How high is your pain tolerance?
I think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain
I can tell you that an abscessed tooth hurt more than birthin’ a ten pound baby NATURALLY – no epidural!
Maybe the emotion that is attached to the pain makes the pain tolerable or worse.
The physical pain of a miscarriage was worse than birthin’ a ten pound baby.
But I have cried more tears over dental work than anything. Yes, I have had a lot of dental work. Perhaps the pain was escalated by the thoughts of my copayment, my past experiences with dental work and knowing the pain in my mouth was going to hurt my pocket too.
Have you ever had a foot cramp?
For me having a foot cramp is right up there with dental work. What makes it ten times worse is if someone looks at your foot and says, “OH!” while it’s happening. I’ve told Papa Bear to, “GET OUT!” while I dealt with a foot cramp. Looking in amazement as my toes cramp into opposite directions makes it hurt worse. I’d rather repeat having a ten pound baby than watch my foot cramp but I wouldn’t trade a foot cramp for an abscessed tooth.
I once dropped a can on my big toe
It hurt like a word I won’t write. All I could do was sit and rock while holding my toe. Papa bear and baby bear were witnesses to my tears and speechlessness. They left the room. There’s a body language that can’t be consoled. I needed a moment. As long as I don’t have to look at my foot, I would rather have a foot cramp than drop a can on my big toe.
I’m sure everyone has experienced a paper cut.
Have you ever had a folder cut? OH! Reminiscing and cringing. What about a knuckle scrape? In the winter time a knuckle scrape never heals and I tend to bang it over and over again. But I’d rather have a knuckle scrape than a folder cut. I can still operate with a knuckle scrape but the folder cut finger is rendered useless until it heals. Don’t let it be the right click and scroll finger.
I’ve always been annoyed by the drama accompanied by one of Baby Bear’s cuts or scrapes and the need for a Band-Aid when the expelled blood wouldn’t be enough to feed a mosquito. Followed by the additional drama of keeping the bandaged scrape protected from soap and water when it was time to bathe. Even before the popularity of the phrase, I would think, “Really?”
Today I learned the level of baby bear’s pain tolerance. I took him to the doctor because his throat hurt. While we were there he wondered and hoped he wouldn’t have to get his finger pricked. I assured him he would not. While we waited and though his throat hurt to swallow he said, "Man I wish they had food here like a restaurant."
So what's the diagnosis? Baby bear has strep throat. He has a high tolerance for pain in the things he cannot see. If he got his finger pricked he would be whining more about his finger than his throat. He would rather have strep throat, than a pricked finger, a paper cut, a scrape from a fall, or soap and water on a Band-Aid. I hope he never has to deal with the kind of dental work I’ve had, but I kind of have a feeling he would be able to handle it.
These are photos from one of my favorite Christmas movies. In the first photo Elf gets his finger pricked and it really hurts for him. In the second photo he has been in the waiting room for a few minutes and he says, "My finger has a heartbeat." I have to agree with that.
Here's the thing... I won't say I'd rather have a ten pound baby than have my finger pricked. I'll just say, I'd rather not have my finger pricked at all and I am sure baby bear and Elf would agree.
