The Toothache Diary Chapter 11

TOOTHACHE DIARY
CHAPTER 11



“Alright, Regina. I’m going to need you to open your mouth as wide as you can. I want to get a really good look.”
I was hesitant. I don’t like people getting to close to me, and I definitely don’t let them get a “good look” at me mouth. Like I said before, I don’t smile. On those rare occasions when I do, I keep my lips pressed together. When I laugh in front of people, I keep my head down or I cover my mouth.
To be honest, strangers or people whom I just met never say anything. But I know what they’re thinking. “I wonder what happened to her teeth?’ or, “Did she get into a fight and loose?”
They think it, but they don’t dare say it. It’s family and friends that always have something to say. “Regina, you use to have such a pretty smile, what happened?”
“Have you thought about getting dentures?”
They don’t just think it, they say it. Right to my face. So embarrassing.

“Ok, say ahhhh…”
Fine. Let’s get this over with. I open my mouth and close my eyes. I would rather not see his reaction.
“Oh…my…wow. Um...ok. Looks as if you have multiple cavities. Um….this is pretty bad.”
He put his mini flashlight back in his coat pocket and I closed my ugly mouth. I kept my eyes closed and my head down. I could feel him watching me. Judging me. Asshole.
“I would like to take so x-rays if you wouldn’t mind.”
I just shrugged my shoulders. About ten minutes later, I was sitting in a dark room with the doctor and the x-ray tech.
“Regina, I’m going to need you to be as still as you can, ok. This shouldn’t take long.”
I just shrugged my shoulders again.
They took x-rays of the front of my mouth and both sides of my mouth. When the x-ray tech was done, he gave the “pics” to the doctor and left the room. The doctor looked through each x-ray two or three times each. While looking at them, he was also looking at me. Judging me. Asshole. When he was done gawking, he put the x-rays into a envelope.
“Ok Regina, we’re all done here. I’m going to have the nurse take you back to your room so you can get some rest. I’m going back to the waiting room to talk with your family.”
“When can I go home?”
“When I’m positive your system is cleaned out. And I want to check out your stitches one more time.”
“Stitches? What stitches?”
“On the right side of your head. You had a laceration when you came into the ER. When you collapsed at home, you must’ve hit your head. Thus, the stitches.”
I reached up and touched the right side of my head. I could feel the 1 ½ inch scar. Something else was different too. My hair was missing. Just on that one side.
“Where the fuck is my hair?!”
“We had to shave some of your hair so we could treat the wound properly. I’m sure it’ll grow back.”
I just glared at him. Asshole. Just then, the nurse came in with a wheelchair. She motioned for me to sit down. I did and she began to roll me back to my room. I looked back behind my shoulder and saw the doctor heading in the opposite direction with the x-rays in his hand. I suppose he was going to have a chit chat with Sissy and Miss Thang. I suppose he was going to show them the x-rays. I suppose he was going to give them a big speech on good dental hygiene and what could happen if you don’t use it. I suppose he’s going to ask them if I ever been to the dentist. Asshole…..