After 5 years of keeping Udi over tooth, I was confident enough to remove it

Sairam friends,

Today is a iconic day in my life..He he…

In 2011, I had pain on my lower wisdom tooth and went to the dentist. He told me the tooth has grown diagonally and hence its hitting the near by tooth creating pain. He said “The bone has to be cut off and then the tooth has to be removed.”

I asked him if it will pain. He said “You may have pain for 2-3 days but not a big issue”. I took the medicines he prescribed for3 days but got scared of the bone being cut to remove the tooth.

Every now and then, I used to take a pinch of Udi and place it over that tooth. Honestly, Saibaba has saved me a lot by making me do this.

In April 2012, when I got hit and had to stitch on my face, I felt bad that it spoilt my face but my Mom said be thankful you were not hit on eyes or tooth. She keeps telling me to do plastic surgery on my face to hide the stitch but I want it to remain as it is. Reason?

Being emotional, life gave several scares in my heart. It’s fine to carry just one on my face. I can hide the scare on my face but what happened to my heart can never be healed. 

If I hide the scare of my face, that’s not me. If Sai wanted to protect me, he would have done that because just before I fell down, I kept udi on this wisdom tooth. Probably, Sai wanted me to carry the scare on my face.

On several occasions, I certainly believe my habit of keeping Udi over the gap created in the diagonally grown Wisdom tooth has saved me from dangers ahead of me.

A month back, when I was speaking to my friends, suddenly I felt a piece of the same tooth had broken and came out. I was happy as I felt, soon it will come out on its own. But Gods are sweet. If all Sai devotees can get away from problematic tooth just by applying Udi and praying Baba, then all dentists on Earth will ask Sai if its OK to come their way. Ha ha…

Ofcourse, there are dentists who are Sai devotees too.

Being Sai is not an easy job. He has to keep everyone happy. So Sai sent me a wonderful counselor. 

Ten days back, I started having pain on this tooth and told one of my friend at work about it. She was kind enough to tell me her whole story of visiting dentists regularly. It seems her wisdom tooth had grown horizontally. Once, when I had pain she asked me to have a simple paracetamol available at work. Magically, I never had further pain until now. After listening to her saying that I must go to dentist and not fear about it, I got enough confidence to face it.

Strangely, I went and asked few “What will you do if you have pain on tooth?”.

What kind of stupid question does that sound like? Here’s someone who managed to keep the tooth painless for 5 years but what has to be removed has to go out.

So today being off, I went to the dentist in the evening. My plan was to visit the dentist, show the Xray I took before 5 years and fix an appointment.

I was listening to the audio book “Lean In” written by Top Google Exec and current COO of FB – Sheryl Sandberg on my mobile sitting in the corner of the clinic.

Here’s a quote from the Sheryl

“Fortune does favor the bold and you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.”

Sheryl is one of the women I admire. She has that truth and compassion in her. Shall write separate article about it.

Let’s come back to the dentist.

I was expecting the Male doc but here’s his wife. She too must be experienced but the male doctor is quite a trusted man in this area. The only thing he must have avoided 5 years back was scaring me saying the bone has to be cut to take off your tooth. May be the way he said that made me fear to visit him again.

The lady doctor asked what happened and examined my tooth. She said, we have to remove it and added “We have to take a Xray and see”.

I had kept this tiny Xray in one of the big book of Saibaba – Sai Samartha Satcharitra.

Hey. Can you believe it. A tiny Xray, smaller than match box is kept intact. I am proud of myself. But don’t take me for granted. I usually miss things easily..he he…

I took it out from my pocket and gave her. It was taken before five years but there might be some change now.

That was enough for her and hence she asked if I can remove it right now. I said, I shall check if I have 1500 Rs in my wallet. It was and in the next 5 minutes my cheeks were swollen. She injected something and asked to wait for 10 minutes.

I asked her “Should you cut the bone?” She said “Yes but now since the tooth is shaking a bit, it won’t be that much as it was 5 years back.”

I called my Pa and said that I am going to remove the tooth and may not go to temple. My Ma has started shouting that female doctor is not that experienced and I must have gone to her husband. Well. I can’t do that. Atleast not when I am reading “Sheryl Sandberg’s beautiful book on inspiring women to lead.”

I told my father that she too is experienced and I trust her.

Here’s another quote from Sheryl

“When woman work outside the home and share breadwinning duties, couples are more likely to stay together.

In fact, the risk of divorce reduces by about half when a wife earns half the income and a husband does half the housework.”

The quote may not be connected to my tooth or the pain that has already started to emerge as I write the article but I felt it makes sense.

I went inside the dentists place again and the procedure started. Twice, I felt the dentist and the lady helping her are going to hold my throat and suffocate me. I felt she really had to apply lots of pressure to remove the tooth. It wasn’t that easy but it took only 15 minutes. She did not showed the removed tooth. We all wish to see what we lost. Don’t you. What kind of mind did God gave for us humans. We are so much attached even to a bad, decayed, problematic tooth. The same applies to all you people worried about relationship issue.

If someone is not truly loving you or honest to you. Remove them from your life and don’t even desire to look back.

How I connect my tooth pain and relationship? That’s the scare in me. Deep in me.

My Ma could not stay at home irrespective of me telling her that I am completely alright. She has severe pain in her foot and I told her not to worry but she came. That’s why she’s called “Amma”.  Your Mom wants to be with you when you are in pain.

When ever I get severe fever, I never let my Mom go any where and ask her to be near me. I don’t know what it does to me. Do you behave like this? Desperately trying to hold your Mom’s attention as if she’s supposed to take care of you and nothing else.

I bought medicines and came near auto. My Ma said “You must have ice cream”. Am I still a Kid or does she still see me that way?” I told her “Its OK to have cold water but she insisted that I must have Ice cream”. She’s used to this rule. Ice cream after removing tooth.  When I told this to my friend (Counselor)

she said “Ice Creams are the best things after going to dentist”.

I told her, “I am proud of you but you are a fraud”. She’s the only girl whom I had come across in my whole life who enjoys every time I call her a “Fraud”. She really is.

I love my Mom’s dosa and asked her for it. She asked me not to have it today.

Here’s final quote from Sheryl

“Done is better than perfect.”

I am done with it Sai.

After 5 long years, you helped me to remove my tooth.

Save all your children going through long term health issues. Patience works. The doctor said that it might get swollen on Monday or Tuesday. I wonder why?

Before the procedure, I told her “I used to keep Saibaba’s Udi and it really worked as it has salt content in it.”

She just smiled.

The world won’t understand this crazy faith on Sai.

Love,

Venkat

I have pain now Baba. Please heal me. I need you right now.