Recently our washing machine broke down. The events which followed had some similarity with the events that I experience sometimes in my clinic. I wrote it down and posted it here. It turned out to be a bit long. See if you have the patience !
Toothache and my washing machine
Just look at the list of gadgets that most of us have at home. And this list is not exhaustive. Starting with this laptop on which I am typing, and generally going by the size of the equipment - refrigerator, air conditioner, dishwasher, washing machine, inverter, microwave oven / OTG, air fryer, vacuum cleaner, television, water purifier, water heater, food processor / mixer grinder, coffee maker, hair drier, internet reuter, I pad, mobile phone, and assorted voltage stabilizers, chargers, etc etc etc. Incidentally, none of the gadgets mentioned above were present in our house in my childhood !
Now, going by Murphy’s law, it is no wonder that we always have some or the other equipment conked at any given time. In my case, it was the turn of our washing machine. That was about six months back. As is my daily practice, I dumped all the used clothes into the machine, poured a spoonful of soap powder, shut the lid and pressed the button. Usually some lights flicker on the control panel and the machine would give a musical sound and start running. But that day, it remained silent.
I did all the usual stuff to put it back to life. Repeatedly pressed the start button half a dozen times, switched the power button on and off thrice, removed the plug from the mains socket, stared at it and plugged it back, randomly pressed all the buttons on the panel multiple times, slapped the body of the washing machine and kicked it for good measure. But nothing happened. There was only a stoic silence. Then I called the service center.
I told the lady at the other end about the malady. And she told me my name, address, the model of my machine, date of purchase and the earlier repairs done. I confirmed that I was indeed the person she was referring to and it was my machine which had gone into a coma. She said that a mechanic would get in touch with me. In due course, the technician contacted me and arrived at my door.
I told him my complaint. He opened the panel on the machine and looked at the interiors. Then he took out his voltmeter or some meter, plugged the ends here and there, checked the reading, removed and put back some minor parts and pressed the start button. Total silence. He pronounced “Sir, your PCB is gone”. He said that he will have to order a spare and that he would come back once he gets the part. It would take two or three days. I accepted his verdict and hoped that he would be back fast. There was a load of soiled clothes in the machine.
My wife was standing near the machine that evening and contemplating if she should take the clothes out and wash them by hand. And she just pressed the start button once again because she had nothing better to do. The machine sprang to life, sang the usual tune and got into action ! It completed the cycle and rested. We put another load of clothes and it washed them sincerely. Then one more the next day.
I called the technician and told him that his diagnosis was wrong. There was nothing wrong with the PCB. Told him that it just washed three loads of clothes. It was difficult for him to explain the behaviour of the machine but he stuck to his line. He said that the PCB may exhibit odd behavior sometimes and that it may go into a coma again. He asked me to keep using the machine and call him when the machine shuts down again.
It did. Two days back. I repeated all the above treatments once again and called the technician. He repeated all his steps once again and pronounced, “Sir your PCB is now really gone”. He said that he would order the part and get back when it is ready. I wasn’t convinced but had no other option. I nodded my head.
This morning I pressed the start button yet again, just like that, and yes, you guessed it right. The machine is working! The technician who arrived with the PCB looked foolish when he said “Yes sir, it happens sometimes. It is because of some blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Call me if the machine stops again”. As of now, the machine is running and I am waiting. I am not convinced that the PCB has conked.
Now, let us leave the washing machine standing there and visit my clinic. There was this patient who came with severe toothache. I asked him to open his mouth and immediately spotted the cause of his pain. I just touched the tooth with my instrument and he jumped six inches even while seated on our chair. I told him that his tooth has conked and I will either have to remove the tooth or that he will have to undergo a procedure called the RCT (root canal treatment). He refused both. He said that the tooth was fine till he poked it with a pin to remove some food stuff which was stuck there. The pin was to be blamed. Not the tooth.
But the pain was severe and he had already done everything he could. He had gargled with salt water, filled the cavity with toothpaste, applied Amrutanjan, bitten on a clove, and had swallowed half a dozen tablets and three pegs of whiskey. All to no effect. And now I was expected to do something sure and fast. I injected a local anesthetic in his jaw and the pain vanished. I told him repeatedly that I have only made his tooth numb and the relief would be temporary. He better get the tooth treated at the earliest. He nodded his head and left.
And he never returned.
He was again at my door after a year. Greatly in pain, rubbing his jaw and shivering at the thought of biting anything. I told him everything that I had told him before. He again expressed his doubts about my verdict, insisted that I give him the miracle injection, got himself injected and was relieved. I once again stressed that he either get the tooth treated or removed. Unconvinced with my verdict, he nodded his head and left. And he hasn’t come back. Obviously he has no pain and no faith in my judgment.
Now, that is typical of a toothache. It can be very unpredictable sometimes. It usually keeps bothering till the tooth is treated properly and the situation usually gets worse if not treated. But there are instances where there has been no trouble whatsoever for months or even years once the intense pain is relieved. In such cases I, the dentist, who insists upon “immediate treatment - either removal or RCT” have no explanation and have to look foolish - Like the technician who came to repair my washing machine !!
