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Ouch! That hurts!
It's strange how the seemingly unimportant things in life can often prove to be significant trials. In this case, going to the dentist served to remind me of the ever present Help of Allah and how all our fears really can be overcome.
Everyone has a
weak spot; something that will bring out the coward in them. I’m
afraid of going to the dentist. I guess it all comes down to pain.
When I was young my mother took me to a dentist who was an
alcoholic. He’d be coming towards me with that syringe or
with the drill and his hands would shake and as a helpless child,
there was nothing more to do than close my eyes and try to think
about something else.
In my early
twenties all my fillings from the ‘early days’ had to
be redone. Three times a week for about eight weeks I underwent
root canal and had many teeth held together with pins. But I
learnt something useful. I learnt how to keep myself busy
thinking about other things; focusing on something pleasant and
soon, I learned, the time passed and it was all over.
“If you take care of your teeth, they should last you the
rest of your life,” noted my dentist proudly after all the
work was finished. It sounded like a kind of guarantee and I took
those words seriously. I didn’t have a problem for about
fifteen years, until a month ago. I had convinced myself that my
teeth just weren’t and wouldn’t be a problem for the
rest of my life. Little did I know.
It started with
earache and I went to the doctor who told me my ears were fine. I
kept pushing the horrifying thought into the back of my mind that
it might be my teeth. They’d become sensitive and I just
didn’t want to think about it. Finally the pain increased to
such an extent that I was somewhat glad to go to the dentist and
get it all sorted out. “It couldn’t be any worse than
the pain I feel now, could it?” I asked myself.
The dentist looked like a kind lady.
“You know doctor, I’d better tell you from now, that I’m
afraid of the dentist and I don’t like pain.” She
smiled knowingly and looked at my teeth. Then she took one of her
instruments and tapped on my teeth. I thought they’d have to
scrape me off the ceiling. “Ouch! That hurt!” I managed
to say through wads of cotton and mirrors and so on.
“Did it?”
“Yes!”
“What about this one?”
“Ahhhhh! Do you have to tap them like that? It really hurts!”
“Does this one hurt more than that one?” Tap! Tap! Tap!
I reached out and grabbed her arm. “Listen doctor, if you
want to know which one hurts more, I can tell you, so you don’t
have to tap anymore, ok?”
“Oh it hurts does it?”
I felt like I’d just arrived from another planet. I tried to
explain the variation in pain so she wouldn’t start her
tapping again.
“I think we’d better make an x ray.” I gladly
agreed. I was sent home with antibiotics and could lull myself
into a false sense of security for four whole, wonderful days,
where I could just imagine the dentist didn’t exist. But
lurking in the back of my mind, was the reality. Third day,
second day, first day, bulls-eye! Time to go. Here I was, once
again.
“Do you want to do root canal or pull it?” asked the
doctor.
“Pull it out sounds good,” I said.
“It’s up to you, but think carefully.”
“I’m thinking, I’ve thought and I want to pull it
out,” I added firmly.
She didn’t say anything but went and got the head doctor,
who came in and examined my tooth again but Alhumdulillah, didn’t
tap on them.
“Why do you want to have your tooth pulled?”
“It’s a problem, it’s complicated, there’s no
guarantee the root canal will work and besides, it really hurts,”
I said directly.
“Listen my dear,” she said softly, “your tooth is
a gift from Allah s.w.t. and you have the duty to do your best to
save it. I believe that with root canal it will be ok.”
What could I say after that? Those words struck a chord within
and I knew she was right. I’ve had my teeth for quite a long
time and they’ve served me well, is it right to just throw
them away like that, just for one little problem?
“Ok, go ahead and do the root canal,” I said bravely
but my knees were shaking.
The anesthetic was a relief from the pain I felt anyway, so, so
far, so good. Then the drilling started and since the tooth was
badly infected, it started to hurt. More anesthetic and I felt
nervous. So I prayed, remembering that the Prophet s.a.w. told us
that even if we need a lace for our shoes, we should ask Allah s.w.t.
“O Allah, I know that all I have is a gift and a trust from
You. I’m doing my best to save this tooth but I’m
afraid, please make it easy for me.” I sat back and trusted
in Him. I found myself growing calm and I was able to think about
happy thoughts, and nice memories. And so ended my first visit.
The next visit was
the worst. No amount of anesthetic could shield me from the pain
and there I was, stuck in that chair. So I gave myself a good
talking to.
“Remember Khubayb r.a. one of the companions of the Prophet
s.a.w.?” I asked myself. “He was killed in the way of
Allah s.w.t.! His murderers taunted him as they killed him slowly
and what did he say??? He said that it doesn’t matter in
which way he falls as long as he falls in the path of Allah s.w.t.
That his death was a small thing in relation to the bounties that
Allah has provided us all with.” Well I started to feel
guilty for being so chicken hearted. “Here I am,” I
thought, “in a clean, organized hospital which is impossible
for so many people. I have painkiller and good health. All this
fuss over one little tooth. Just stop complaining!” I
thought. That visit passed really quickly and the next. Whenever
I started to feel scared, I remembered how people suffer all over
the world and how many of them are so brave.
Now my tooth is
nearly fixed Alhumdulillah, and it might seem a small thing, but
it is a big hurdle for me and one that I hope I remember. It
confirmed in my heart, that when we call upon Allah s.w.t. for
help, sincerely believing in Him and trying to be obedient, I
know He will respond to our call.
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