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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 12:30:09
Just got back from the dentist.
It was okay. I got super-anxious. I will have to get a crown later this summer, when my dental insurance kicks in.I was forced to watch Oprah as I waited. The topic was intense enough to trigger about 30% of the adult population of the US, so I won't mention it here. I never have the guts to request to change the channel in this kind of case. I shouldn't be so shy. The topic was AWFUL! Why did I put up with that? Why couldn't I just quietly go and change the channel? Now I can't get it out of my head.
Memories encoded in stressful circumstances are likely to show better recall in stressful circumstances. State-dependent learning.
So, there was some drilling. I HATE drilling. No pain, really, just a little sensitivity, and pressure, and that awful zzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrerererere of the whining buzzing drill. AWFUL. Need someone to confess? Just take them to the dentist. They're bound to have something that needs fixing. No Pain, No Gain? right?
Mindfulness exercises useful for the first 5 minutes of drilling. ugh. Then it all flew out the window. I got a filling, and the dentist reshaped my tooth to eliminate a pressure point that was causing me pain. I hope that solves it.
Trying really hard to keep my cool as I "come down" off of my own anxiety. My poor nervous system has always been highly reactive along the sympathetic lines. What's the half-life of peripheral epinephrine. You know, the one that gives you shaky hands, dry mouth, racing heart and chest pains. ouch.
Well, I'm trying to calm myself down. Don't need to stress me out too much. I'm not a very resilient llrrrpp. Doing okay today, though. Didn't even cry once (what an ADULT!!)
say hi. I'm lonely today :(
Posted by Jost on June 23, 2006, at 13:53:34
In reply to half-life of anxiety?, posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 12:30:09
Hi, Llrrrpp.
I'm starting to feel like PollyAnna here-- but remember the fears you had about the tooth? Here you've found that, despite anxiety about teeth, drilling noises and Oprah-vision, your tooth is strong enough to have a crown. That's really good.
Try some more of the mindfulness, if you get the chance. You'll feel better soon.
I have to go, but I wanted to say hi.
Jost
Posted by All Done on June 23, 2006, at 14:26:51
In reply to half-life of anxiety?, posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 12:30:09
Hi, llrrrpp!
I'm sorry you had to go to the dentist. I hate it, too. The drill sound is the hardest part for me. But you don't need to think about that anymore, so I'll take it upon myself to change the subject, okay?
I read your post above about seeing Dr. Bob. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but *if* you live close enough to where Dr. Bob lives to see him and *if* you weren't at a conference out of town or something, that means you live close enough to me to have shared some of those yummy buttertarts. Yet, you chose to keep them all to yourself. What's up with that? ;) ;)
I hope your day has improved. Sorry you're lonely.
Laurie
Posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 14:54:37
In reply to Re: half-life of anxiety? » llrrrpp, posted by All Done on June 23, 2006, at 14:26:51
I don't know where Dr. Bob lives. I guess he lives on the Admin board. but he visits other places frequently
I'm so excited that I can eat chewable food again. I'm enjoying an apple right now.
mmm crunch!
Posted by All Done on June 23, 2006, at 14:59:33
In reply to Re: half-life of anxiety? » All Done, posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 14:54:37
> I don't know where Dr. Bob lives. I guess he lives on the Admin board. but he visits other places frequently
:(
Wah! I wanted buttertarts!!
> I'm so excited that I can eat chewable food again. I'm enjoying an apple right now.
>
> mmm crunch!I would stick with the soft foods like ice cream, pudding, and cake. Cupcakes in particular. Chocolate with white frosting. Not vanilla...white. (Although I have serious issues with food that isn't a flavor but a color.) Then again, my new favorite cupcake is butter pecan with caramel frosting.
I'm hungry.
Posted by Phillipa on June 23, 2006, at 16:09:02
In reply to Re: half-life of anxiety? » llrrrpp, posted by All Done on June 23, 2006, at 14:59:33
Milkshakes are good too chocolate ummmmmm. Love Phillipa
Posted by llrrrpp on June 23, 2006, at 16:10:08
In reply to Re: half-life of anxiety?, posted by Jost on June 23, 2006, at 13:53:34
Thanks for your kindness Jost!
Jaw's kinda grumpy right now, but can I say how much I like my dentist?
She's so nice. Really kind, does everything herself- she has a really small practice, so she actually gets to know you. Not like my old dentist, who had a small army of hygeinists who would yap yap yap, and then he'd run in, poke your teeth for 4 minutes and charge 100 bucks.
My dentist did exam, took x-ray and put in composite filling and reshaped the tooth for 90 dollars. took her an hour, and she was really nice. remembered about my work to ask me intelligent things, told me about her daughter and their vacation plans. I wish more doctors were like her- people persons.
-ll
gonna go do meditation for 15 minutes. gotta start small. haven't gone one-on-one with my mind in at least 3 months. I used to meditate daily. oh well. no sense in feeling guilty about it. That's not in the spirit of Vipassana.
This is the end of the thread.
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