So… I was at the dentist yesterday for phase 2 of a root canal treatment and I lay in the chair and the dentist ran his finger around my gum and asked me – Does that hurt?
I blank stared at him and his face became quizzical as he said – Mrs Sealey… Can you feel any pain?
I told him – I don’t know, I’m not really sure… I need to think about it…
His face remained placidly calm but I spotted a flash of a flicker in his eyes that seemed to query – You don’t know? What sort of freak are you?
And indeed as I was lying in that chair for knocking on for 2 hours, I had time to mull it over… Yeah… I guess it was a strange response… But then again on further reflection… Maybe not so strange after all, as I’ve been having problems with this tooth on and off for over 25 years and recently found that the reason that it had never settled was because the original root canal had not extended to the base of the tooth… it was considerably shorter than it should have been and if you’ll excuse the pun… It hadn’t gotten to the root of the problem…
So, with my mouth full of clamps and dental barriers and a lip clip that turns you into a human stylophone… I pondered and I thought… yeah… when you have constant pain you start to not notice it… you tune it out and accept it as normal… you learn to live with it…
And I started to wonder… were there other things in life that I’d just gotten used to and accepted?
And yes… I guess there are…
Disappointment has been a common theme throughout my life… Countless times I have been promised things which have never been delivered… And from that I guess I developed a certain cynical streak and distrust and refusal to believe anything until the promise was delivered and in my hand…
And I further wondered and thought… mmmm this could be the makings of a good Tarot spread…
What pain have you become so accustomed to that you fail to notice?
What is at the root of the problem?
Do you need to remove this or can it be repaired?
How do you find relief?
How…
Jeez!!! The dentist hit the very bottom of my tooth and my eyes crossed involuntarily…
Oh… you can feel that?
A-ha…
How painful is that?
I raised my hand and made a so-so gesture as I pulled my breathing into check and my brain went into a little wheeeeeeee that’s interesting!!! whirly spiral…. Oh… That’s a new feeling!
And my dentist said – You don’t have to put up with pain. Raise your hand when you want to stop…
He’s very wise my dentist…
😉
The pure and blessed way 
Hahaha. Poor thing. My sympathies, Karen. My 19 year old was at the dentists’s for 2 fillings this morning and is grimacing as I read this to her. I am living with permanent pain. I think perhaps I’m too close to the problem, it’s gone on so long, and the Tarot may sometimes reflect wishful thinking when I look in it on my own account. I frequently draw the 5 Coins for it. And sometimes The Star, Strength or Temperance indicative of eventual recovery, but finding the physical bridging card for the best action to take is a challenge, I hope this morning’s do has sorted your tooth pain problem good and proper.
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Thanks muchly! 🙂 I love your Star/Strength/Temperance trio – that’s quite a power chord! I am remarkably pain free today which is interesting in itself as I’d forgotten what it was like… I do find it interesting how we adapt to and perceive pain… I wish both you and your daughter well 😉
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