rough day

Well after 8 hours of hard work in clinic, all I got was 3 quads of a class V and a WHOLE bunch of problems!!!!

For starters, LOOK at what pano cassette you have! And then DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, put the intensifying screen in the scan-x drum. Just don't. It WILL get stuck. And then you have to tell Mr. Salomon and he'll have to spend 1 hour fixing it, in which no one can take scan-x, including me on my patient. Who, by the way, came in at 9:30 on the spur of the moment and on the word of her husband because we "do such a good job, and are so thorough." Proved him wrong, didn't I?!?!! So after this wonderful experience, I poked, I mean probed, the heck out of her, and cleaned one tinsy quad. She is kind enough to come back next week and not only let me finish her cleaning, but still take a pano and 4 BWX. What a doll!!!

My afternoon patient was a sweetheart as well!! He had been in a terrible motor accident a few years ago and suffers from a brain injury. I got a lovely review on how to do an extensive health history. He was taking at least 20 medications and had a few other problems. And with all the paperwork we do, it was semi draining. Luckily, x-rays were a breeze, but after charting and attempting to probe, we realized it would be best to go a quad at a time with anesthetic. He had so much decay and attrition from grinding that it was just so sensitive.
Got nitrous all set up, and went to do a PSA- Prof. Perry said I was good, but for some reason the solution just would not flow out of the syringe. I removed it and Perry double checked, it was all put together right. So I am absolutely stumped and I am sure, somewhere, I did SOMETHING wrong!!! Moving on, the cleaning went smoothly. Because of the acidic state of his mouth, you can be pretty positive they won't have much calculus. Lot of plaque, but no calc. Applied some varnish to help with the sensitivity and maybe, cross your fingers, remineralize some of the less serious areas!!! But, in all seriousness and absolute sincerity, he was the nicest guy I've ever met. I don't think I'll ever have a patient I love as much as him. It was truly a tender experience.

Thanks to Sarah for cleaning up my room in the morning. She cleaned up MULTIPLE rooms! And special thanks to McCall for cleaning up my room in the afternoon when everyone else was having a sit and chat in the forgotten Pod.

 So I guess I didn't only get 3 quads today, I also passed off my nitrous PE and gave 2 injections. Still, it was a rough day, but I think I'll come back next week and try again.