A Long Week

This week feels as though it has been going on for at least a month.

It may be the double whammy of an important personal anniversary on Monday with World Diabetes Day on Wednesday.

It may be because my blood sugars have been carrying on a ridiculous dance.

It may be down to a professionally draining week.

I've sedated a number of patients for treatment this week. I've discussed before about how routine the delivery of injections in patients' mouths has become to me. The conscious sedation technique, however, has more parallels to pumping insulin than injecting it. It involves placing a cannula in to a vein through which a drug is delivered to relax and sedate the patient.

The cannulas themselves are similar to insulin infusion sets in that they have a guide insertion needle and a teflon tube. I'm used to sticking this kind of equipment into my body every three days, but putting it through the skin of someone else's arm or hand, trying my best to hit the vein first time and spare them a repeat performance, is something that I still find slightly tough, no matter how many times I do it. And positioning something in a vein is far harder than just positioning it sub-cutaneously.

I also know what it feels like to be on the receiving end.

Despite a good first time success rate this week, and only one "Oh eek, third time lucky" moment, these procedures still have the ability to take far more out of me than my more routine dentistry.

To finish up the week, I was faced with a six year old child who'd fallen at school and cleanly knocked out his front tooth. He seemed quite happy about it, proudly showing me his gap. Since I spend a considerable amount of time each week taking teeth out, putting them back in is a novel variation. Sadly, the young patient didn't seem that impressed with my efforts, bursting in to howls after we reinserted his tooth and restored his cheeky grin.

I was still happy to know that I may have made a real difference to that kid, even if he doesn't know it yet.

It was a welcome end to a very long week.

Comments

[in search of balance]

I had both of my 2 front teeth broken off by a kid when I was 11 and teaching her to water ski... I can't imagine my life without my helpful dentist! Ouch! You know he'll be excited about having 2 teeth when he's, oh, 16 and trying to date. :)

What a fantastic anniversary story... I don't know how I missed that post, but wow. You two sound great, and I am so glad that you're exited about it and happy with it and full of hope for the future. I'll be cheering you on from across the pond. My husband and I did long distance for about a year at the beginning, and it's tough but something that's worth it is just worth it.

Hope next week looks up...