how i almost drowned at the dentist :/

I'm not going to name any names. Maybe I should, to protect readers from possibly going to the same dentist... If you are looking for a dentist, ask me which one not to choose, and I will let you know!

That being said, today Brian and I had an interesting experience.

Feeling spiffy with new insurance from my new job, Brian and I thought it was about time we made a trip to the dentist. We had been having some teeth sensitivity and we wanted to get it figured out before it got worse. Well, I called around to a bunch of different dentists trying to find the best deal. We pay a percentage, not a flat co-pay, so we still wanted one that was cheap so we wouldn't break the bank.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

I found a really great deal. I'll admit it - it sounded almost too good. But, because they gave the good deal as a "BYU discount", I figured it was ok.

So, Brian and I show up for our 11:30 appointment at 11:15 (be proud, mom - you've always told me to go early to appointments). Now, I am not overly picky about how my dentist or doctor offices look, but this was something else! Brian and I politely tried to ignore the excessive cat and fish decorations, brown walls, heavy curtains from the 60's, carpet probably that old too, and... dental equipment that was probably older than both of us combined. Yikes. We were willing to let it slide and see how the dentist was (after all, decorations really don't matter that much).

I was brought back to a dark room full of filing boxes (the receptionist informed me that they were busy going through all their old patient files), sat on a really old yellow dental chair, and asked if I was pregnant. I said no and the dentist came in to do some x-rays. He was a really nice man. I don't have anything against old people, but he was really old. Maybe I can blame some of what happened later on his age. Poor guy.

So, he starts doing the x-rays and the machine keeps drifting. I don't even know how to explain it... Look at this picture, and maybe that will help.

Anyway, he was trying to take the x-ray but the joint wasn't tight enough so the little nozzle part that is supposed to be next to my jaw kept drifting down towards my chin. He eventually got a shot on both sides.

Now, maybe I've just been to some high-tech dentists, but as far as I know, almost everything is computerized nowadays. Not at this office. Our x-rays came out on tiny little films where you could barely see the teeth, let alone if there were any cavities! He said our teeth looked fine. We told them we had some sensitivity and he didn't care :/.

Now for the good part.

I walk into the next room where I am to have my cleaning and stuff. The dentist is showing Brian a model of a human skull and telling him some things about it. Well, the hygienist muttered under her breath on the way out the door that it is a real skull. Gross. Even better, I guess it used to be an ashtray! Haha.

Brian stayed to observe while I got my cleaning and "exam." I have never been so grateful for those stylish little bibs they give you in my life! I only wish I had been offered a face mask and eye shields as well. Well, the hygienist is nowhere to be found and the dentist starts with the cleaning. He has this supersonic water-pic/teeth cleaner thing he whips out so he can get under my permanent retainer. He decides to use that tool for the rest of the cleaning as well. Here's where it gets tricky.

Very nonchalantly, the dentist says, "Let me know when you're about to drown and I'll let you spit." As he starts the process, I can tell it's going to get messy. Suddenly I'm getting wet all over. The tool he is using is making a mist and drenching my face, the hose connected to his tool has a leak and is dumping water down my neck, and then let's not forget the small detail that he is pumping water into my mouth and he isn't using a suction device to get it back out! I can't possibly swallow with his hands and this horrible device in my mouth and so the water is just dumping out of my mouth on  both sides. Ahhhh! Brian is just chuckling behind me and the dentist just doesn't care that I'm getting a bath/shower along with my teeth cleaning.

Next he pulls out that whirling swirling toothbrush and dives in with that. I was just grateful that I hadn't drowned yet and figured this couldn't be as bad. Well, it wasn't as bad, but it was still plenty messy because every time he took the whirling toothbrush out of my mouth, he kept it running so it was whirling and swirling, throwing toothpaste and saliva all over everything in sight! Brian was kind enough to help me get some out of my eyebrows after we got home. I wasn't there for Brian's cleaning, but he said he had a similar experience with the whirling toothbrush.

Did I mention I hate going to the dentist?

We did not set up any return appointments. When we gave the receptionist (who was also the hygienist) our insurance card, she looked up incredulously and said, "You guys have insurance?! But, you could go anywhere with that!" Clearly we weren't the only ones who thought we were crazy for choosing this dentist.

Have you ever had a bad dentistry experience?

my poor body

It's just been one of those weeks! It has been a great week, but difficult with some (literal) bumps and bruises along the way. I got to work Tuesday & Wednesday at the hospital (15 hrs each day) and loved it! My nurse had to go help another nurse for a few hours and I got to run the show on our two little babes - one was 3 pounds and the other was 1.5 pounds. TINY little guys that are just so cute! They smile, they have personalities, they have preferences and can be very demanding. I just love them! I am definitely going to apply for a job on that unit and then also on other NICU units at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and Timpanogos Regional Medical Center (both of which have good NICUs). As much as I love adults, I think I get more satisfaction out of helping the little ones. I actually look forward to going! I learn something new every day and absolutely love the nurse I usually work with. She is an inspiration!

So... rewind to Monday. Being dirt-poor newlyweds, Brian and I have taken up prostitution. Prostitution of our plasma that is ;). Yep, we are selling our plasma to get some extra money. It's a great deal, actually. For an hour of sitting there with a needle in your arm, you get $25-$30... and you can do it twice a week... so together we could make $110/week if we were diligent enough (and brave enough - those needles are freaking gigantic). So, that's how it's supposed to go - you go in, wait for your turn, have a short physical, get hooked up to a machine, and voila... they give you your cash as you walk out the door. Supposed to. It didn't work out that way for me on Monday.

Two arms, two ginormous needles, two technicians fishing around (in and out, swirling around, stabbing...) in my arms, two blowed veins, and some very nice bruises. It was not pleasant and they didn't get any plasma out of me. But, I still got my money and left with ice-packs and instructions to drink more water. I had to go to the store afterwards and wonder what people thought as I walked around with a giant ice-pack strapped to one elbow (they couldn't put the packs on both because I had to have some movement in an arm so I could drive home)!  Good times.

Now for mishap of the week #2. Yesterday.

On Thursdays Brian drops me off at school at 7:45 and then he goes home to get ready and rides his bike to be to class at 9. We get out at the same time and he lets me ride on his handlebars all the way home. It's super fun and we've never had problems before. 

Until yesterday.

We were on our street, took a turn, the bike couldn't handle the weight shift and the already loose handlebars twisted weird and... we were falling. You know that slow motion feeling? Definitely had it. In essence, I tried to jump off the front but Brian flew over the handlebars on top of me and my face had a nice date with the sidewalk. I turned it as far as I could and luckily only my left cheekbone made contact.  After some serious icing, a nap, and lots of ibuprofen, I felt much better.

Brian felt so bad. We both felt bad for not wearing helmets and already have plans to go buy some on Monday. But, I am doing better, no concussion, just a nice raspberry on the side of my face (and it doesn't look too bad!) My primary kids are going to think I'm so hard core haha.

ew

So, sometimes you just get weeks like that... when the accident proneness I have been suppressing for so long decides to come out of hiding. 

Moral of the story. Wear a helmet! Helmet hair is better than cement-induced raspberry face.

the untold stories of memory foam (disturbing content)

So... Brian and I were perusing Bed, Bath, and Beyond's selection of memory foam mattress toppers when we came across some rather interesting reviews. I'm not posting any of this to harp on memory foam pads - we are still planning on getting one, we just thought the reviews for some of them were hilarious! Very descriptive to say the least!


Enjoy :)

"I purchased this mattress topper as a display model, thinking that any smell it would have had should have dissipated. But no, I could not spend more than one night on this thing without the obnoxious smell overtaking me! It was terrible! And what's worse, it has been two weeks since I returned it and I STILL can't get the smell out of my bed (and it was only on my bed for one day). Immediately after removing the mattress topper, I tried scrubbing my bed with a hot water and Tide solution, I've blown fans on my bed all day and even tried flipping the bed over but STILL, that obnoxious smell remains. I'm so upset with this purchase, I think BB&B owes me a new bed! I just can't believe they can sell a mattress topper that will impregnate your bed with such an awful smell -- it really is bad (it smells kind of like those red rubber balls you played dodge ball with in school). And the worst thing about it is that even after you return it, YOUR BED WILL STILL STINK! I will NEVER buy a Therapedic Mattress Topper EVER AGAIN!!! (and I'll probably have to burn my bed...)" 

"My back is killing me, the indentations don't go away! This memory foam remembers my shape all too well, it does not recover." 

"I have no idea why this product is permitted on the market much less why BB&B chose to sell it in their stores."

"My husband and I were excited to get some real rest with this topper, but I woke up the next day with stiff legs, a sore back and a pain in my neck. I decided to give this topper a week in our home before returning it. I can't. I'm taking it back tomorrow. I tossed and turned all night, and at one point woke up from a dream that I'd taken the topper off of the mattress! It's stiff, and it does not form to my body like it should. (I'm a petite person). I would NOT recommend this."

So there you have it. Needless to say, Brian and I will not be purchasing any of those mattresses :)

The day I was told I had HIV

Well I guess it's about time that I updated my life! I know it's only been a couple of days, but a WHOLE LOT has happened! Looks like I need to back up to about last Tuesday when all of the craziness started... I woke up and felt a bit nauseous but I wasn't going to let that stop me during my last week in Guatemala! So, I continued as planned and got all ready to go to Brenna's mom's hotel to go swimming and read magazines (yes... we were going to have a lazy morning). Well, I kept getting more and more sick until I realized that there was going to be no way I would be walking home. So... Brenna's dear mother let me hang out in the hotel while they went out on the town and I stayed there and ralphed (sorry, but it is part of the story). I figured it was just food poisoning and had Eddy walk me home... and then it got worse! I won't go into details but let's just say that by the afternoon on Wednesday I was so weak I couldn't move. And then I got a phone call...

Magdiel: hello rachael... how are you feeling?
Me: ummmm.... lowsy.
Magdiel: Well, I'm coming over.
Me: ok, just to visit?
Magdiel: Not exactly. I'm bringing the ambulance.
Me: WHAT? No you're not.
Magdiel: Yes I am. We are on our way. See you soon!
Me: oooooboy. see you.

And thus started my adventure through the public healthcare system of Guatemala. They showed up in their ambulance van thing and took my vitals as I walked(ish) out to be taken to the hospital. I think I fell asleep on the way (don't they discourage that?). We went into the emergency room and they of course asked me a bunch of questions and then stuck me on a gurney... which was to become my home for the next 6 hours or so. To make a long story short, they figured out that I was reeeeally dehydrated and had something wrong in my tummy. They had me give a urine sample (in a glass baby food jar... no toilet paper or soap to wash hands with... hehe) and then stuck me with an IV. I'm still not positive what it was they put into me, but I think it was something like saline solution (except that it BURNED like CRAZY for the whole 2 hours it was going into my arm!). They also gave me stuff for the nausea so I would quit throwing everything up. I was pretty in and out for the next few hours. To check my hydration, the doctors would ask me to open my mouth so they could look at my tongue.

Ok, and then it gets worse... MUCH worse. Magdiel had come in to visit me for a bit (she's such a sweetheart for staying with me all day) and then the doctor came in and politely, but firmly asked her to leave. Uh oh. For anyone who has been in a hospital, you know that is a bad sign. And it was.

Doctor: Do you do drugs?
Me: no
Doctor: Have you had sex with multiple partners?
Me: no
Doctor: Have you been pricked by a dirty needle that wasn't yours?
Me: no
Doctor: Have you heard of HIV?
Me: YES. But... wha... umm.. wh.... WHY?
... ...

Doctor: We have your blood test results right here and your white blood cell counts are really really low... indicative of HIV....
Me: ... ... .. (starting to sweat and hyperventilate)
Doctor: Are you sure you haven't been stuck by a needle?
Me: well I thought I was sure! How bad are the counts?! (Being a nursing student, I wanted evidence!)

And they were really bad. If I remember right, one count was around 6 when the normal range was 17-48. Not good. I was terrified.

So, she told me that they were going to give me some antibiotics and send me home with prescriptions and orders to come back and get an HIV test the next day.

It was a loooooong night. It was a very interesting time for me. I went through the last few years in my head and couldn't think of a single incident where I could have really gotten HIV. I did work with HIV children at the beginning of my volunteer experience and I thought that maybe I had accidently and unknowingly touched some blood and it had gotten into a micro-cut on my finger or something. Sometimes freaky things happen. I had to think about alternate futures for myself. A MILLION thoughts went through my head... a few examples:

"Can I even be a nurse anymore?"
"How am I ever going to have a family?"
"I guess I won't have to get old and wrinkly after all"
"I'm going to write a book and call it "Souvenirs I Brought Home from Guatemala"
"Maybe I'll just move to Africa and be a nurse there."
"Maybe I can find a cure!"
"Uggggggg. Que horror."

I surprisingly slept well (thanks to the nausea drugs!) and woke up with a ton of anxiety. Needless to say I wasn't feeling much better than the day before. I had called my parents and they were very supportive (although since coming home I found out that they too had been freaking out) and helped me feel a little better. I called a friend from church and he came and gave me a blessing. Then it was off to the hospital again.

They layed me on a bloody sheet and took more blood (even though they knew it was for HIV, she still didn't wear gloves! Crazy!). They told me I'd have the results by 10:30. Around 3:30 they had the results for me. It was the longest afternoon of my life. It is an interesting place to be in and I did a lot of talking with God. I am so grateful to say that I was able to find peace. I told Him that if that was what He wanted for me and my life I was going to do the best I could with it and help as many others as I could. As hard as it was, I decided that I would just have to be happy with whatever the results were and live the life that He had planned for me.

As you can probably guess, the results came back NEGATIVE. Even though I had thought of good futures with HIV, I am so grateful that I get to hold on to my current HIV-free planned future. I went home full of relief and full of gratitude (but still a little worried about my little white blood cells) and went to sleep. My white blood cell counts are now back up and I am feeling much better. I stayed in bed all the rest of Thursday and most of Friday and then Saturday morning I got on the airplane around 7am.... after the shuttle never came to pick me up and I had to get a taxi and barely got to the airport on time... but that is a whole different story.

I made it home.

HIV free.

Life is beautiful and I have a whole new appreciation for good health. I think this experience will make me a better nurse. More careful, that is for sure, but more compassionate as well. I know what it feels like to be on the other side of really bad news. Hopefully I can use a bit more tact than the doctor (bless her heart) :). Thank you for all your prayers. It's good to be home and with the family!

que horror!

Very interesting couple of days...

very very sick :/
ambulance ride to the public hospital
IV for a few hours...
interesting prognosis
waiting for the blood test results with a lot of anxiety

and finally... ... relief. Everything is ok.

More details next time but for now I am going to take a nap.