3 Teeth Out, 9 Fillings later…
So it was a couple of weeks
ago now that the big day arrived, one I had been dreading for a long time, but it
had to be done. Madison
Since she was a little itty
bitty thing brushing teeth has always been the biggest drama, well one of the
many dramas. For Madison
Madison at 5 Years of Age
Its just one of the many
daily things that can get kids on the spectrum unstuck fairly easily, well our
kid I should say. Everyone is different!! I seem to be finding that a lot of
parents with children on the Autism Spectrum run in to trouble when it comes to
teeth. Everyone has at least one horror story to share about the dentist. It’s
comforting to know we are not the only family though.
We had been to dentists in
the past and always I had gotten the wrap over the knuckles and a not so nice
ear bashing as I wasn’t doing it right. I was destroying my child’s teeth and so
on. Those kinds of remarks are a bit hard to let go when they make you feel
like a terrible parent. Some people certainly have no clue or empathy as to
what it is like living with Autism or even how hard it is just to get to the
bloody dentist surgery in the first place. Best thing I ever did was go through
the school dental system!!
So the time finally arrived
after many appointments and the pre-op. A fair bit of planning usually goes
into these kinds of events, picture cards, role playing etc. We were so
fortunate and grateful that Madisons teacher last year, Miss Vanessa, had
helped us prep Madison for all the dental visits leading up to the big hospital
day.
Then it was on.
We played dress ups, put on
cool hats and doctor outfits and the nurse put some soft squishy gel on the tops
of her hands which she really loved to squish, pre-anaesthetic. We had talked again
about the mask going over her face and lying down on the special bed.
The nurse had mentioned how
the gas smells like bubble gum, first big mistake. Madison Madison
We had two nurses to come
and assist me with getting Madison Madison
Right, so about now my
heart is starting to race a lot faster, I’m feeling anxious and I’m thinking to
myself this is going to be so crap all with my happy face on. Madison was about
to open the doors to the theatre room when she could see through the windows of
the doors on her tipee toes, a lot of people all playing dress ups. I’m not
sure but there would have been 8 or 9 (it’s a teaching hospital) plus us,
hearts flipping out now but the voice in my head is saying stay calm and stay
on task.
The kid is too funny, we
finally get in the room after some prompting and she says “I’m here doctors” still
holding the little t.v like she is the star of the show, and she was!! She
still had her long socks on and sneakers and the staff are all giving her space
and time to take it all in.
She checked out the bed and
it was nice and toasty and warm but they had the wrong type of pillow, it was a
weird gel looking thing they covered up so Madison
Now here is where it went a
little bit pear shaped.
As Madison
My little girl put on the
biggest fight ever, legs kicking, arms punching everywhere and anyone in the
way. With all of them and me trying to hold her down we struggled to keep her
still. I’m saying “mummies here its ok” over and over, not to sure what my
voice sounded like. There was a nurse behind me saying, it’s ok, she won’t
remember any of this and the more she screams the quicker the anaesthetic will
work. It wasn’t quick and it seemed like for ever, one nurse coped a kick to
the stomach and I heard someone say do you need to leave. I’m thinking, Oh Shit
Shit Shit!
It was the hardest thing to
watch, Madison
The nurse who got kicked
came over and said in a gentle voice you can give her a kiss, so I did and I told
Madison
Ad was in the waiting room and
as I walked to him carrying the little tv, long sock and sneakers, he could
tell it hadn’t gone all marshmallows and lollypops. Then the waiting begins. Way
to much time to think. Again it felt like forever.
Waiting, waiting, waiting,
arrgghh!!
Finally the dental surgeon
came out and said she was starting to wake. So Ad and I were in there like a
flash. I caught a bit of what she was telling me, 3 teeth out, 2 were all ready
wobbly and they had put injections into her gums to numb the site, blah blah
blah. Just wanted to see her!
My baby was off her face
and freaking out, still fighting off the bad guys when we got to her. The nurse
was great and grabbed a big arm chair for us. Adam lifted her up and put her in
my lap so I could snuggle her up. Poor little darling had blood all over her
face and kept making sure we where there in between dozing.
When she woke it must have
felt like the bottom part of her jaw wasn’t attached because she kept checking
it to make sure it was there. Telling us free teeth out, she couldn’t say three
because of her mouth and her face was all droopy. We had to try and explain
that the feeling will go away. Don’t think she believed us, I’m sure it would
have been sensory hell!!
An hour later we were walking
out the door and going home. I was nervous going so soon but by the next day
she was almost herself again. She is one tough cookie though; the kid won’t
take any pain relief.
My greatest fear was that she
would remember everything and be one of those patients who can be knocked out
but can still hear and feel things. My grandfather was like that.
She did remember! Bother
it! She talks about the talking while she was dreaming at the hospital and
makes drilling sounds while point at her mouth. What do I do? This freaks me
out so much. All I can do is smother her in reassurance that it’s all finished
now and mummy and daddy love her so much and we are really really proud of our
beautiful brave girl.
Look at my teeth out!
The best thing though is
that she is much happier and feeling a lot better in herself.
Till next time
Steph
x
P.s She is getting really really good at brushing
now!!
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