When it comes to getting shots, the first time I remember fainting, I was 12. The hospital was 30 miles away and that gave my vivid imagination time to go into overdrive. Sitting in the back seat of the car, I remember looking up at the looming hospital building; after that, it went dark.
Wake up! Wake up! Nancy!
What! So I can pass out again, when they actually GIVE me the shot.
Waiting for Kristine while she sat in the dental chair, I spend 2 1/2 hours analyzing the location and people. For the first hour, everyone who entered the office only spoke Spanish. They nodded and smiled at me. The only other gringo who came in the office ignored everyone. Yes, it's the Barrio (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbarjo]) is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.. A small plaza of transported Mexican stores that I bravely ventured into alone. The Mexican-Americans or Chicanos eyeing me; as if, this solo gringo, is an illegal alien stepping across the border into Mexico.
But in this tiny Mexican shopping center, the dental office is a multicultural place with workers and clients from many continents: Asia, South America, Europe. I felt rather comfortable after a while; after all, it's a dentist office where families came to have the teeth of their children cleaned and maintained; no matter how poor the area or the people, we all had that in common.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Part Two: Mental Illness in the Dentist Chair
I promised a follow up from my last blog.
On Kristine's second visit to the dentist, she was in a semi-private small room watching a HD screen of the latest Shrek movie and she was able to see the entire movie because the dentist took every precaution to keep Kristine from passing out. His assistant told me that the first and last time Kristine fainted, she was terrified because she could not feel a heart beat.
A few years ago, I was told that fainting from shots was from an automatic response in the body from other than fear. So I googled it:
In Vasovagal Syncope, the heart rate drops or may even stop for several seconds. (bradycardia) and the blood pressure drops sharply (hypotension). This reflex mechanism is present in all of us, but in a more exaggerated form in some individuals. In effect, the reflex has shut down the body's blood circulation. When this happens insufficient oxygenated blood is pumped to the brain leading to dizziness and fainting. This odd reflex can be triggered by many different stimuli. Seeing blood is a common one, but simply standing immobile may also trigger a Syncope. Fainting can also be triggered in situations that make people anxious, stressed or emotional. Being in a overly warm environment, not having eaten or not having drunk sufficient liquids are all factors that increase the chances of setting the reflex in motion. Some patients do not take enough salt in their diet.
Kristine does want the epinephrine drug added to the anesthesia because she doesn't want the pain to come back so quickly. It still makes her dizzy, so the dentist is calling in an anesthesiologist to administer a different anesthetic to relax her, but one that won't put her to sleep; overriding the effects of epinephrine that causes a Syncope (loss of consciousness or fainting). http://www.stars-us.org/medical-information/vasovalgal-syncope.html
It may have been the drug and not fear that caused a Syncope. Although, she doesn't have a problem having blood drawn every month to manage her Clozapine.
And then again, maybe my daughters get their fear from me. I am sure this reflex mechanism is FEAR in my case. I clearly remember some people referring to a Caesarean birth as being "natural birth." I kept screaming (internally) that anyone cutting open a human with a knife is NOT NATURAL and neither is sticking a metal needle in a body.
So how do people get passed Syncope when painful, unnatural human acts occur?
Maybe, I should ask Dexter?
On Kristine's second visit to the dentist, she was in a semi-private small room watching a HD screen of the latest Shrek movie and she was able to see the entire movie because the dentist took every precaution to keep Kristine from passing out. His assistant told me that the first and last time Kristine fainted, she was terrified because she could not feel a heart beat.
A few years ago, I was told that fainting from shots was from an automatic response in the body from other than fear. So I googled it:
In Vasovagal Syncope, the heart rate drops or may even stop for several seconds. (bradycardia) and the blood pressure drops sharply (hypotension). This reflex mechanism is present in all of us, but in a more exaggerated form in some individuals. In effect, the reflex has shut down the body's blood circulation. When this happens insufficient oxygenated blood is pumped to the brain leading to dizziness and fainting. This odd reflex can be triggered by many different stimuli. Seeing blood is a common one, but simply standing immobile may also trigger a Syncope. Fainting can also be triggered in situations that make people anxious, stressed or emotional. Being in a overly warm environment, not having eaten or not having drunk sufficient liquids are all factors that increase the chances of setting the reflex in motion. Some patients do not take enough salt in their diet.
Kristine does want the epinephrine drug added to the anesthesia because she doesn't want the pain to come back so quickly. It still makes her dizzy, so the dentist is calling in an anesthesiologist to administer a different anesthetic to relax her, but one that won't put her to sleep; overriding the effects of epinephrine that causes a Syncope (loss of consciousness or fainting). http://www.stars-us.org/medical-information/vasovalgal-syncope.html
It may have been the drug and not fear that caused a Syncope. Although, she doesn't have a problem having blood drawn every month to manage her Clozapine.
And then again, maybe my daughters get their fear from me. I am sure this reflex mechanism is FEAR in my case. I clearly remember some people referring to a Caesarean birth as being "natural birth." I kept screaming (internally) that anyone cutting open a human with a knife is NOT NATURAL and neither is sticking a metal needle in a body.
So how do people get passed Syncope when painful, unnatural human acts occur?
Maybe, I should ask Dexter?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dealing with Mental Illness in the Dentist Chair
Just a weekend:
The dentist office called my husband's cell phone to say there is an emergency with Kristine. My husband speeds back to the office while speed dialing me at home.
My youngest daughter is home for the weekend for her birthday.
Our first thought: Kristine wigged out in the dentist chair when they gave her a local anesthetic. My youngest envisioned her sister talking out loud to her friendly voices, freaking out the office staff. It made us laugh, if that's ALL it would be.
When Kristine was seriously ill, she did not want her teeth touched. Her teeth have since deteriorated from lack of care; if not, from the drugs that dissolve in her mouth. Although she had dental insurance a few years ago, I canceled it when she would not go.
Now that her Clozapine is kicking in and she is more aware of her appearance and health, she wants her teeth repaired. I renewed her dental plan within a few days and surprisingly, the same plan was $42 less than it was a few years ago.
Go Figure. Unfortunately, she will have to have veneer and cavity work. Fortunately, I found a dentist that does work on Saturdays, so it will not interfere with her school week.
On her second visit, my husband decides he would go with her since it's on a Saturday. The dentist tells him it will be a 2 hour wait; so he leaves looking for a Starbucks. I figured since I did all the prep work: giving the dentist her list of medications and her psychiatrist's name on the first visit, it should be a piece of cake for my husband.
Upon getting the call from my husband, the first thing my youngest daughter and I think: why was he looking for a Starbucks. The point of going with her to the dentist was to be with her; as if he would find a Starbucks in the barrios of the out skirts of the suburbs.
Although, the dentist was approved by Kristine's insurance with excellent reviews and it was conveniently located on her way to school just off the freeway, I did not know it looked like a truck stop. The office was very clean and so was the bathroom. I checked. I just hope the teeth come out O.K.
Twenty minutes into his Starbucks search, Kristine lost blood pressure. Later, Kristine laughed when she told us that her eyes were rolling back in her head and she felt dizzy. She said that she kept telling the dental staff that she felt she was "dying." They panicked and douched her with water, wetting her shirt. By the time my husband got there, they had a blood pressure gauge on her arm while holding her hands.
The dentist had used "Epinephrine which is added to dental anesthetics to increase their effectiveness. It works by shutting down the small blood vessels (which keeps the freezing in your gums longer). Anesthetics without it wear off much faster and you may feel pain before the procedure is done."
I also had fainted in the dentist chair a few months back. The latest dental anesthesia that my dentist used on me that was different from before was epinephrine which caused me to pass out for a few minutes. My dentist freaked out and would not touch me for half an hour.
THEN she tells me that other patients have told her that they feel a slight surge in their heart rate when she gives them that extra drug.
Well. Duh! Is there a clue here?
Maybe the dentist just thinks it's a roller coaster ride for the patient; until they pass out in their chair. What kind of cat and mice game is That?
I told my husband to tell the dentist not to use epinephrine on Kristine because of the experience I had from it. This same article above stated that it's crucial for dentists to be aware of pre-existing medical conditions such as"anyone who is prone to psychosis," which could easily be a euphemism for "anyone who has high anxiety caused by past negative dental experiences. I found out later that the receptionist never gave the medication information to the dentist because they did not look at the paper work I handed them; but they quickly took the information over the phone this time. I blame myself for not handing it to the doctor myself; I should know by now everything has to be spoon fed.
So while my husband is out of town, I will be going with Kristine next Saturday for another "shot" at it. Stay Tuned....
The dentist office called my husband's cell phone to say there is an emergency with Kristine. My husband speeds back to the office while speed dialing me at home.
My youngest daughter is home for the weekend for her birthday.
Our first thought: Kristine wigged out in the dentist chair when they gave her a local anesthetic. My youngest envisioned her sister talking out loud to her friendly voices, freaking out the office staff. It made us laugh, if that's ALL it would be.
When Kristine was seriously ill, she did not want her teeth touched. Her teeth have since deteriorated from lack of care; if not, from the drugs that dissolve in her mouth. Although she had dental insurance a few years ago, I canceled it when she would not go.
Now that her Clozapine is kicking in and she is more aware of her appearance and health, she wants her teeth repaired. I renewed her dental plan within a few days and surprisingly, the same plan was $42 less than it was a few years ago.
Go Figure. Unfortunately, she will have to have veneer and cavity work. Fortunately, I found a dentist that does work on Saturdays, so it will not interfere with her school week.
On her second visit, my husband decides he would go with her since it's on a Saturday. The dentist tells him it will be a 2 hour wait; so he leaves looking for a Starbucks. I figured since I did all the prep work: giving the dentist her list of medications and her psychiatrist's name on the first visit, it should be a piece of cake for my husband.
Upon getting the call from my husband, the first thing my youngest daughter and I think: why was he looking for a Starbucks. The point of going with her to the dentist was to be with her; as if he would find a Starbucks in the barrios of the out skirts of the suburbs.
Although, the dentist was approved by Kristine's insurance with excellent reviews and it was conveniently located on her way to school just off the freeway, I did not know it looked like a truck stop. The office was very clean and so was the bathroom. I checked. I just hope the teeth come out O.K.
Twenty minutes into his Starbucks search, Kristine lost blood pressure. Later, Kristine laughed when she told us that her eyes were rolling back in her head and she felt dizzy. She said that she kept telling the dental staff that she felt she was "dying." They panicked and douched her with water, wetting her shirt. By the time my husband got there, they had a blood pressure gauge on her arm while holding her hands.
The dentist had used "Epinephrine which is added to dental anesthetics to increase their effectiveness. It works by shutting down the small blood vessels (which keeps the freezing in your gums longer). Anesthetics without it wear off much faster and you may feel pain before the procedure is done."
I also had fainted in the dentist chair a few months back. The latest dental anesthesia that my dentist used on me that was different from before was epinephrine which caused me to pass out for a few minutes. My dentist freaked out and would not touch me for half an hour.
THEN she tells me that other patients have told her that they feel a slight surge in their heart rate when she gives them that extra drug.
Well. Duh! Is there a clue here?
Maybe the dentist just thinks it's a roller coaster ride for the patient; until they pass out in their chair. What kind of cat and mice game is That?
I told my husband to tell the dentist not to use epinephrine on Kristine because of the experience I had from it. This same article above stated that it's crucial for dentists to be aware of pre-existing medical conditions such as"anyone who is prone to psychosis," which could easily be a euphemism for "anyone who has high anxiety caused by past negative dental experiences. I found out later that the receptionist never gave the medication information to the dentist because they did not look at the paper work I handed them; but they quickly took the information over the phone this time. I blame myself for not handing it to the doctor myself; I should know by now everything has to be spoon fed.
So while my husband is out of town, I will be going with Kristine next Saturday for another "shot" at it. Stay Tuned....
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A Dark Comedy masquerading as a Charity.
Image via WikipediaLast night was an event that I could not help but laugh at, in slight dismay, because of the caricatures of dignitaries and actors who came out on display. There were no less than 4 congressmen, a former governor, an ambassador, some actors and a movie director that I never heard of; except for the governor and one congresswoman.
It was an American middle eastern charity event to raise money for the recent flood victims of which 1600 died and over 20 million dislocated. Tables were going for $25,000. My husband's company does business in that country and he was asked to speak. The businessman and organizer is a down to earth, good heart-ed man that my husband knows well. I am sure he started the ball rolling on this charity but
it definitely is the making of a Dark comedy.
Action! Roll 'm
My husband is on the speaker's list, but the person who put the list together probably never heard of my husband's company so they gave him the title of his boss from the parent company. A television reporter is doing interviews for a news station and my husband runs around hunting down reporters and announcers to make sure they do not address him, as the boss of the entire company.
Maybe it's a cultural thing to exaggerate.
The first thing that strikes me as extravagant is all the food. Ramadan brings all the very hungry Muslims to the evening appetizer table before we enter the dining room.
It is two buffet lines of fried vegetables and meats for a full meal, but this is only the appetizer. When we enter the dining room there are 10 medium bowls of different spicy vegetables and a large basket of flavorful breads. I am thinking this is a dinner with tapas style proportions; but the servers do not stop here. They continue to bring out more plates of food and desserts as the guests drop open their mouths in view of the astonishing amount of food streaming through and to all the tables. We know we cannot eat another bite, it appears; however, the eyes are bigger than the stomach; or so it appears before we finish our meal.
This is a Charity for starving people?
A very young middle eastern actress is asked to present the 10 or more speakers for the evening; but before her entrance, someone of her B rated importance also needs an introduction. Who would be more fitting to introduce a relatively unknown middle eastern actress than an Anglo-Saxon woman. Upon taking the podium, the actress states loudly to the mostly middle eastern crowd that her presenter " obviously doesn't know my name." For that matter, neither do we, being, also Anglo-Saxon.
She directs our attention to a screen that starts out with a one minute plea from our favorite voluptuous, tantalizing pink lips ( not those lips) crusader, Angelina Jolie. As if, a film of drowning and dead children in flood waters isn't attention-getting enough.
After our slightly one minute, opening teaser from Jolie, the two large screens flash slides of incredible devastation of the flood waters and the human desire to survive through all the mud and debris. People are hanging onto their children, pulling them out of the water while dead bodies go floating by.
Should we stop eating?
No. It's not as if they are in the room with us.
The actress's voice changes from a normal even-tone; and probably wanting to demonstrate her acting talents, she resounds the theme of the evening, with her middle eastern accented, high, off- pitch sounds of a dying cat. From empathizing with the plight of the hungry children; she went straight into an exuberant, giggling, promotional for her upcoming film in October. Look for it in cinemas near you.
You can tell it's an election year because every district congressman is on hand to talk about everything but the starving children. Congresswoman Maxine Waters
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-maxine-waters-denies-house-ethics-charges-complicated/story?id=11443279 who is under investigation, spends 30 minutes reading off the entire list of speakers and thanking everyone for coming. Clearly she thinks this charity is for her Legal Defense Fund. Her comic grandstanding brings a burst of laughter from our table from which she directs her attention to say,
" I know you are laughing at me....and not listening to anything I am saying...."
which brings more laughter because we are listening to what she is saying and still waiting for her to mention the flood victims; as she continues on thanking the sheriff, the congressmen and the list goes on....
The auctioneers are trying to impress the "little people" to give more money.....
...."What's wrong with you people? Why don't you want to buy a ride in a Roll Royce to any restaurant you want ? Just bid $3,000. It's going to feed starving people. The little children who are dying. This ride would cost at least $2,000. No! $5,000!!! Why isn't anyone from that side of the room bidding?
Being in California, I want to ask if that ride includes driving to New York City since he said any restaurant.
...."I can see that some of you women are wearing Gucci shoes and I know your husbands can afford to give more money. You men should donate money equal to what your wives are wearing on their feet.
I look down at my $35 Stein Mart shoes from which the shoes next to mine, I am told only cost $10.
"Wow! What a deal! Where did you buy those?"
As the evening wears on, the auctioneers yell out for more money to feed the poor and hungry children in a far away country that is being washed away. I see their little hands reaching out through the
large projection screens to the table of uneaten food lying before me.
"May I have a doggie bag, please?"
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
THE Mosque: Another Absurd War
I wasn't going to say anything about this topic until I better understood how I felt about it. I did not want to get into the middle of 2 opposing sides of hatred that leads nowhere.
THE Mosque: Another Absurd War
The problem is complicated; the solution is simple, in terms of solutions and problems:
If you are not part of the solution; you are part of the problem ....... or so I have been told.
What is religion without man? Nothing
What is religion to a man? It should be guidance
What is man without a religion? Existing
What is man with a religion? A problem
Leave the religious mosque and take out the man and the problem is solved.
I believe a Muslim religious place of worship is harmless, until a man with unknown intent comes into play. A Mosque which stands alone would have no problem being near ground zero.
All religions have had violence in the name of God. It is the 'intent of man' in the name of religion or God, that creates the violence.
I don't think this disagreement should be about whether a mosque should be built. It should focus on the man building it; not the religion.
At this point, I don't trust the man behind the mosque at this location.
If there is to be peace: a rabbi, a priest, and a monk should build the mosque near ground zero with the 'intent' for religious inclusion.
And if not, let the mosque be built with 'malicious intent' and let God strike it down; after all,
it's in His Name.
THE Mosque: Another Absurd War
The problem is complicated; the solution is simple, in terms of solutions and problems:
If you are not part of the solution; you are part of the problem ....... or so I have been told.
What is religion without man? Nothing
What is religion to a man? It should be guidance
What is man without a religion? Existing
What is man with a religion? A problem
Leave the religious mosque and take out the man and the problem is solved.
I believe a Muslim religious place of worship is harmless, until a man with unknown intent comes into play. A Mosque which stands alone would have no problem being near ground zero.
All religions have had violence in the name of God. It is the 'intent of man' in the name of religion or God, that creates the violence.
I don't think this disagreement should be about whether a mosque should be built. It should focus on the man building it; not the religion.
At this point, I don't trust the man behind the mosque at this location.
If there is to be peace: a rabbi, a priest, and a monk should build the mosque near ground zero with the 'intent' for religious inclusion.
And if not, let the mosque be built with 'malicious intent' and let God strike it down; after all,
it's in His Name.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
What's in a Paradox?
Image via WikipediaThis subject was so hard to put into words because I made it more complicated than it should be and hope you can connect the dots.
Have you ever wondered why some religious pundits wear tons of makeup, flashy jewelry and clothing while professing to know God? Tammy Faye Baker had those spidery thick black lashes full of mascara. You would think a person who professes to know God would not have to masquerade.
Have you ever wondered why some religious pundits wear tons of makeup, flashy jewelry and clothing while professing to know God? Tammy Faye Baker had those spidery thick black lashes full of mascara. You would think a person who professes to know God would not have to masquerade.
I think God sets in motion our self-contradicting statements and actions that are perplexing to us when they become self evident; just to make a point. The more we say we know; the less we do know. The more left we lean; the more right we become. It becomes a subconscious battle of the mind.
When I dress up, I have that feeling of masquerading. I believe that God forces me to see what's in my soul during this time and it's through my own contradictions of actions and thoughts that I have a sense of God.
I am sure when religious pundits dress up for their audience; they must be aware of that contradiction of looking like a peacock as they proclaim to know what God wants.
I am sure when religious pundits dress up for their audience; they must be aware of that contradiction of looking like a peacock as they proclaim to know what God wants.
Tammy preached about a loving God, but when she was very ill with cancer, she said she was afraid to meet her Maker. What? That loving God she preached about for decades.
When I am contradicting myself, I am aware of an invisible force. Contradiction makes me aware that He is watching me because I certainly would not contradict myself by choice. I feel manipulated by outside forces beyond my control at this point. I am forced to come full circle to see both sides of a thought or action. It makes me laugh sometimes because I imagine that God is having fun by turning the tables on me; as if, we are playing a game because no one dies.
Everything I say about God is true for me; and contrary to this: God is based on my faith.
Being aware of this contradiction makes me believe there is a God somewhere because I would never allow myself to be this screwed up.
Maybe, it was Tammy's proof too; but she couldn't give up the masquerade; and maybe, she couldn't give up the fear that comes with it.
Maybe, it was Tammy's proof too; but she couldn't give up the masquerade; and maybe, she couldn't give up the fear that comes with it.
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