home

Home > Dispatches > Daily Dispatches 2021 >Daily Dispatch #104

April 15, 2012: Put off what you need to do Today because there is always Tomorrow

This seems to be my new motto. And I’m okay with it. An example drawn from real life: Dental work. I was in the chair today, hoping against hope to have upcoming extractions postponed. My wish came true. I was told that right now, my teeth are stable, and that the situation would be reassessed in October. As I am thinking, well, October is a long ways away.

I do have one tooth issue that is going to be taken care of. I have a rear molar that’s fractured. The dentist at first said that I could wait until October to have a crown put on it. Then, when I said that my insurance rolls over in July, he said that I should reconsider putting this off.


The Maryland bridge has to go


I immediately said that we can and shouldtake care of this now. So, I am going to have the old filling removed and a new crown put on the tooth in question.

I felt, as I stood at the billing desk, very lucky. These days, any sort of dental work is an expensive proposition. We have dental insurance and then some. I don’t know exactly what the, and then some is, some account with money that’s been designated for health/dental care. I felt, and still feel, lucky because there are so many people in this and other countries who don’t have access to or the money for good health care. Gosh, these people must be in pain all the time. I feel for them.

Then I got to thinking that we are lucky in other, related aspects. We have health insurance, and good health care providers. And the same holds true for our animals. We have access to a very competent veterinarian and an equally competent horse farrier. If we moved, we’d have to begin anew in our search for horse and human health care providers. Right now, it does not feel worth the time and effort, although, admittedly, I have been thinking lately that I’d like to move someplace that has a shorter winter.

Anyhow, my dentist, too, (in regards to my teeth) is going by the above motto. I am glad we are on the same page.

As I write this, I am searching for other like-examples in my head. I am feeling like Alys going down the rabbit hole. Writing-wise, I am adept at prioritizing, putting off the more difficult projects until after the easier ones are done. My rationale is that my subconscious is doing the problem solving and so writing-related problems will be solved by the time I get to them.

Back to the original example. But teeth, teeth do not repair themselves. In fact, they just continue to deteriorate. My rationalization about the extractions (I have a fractured tooth and one that’s being reabsorbed) is that I should wait because medical science is on the verge of dental discoveries that are going to enable the dentist to save my teeth. And this won’t be at all painful.

This is one of those things in which I’d like to say, “I told you so.”

Horse Care Home About Us Dispatches Trips Alys's Articles