I’m doing my part lately to help the service sector of the economy.
Yesterday I brought my work van, formerly named Ed (for reasons I can’t quite remember), back to the dealer’s shop to fix the same problem it had when I brought it to them in December. Around 45-55 MPH, it would shudder and lurch. I feared a new transmission would be in our future, but they ran tests and cat scans and whatever else they do in the cavernous exam room and gave me a laundry list of minor items. Minor, except for the $600 total bill. All that work fixed the issue for about a week. It was better, but not gone – and it steadily got worse until I finally made another appointment. This time they fixed it all the way, and it only cost $250.
I’m still calling it Lurch, for romantic reasons.
Do you name your vehicles, or is it just us? Do tell.
Today I visited my new dentist. She is highly recommended, and I’ve always had relatively good experiences with dentists (although I have to consciously unclench my hands and shoulders and feet and neck and cheeks (all of them) several times during each procedure). Today was Initial Exam Day, even though I’d been there once before for a toothache, which went away on its own. I’ve never had so many pictures taken of my gob, from 16 X-rays to photojournalist-style mug shots to really really really closeups – all digital, with a viewing screen mounted on the chair. Freaky.
After the photos came the measuring, which is a code word for poking sharp tools into the gums until a) the tool stops, b) blood flows, c) the patient screams, or d) all of the above. That was a whole creel o’ fun right there, can’t wait to do it again.
The result of all this poking, suctioning, examining, and photographing? Dr. Dentist wants me to buy her a new boat, or maybe pay for a new jacuzzi in her cottage/ mansion. She says all my silver fillings, collected before my 17th birthday, are cracking my teeth and showing decay around the meeting of tooth and metal. My (previously apparently healthy) teeth need all sorts of rejiggering and scraping and even replacing in one case, to the tune of about $11,000, which doesn’t include the $260 for today’s visit. My new dental insurance doesn’t cover even 10% of that.
I’m now collecting recipes for gruel and soup. I wonder if I can get all my meals in a shake?
February 17, 2009 at 10:12 pm
The dentist is a racket! I just brush, floss and ignore everything else.
February 17, 2009 at 10:18 pm
the gum-pokey thing?
Gives me the jibblies, every time.
February 18, 2009 at 12:09 am
Been there, done that. I finally told them I can’t afford what they want to do and they have to do what I can afford and no more.
They don’t like it, but they deal.
February 18, 2009 at 10:30 am
Ick.
February 18, 2009 at 10:43 pm
My 1988 Jeep Cherokee is named: Jeeparoonie, because my brother had a pickup named Truckaroonie
February 19, 2009 at 2:51 pm
This is why people don’t trust dentists or mechanics.
My MINI is named Frau Hummel.
That is German for Mrs. Bumblebee.
She’s yellow with black stripes.
February 23, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Get a second opinion…or a better dentist. My dentist, for whom I have developed an unhealthy, yet oh-so-delectable lust, tells me she’s not one of those dentists who sees old silver fillings and thinks they MUST be replaced. She says mine are in good shape and, until something cracks or breaks, she’s not touchin’ ‘em!
I still can’t convince her to do the exam seated comfortably atop my abdomen, though.
February 25, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I am a virgin here in Spiffytown. After reading The Passion of The Biff that was our lovely Tiff at NAY’s post, I just had to come. I’m so glad I did!
First off, the car: It is the Buzzardmobilly—could it be anything else?
Second off: I, too, am a collector of gruel and soup recipes due to way too many necessary dental visits and tooth problems (damned hillbilly genes). I like the old-fashioned rolled oats that can take from 5 to 12 minutes to make depending on how thick they are. I like them with butter and brown sugar. Any of the bean soups and side dishes seem to go down just fine on a bad tooth day. And, for vegetable stew, I use ground beef instead of the chewy stuff, fresh taters and onions, canned tomatoes, spices to taste (but it must have paprika, garlic, and marjoram or it just isn’t right), and whatever frozen veggies struck my fancy in the veggie aisle. Hey, when the tooth hurts nobody wants to stand around doing a bunch of chopping. Takes about an hour to cook. Cook longer if you need softer.
And with that I leave you and my Spiffytown virginity behind.