Zahnschmerzen

That is a word I wish I had never learned. It means tooth pain, and the reason I learned it is because Griffin has cavities and has had them for some time, and I ignored it, or at least denied it. Who ever heard of a preschooler getting a cavity!? His teeth are only like 3 years old!

I admit, I had hoped to avoid going to the dentist at all for the two years we're here. That wasn't the plan initially, but the process of finding a pediatrician, paying for it, and getting reimbursed has been SUCH a hassle with BCBS that I really hoped it wouldn't be absolutely necessary for the "optional" dentist and eye doctor. I have different dental insurance, and their claims process is completely by paperwork. At least BCBS has an online process for my end.

Since Griffin had been complaining, about three weeks ago, as David was driving us in town, I noticed a kinder "zahnarztpraxis" and wrote down their website. But I had work-up to going TDY and then the travel itself, and frankly, I thought I still had time. But one of my biggest pain measures for the children is when something keeps them awake at night. If pain is keeping them awake, I know they're not faking it or exaggerating. David told me Friday morning that Griffin woke up moaning at 2:00 a.m. and kept waking up all night. So I finally realized it was urgent. Bad momma.

Four days earlier, I had emailed that dentist to get an appointment, but I wrote my email all in English because most doctors speak English anyhow, and the hassle of the language barrier is really painful and stressful. I got no response, however, so Friday morning I wrote an email in German and hence learned the word for toothache. I'm sure it was very bad German. I'm stubborn and don't like to overuse Google translate. But it got the point across, and they were willing to see Griffin at 1600.

I was still on travel on Friday, so I had to leave early, and then there was the stress of cutting out early without looking like a dirtbag, and also making it home in time regardless of the traffic. I didn't get out as early as I had hoped, but we made it in time because I had David drop us off instead of taking the bus.

We waited for almost an hour, but it was understandable since the dentist fit us in at the end of her day. She gave Griffin a shot of Novocaine, and man, was he tough. I'm still impressed. She cleaned his tooth and he still complained about pain, so she took an x-ray and determined that it would need to be pulled. She packed it with cotton and told me to take out the cotton with tweezers the next day. I told her his other side was painful, but she said that it would be to much for him all in one day. I think that's what she said. It was all in German, and I'm sure a lot was lost in translation. I have an appointment for a follow-up for his other side and another one to get the worst one pulled.

Although that work alleviated his pain a little bit, Griffin complained all weekend and refused to eat, or when he did eat, he was eating with his front teeth. He wasn't sleeping well and couldn't sleep at all without Tylenol. So first thing Monday morning, I wrote another email. Then, to David's grave frustration and stress, I asked him to take Griffin because I've never really had much dental work and I wanted to make sure that Griffin was getting the care that he needed. The children's practice couldn't fit us in on Monday, but my letter was convincing enough that they said they would see him on the adult side. I had made Griffin go to school, but it was okay because David said they had said we could take Griffin in at any time that day. However, when David got there around 1400, they told him they had wanted him before noon, so it would be a half hour wait. I had hoped to work all day and evening that day to wrap up things I had been doing on travel the previous week, but this was too important so of course the wait would be worth it.

Griffin and Daddy walked up to meet us girls while we were waiting for Alex's bus, and David told me that the new dentist, who spoke English well, filled Griffin's first tooth and was upset that the first dentist had left a gaping hole to begin with, and also filled his second tooth. David said this dentist had a very good demeanor and was willing to be Griffin's dentist, even though he doesn't specifically work with children most of the time. Griffin is feeling much better and sleeping and eating again. Today I gave him an apple for his school snack for the first time in a couple of weeks. He says there's a little bit of pain on the second tooth, so that may end up needing to be pulled, but at least he's okay for now. That poor boy went through a lot!

I'm not blaming this on November, though, because it's a carry-over from October that I should have already taken care of. November is going to be a good month, I think. I feel bad that Griffin suffered, of course, but I don't have too much Mom guilt because one can only do the best one can do. I NEVER expected to see cavities, especially of this severity, in a four year old.

Tough little guy in the dentist's chair.

He's all better.  Getting a haircut a few days later.

Handsome with a high and tight!