A Trip to the Dentist

This morning, all three Mitchell ladies went to the dentist. I take the girls to a pediatric dentist. They love it there so much that Anna excitedly told her Sunday school teacher how pumped up she was about going. The Sunday school teacher asked me if Anna had ever actually been to the dentist before. I explained that she had, and that we hope she hangs on to such enthusiasm for dentist appointments!

Well, Anna checked out just fine. Healthy, shiny, pearly whites. Laura Kate on the other hand...that's another story. You know what? The kid can't catch a break. Oh well, what doesn't kill her will make her stronger, right? Oy. Anyway, she has three cavities. After the hygienist told me (and while I was picking my jaw up off of the floor), she explained that 3 of LK's molars hadn't developed properly. There were spots where the enamel was really thin and it caused cavities. She said they are very tiny and weren't caused by poor dental hygiene, which of course made me feel better. So, next Tuesday we go back to have them filled. They are going to gas her (which sounds terrible) to ensure that she's relaxed. While they are in there, they are going to clean her teeth again. The hygienist said that LK was as still as a three year old could be, but since they're going to gas her (still sounds terrible) and she'll be really relaxed, the hygienist is going to clean a little more thoroughly. I don't know about you, but the idea of nitrous oxide for a little bitty one makes me nervous. Oh well.

Tomorrow we head to Temple to see Dr. Pohl (GI doc). Thursday we're back to Temple to see Dr. Hogg (kidney doc). Laura Kate really likes Dr. Pohl. However, she and Dr. Hogg have a rocky history. Now, I'm going to preface this all with my observation of Dr. Hogg: he is a very kind gentleman, probably in his sixties, with white hair and a British accent. I found him pleasant and not intimidating in the least. Now, the two times he visited Laura Kate in the hospital she was none too happy. The first visit she yelled to him "Leave me alone!" Mind you he was sitting on the other side of the room and had not yet made a move to examine her. If you know Laura Kate at all, you know that is out of character for her. The second visit, she did what we called "The Popeye." She pretended she was asleep and would occasionally pop open the eye closest to the bed to have a peek at what was going on. Of course, she was convinced she had everyone fooled. Then there was one day when we met him out in the hall as he was on his way to see another patient. She hid behind me when he addressed her. Now that you know that history between Laura Kate and Dr. Hogg, you know that Thursday ought to be quite interesting.

If she comes to your mind in the next couple of days, pray for our little trooper. She's got a few more hurdles to jump in the next week. And pray for Anna as well; that she doesn't feel lost in the shuffle and that we don't make her feel that way. My kids are so cool. They are so tough. I feel honored to be there mom :)