The joys of having one's teeth pulled.

I have a friend (this is for you Chick!) going in to have her wisdom teeth pulled out soon, and I found this old post (3/14/09) on a previous blog of mine. Here it is and I hope you enjoy!

Now, I'm not one for shots and the mention of someone doing surgery on me, well... that's just down right nerve racking! Before my teeth were pulled this is what some friends had to say to me:

"Oh, gimme a break!" - David

"You'll be fine" -Khristi

"Ruth. It's just teeth." -Mom

"...but 4011 people ... over 4011 have had there wisdom teeth taken out and survived to tell about it :-) So i don't think you have to much to worry about there :-)" -Heather

"Chill!" -Myself

What really encouraged and helped me through was Philippians 4:5-6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpassess all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

So this Thursday I actually went in to get the teeth yanked. I was laughing and a bit hipper because I was so nervous. Patrick shared a song with me the night before called "Short People" by Randy Newman and there's a line in the song I think is hilarious:

They got little baby legs

That stand so low

You got to pick em up

Just to say hello

They got little cars

That go beep, beep, beep

They got little voices

Goin peep, peep, peep

As Mom drove to the oral surgeon I kept laughing over that line and my favorite lines from "Mulan".

There was this young surgeon who called me in, "You're awfully excited." I'm like, "No, I'm just nervous!"

As he was getting me ready, hooking me up, placing some kind of snaky tool on my chest, putting a thing on my finger, etc, he talked to me. He found out that I was an organizer and was thrilled and as we kept talking he said, "I'm gonna call you, ok?" He was being so friendly with me, I wasn't sure if he meant he wanted to go out with me or have me organize him! I just stared at him, speechless.

"Do you have any questions?" "Yes. Are you going to stick me with a needle?" "Yes, just one. I'll hold your hand." What?!? I mean I'm nervous, but I don't think I want you to hold my hand!

When the Dr. came in(I think he was the young guy's father) he starts talking to me. He starts by putting a tourniquet on my arm, then wipes a spot on my arm with a cold, wet cloth. It was the kind that is used to prep for a needle, and I knew it. I started breathing heavy and looked the other way. The young guy (fortunately instead of my hand) grabbed my wrist to help me relax. "See, that wasn't so bad." "It does sting a little." My chest started to get heavy and it became hard to think and breath. The last thing I remember is them putting some black thing in my mouth to hold it open...

"We're all done." That's nice. I'll just sleep here. "Here are your teeth. I told you I'd show them to you." Ok, all I see is some little white things in your hand with blood on them. I can't see a thing! I don't have my glasses on and I'm barely awake! "Wake up!" I don't want to, it feels so nice to sleep! The young doctor grabs my leg and gently shakes me. "Come on, wake up." *groan* At some point he helps me stand up and walk over to a recliner. I promptly curled up to go back to sleep. Mom came in, and the Dr. talked to her for a bit while trying to still make me wake up. I don't want to wake up! Obviously nobody listens to what I'm thinking because they wouldn't let me leave until I did wake up. While in there, I looked over at a mirror and with all the gauze in my mouth I had some serious chipmunk cheeks!

Several people told Mom that I laughed through the whole thing. If it can be believed, it's not too surprising. Haha!

I really did try to wake up so I could leave, get in the car and go back to sleep. To walk out the young guy put his arm around me and held my hand. I can do this, I'm just fine! I didn't say it out loud because I knew it wasn't true and they wouldn't listen even it I did say it.

"So you must really like this job, getting to put your arm around all the girls and walk them to their cars." I don't remember what the young guy's response was to Mom's comment, but I was thinking, MOM!

As soon as I got in the car, I leaned the seat back and slept. And boy was it nice!!

When I got home I watched a couple movies. I kept having to pause them because I'd get so sleepy I couldn't think. I feel so drugged! Oh yes, that's because I am!

My bottom lip and chin were numb. When I would lick my bottom lip, it felt like someone had injected collagen into it. I kept looking in the mirror to make sure I didn't have a giant lip!

To keep the swelling down for the first 36 hours, I had to keep ice on my face. 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off all day long. The rig up was quite something so see! Dad had to take care of me on Friday when Mom left. He made new ice bags, and I was like what did you use? "Poop bags!" Oh, wow! That really makes me want to put that up to my face! See, he used grocery sacks which we also use to clean out the dog pen. His choice of words could have been better! LOL

The best part of the whole experience was the going to sleep part! I'd like to do that again! :D