Being a model patient is a matter of trust
Have you ever had to remain perfectly still for a long period of time? When I think of being still, sitting in church or going for an MRI come to mind. We are born fidgeters and it’s not always easy to remain still, unless you’re meditating.
Several years ago, I had to go to a specialist for a root canal two months after giving birth to my son. Up to that time, I hadn’t had a moment’s peace nor quiet — the stuff I constantly crave. For my root canal, I had two very long appointments and all I had to do was lie back in the chair while the dentist drilled away.
Amid the noise of the drill and the drool-removing machine, my mind was a million miles away. I was singing in my head and the time passed quickly. I didn’t realize at the time that being able to do this is an art and a practice. The dentist even commented on how perfectly still I remained throughout the procedure. I told him I was grateful for the first two hours of peace I’d had since my baby was born.
Fast forward to last month. My babies are all grown-up and I was at the dentist for another long appointment. They were replacing two 40-yearold crowns and a bridge that had started to deteriorate.
This time, the appointment was two and a half hours.
The dentist and his assistant worked hard for all that time, occasionally taking a moment’s break to stretch and straighten up. All I had to do was lie back in the chair. For my terrific efforts to keep still, I received a trio of compliments.
As I got up from the chair and wiggled a little, he said, “You’re a model patient. You didn’t drool, you kept your tongue out of the way and you kept your mouth open just right.”
I told him it was easy for me to fall into a submissive role that I would have resisted in any other situation. The difference
is trust. I trusted the dentist and that he was working for my good. Even if my mouth was sore for the next two days, I trusted him.
That appointment got me to thinking about health professionals who work on us, whether it be for a medical emergency, a dental procedure or anything that takes their utmost concentration for a long period of time.
I thought of brain surgeons, eye surgeons and the surgeon
who put my crushed elbow back together after I did a number on it a few months ago. One slip of the knife or one second of distraction would have had disastrous results.
Sometimes, we complain about how long a procedure took or the pain we experienced afterwards, but we don’t usually think of the discomfort our health professionals endure to make us whole again. They are the champions.
Let’s give a shout out to all the health professionals we trust to take good care of us, especially when we’re not able to be model patients. They’re doing a great job.
A native of Newfoundland, Christine Faour lives in Coldbrook, N.S., with Dave and their cat, Bashu. After a lifetime spent teaching and raising a family, she has retired. She has a book, Eat Where You Are: A Memoir in Recipes, and a blog at www.anourishedlife.ca.