try to kill him, but he survived. (yay!) Twelve hours later, his lip is un-numbing and he is going to have chicken and rice. He has to heal, grow some bone (I asked how that happened and he said he didn’t know. He assumed that the professionals in charge know what they are doing and will tell him what and when he needs to do things. He didn’t ask any questions. I suggested people will be surrounding him and chanting, “Grow bones, grow!” He agreed it was likely), then get new, fake teeth.
For right now, he has liquid Ibuprofen and a good attitude about pill #2 tomorrow*.
*I think I made up that last part. Hopeful thinking.