Our dental office is receiving

[PCIntern]

cancellations en masse.

Here we go again....not that I blame anyone. Everyone is being very cautious.

[Goonch]

1. Robot dentist tested in China

[PatSeg]

5. Oh no!!!

That's creepy and why is patient blindfolded?

[Yavin4]

13. Robot dentistry in an authoritarian nation like China?

What could possibly be wrong with that?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

20. Please tell me there's a real dentist controlling that thing.

I could deal with that being a remote-controlled tool used by a human dentist. I will not deal with some damned programmer's beta test of a dentist-as-an-app!

[Glorfindel]

2. Including me...I cancelled cataract surgery last month

I hope to re-schedule next summer. It's just not worth the risk, all things considered.

[SoCalNative]

7. I had my cataract surgery in July

No issues. But COVID is rampantly out of control at this point.

[panader0]

23. I cancelled an appointment for a routine checkup

that I deemed not necessary, but I wanted to discuss a cataract developing in my left eye.
It's like looking through a dirty window--not too bad yet but getting slowly worse.
So my questions to you are--how is the surgery? in the hospital or office? how long is the
recovery? and did it work well?

[SoCalNative]

25. Yes - I had both eyes done (first one in late 2019)

as I had fairly blurry vision in both eyes caused by the cataracts. Now it's great! I still wear glasses for the close-up stuff (computer and reading) because I went with the standard lenses that insurance paid for, not the pricier ones that weren't covered that work for both near and distance vision.

Mine was done in a surgery center. It takes about 15 minutes and you are awake for the procedure, they just numb the eye. You have a patch on for the first 24 hours or so that the doctor takes off at a follow up appt the next day, then you have to wear the eye shield overnight for 3 days after that. The most annoying part: the drops that you have to use about 1-2 weeks prior to the surgery then for about a month or two afterward. Recovery was basically instant since you're not under anesthesia (except for something to relax you, so you have to have a ride to and from your surgery, and you can't drive to appt. the next day while your eye is patched) but you just can't bend or lift for about a week or so after. My surgery was on a Thursday and I was back at work on Monday, and on the computer the next day. I had no pain during or after the procedure.

[nuxvomica]

9. I had cataract surgery in October

Soon after the optometrists re-opened, and I could get an appointment, and I got another extreme change to my presciption, I got the earliest consultation with an ophthalmologist I could, not my regular one (if once every 3 years is regular), so I could get the surgery before November because I didn't know what might happen with the pandemic by then. Fortunately, the pandemic front was relatively quiet in my area in October (thanks, Cuomo). They required a drive-through COVID test a week before each surgery and were scrupulous about masking and distancing. The surgery center is fairly new and out of the way. While waiting, I sat completely alone in a huge modern waiting room with 12-foot ceilings and hanging lamps reminiscent of giant eyeballs, and a fully stocked coffee wet bar that was not being used at all.

I had put off the surgery for three years so my prescription lenses had gotten pretty extreme and complicated, with prisms and such, so I basically hurried up because I had procrastinated as this was my first surgery ever, and it was my eyes! Hopefully you can get by till the summer if you haven't let them go too long. At least by then, we will have had adults in charge of the national effort. Good luck to you!

[Tanuki]

14. The elderly stepmother of a friend is in quarantine following an appointment

with an ophthalmologist who shortly thereafter tested positive. Can't be too careful right now.

[ananda]

3. I've been avoided the dentist and eye doctor.

I plan to return after the vaccine is well established
and Covid is gone, unless I have an emergency.

[Ms. Toad]

4. I get to go to my first visit with my brand new cancer doctor for a brand new diagnosis alone,

even though my spouse is willing to come with me - because we're in a "red" state.

Not looking forward to surgery in the midst of a pandemic - but it isn't smart to put it off.

[Tanuki]

15. Wishing you all the best, Ms. Toad.

[Ms. Toad]

17. Thanks!

This one threw me for a loop. I expected breast cancer - and it's an old family friend (5 cancers in 4 generations of women, all very slow growing, die with it not from it, cancer). That's nearly 5 years in the rear view miirror.

I've also been expecting this spot I've beeen watching since 2014 to become cancerous - but since the doctors didn't believe it when I told them to ignore the odds since our family tends to grow medical unicorns, and it is rare enough that medical literature is sparse, I didn't even have a name for what it might become. I did, at least, have a doctor who was willing to watch it aggressively with me (thank goodness). And - now that it has materialized and I know its name, it is pretty darn scary!

[MLAA]

18. Sending you 💕💕💖💖💕💖

[PCIntern]

22. I wish you all the best for a

speedy recovery...take good care.

[Ms. Toad]

28. Thanks - working hard at taking good care.

That's how they identified it when it was far smaller than usual. I've been watching it pretty aggressively - only about 10% are diagnosed at this size. Tomorrow I find out how disabled I'm going to be, and for how long - since the surgery is disabling, but they are usually going for a wide margin around a golf ball, not a wide margin around a kidney bean.

[LuckyCharms]

24. Sending you positive thoughts for a good outcome and a speedy recovery!

[Ms. Toad]

27. Thanks!

The best that I can hope for is that the "Woops!" excision of a lump they presumed was benign does not interfere with gettin a 2-3 cm clean margin to prevent recurrence. If that works, my 5-year survival odds are near 100%.

(General survival for this kind of cancer is between 40 and 60% - but most of them aren't identified until they are golf ball sized; mine was kidney-bean sized. I can't imagine being put off by a doctor until the lump was that big . . . )

[sfstaxprep]

6. Where Are All The MAGA Rethuglicans?

There are 70 Million of them out there. Why aren't they supporting their Dentists?

Although many of them probably have no teeth.

[Green Line]

8. I just rescheduled my eye doctor appointment to June

[redstatebluegirl]

10. I went to my dentist last week.

His place is REALLY clean, he takes it very seriously. Plastic covering everything, hand sanitizer everywhere. The staff is all in full PPE. I have dental issues and if I don't stay on track with my checkups and cleaning I can find myself in trouble.

[Midnight Writer]

16. I went last week, as well. Felt safe. My dentist runs a squared away practice.

Just a cleaning, and fortunately no major problems, so I'm good until April.

[Baclava]

11. I had my last cleaning for the year about a month ago, they found a small cavity, appt was for today

BUT, they called me 2 days later saying they had a cancellation, would I want to come in? Usually booked up.

Hell yeah! Got it done, that day, they are great, taking care of me.

[shanti]

12. Running a dental office

must be quite $$$$. Can't imagine how dentists aren't going out of business. I love my dentist, but haven't been for my yearly cleaning in almost 2 years now, since I skipped this year. Plus, I need some crown work done, but I'm afraid to go now. Next year, I guess

[drbtg1]

19. It's been weird at my office too

Doing my best to keep Covid-19 at bay, but I assume all that aerosol from the Cavicide spray isn't too good for me either.

[Klaralven]

21. All the doctors and dentists have you wait until they have an exam room ready.

Doctors and nurses seem to be very careful, although maybe not so much the techs and admin staff.

[Dem2]

26. Had a usual cleaning in summer...

They asked if I wanted to do follow up to get crowns on teeth that are waiting in line for one - you know, use your insurance etc...

I said "nah, I am not sure how it's going to be this fall". I feel it was a good decision.

Also, 10 people stuffed into an office that's about 600 square feet made me nervous.