My friends on Twitter know
that I have recently had a number of dental appointments and [advanced warning
Twitter mates] there’s another one looming in a few weeks’ time. As a child I wasn’t
scared of the dentist… I was PETRIFIED! This fear still lives deep in my
psyche even though the dentist no longer wields a pneumatic drill and I rarely
experience pain, even for major treatment. She’s an excellent dentist [added
in case she ever reads this!] so why am I still terrified?
I also experience fear by
proxy, especially when it’s my pets and during the last few weeks both cats
have had to go to the vets for dental work. Animals are so dependent on us.
They can’t be reasoned with. We can’t explain. Taking them for treatment makes
me feel that I’m betraying their trust in me, even though I know it’s for their
long term health.
Their treatment was spaced
over two weeks. First it was Charlie’s turn. Nil by mouth for both cats from 10
pm and the cat flap locked overnight. Charlie had four teeth out, scale and
polish. She came home later that day high on pain killers, pupils dilated and
legs crossing slightly as she walked staggered around. By the following
day she was subdued but on the mend and eating a little soft food.
This week it was Mabel’s
turn. Nil by mouth and locked cat flap sent Charlie into a panic. This caused
me double guilt when it came to forcing an unsuspecting Mabel into the cat
carrier. She had one tooth out and returned home angry
and starving. She demolished two bowls of food and moved swiftly on to the
dried stuff. [Yes, she is the larger of the two cats!]
All that’s left from their
experiences now are matching shaved squares on their necks from the blood test
and the same on their legs from the anaesthetic. They’ve moved on. I’m the one
with the trauma and guilt. What does it take for me to forget those childhood
experiences.
This is a photo of Charlie showing off her bald patch. Mabel refused to pose. She's indignant and is hiding under Daughter's bed!
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[To prove that they’ve 'moved on', we came home last night to the two of them taunting a poor little mouse in the house, but that’s another blog story. Suffice to say that we rescued and released the mouse into the garden to be caught another day.] |
