A Visit to the Dentist

Each day brings new insights into how our bodies react to various situations, often in ways we don’t anticipate. Recently, I went to the dentist for a routine cavity filling on the side of my mouth affected by a stroke. Initially, everything seemed normal, but we soon realized I required more anesthesia than usual. After the second dose, I began to feel pain in my neck—far from the injection site. We proceeded with the procedure once I was sufficiently numb, but as soon as the drill touched my tooth, my body seized up. While I’ve learned to manage these episodes, the dentist had never witnessed it before and immediately stopped.

This was the first time I’d seized in public. As I’m still in the phase of my recovery where I try to hide physical reactions, I felt a wave of embarrassment. Once my body relaxed, the dentist calmly asked me at what point she should dial 911, reassuring me that her concern was whether I could still breathe or if my body refused to relax.

We attempted to continue, but moments later, I felt like I was choking and experienced a different kind of seizure, one unlike any I’d had before. Again, she stopped. After some discussion, we discovered that the sensation of choking was triggered by the water used during the procedure, even though none of it had actually gone down my throat. It’s remarkable how, despite knowing something logically, our bodies can react to stimuli in ways that are beyond our control.

Once we identified the trigger, we managed to move forward and complete the filling, though I still experienced some minor seizing. If you’ve ever had a filling without water, you’ll understand the unpleasant smell that comes with it. But for me, that smell was preferable to the pain and seizures.

I learned something valuable from this experience: my body is going to throw curveballs as I continue this journey. I can either choose to fear it or accept it, but regardless, it’s a reality I must face as it continues to evolve.