By Gwyneth Hyndman, HMHB Storytelling Coordinator
In each story for our LIFTS Magazine, the end goal is to illuminate the resources here in Montana that help families thrive.
But as we put the sixth annual issue to bed, and look back on the stories and the photos that have been collected in the last seven months, I have my own takeaway: Writing about another family accessing resources is one thing. But making the call to access resources for myself and my own family is another. Even though we know the appointment needs to be made, we can sometimes find this daunting.
And by “we” I mean me. And by “sometimes” I mean a hot July afternoon off Reserve Street in Missoula.
When storyteller Violet Killsnight suggested we meet for photos at Children’s Dentistry of the Rockies, I squirmed. Not a park? Not a pretty field at sunset? It made complete sense, as Violet’s story centered around dental care. But I found myself making suggestions for alternate settings. I realized, en route to our photo session, that I was meeting her at ground zero of my own unique trifecta of mom guilt, procrastination and dread.
The dentists’ office. The scene of so much strife in my late 20s and 30s. The first credit card I ever took out was to pay for a root canal. It was also a place that my daughters, ages 5 and 7, had yet to set foot inside. What kind of mother did that make me?
Like all appointments I avoid, the longer I put them off, the bigger of a deal they become. And as the years passed, taking my daughters to the dentist had become one big, unwieldy deal.
As my soon-to-be kindergartener roamed with Violet’s kids through the garden, exploring the creek and the wonders of the waiting room, Violet reiterated what a positive, even healing place the dentist’s office had become for her.
“They never made me feel any guilt,” Violet reminded me, as I eyed up the reception desk.
Well, I thought, as Violet and her family pulled away in their car. Let’s test this out.
I nervously made my way to the front desk and said I wanted to make a first appointment for my daughters. I stated their ages. I braced myself for raised eyebrows and a reprimand.
“Great!” I was told. A few clicks of a keyboard and a screen with a calendar was turned towards me. “Here are our openings this month.”
Easy peasy.
Our first visit 10 days later was, to my surprise, a delight that was covered by our insurance. And we’re on a regular six-month schedule with a dentist my daughters adore. We’re going back to deal with a cavity at the end of August. But judging by their excitement, you’d think we have a trip to the waterpark on the calendar.
Thanks to Violet’s story, that big, unwieldy deal has been wielded. My kids are set up for good dental health. In the chaos of parenthood, I feel like in this particular area, I don’t feel so overwhelmed by what I don’t know.
As you flip through the pages of LIFTS Magazine in the next few weeks, the hope is that if there is a resource you know you need, but taking that first step is uncomfortable, maybe you will find your own “Violet” in one of these stories. Or maybe you’ll be inspired to share your own roadmap of care in the future, to be that person for other families.
As always, we look forward to hearing from you.
