THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF TAKING A 95 YEAR OLD TO THE DENTIST

STAFF ON CALL:
Just Outside Bob today

HIGHS:


- Meeting a friend who drove up from Connecticut to take me and her delightful daughter for lunch in Lenox. 

- Having chicken quesadillas instead of a sensible salad

- Buying "leopard" slip on ballet-slipper-like Crocs at Lee Outlets, after trying on Tory's and needing some.

- Losing my chapstick down a heating vent in the kitchen but helping myself to three free ones at Odd's dentist's. Speaking of which...

LOWS:

- Including hygenist and glueing on one third of Odd's triple-bridge that fell out last week: $285. The one third, otherwise known as a crown, they had to saw off from the other two thirds, which are no good anymore. The tooth that held it all in place is rotten and will have to be extracted next week for $825. There goes my idea of sticking it all back in with hot glue. The one bright note in all this is that they send any dead bridges or crowns to a scrap metal place and whatever they get for the gold they knock off your bill. I told the girl I'd found two other discarded crowned teeth of Odd's in his old leather cufflinks box and she said bring them in, she'd send those too, and any other gold or silver I had lying around. I've now turned this place upside down but have only come up with the top half of a Mark Cross pen and one earring that will turn out to be painted steel.

- Cleaning the dentist's toilet. Outside Bob and I managed to get Odd out of the house and up the stone steps and into Bob's 4 X 4, Daddy's first time outside since I brought him back from the nursing home last October. Got him into the dentist's waiting room. Got him into the hygenist's room and onto her chair. Got him back into the waiting room. Got him into the dentist's room and onto his chair. Got him down the hall to the Rest Room. Waited. Waited some more. Told Bob to bring the car to the front door. Went back to outside the loo and ask "Daddy? Everything ok?" and he says, "Where do I put this?" which is not a good sign. "Your pants?" I say? "Yes", he says. So out I go to the car to get the bag of a change of clothes just in case, get a garbage bag from the girls at the desk, and then there is nothing to be done but to go into the bathroom myself, which is about the size of a postage stamp and very cozy it is too with his walker in there. The problem is that you can't get a Depends OFF without removing trousers and shoes, so now I'm squatting down trying to do all this, manage, then reach for the NEW Depends and find I have not brought a Depends, I have grabbed a pad thing you put on a bed under the sheet, which is like a small green tablecloth. So Odd goes home in Outside Bob's car without Depends, just sweatpants, me praying the whole time I'm on my way to lunch with Rosemary that Odd's bowels hold until they hit Becket, for Outside Bob's sake if nothing else, Outside Bob who, once inside, got Odd into some fresh Depends, which was not part of the original job description when he was hired, by any means, but for which I am ever so grateful. And, of course, prior to my lunch, I had to swab down Dr. Wise's Rest Room, sans plastic gloves, and as soon as I hit Haven in Lenox made a beeline for the loo to scrub my fingers raw and had there been a shower I would have been in it. 

Can't think of any more highs or lows or even mediums. Have about 5-6 hours work on Peg's website pics tonight, gearing myself.  The glass of wine next to me is very nice, I must say.