November 18, 2003
Pfft. The beat just goes on, doesn't it? Amazing.
OK, so last month, I started trying to get treatment for this owie tooth. Basically, I lost a filling, so decay set up in there and now it really hurts. The first time I went in, I waited for an hour or so to be seen (I was a walk in patient) and they finally told me they couldn't see me at this office, they had to see me at the office that was about 100 yard behind the one I was in. I went there and they didn't have any appointments available (of course) and told me to come back the next day. The next day, Eric had to work the whole day, so I went in the day after that and waited for two hours (that was when the tiny little woman beside me rolled up into a ball and the little two-year-old boy told his older sister "fuck you, bitch."), only to be told that I couldn't be seen THERE because my plan had changed. (?!)
I finally found out that I was now evidently with Healthnet and that my dentist was a little woman across town in West Sac. Her office couldn't see me for 10 more days (today) and so I've been living on Extra Strength Tylenol and Excedrin for Migraines (a cocktail of 2 Tylenol and 1 Excedrin every 4-5 hours is all that has cut the pain so far) for almost a month. I have to wake up in the night to take it, wait for the meds to take effect, then try to go to sleep around the caffeine in the Excedrin, so I'm really low on sleep. I plan to make that up in naps.
I was a basket case for the dentist today. I was vomiting and intenstinally ill through the night. (I have absolutely vicious dental anxiety/horror) I managed to stay somewhat not plastered to the walls screaming for the morning and we made our way downtown to the dentist office. I was absolutely amazed by this place. It was the tiniest little hole in the wall. The waiting area was about 9'x6' and had maybe 6 chairs. A sliding bulletproof window separated the front office from the waiting area and there was a door that led back to the clinical area.
Luckily, I got in pretty quickly. All they did was x-ray the one tooth, then the dentist came in, looked at the one tooth with a mirror, told me there was an abscess (I couldn't see one, so it must be inside), wrote a prescription for Tylenol 3 and penicillin and sent me on my way with another appointment for January. My head was spinning. I really want to get this taken care of and I keep getting worked up for the big event, only to be put off again and again.
So I went out to the tiny waiting room to leave and... no Eric! And he had my purse! I asked the receptionist if I could use her phone to call Eric on his cell phone to pick me up and she looked pained and told me that it was only for office use. I went outside and looked for a payphone, thinking I could call one of the boys and they could call Eric to come and get me from where ever he'd gone off to. He was thinking I'd be a long time while some insane root canal was going on, so he could have gone home for all I knew. I had no change (Eric had my purse, remember), so I figured I'd just call David collect. Nope. His phone doesn't accept collect calls. Neither does Joe's. Neither does Eric's cell phone. >:< After scorching my brain, I went back inside, rapped on the opaque bulletproof window and asked the receptionist if SHE would call Eric. She thought deeply, then decided that would be OK. I gave her the number, she gave him the message, looked confused and then hung up. She then informed me that Eric was lost and shrugged. I wasn't sure if she was speaking geographically, cellphonically or spiritually. I grunted derisively and went back outside to wait for him (about 20 minutes).
I noticed during that time that the area I was in was quite busy. Lots of people were coming and going, just in the short time I was standing there. A car pulled up where I was standing and asked me if I was working. I was too flattered to be offended. I told him no and he left. I was dressed like a mom, don't worry. After he left, I realized I might have screwed up. Here I'd been praying for a way to bring more money into the house and I was actually turning away good work and possibly good pay for a few minutes of my time. About then, Eric rolled up, frazzled. Nathan was screaming because Eric had to drive past me and make a U turn to get to where I was, giving Nathan the impression that Eric had left me. They both got settled down and Eric took me out for lunch. Feeding me is a very relaxing experiencing for us both.
Now, I'm well sated, very tired and fairly happy. My prescriptions are at the drug store now. True to form, it came up that they had to call them in and couldn't find me via computer, so I have to wait.
I have nothing planned for the rest of the week, so I am going to take it easy, get lots of rest and try to catch up on my writing. I'm definitely due some kickback time. :)
By the way, if any of you are planning to venture out for Black Friday shopping, this link has the preliminary shopping list for Wal-Mart's Black Friday sales:
Also, if there are any Starsky and Hutch fans out there, I thought you might like to see some pictures from the new movie:
Owen Wilson (Left) as Hutch and
Ben Stiller (Right) as Starsky
Snoop Dog as Huggy Bear
Have a great week! I'll be around soon!
Love,
Katrina
