I walked in nervous, but prepared.
I decided that laughing gas, on top of the local anesthetic, would be enough. It was that or bring my husband or dad, who could be at home watching the kids, to take several hours out of his day to sit and wait just to drive me home. The surgeon said that either option was fine, and I took the responsible mom route.
But lying there, on the most comfortable dental chair I’ve ever sat in, breathing in the gas that made my whole body warm as he injected shot after shot after shot into my cheeks and the roof of my mouth, nearly sent me over the edge. I started to shake and wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop.
But several minutes by myself, in that well-cushioned chair, waiting for all of those shots to fully take effect, calmed me back down.
The first tooth took the longest, by far, and was the most difficult. With Foster the People coming from my iPod to my ears, I heard noises that I never thought I’d experience coming from my own mouth.
Man, this one’s tough. The tall, blondish, athletic assistant and the upper-middle age surgeon making small talk. Cracking bones. Sawing, Pulling. Tugging, More sawing. More cracking. Pinching and pushing on my very-un-numbed lip. Feeling the pressure and hearing those noises and knowing that the work they’re doing that day will be felt later when the shots wear off, while my imagination went wild trying to picture in my head what was actually happening in my mouth.
I was certain at one point that I would look up and see Steve Martin standing over me.
As the music and the noises and the decisions about tools infiltrated my brain, I silently cursed every dentist that has ever told me that my wisdom teeth were coming, and that someday, they would start to be a problem. That someday was long past as I sat in that chair and spent an hour being tugged at, and assaulted inside my poor, unsuspecting mouth.
Finally, the last glorious stitch was made to close up the last of four holes, and I walked down the hallway. Stopping in the bathroom to pee, I stupidly looked in the mirror to see what the receptionist had seen just moments before. I can never take that back, it was horrifying.
I drove the 40 minutes home, not in any kind of pain, but slightly distracted by the events that had just taken place. I pulled in the driveway and again, looked in the mirror. This time, I saw blood dripping down my very numb face and white t-shirt and desperately searched for a napkin to cover up the pooling blood in my mouth before I walked in the house.
Thankfully, the only child that saw me was the 3 year old, who is apparently not freaked out at all about her mom, the zombie. In fact, she watched as I tried in vain to change the gauze and control the dripping blood. There was panic, on my part, that I wouldn’t be able to get it under control.
And that night, I did run out of the gauze that they gave me, long before the bleeding stopped. I also nearly threw up as I filled the sink with the dark red blood and saliva mixture, and nearly passed out on the bathroom floor. I did pass out as I was going back to bed, and ended up sliding down the stairs, only realizing what had happened as my husband asked if I was okay and I found myself on the first floor of the house. I also nearly slept on the couch as I grew sweaty and woozy on a trip downstairs to get a drink.
As I was leaving the surgeon’s office, he said to me and the assistant, “Greta had some wisdom teeth. Some of the worst I’ve seen, and I’ve been doing this a long time.”
So. Where’s my freaking award??
Holy crap! You are one brave woman! And driving yourself – you deserve an award for sure.
When I'm sick or have to have any kind of procedure done, I take it like a man – meaning I whine all the freakin' time…
I had my wisdom teeth taken out before they came in, about 20 years ago. I was put under and it was terrible. After I thought everything was done and healed I got an infection and my whole face was swollen… So – keep rinsing with warm salt water, just sayin' 😉
Oh, yikes! I'm starting to feel better, and the doc gave me a penicillin prescription, since, you know, I'm so old and there's a better chance of infection. Or something. But I'm definitely still trying to keep my disgusting mouth as clean as I can! Whining would get me nowhere here. I have to beg to be taken care of. ;(
Ugh! Thank god that's over. Sounds horrific. I hope you're feeling better. I had mine out in Grade 7…well, I had a quack dentist open me up, dig down and scrape out the gristle…maybe he actually did me a favour?? As soon as you can, treat yourself to something yummy!
I've definitely had my share of ice cream in the last three days. And YES! Thank god it's over. I'm finally starting to feel halfway normal again.
Oh hun, that sounds HORRIBLE! I was totally out cold when the took mine out . . . and I think I am eternally grateful for that!
Hopefully today is a much better day.
The noises really were the worst part, after the first few numbing shots. But I always feel like complete crap when the anesthesia wears off, so I don't even think I would be put out if I had to do it over again. Which, THANK GOD, I do not!
Oh, FFS Greta! I would have sat there with you so you could have had the good drugs. GEEZ. That sounds worse than an alien abduction and anal probe.
I know. But then YOU would have wasted an entire day driving and waiting, and I would've felt like crap afterwards (both from guilt and the anesthesia). The actual surgery I could deal with. It was the rest of the day that did me in.
Ugh, sounds horrible! I had one removed and it took 2 hours and MANY injections to the area. It was a tough one. The dentist had to break the tooth up into parts to get it out, so girlfriend I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I was literally counting down the minutes for my next dosage of painkillers for the next few days, and spent most of my days face planted on the couch. Good thing I didn't have kids then. 🙂
Hope you're feeling better!
Thanks, Alison! I am feeling better. And that must have been what all the cracking was…breaking that damn tooth apart. But again, I just let my imagination run wild during the procedure. Thankfully, the pain hasn't been horrible. Just really sore and stiff.
Somehow you still manage to look adorbs after going through hell. How do you do that? You described the horrors of this surgery so very well — I got the chills and heebee jeebies reading it! Thanks for the cautionary tale – I'll be sure to inconvenience my husband should I ever need similar surgery! Get better soon!
You are too kind. Unfortunately, this was the "right before the surgery" picture, with braids and no makeup. I look(ed) MUCH worse afterward. But thank you! I'm feeling better now…getting there, at least.
Awww, Greta, that sucks! I hope they are now healing well and I also hope you've been getting lots of help with the kids and household stuff. I remember when my Hubs got his wisdom teeth out and he was out of commission for several days. But we moms think we can (and have to!) do it all. Put your feet up, friend – you've earned it, and then some!
Oh, thank you, Amanda. I wish I had more time to put my feet up, and help. I've got some, which is more than none, and I'm starting to feel better. 🙂
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