After a year, outside care
Mar. 9th, 2021 08:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soniaI had a dentist appointment last week, for the first time in a year. Which is normal for me - I usually get a cleaning and exam once a year in February. A couple of months ago I scheduled for May, but then I got vaccinated way sooner than I expected, so I called and surprise! they had an appointment the next day.
During the call, I asked if everyone in the office was vaccinated, and the receptionist said yes, the dentist and hygienists were, but she wasn't. "Oh, I'm sorry!" I said. "Oh it's fine, it's personal choice," she said brightly. I was silent for a while, and then said, "Wow, I'm surprised to hear that when you serve the public." She was silent for a while in turn, and then went back to scheduling my appointment. If I hadn't already had such a hard time finding even a passable dentist here, I wouldn't continue with that office. Whut. When I got there, I checked in and then waited outside. Which works out because of fragrances anyway.
It was easily the best dental cleaning experience I've had since I left the Bay Area 16 years ago. My hygienist was kind, gentle, thorough, and as a bonus understood about being chemically sensitive because she is too. I've been to that office before, but hadn't seen her. I asked her to note on the chart that I want to keep seeing her!
I thought it would feel awkward to be unmasked and so close to another human, but aside from swishing hydrogen peroxide for a full minute at the beginning, and making sure I was cleared to take my mask off, it felt pretty normal. Except for the part about feeling cared for. That's unusual for me in a dentist's office, and unusual in the past year for sure. I thanked her profusely.
She sounded surprised that I only come in once a year, but once she started working on my teeth she said they looked pretty good and I must floss a lot. I said I was doing my best at self-care.
I had a massage this morning, for the first time in a year. Which is not normal for me at all. I used to go regularly every two weeks, or at least once a month. We both wore masks, and we're both vaccinated.
I thought I might get all emotional, but my massage therapist was grounded and calm, and I felt that way too. I've gone to her for years, so I asked if she had a sense of how I was doing in comparison to a year ago. She said it shows that I've worked on being embodied, and my body is moving well.
I've been dancing alone in my living room four times a week with various zoom dance groups, and I treat it as moving meditation, staying conscious of my alignment and my contact with the floor. Same thing with yoga. Same thing with singing, trying to relax my mouth and jaw and get more connected with the moving parts to sing better.
After a year of doing my best at self-connection and self-care, it's good to hear it reflected back that not only was it good enough, it was actually good. It's like getting a reference point after floating off in space for a long time.
I think she helped me with the restrictions I've had around my ribs and lungs since (probable) Covid last March. I hope she helped with the nighttime nerve pain I've had down my leg. The pain isn't as bad if the cat doesn't sleep on my hip, but he's pretty insistent about that. Right now my back is sore from being moved in unaccustomed ways, and I hope it will keep moving and get used to it.
It's good to have outside care in addition to doing my best from the inside.
During the call, I asked if everyone in the office was vaccinated, and the receptionist said yes, the dentist and hygienists were, but she wasn't. "Oh, I'm sorry!" I said. "Oh it's fine, it's personal choice," she said brightly. I was silent for a while, and then said, "Wow, I'm surprised to hear that when you serve the public." She was silent for a while in turn, and then went back to scheduling my appointment. If I hadn't already had such a hard time finding even a passable dentist here, I wouldn't continue with that office. Whut. When I got there, I checked in and then waited outside. Which works out because of fragrances anyway.
It was easily the best dental cleaning experience I've had since I left the Bay Area 16 years ago. My hygienist was kind, gentle, thorough, and as a bonus understood about being chemically sensitive because she is too. I've been to that office before, but hadn't seen her. I asked her to note on the chart that I want to keep seeing her!
I thought it would feel awkward to be unmasked and so close to another human, but aside from swishing hydrogen peroxide for a full minute at the beginning, and making sure I was cleared to take my mask off, it felt pretty normal. Except for the part about feeling cared for. That's unusual for me in a dentist's office, and unusual in the past year for sure. I thanked her profusely.
She sounded surprised that I only come in once a year, but once she started working on my teeth she said they looked pretty good and I must floss a lot. I said I was doing my best at self-care.
I had a massage this morning, for the first time in a year. Which is not normal for me at all. I used to go regularly every two weeks, or at least once a month. We both wore masks, and we're both vaccinated.
I thought I might get all emotional, but my massage therapist was grounded and calm, and I felt that way too. I've gone to her for years, so I asked if she had a sense of how I was doing in comparison to a year ago. She said it shows that I've worked on being embodied, and my body is moving well.
I've been dancing alone in my living room four times a week with various zoom dance groups, and I treat it as moving meditation, staying conscious of my alignment and my contact with the floor. Same thing with yoga. Same thing with singing, trying to relax my mouth and jaw and get more connected with the moving parts to sing better.
After a year of doing my best at self-connection and self-care, it's good to hear it reflected back that not only was it good enough, it was actually good. It's like getting a reference point after floating off in space for a long time.
I think she helped me with the restrictions I've had around my ribs and lungs since (probable) Covid last March. I hope she helped with the nighttime nerve pain I've had down my leg. The pain isn't as bad if the cat doesn't sleep on my hip, but he's pretty insistent about that. Right now my back is sore from being moved in unaccustomed ways, and I hope it will keep moving and get used to it.
It's good to have outside care in addition to doing my best from the inside.
