DENTOPHOBIA WITH TRYPANOPHOBIA

Phobias are, by definition, irrational.

I have acrophbia (fear of heights), and pteridophobia (fear of ferns), and hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia(fear of long words), (and yes, I am kidding about the last two).

Again, they don't have to be reasonable in any way, shape of form, but often originate from a bad experience with the thing that becomes the phobia (I'm certain that can be stated better, but I'm in a hurry tonight - it's getting late).

I think it's interesting that a lot of phobias seem to be hereditary - genetic, or simply learned?

But back to the story.

My husband suffers from dentophobia - fear of dentists - from a bad experience with one when he was little (stupid DDS or DMD or BDent or more likely some "Medical Degree By Mail") who slapped him).

So... maybe it really isn't a phobia

And for years, he has been literally letting his teeth rot away.

It finally got painful enough (three broken molars and 80 lbs. lighten... hmm... this could possible be marketed as another diet plan... see my other blog later tonight....) that he agreed to see a dentist.

Who then referred him quickly to an oral surgeon.

Who then scheduled the removal of the tooth in the worse shape on (wait for it) THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

I mean, really.

GIVING INSTEAD OF TAKING

Sometimes conversations just flow. Maybe the stars are in perfect alignment - more likely it's the fact that you've drunk way too many Diet Mt. Dews, it's after 11:30 p.m., and you simply can't shut up.

But sometimes they don't. Awkward pauses that hang in the air for possibly decades. Stilted efforts - no give and take.

Might be one of the reasons I love my dog so much. He looks up at me adoringly not matter what I am saying, and never interrupts.

Not so much my horse. He's a little more demanding, and if it isn't a subject he's comfortable with (i.e. carrots, hay, scratching his belly), he'll simply walk away.

And my cat? Forget it. If it's ain't about him, it ain't worth listening to.

It's easy for me to ignore people (my partial deafness can sometimes be used to an advantage), and it's just as easy to let my selfish ego take control of a conversation. and become the dominate speaker.

Tomorrow I am going to be spending a minimum of six hours in some sort of transport going up to and then back from Phoenix. And I am determined to ride that middle ground - to be an active and involved listener, only keeping up my end of the conversation by making concerned and sincere inquires that I legitimately am going to (try to) be enthusiastic about hearing the response

Report by 8 p.m. tomorrow night. Wish me luck.