new tats

ok, if i tagged my blog posts, i would probably have the most posts about tattoos.

today Ike (name has been changed) came in for a filling. i asked how his weekend went, if he did anything interesting (like i ask everyone). his big news was that he got a new tattoo.
what kind of tattoo?
then he pulls up his entire shirt and there's a giant "Lucky" on his chest, which sadly looks like ballpoint pen. hope he goes in again for a touchup.
anyway, i guess latino men don't always have chest hair! (previously thought it was just the east asians).
normally i ask way too many follow-up questions. but this time i'm sorry i asked. i really didn't need to see his tattoo. i would have taken his word for it.

apparently i can't help myself though... and subsequently asked even MORE follow-up questions. what's lucky for?
that's his girlfriend's name.

but then i was confused.

coz later on he mentions that he has a wife.

and that's when i stopped asking follow-up questions.

maybe i should have. so that either a) i would no longer be confused. and/or b) he could confront his issues.

more entertainingly, he absolutely LOVED lidocaine 2% w/ 1:100,000 epi! (not novocain... which is no longer used in dentistry). no one likes injections. if someone says they like it, they're weird. Ike really is one-of-a-kind, though. after he felt the numbness he wanted more. he asked if he could get some for his girlfriend. and after we finished his filling, he exclaims, "this is dope s***!" most of our patients aren't comfortable using expletives like that in the clinic. Ike was evidently feeling very much at ease.