It's not me...it's you.

No...really.

Surprisingly enough, I am not referring to relationships, but patients that come in for a cleaning. I have been working for about 6? weeks now and the people I have met have been wonderful. I have met a couple who helped guide the 450 mile Colorado Trail for years, a guy who trains lions and hyenas at the Denver Zoo, and so many sweet people of every age. For some reason it never registered to me that I would deal with people that were completely impersonal. Every week I have maybe one patient who just isn't very personable. I have come to realize that it really has nothing to do with me, they are just completely difficult, mean and impersonal. Sorry if that sounds mean. It's one of those situations where I seat the patient and ask them questions. Don't most people like to talk about themselves? Instead of a warm response, which is what I usually get, it's monosyllabic 'yes' or 'no' or 'hm.' LAME.

We had a phone call this week from a patient whose teeth I had cleaned an entire month prior. Apparently she went to a new dentist and he said she’d only had a few teeth cleaned. Seriously? This patient complained to our front desk girl and demanded to talk to Dr. Ashby. I immediatly was worried of course, and looked up this lady. When I read my notes I remembered her as the grumpiest, nastiest, least friendly lady I’d met in my life. She refused x-rays, wouldn't agree to proper treatment, and yelled at our assistant when she accidentally knocked her cane over. Dr. Ashby told me that there is no way anyone can look in a mouth a month later and say that three teeth only had been cleaned. CRAZY. LADY. I talked to my friend Kris and he said some people are just going to be that way, and it has nothing to do with you. His old boss, a dentist, used to say that that you can have 1000 happy patients, but it’s the one that is nasty or unhappy or critical towards your work that you will remember when you go to bed at night. So true.

I am so lucky to have so many patients who reciprocate warmth and kindness and who are the reason why I chose to become a hygienist. I think I definitely can agree with "It's not me...it's you" and that makes me feel much better.

I love my dad!

My dad is one of those people who everyone likes. He makes potential suitors nervous with his deep baritone voice and yet always has a way to make friends laugh. If I ever need advice or just someone to bounce ideas off of, he is the person I go to. I have been blessed to have both of my parents in my life, but to have such a caring, softie of a father is extra special as far as father's go. I cannot wait to someday (please?) be married and have my father be there. A father fills such a large part of a daughter's heart, a part that nobody else can fill.

Two Friday's ago my family had quite a scare. My sister called me to let me know she was worried about how my dad was sounding on the phone. I called him and he was really out of it. He said he didn't feel well. I asked him some easy questions, but he struggled to think and couldn't retrieve information that was simple. For those who know my dad he is a walking Jeopardy game, Smithsonian magazine and calculator all rolled into one. So when he couldn't answer very coherently, my first thought was that something was affecting his brain.

My mom was at work until late and she wasn't answering her phone, so I called the cops to check on him at my friend Kris' suggestion. It was all out of my hands from there. The cops got a ward member over to take my dad to the insta-care, then the hospital. The CT scan showed something abnormal in his brain. So Friday night they sent my parents on life flight to SLC where they had neurosurgeons. My dad was in the hospital for a little over one week. After a few differential diagnoses, a couple MRI's and treatment, it was decided that he'd had a hemorrhagic stroke. It was on the left side, which is mainly cognition and speech. He will have to do months of therapy in order to get everything back up to speed. It has been really scary and I've never thought I might lose my dad or anyone that close to me before. I had a massive headache all Saturday from crying but I was so lucky to be with Dana and other supportive friends through this. I have faith that things are going to be okay.

I talked to my dad for the first time on Saturday after all of this, almost a week since I knew something was really wrong and called the police. When I heard my dad’s voice it was all I could do to keep from crying. I choked out a hello and asked him how he was doing. He sounded perfectly normal and told me he was doing just fine, not to worry. (Leave it to my dad to go through this and say everything was great.) He said just a few memory things need to get back to normal. It was so nice to talk to him and let him know how scared I was for him when I called last Friday. He wanted to hear about me, how work was going and I told him about getting an extra day of hygiene work and getting my own place. My dad eventually told me he was feeling pretty pooped, but said “I am so proud of you girl” and told me he loved me. I could barely get the words out back to him because I was so emotional. Talking to my dad was unbelievably comforting. I love him so much and I am so lucky that I got to keep him. :)

One of the best things that will most likely come of this is a move for my parents up to Bountiful area. It will be wonderful for them to be closer to family. And even more wonderful for when I get to come out and visit, because I will get to see EVERYONE I love so much all at once! I know that the Lord has kept His hand in these things. I know that the Lord influenced my sister to call dad when she did because he'd been fine just a couple hours earlier. I know that my dental hygiene education prepared me well to see the symptoms for something serious and act on it. I am constantly grateful for the blessings that the Lord will give us if we just ask.

Today's happy thought...

I had a late 60s patient in today, a retired CPA who was SO nice. After his appointment and scheduling his next visit he said "you know...you are like a breath of sunshine." He may have gotten his expressions about air and sunshine mixed up, but it still made me feel awesome. :)

Whats the 411?

15 best things that have happened in the last three weeks. In no particular order.

15.Thunder and lightning storms. I don't even care that my plans are rained out here if I get to experience these kind of storms! The thunder is SO loud and intense here and the rain actually pours. I just sit and watch them. No more Utah-sprinkler-make-your-car-dirtier pansy storms for me!
14.World Cup games!!!
13.Body Worlds in Denver with new friends.
12.Realizing that I have my first unmarried girl friend in Colorado. Lindsay is fun and a perfect wing-woman who can hold her own. I am so happy to have met her!
11.Getting surprise phone calls from friends I miss, namely Veda, Melissa, Nater, Danielle.
10.Last minute late night movie theatre trip with Dana and Marina, the cute 17 year old that is living with us for a bit. Eating too much candy and laughing and giggling like WE were 17 too.
9.Being told by Marina that I am gorgeous. And smart. And talented. Who would have thought it would mean more coming from her?
8.Working!!! I cannot express how much I love being at Ashby Dental. I couldn't feel more at home there and I love everyone I work with. It is incredible how easy working seems after how hard school was!
7.Getting paid.
6.YSA conference. I had never been to one before and me and a couple friends went. It was great to be uplifted on a Saturday! ;)
5.Realizing that I CAN deal with diaper disasters and kid messes and throw up. And that means getting thrown up ON. I am invincible!
4.Four wheeling and hiking up at Devil's Head.
3.Buffalo Wild Wings night watching the Celtics and Lakers, topped off with the hot tub. Oh, and actually EATING buffalo wings and not getting grossed out by the skin.
2.Answering tons of questions about the church for my coworker Gina. It's only a matter of time before I talk to her about the Book of Mormon and I can't wait.
1.Becoming best friends with Kris, my LDS dental school buddy. We are practically inseparable now, and despite his studying for boards, still see each other constantly. Did I mention he is extremely handsome and very eligible? Maybe this one IS in the correct order at number one.


As a HUGE part of what I am doing is being a hygienist, I just wanted to share some awesome patient moments that made me feel so good. :)

Patient #1: Deep cleaning patient. In pain. Give first few injections and I ask if he is doing okay. Patient says, in awe, that he has never had such painless injections and that I am amazing. After the cleaning he says that I was so great, and even tells the front desk girls later what a great hygienist I am. Spread the word please!
Patient #2: Four year old girl comes in for her first appt ever. GRINS the entire time. I loved it. Got to visit with Mom the whole time and turns out she hasn't been in for 2 years and needs deep cleaning. When we go to the front desk, Mom specifically asks to be scheduled with me. :)
Patient #3: My very up front, blunt patient. First refused xrays, asks for the TV off cuz its not his thing, and seems easily put off. I ask him about himself and we have an awesome conversation about things to do in Denver. He is super excited to give me ideas. I teach him brushing techniques and he tells me how appreciative he is to know these things. He also says that he feels comfortable telling me he only brushes once a day because I am his friend. Aw. Expresses how knowledgeable I am. After he leaves, Gina at the front desk tells me he said he LOVED me. YES!
Generic patient #infinity: This one is the one that expects Joan, the retiring RDH and when they see me, they are kind of put off. I kill them with kindness and they turn from grouchy to happy by the time they leave. So far I've turned them all into team Erin fans! :)

So yes, every new RDH out there is terrified that patients won't like her, that she won't be as gentle as she needs to be, that she will leave school and turn into a total spaz, etc, etc. Receiving confirmation that things are going well is the best thing I could ever ask for. Specifically...Megan, THIS is why I am having a great week.

If you LIKE cats, don't read. :) Otherwise, proceed.

Seriously. Please don't get offended if you like cats and read this. I warned you. Those who know me, I have an STRONG aversion to them, so this made my day.

http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html

And P.S. I don't know this dude or condone anything else he may write. He is apparently very colorful. :)