the dentist.

No one likes the dentist, except Mikayla, who naively has her first cavity, and is looking forward to being worked on tomorrow. I am hoping she does better than her brother, Brendan.

Brendan has always been my accident prone child.
Ever since he was a toddler, he has run with one arm out in front of himself, ever vigilant about breaking his impending fall.

It wasn't a huge surprise then, when he fell, at the bowling center, and miraculously managed to hit himself in the face with a bowling ball,on the way to the floor, before landing on top of the same ball. I don't really even know how that was possible? But it happened.

It broke a molar...yep, a MOLAR in half. He had to go to "the shop" get put out, and have the tooth capped. This was when he was about five. The poor kid was miserable, and sick, and traumatized by the whole process. It took us a long time to pay that off, and an even longer time to dare venture back into a dental office.

Fast forward a year, and the poor kid has a couple of cavities. We take him to the dentist again. The dentist gives him a little shot, and that was it, folks. There would be no more dental work done on, or around Brendan.

The dentist tried to explain that Brendan was numb now, and would not feel anything. Could he please, just open his mouth, and let the dentist "look" at his teeth? He wasn't buying that. He knew a liar when he heard one. He recognized the smell of that office, fear mixed with Novocaine. Nope. Sealed shut. Water-tight. The vault was closed for business.

The dentist finally tricked him into opening a little. And seizing the opportunity, the dentist deftly, yet stupidly ventured in the treacherous cavern with his latex-clad hand...and Brendan promptly clamped down and bit him. With a look in his eye like "who won that round, O ye wielder of sharp objects?"

To my sheer horror and humiliation, we left, Brendan still numb, and still with his cavities. We waited it out and offered bribes, and finally took him to another dentist. One that had Nintendo. That cost a bloody fortune. And with sweat on his brow, he bravely got his measly cavities filled.

Well, that was two years ago...and now, we are going back. He has three cavitites this time. Please pray for the dentist.