Anxiety, Panic, and Phobia? Yep - all three.

I broke a tooth months ago and have been to scared to do anything about it. Several days ago I had the first twinges of discomfort. Clearly, I was going to have to do something about it. For those days I was absolutely beside myself. But I could not put the matter off any longer. I pulled myself together and took myself to the nearest dentists' office. I sat there in the waiting room freaking out. This was just an exam and consultation yet I was clinging to the chair in abject fear with tears running down my eyes.

Well two things happened.

An assistant appeared and gently led me into the back where I was able to sit in a more comfortable chair out of sight of others. She gave me a small blanket to hang on to and offered up some soothing words of comfort. The dentist was gentle and well acquainted with dental anxiety.

And,

Luck of luck, this dentist practices sedation dentistry.

What an immediate release of pent up anxiety and negative energy occurred right then and there.Whew.

The appointment for the extraction is pending whether the insurance will cover the sedation or not. But I don't care the cost. If it isn't, I'll bloody well come up with the funds on my own.