Yesterday my mom had two upper molars (on the same side) extracted by an oral surgeon. The extractions went well - they used a local anesthetic - and my mom did well too. But....after I got her back to her place and it was time to remove the gauze packing, she began bleeding quite a bit, wouldn't let me get fresh gauze in right, kept talking, moving around, rubbing her jaw, and poking the area with her tongue. The bleeding worsened so back we went. They sat her in a dental chair - she dutifully opened up and let them repack it, they told her that she would need to lie there, biting down on the gauze, not talking or moving for half-an-hour. It then dawned on me, that once again she would mind them better if I were not in the room. Sure enough, they kept an eye on her but did not engage her, again we removed the gauze when we got back, and it was fine. Episodes like this remind me why my mom is in a facility. I can get the big things done, like moving her here, getting her in a facility, getting her tested etc. But anyone in a uniform is much more likely to be able to get her to take her meds, sit still in the dental chair with her mouth full of gauze, take a bath, etc. Do I feel a little less guilty? Maybe a teeny, tiny bit.

I'm glad the bleeding stopped. I just want to let you know that my sister had a tooth removed and no one told us that you should NEVER use a straw to give someone liquids after they have had their tooth removed because it can also pull the clot out. Take care!

Fortunately I learned early on that both dementia parents would comply with a uniform MUCH better than with me... and for my stepmom... any male is ALWAYS listened to. I can't think of the number of times I tried to accomplish something with her only to go get my husband to say "we're going to do this" and she just melted into compliance. She's also a LOT better with male medical people. I really believe that if she had only seen female physical therapists she NEVER would have recovered from her hip surgery as well as she had.

I wonder... what would happen if you were to wear a medical smock and name badge... If it didn't work, you might still have a Halloween costume!