Thursday, June 13, 2013

Drifting or flexible, you tell me....

So I've been wondering about all the different paths that my life takes lately. Wondering about whether or not I'm in control of any of it or like flotsam in the ocean I'm just following the tide and the path of least resistance to my present outcome. I justify that by saying I'm flexible, but maybe that's code for lazy because I'm not blazing my own trail.
I think that's how I found myself in China being a dental assistant without any dental training.

 Here is the welcome that greeted us each morning when our bus pulled up to the dental clinic.
It also showed it in Chinese but I can't do the translation. By profession I'm a registered nurse and had planned to recover oral surgery cases like cleft palate when I made my initial deposit to go to China.
 When the oral surgeon was no longer available I joined a group of dentist that had come from all over Michigan, Montana, Washington State, Utah, Wyoming and Arizona.
 Here we are with an actual patient, (photo shop cleaned up some of the bib, don't look too closely at the dentists gloves) This is Dr. Todd Hillyard, a pedidontist. We did some minor sedation so I was handy for protecting airways and before the week was out I could hand him an assortment of tools, some that he had requested, make cement and select crowns.
Here is one of our patients/victims. I've always considered dentistry to be somewhat barbaric. My only previous experience being from the other side of the chair. Now having had this experience it has only confirmed my opinion. Dentistry is barbaric. So brush and floss everyday, at least the teeth that you want to keep.
Here is Dr. Todd, Dr. Brian, myself and Patty. We saw all the children that came for free services at the Little White Rabbit Dental Clinic.
Some more (victims) patients. We had a retired dentist with us from Arizona that was quite proficient with balloon animals. They required no interpretation.

Some of the better trained dental assistants and I. The Chinese people loved to have their picture taken with us.
So back to my question, am I flexible? or am I drifting? And is the proof in the lessons I learn and the opportunities I take advantage of?

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