Professional Ph.D. or Panicky Mom?

As much as I enjoy the teaching part of my job, I also enjoy the times that I get to be just Mom...or Mommy...depending on the circumstances.

This past week has been quite an overwhelming week of Momminess.

My firstborn set up a marathon 12 days of soccer camps...crossing several states in the process.  On top of the normal worries of sending your child off to camp, the heat index in the South this summer has been off the charts.  My firstborn decided to overheat on the first day of practice...8 hours away from me.  The Head of My Household thankfully had not left the state yet when he called to let me know.  After a medical check and taking it easy during the first night's practice, my firstborn was on the mend.  The Head of My Household stayed 2 nights just to make sure she (and me) were ok. 

While my firstborn was away, my middle child and I had a incredible weekend together...the youngest was at her Granny's, which gave my middle child and I much needed time...just the two of us.  We saw the newest Twilight movie and went couponing together as well as several meals out where we just sat and talked like old buddies.  I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel for my middle child and me.

In the midst of my middle child and I having a great weekend, my youngest decided that she wanted to come home from Granny's.  This was not normal behavior for her, but I just chalked it up as a normal part of childhood.  After reassurances from my mother-in-law the next day, I let my youngest stay an extra night.  I thought the Head of My Household would be joining her that night, but he unexpectedly had to stay the extra night with our firstborn.  It wasn't until late Sunday afternoon that my sister-in-law called to say that there had been a problem between her daughter and mine.  Of course, my daughter, the youngest of the two, was at fault and her child blameless and traumatized.  Aren't families fun??  They must be...or why would we keep them around? 

I then drove a bazillion miles again back across several states to pick up my firstborn.  I had a couple of nights of my chickens all back in the nest until we had to take our youngest for oral surgery this past Friday.  My youngest is 6...this was the first time I experienced her being wheeled away from me to go into surgery...the first of very few times I hope.  For an hour and a half, the pediatric dentist worked on my baby's teeth...I felt as if I had no sense left in my brain at all. 

The dentist called after an hour to let us know that he was not going to be able to save one particular tooth...

*******WARNING******** Graphic image ahead!

The little tooth in the upper left corner is a baby tooth that was already loose and fell out as the dentist/oral surgeon was working on my youngest's other teeth. 

The big hunk of bone next to it is the tooth that has been causing my baby such trouble for several months.  We visited 3 dentists for opinions on how to handle such dental issues with a 6 year old.  One of those dentists tried to fill my baby's tooth WITHOUT ANESTHESIA!!!!!!! 

Hence, her need to be put completely under before she would ever open her mouth again. 

I feel like sending that blankety blank dentist our hospital bill.

This tooth had so much decay that it was only anchored by 2 roots...the other 2 had disintegrated.

Please keep in mind that this horrible looking piece of bone and cartilage came from a 6 year old's mouth.

Please now also imagine the amount of discomfort my youngest has been dealing with while at the same time refusing to let anyone look in her mouth thanks to the scheister dentist who thought he'd cut a few corners. 

The tooth fairy left my baby a few extra prizes for this dude.

My youngest still hasn't been able to eat solid food...we tried spaghetti (her favorite) tonight, but her teeth are still too sore...so she's eating as much yogurt, pudding, mashed potatoes, etc. as her little tummy can hold.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike that dentist?

Being a mommy is the hardest job I've ever had.