Talking post-op

[Guest guest]

So, since I know you guys can all (if not now, then later)

appreciate this story on talking post-op, I thought I'd share my

first experience talking to a stranger on the phone (or at least

attempting to).

I called my orthodontist to make an appointment. He has been on

vacation, which worries me that my first time seeing him won't be

until a month and a half post-op since he's so backed up.

Hmmm . . .

Anyhow, I call there and tell the receptionist I need to make an

appointment. She asks if I'm an existing patient and what my name

is. I try to spell it as clearly as possible after telling her I

had surgery (which I'm positive she didn't understand that part of

it). So, of course she says she doesn't have me in the database. I

realize she's probably misspelled my name, and she had. So, I had

to spell my last name again, this time saying, " NO, NO . . SHEE AS

IN SHCAT " (C as in Cat). I swear, you'd think working in an ortho

office she would be sympathetic to people talking like this after

surgery, but she sounded annoyed. Finally, after pulling up my

info. she asks, " Ummm . . yeah, do you remember when you had your

surgery? " Uh . . yeah, as a matter of fact, I quite well remember!

So, then she says they have an opening the day I'm supposed to be

seeing my surgeon. I say, " I can't. I'm sheeing my shurgeon that

day. " To which she replies (again sounding annoyed), " You're

WHAT? " ARRRGHHH . . . like it matters what I'm doing, you got the

point that I CANT COME THEN. It was pretty funny. I REALLY want to

flush this splint down the toilet after he takes it out. It's

amazing how much we take for granted little things like being able

to clearly communicate until they're taken away from us.

Anyhow, just had to share. Like I said, I know you guys can

empathize! Hope everyone is doing well. . .

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for sharing! It's nice to know I'm not alone in my inability

to communicate clearly or in my appreciation of a story that will

allow us to share a good chuckle.

Keep talking ... it gets easier!

I'm 2 weeks away from wire and splint removal ... so I'm just hanging

in there until then.

Take care,

Carol

> So, since I know you guys can all (if not now, then later)

> appreciate this story on talking post-op, I thought I'd share my

> first experience talking to a stranger on the phone (or at least

> attempting to).

>

> I called my orthodontist to make an appointment. He has been on

> vacation, which worries me that my first time seeing him won't be

> until a month and a half post-op since he's so backed up.

> Hmmm . . .

>

> Anyhow, I call there and tell the receptionist I need to make an

> appointment. She asks if I'm an existing patient and what my name

> is. I try to spell it as clearly as possible after telling her I

> had surgery (which I'm positive she didn't understand that part of

> it). So, of course she says she doesn't have me in the database.

I

> realize she's probably misspelled my name, and she had. So, I had

> to spell my last name again, this time saying, " NO, NO . . SHEE AS

> IN SHCAT " (C as in Cat). I swear, you'd think working in an ortho

> office she would be sympathetic to people talking like this after

> surgery, but she sounded annoyed. Finally, after pulling up my

> info. she asks, " Ummm . . yeah, do you remember when you had your

> surgery? " Uh . . yeah, as a matter of fact, I quite well remember!

> So, then she says they have an opening the day I'm supposed to be

> seeing my surgeon. I say, " I can't. I'm sheeing my shurgeon that

> day. " To which she replies (again sounding annoyed), " You're

> WHAT? " ARRRGHHH . . . like it matters what I'm doing, you got the

> point that I CANT COME THEN. It was pretty funny. I REALLY want

to

> flush this splint down the toilet after he takes it out. It's

> amazing how much we take for granted little things like being able

> to clearly communicate until they're taken away from us.

>

> Anyhow, just had to share. Like I said, I know you guys can

> empathize! Hope everyone is doing well. . .

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Your story really warmed up my heart because I can so empathisize with

it. Talking post-op is a bitch with a splint no matter what any doctor

says! I've thought of flushing down the toilet this darn thing many a

time too so I guess there will be a lot of flushes down the toilet in a

few weeks. What kills me is still not knowing when it's coming out. I

was thinking today, if I could talk clearly this recovering business

would go by so much more quickly because at least I could talk to

people to waste the time away. Instead I'm reduced to having

monosyllable conversations with the cashier at the local supermarket

because any time I string more than 3 words together no one understands

me, it turns into all one big shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Oh well, I guess

this is a practice in patience:-) On a plus side, at least my mother

seems to have gotten my new speech down pat so for all post-opers,

you're not completely cut off from communication.

Sara