Dentistry Update

I survived my journey to the inner circle of Dante's inferno last week. I went and visited the local oral surgeon to discuss my six molars that 'need' to be removed.

I got the cool x-ray machine which made me feel like i was in some sort of star trek medical bay with this machine spinning around my head.

I enjoyed a nice 15 minute video entitled, "Complications of Oral Surgery". In this video filled with fine acting, i learned that despite what you think oral surgery is apparently about as dangerous as anything i can currently think of.

I entered "Oral Surgery Complications" into Google image search and came up with this photo. Not quite sure what it has to do with my molars. But it made me feel nice.
Here are the complications which i got the priveledge to learn about.

1. Collapse of the Nasal Cavities. I have no idea what nasal cavities are for, but i am pretty sure they are important and probably are better off not collapsing.

2. Removal of the molars can cause the jaw to crack and fall off... NO JOKE!, I saw the computer simulation. I need to remember to put on my jaw leash after the surgery.

3. Loss of feeling in your face. If this occurs, i might become a boxer, i think i would have a distinct advantage in the ring.

4. Death. They made this sound like it is quite commonplace. Hmm made me feel a bit sweaty.

The good news is I am reducing my odds of complications by only having one tooth pulled. So i think i will survive.... September 12 at 8am is the big day. It sure will be fun!

Dentist or Death?

Well today I enjoyed some quality time with my dentist. Now I know that for many of you that seems like a insignificant event, yet for those of us with severe cases of "dentophobia" it is like meeting the grim reaper himself. I find it very ironic that that the tool of death used by dentists of all over the world is remarkably similar to the tool wielded by death himself.

I thought you might better understand my suffering if I answered the dental phobia questions for you.

Do you feel slight uneasiness and tension the evening prior to your dental visit, which makes you cancel your dental appointment?
Yes, I stay awake all night staring at the ceiling, last night Ella kept me up late so i had plenty of time to think thoroughly about my appointment. I cancelled my last appointment. Angie said, "If you really don't want to go, cancel it!" So i did, then i learned that she was not serious...

While waiting in the reception area of the dental office, do you feel nervous about the visit?
Today, I sat in the waiting room reading the first paragraph of Tiger Wood's recommendations for hitting out of a sandtrap in Golf Digest Magazine. I read it about 45 times. I have no idea what was after the 3rd word...

Have you had a prior dental experience that was unpleasant? While in the dental chair, do you feel uneasy and anxious?
Is there such thing as a dental experience that was 'pleasant'? While in the dental chair I contemplated what i could throw through the window and escape with. I also examined the cabinets to see if they were large enough for me to hide in. Or perhaps i could climb into the air conditioning vent...

Does the thought of having a dental exam make you feel physically ill and tense?
If you asked me to lay in the parking lot and let you run my legs over with the car, i would be less tense.

Does seeing the dentist or dental hygienist's instruments make you anxious?
This was the productive part of today's saga. I came to the realization that i am not phobic of the dentist, but the scraper tool of death. I survived the x-rays in a suprisingly calm manner. When the tool was unsheathed i think my blood pressure went from already high to 423/298...

Do you feel embarrassed that the dentist will say you have the worst mouth they have ever seen?
I don't like the dentist, why would i care what he thinks...plus dentists aren't real people anyway, they are robots created specifically for torturing people.

Do objects placed in your mouth during the dental visit make you panic and feel like you cannot breath correctly?
Pretty much when you place any object in my mouth for an extended time, i have difficulty breathing. I think that is normal. It does seem especially difficult when your mouth is filled with latex and metal tools.

Do you feel that your dentist is unsympathetic only with you?
No i feel like he is unsympathetic with all humans. This goes back to the robot hypothesis.

So the good news is that I only have one small cavity. The dentist reaper was merciful in this way. The bad news is that i am supposed to have 4 wisdom teeth and 2 molars pulled. I get to go see the advanced torturer tomorrow to find out more about that. Perhaps I will get hit by a bus while crossing the street to visit the oral surgeon. That sounds more pleasant.

If after tomorrow i am never heard from again, it is because the dentist really is the grim reaper in disguise. hehe

More School Board

I just stumbled upon this fine picture:

Mace Ranch Elementary School Ground was Broken in a ceremony at 4pm on December 18th, 2003. Presenting were the Board of Education (Joan Sallee, Marty West, Keltie Jones, BJ Kline and Jim Provenza) as well as the Superintendent David J. Murphy
Note the cute kids, great photo-op eh? Too bad that since this photo the board members pictured have figuratively beaten these kids with their own shovels.

Oh yea, we live in those houses in the background...

I love the school board

So you can read about my love of the school board in previous rants like here:

The short story is this. We were promised an elementary school right next to our house, it was finally built years late, now just sits there because the school board claims there are not enough students to fill it. Which is a total farce, overall enrollment in the district is dropping, but on our side of town it is increasing and all of our schools are way overcrowded and far, far away from our neighborhood.

So now our school is essenitally finished and it sits there empty. The school board has committed to opening it in 2006 as a kindergarten only, and then will add 1 grade each year. That is great for those of us who have young kids. But it sucks for people like my little friend Tanner. He starts kindergarten this year and he lives across the street from the school he will never go to, since he is one year behind. So for his entire elementary school career he will drive by a school full of kids in front of his house that he can't go to. Thanks a lot BJ Kline...(board prez)

We still have hope that when we get rid of this school board and elect a new one in november that we will be able to open the school fully in 2006. But now they are trying to pull another fast one on us.

At tomorrow's School Board meeting they are trying to sign a 3 year lease with a local community college to use the school. The deceptive part of this is that they are trying to push this through unnoticed in the 'consent calendar' portion of the agenda. This is basicly the approve without discussion section. It even says on the agenda, "Items on the Consent Calendar are routine items expected to require no discussion and expected to have unanimous Board support."

The problem with this lease is that it is a 3 year lease that is binding and can not be retracted. The lease is for one building of classrooms as well as the MPR. Now if you do the math, a 3 year lease will end in 2008. At that point the school will be at a minimum a K-1 school. The MPR is the cafeteria for the school. That means no assemblies for the students, no lunch etc.

It seems like another opportunity for this school board to prevent this school from opening. They have made it clear that they do not want to open it. I can see it now, a year from now we will be talking about opening the school and they will say we can't because they have this lease that they committed to...

So here is my letter I just wrote to the board. Can you tell i don't like them?

It is the understanding of our community that at tomorrow night's meeting you are attempting to slip in a 3 year lease agreement with LRCCD in the consent calendar. It states in the agenda:

"Approval of Lease Agreement with Los Rios Community College District for the Use of a Classroom Building and Multipurpose Room at the Elementary School in Mace Ranch"

I understand your desire to use the facility, but i would like to remind you of your commitment to make MRE a school for our children. A three year lease of the MPR means there will be no or limited use of the MPR for our children. Even if that is only for a K-1 school starting in 2006.

That does not take into consideration that our community is still working toward having the school opened fully in 2006. We were promised an elementary school and we intend to get it as soon as possible.

Your past deceptions, lack of integrity, and lack of commitment to your word has greatly discouraged our community and has taught our children that commitment and honesty is not required to be a leader in a community. Here is a chance to redeem yourselves and stick to your word.

We understand the need to use the space, but urge you to only commit to a 1 year lease. Or make a 3 year lease, with the condition that it must be renewed at the beginning of each year. If you make a decision tomorrow to enter into a binding contract with any organization, you are once again slapping our children in the face.

Mace Ranch Parent

Brian Solecki