Shantal's Adventure At The Dentist Office

Shantal had a dentist appointment today to get a few cavity's filled. She is so afraid, and so the dentist office thought it was best if they put her to sleep for the work they had to do because Shantal was not offering an open mouth when we had been there the previous 2 times.

So I arrive at 10:45, just like they tell me to. Initally, her appointment was for 8am today. But they called me 2 days ago and said the younger kids go first with this type of proceedure so she needed to be there no later than 10:45. Mind ya, there is no eating or drinking at least 6 hours before.

we arrive on time and as I walk by the waiting room, I can see it is totally packed full. I go check in and the receptionist says I should have some patience. That means, they are behind schedule. I asked them how long, and the dentist says it might be a good idea if I took Shantal and walked around the city a bit. Well, it was pouring rain, so I declined. We went in the waiting room and found a seat that Shantal and I could share. She sat on my lap and cried with her face in my chest almost the whole time.

After being there just about 1/2 hour, they called us. But my hopes were smashed when I found out it was only for a consulation. They were just going over the procedure with me and getting me to sign the forms.

Back out in the waiting room we go. About an hour later, they come into Shantal to give her something to drink. It is medicine and from the looks of it, was no more than 2 teaspoons full. It was supposed to make her drousy and sleepy. Well, Shantal cried. She did not want it. The assistant wanted to force it down her throat. I got Shantal to calm down. We went out into the hallway where no other parents were and I had to ask the assistant to back away from Shantal where she couldn't see her. As soon as she did, Shantal did take it. We ended up sitting in the hallway the rest of our wait that we had.

About 45 minutes after Shantal drank her "juice" as they called it, they called us into the room to actually start an IV. ok, this did NOT go over at all with Shantal. She SCREAMED at the top of her lungs. Telling everyone to let go of her. She was fighting with her fists. The one assistant put her hands over shantal's mouth so she could try and be louder than Shantal for Shantal to hear her. Shantal kept screaming that they were hurting her.

I felt bad for Shantal because I knew I could get her to calm down a bit to actually get it taken care of. But at the same time, this one assistant kept being a bit too forceful for Shantal. It is the same assistant that wanted to force the "juice" down Shantal's throat.

Anyway, Shantal didn't want to have this done. That was a given. The assistant kept saying she would just send Shantal home and let her teeth rot out and it would hurt. But to me, this was not an option. Shantal kept trying to say she wanted to sit on my lap. So finally, I asked them if it would work. The person actually doing the IV said yes.

So I laid in the chair with Shantal laying on top of me. And then 2 female assistants held her firmly on top and also one male doctor while another one did the IV. I tried covering Shantal's eyes so she wouldn't see the needle, as sometimes that makes it easier for me. But all the while, she is just screaming. But I tell ya, It took SECONDS from the time they put the needle in her arm and the drugs in her IV until she was out like a light.

They lifted her up off of me so I could get up. It was amazing to see her there. They laid her on the chair where I just sat with her. She was just so all of a sudden quiet, asleep and peaceful.

As they asked me to leave, I left not really knowing how I should feel about the whole experience so far. You know, my heart breaks for Shantal. I know she was scared. And I know she is stubborn. She makes it worse than it needs be at times. And I also know that she needed to get this done. But I do believe I could of gotten it done in a bit more of a calm manner if they would of given me a few minutes. But they didn't.

As I left the room and went into the waiting room, it was empty with the exception of one little girl left with her mom and her grandma. The grandma asked.....was that your little girl that did all that screaming. I admitted it was. And as people started leaving and coming in the waiting room to pick up coats and stuff, they would all comment on how loud Shantal was. Some not even knowing that I was sitting right there as they would talk to other people.

When it was all over, they moved Shantal into another room to wake up. It took her about 20 minutes afterwards to wake up. And when she did, she had to wait another hour to get the IV taken out of her arm. All she did after she woke up was cry about her arm hurting from the needle being left inside.

But you know what, she cried for an hour over this. But it was a quiet cry. I don't think anyone in that office knows she cried. I was there and I was able to help her through that.

Two things came to my mind while waiting for so long at that dentist office today. with them being SOOOO far behind today, they should of called us and asked us to come in later. It is terrible for any child to sit there for so long and listen to all the kids before them cry when they get the IV put in and then cry when they wake up. Every single one did it. Mine just happened to do it the loudest and the longest. The one assistant mentioned that in all the years she has worked there, she has never experienced it so bad before.

I know if my mom is reading this, she is thinking.....PAYBACK for when I was 11 years old at the dentist office. I cried and the dentist told my mom to go home and they would call her when they were done with me.

And if Gardner's Dad is reading this (he is also a dentist and who the kids usually see), I am sure he is thinking......I'm so glad it was them and not me who dealt with Shantal!

It was a very long and exhausting day! It is over, Shantal is in bed. She is OK now. She doesn't want to talk about it at all. But I am sure we will, Someday!