whose father had just taken him into the practice when he graduated. Not quite as bizarre as the Conway skit, but funny enough. I can say that it was funny because I had no pain once I was under the Novocaine.
The father had assigned the son to me because he said I was an easy patient for the kid to gain experience with.
I had a molar that had to be removed. For a few reasons, it could not be saved by filling or root canal. The father had taken the afternoon off on the day of my appt.
First the Novocaine. Then the son pulled on the tooth with dental pliers. The tooth crumbled into several pieces, leaving the roots unreachable below the surface of my gums, with jagged pieces of tooth jutting out. The son was so surprised that he blurted "OMG!" Then he apologized and tried to calmly say that there was a complication, but he would fix it.
He called the father's very experienced assistant into the room and asked her to remain to help with a procedure. She had questions so they went into a small side room to talk, but, unknown to them, I heard everything.
Son: The damned tooth fell apart. I have to surgically remove the roots.
Assistant: That's a hospital procedure.
Son: I can't send her out of here like that. I know what to do and how to do it. Have you ever assisted with a procedure like this? The roots are curved under the bone.
Assistant: No, never. Your father would have done this in the hoslital. Didn't you check her xrays first?
Son: I KNOW that. Yes, I checked the xray afterward. Dad said she was an easy patient. I did not expect complications. Shit. I wish dad was here.
Son to me: Your roots are quite deep. We have to do some surgery to remove them. I will give you more Novocaine so you won't feel it.
Son procedes with the surgery and assistant has instruments lined up on a tray to help. Son calmly says to the assustant, "Oh, there are 3 roots instead of 2. This will take longer than I thought. Cancel the rest of my appts for today."
Son waits for her return and asks if I feel OK. I can't talk and he says, "Do you feel anything?" I shake my head no. Then he says, "This is normally done in the hospital, but we can do it here. Just signal me if you feel pain and I will give you another shot."
Assistant returns. It is delicate work to slice into the gum, then slice the bone in 2 places, remove the bone slice, remove the roots, then replace the bone. I can see sweat on his brow as he works. Assistant wipes it for him.
Time for sutures. When he sees the ones the assistant has ready for him, he asks for another type by a name I don't remember. She says the sutures she laid out are the only kind in the office. He excuses himself from me and goes to a little room, like a closet. Assistant follows and again I hear them talking.
Son says, "Those sutures are old-fashioned. I am more familiar with (name of suture)."
Assistant: These are all we have.
Son: Heavy sigh. Of course they are. Why would I expect this day to get any better?
At this point, I am feeling more sorry for him than I am worried about myself. But it all seems so ridiculous that I chuckle.
Son returns. Struggles to get the sutures tied. When finished he asks how I feel. I manage to mumble, "Fine." He apologizes and explains that my roots were entangled with bone and I had one more than usual. Tells me to call if I have any problems. Gives me his home number and his father's home number. Gives me some codeine capsules to take when the anesthetic wears off. .
Feeling no pain, I drive to work. When the Novocaine starts to wear off, I take a codeine pill. Within half an hour, I have a headache so severe that i want to bash my head against a wall. My mouth feels ok. I can't function and leave work. I have a long drive, about 45 minutes to home. I get about 20 minutes away from home and feel terribly drowsy. Turn onto a plaza parking lot and pass out.
15.minutes later I become conscious again. And that's how I learned that I am allergic to codeine.
What a day.
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