Friday, February 6, 2009

Lost Teeth at Lunch

Recently I was at the Dentist. We have a great Dentist, his name is Chuck. It is a small waiting room, so whatever happens in the waiting room is public knowledge.

There were two sisters, one much younger than the other. The youngest sister, had no patience with the eldest sister. The eldest was in a wheelchair, she was a resident of the nearby nursing home. First they told their story to the receptionist, she was sympathetic, and said she would talk to Chuck.

Apparently her dental appliance that costs thousands of dollars was lost during lunch. ( This was a elderly scandinavian woman, so thousands comes out sounding like towsands.) When they cannot find your teeth, even after they went through all the garbage in the entire nursing home. (Towsands of dollars in the garbage.) They call your sister, and it becomes her not so happy problem. She hauls your butt over to the Dentist office even if you are miserable with a sore mouth and in a wheelchair with a broken arm in a cast because you recently fell down.

The elderly lady went through the entire process of showing Chuck right there in the waiting room exactly what the problem was. She opened her mouth really wide and pointed to the problem. She was a bit hard to understand while talking with her fingers in her mouth. Her sister tried to explain the problem to Chuck. But her mouth was dry, so she couldn't talk real well either. Finally she said " What did you say, I am now listening with both ears?" Chuck was patient and explained again that he would have a look and possibly he could do something temporary so her sisters mouth wouldn't hurt so much. Chuck smiled and winked at me as he wheeled his patient back to the exam room. He has the patience of a saint..or maybe he just goes home at night and bangs his head against the wall. I think I finally understand why he only is in his office four days a week. I used to think it was because he loved to hunt, fish and snowmobile..now I realize it is so he can keep his sanity:)

6 comments:

Jeanne Estridge said...

What a sweet man -- very different from the only-in-it-for-the-money stereotype of dentists. Mine is a good guy, too, who helped out my no-insurance-no-money stepdaughter when she had a dry socket.

RURAL said...

Oh my gosh, is that not all of us when we get old?

We have been dealing with my MIL, and her lost dentures, [where would they go ]? Her lost glasses, and her lost wedding band. Oh my gosh, I am sorry but that story is so funny. The poor patient man, what a saint.

BTW, speak slowly, I am listening with both ears now.

Jen

Pamela said...

sounds like my dentist. He's also a kind gentle soul.

I'm seeing more of this kind of story as I hang around the retirement center to help auntie.

Anonymous said...

I imagine it is a little of both. Maybe Chuck does the 4 day thing to hunt, fish, and snowmobile to keep his sanity! lol...
Hmmm, I hope that is not me and my sisters in a few years.
Have a great day.
Pam

Anonymous said...

I love this story! He really does have the patience of a saint.

Anonymous said...

LOL this made my day! I know people like that too.