Damn, I was kinda hoping for a more dramatic update about the wisdom teeth extraction, an entry filled with blood and near-death experiences and gory adult teeth with long roots dangling from the ends.
But to be honest, the whole thing went smoothly. I feel fine, other than being ravenously hungry while my roommate is eating delicious greasy chicken right in front of me and all I can get down is a pudding. And the gauze in my mouth is still soaked in blood, and now I have big bag of bloody gauze in my bedroom. The sheer sight of it makes me want to scream. Sexy?
I was super, super freaked out about this surgery. I don’t know why, but mostly I think I was afraid of the anaesthesia. For real. I knew being IV sedated would be my best option, but I’ve heard that redheads need more anaesthesia than other people and I was terrified I’d be one of those weird cases where I’d be paralysed but totally conscious of everything going on, including a scalpel cutting into my gums.
But when I woke up after being sedated, I felt incredible. It was the most bizarre, relieving feeling I’ve ever had. I wasn’t even high, although I did kinda stumble around the pharmacy like a drunkard, my cheeks swollen with gauze stuffing and blood crusted to my lips. I crawled up the stairs when I got home and popped a few drugs, watched a movie with Chef and spent the remainder of the day camped on the futon.
The pharmacist did, however, tell me she required an enema after taking the Atasol-3o drugs I’m on. That’s the most I’ve ever needed to know about a stranger.
Then I ate ice-cream. Lots and lots of ice-cream.
Now I have a surgical glove filled with my wisdom teeth, and I don’t really know what possessed me to keep them. Does the tooth fairy visit for these sort of things? Could he or she possibly bring me $600 to help with my new websites? Sprinkle some stardust over my head so I can win the lottery and move on?
Totally taking advantage of these days off to do NOTHING. I apologize in advance for lack of drunken stories.
21 comments
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November 26, 2009 at 2:36 am
J
My wisdom teeth experience was shitty and painful. I looked like a goddamn chipmunk for a week. In 8th grade. GOD. EMBARRASSING.
Glad yours was much nicer.
November 26, 2009 at 3:35 am
AdventureRob
Don’t you know alcohol will numb the pain? ;-)
November 26, 2009 at 3:41 am
linlah
I am so GLAD that DMS wasn’t a bad trip.
Ok totally gonna take the low road, OMG that was funny ILMAO and I am so less than sober and I can’t spell so what eves..ha ha ha…lol, lol.
Beyond that:
U know U always make me laugh, or cry, I’m Thankful for U.
linner like linlah
November 26, 2009 at 3:50 am
JoAnna
I’m glad it wasn’t anything you thought it would be and more! Feel better soon!
November 26, 2009 at 4:05 am
dg at diaryofamadbathroom
Girl, there is nothing that you can do drunk that you can’t do on pain killers. We’ll be totally happy with painkiller stories.
November 26, 2009 at 5:59 am
Shannon OD
Glad that it wasn’t too bad for you – it really sounds like you’re doing great, all things considered. I was a mess coming out of the anesthesia (bawling, disorientated, they had to carry me to the car!)
As for the ice cream, you so deserve it ;-) Looking forward to your ramblings this week!
November 26, 2009 at 9:40 am
nashe
YAY to doing nothing + ice-cream!
ARGHHH. My wisdomless wisdom teeth have already started making their existence known and I’m kinda freaking out. My brother and my friend just had theirs extracted too and they looked like they had.. i dunno.. mumps or something.
:(
November 26, 2009 at 2:23 pm
angryredhead
@J: You were in 8th grade?! How is that even possible? Ouch
@Rob: Kills infections too, I’ve heard
@Linlah: that was the best comment you’ve ever left, I LOVE it. My god, is everyone drunk for Thanksgiving in the USA? We don’t care about it nearly as much in Canada
@JoAnna: Me too, so relieved! Thanks
@DG: I’ve only been taking one at a time, perhaps it’s time to up the ante
@Shannon: Oh my lord, it was actually that bad? I’m glad I had it easy in that case, hahahha
@Nashe: That’s how I look today, my face is swollen to incredible proportions :( But seriously, it was nothing!
November 26, 2009 at 2:27 pm
meg
ughhh, wisdom teeth. so not a fun time.
but you got to keep your teeth? i didn’t get that option! kind of gross/cool.
also…redheads need more anesthesia? I’ve never heard that! why? i’ll have to google that now…
November 26, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Legal Nomads
Like J, my face turned into giant chipmunk, and by “chipmunk” I mean” bruised mess of messiness.” I got my wisdom teeth pulled a week before my 18th birthday – all 4, and they were impacted. No birthday party for me AND I avoided dentists for years thereafter, finally going again before I started traveling (no cavities tho!) because the thought of going in Mongolia was was scarier than going in Montreal. All that said: sounds like you made out well, and get ice cream too. So, bonus? The bonus in it for me is reading your ramblings later this week. Feel better!
November 26, 2009 at 3:44 pm
ClassroomConfessions
I am glad you are okay! I had my wisdom teeth (all 4 of them) out when I was 16, like 2 days before Christmas, and then I couldn’t eat Christmas dinner. It was so pathetic. And I had chipmunk cheeks too, I am sure it was hot.
Feel better and I hope the wounds heal soon!
November 27, 2009 at 2:27 am
Kate
I am glad you survived! What were you thinking scheduling it before the biggest eating day of the year??
November 27, 2009 at 3:52 am
angryredhead
@Meg: Yeah, the doc handed me my bloody teeth in a napkin and at the time I was kinda woozy and all “whoa, this KEWL.” now I’m like…wtf do I do with these? Not sure about the science behind the redhead thing, it’s been awhiel since I looked into it
@Jodi: Man, after hearing your story and a dozen others, I totally have no right to complain! Hahaha. I think I got away fairly easy
@Cammy: Worst possible time to get wisdom teeth removed ever! ouch. thanks!
@Kate: I’m Canadian, don’t worry, I wouldn’t have planned a surgery around any opportunity to eat myface off ;)
November 27, 2009 at 11:18 am
Sabina
This whole redheads needing more anesthesia thing – I’m going to have to read up on that. I have no doubt you’ve heard this. I just can’t imagine an anesthesiologist (anesthesiologists are medical doctors) walking into the pre-op room before a surgery, seeing a redhead lying there, nodding his head knowingly and writing in his chart “pump up the anesthesia – redhead!” My late dad didn’t feel much pain, and he was a 100% redhead. I don’t feel much either, and I’m a partial redhead. Doctors, in fact, have marveled at our lack of feeling at times when they say others would be writhing or crying or gulping pain meds. So maybe there’s something to the theory. At any rate, I’ll stop going on and on about that.
I’m so glad it went so well! Did the tooth fairy come?
November 27, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Blondie
Tooth fairy, reporting for duty! http://twitpic.com/nx7hs
But seriously. I had the surgery when I was 21, and am STILL ALIVE from it. I remember waking up and starting crying. Then a couple of months later, my holes were healing and my boyfriend wanted to feel them, so we were in McDonald’s with him with his hand nearly down my throat, and looked at the table next to us and the family there was totally losing their appetite.
November 27, 2009 at 3:39 pm
significantowl
Glad it went well and hope you’re feeling yourself again soon!
You lucked out, I had a bad reaction to the anaesthesia when I had mine out, I had a crazy panic attack and spent the entire procedure screaming and fighting off the doctor and his assistants while they had their hands in my mouth, hahah not fun. I was a total mess, I couldn’t feel any pain, but I flipped right out, the nurses had to hold me down! Thankfully time was crazy sped up for me so it felt like the whole thing happened in two minutes… two terrifying minutes. When it was over I was sobbing uncontrollably and still screaming through all the gauze in my mouth, I didn’t calm down until they got my father in the room, then it was like I slowly woke up, I remember going “Da, wham the hahell jus ‘appen?!” (that’s me speaking through all the gauze) The doc told me some people have bad reactions to the anaesthesia they use, and I had one of the worst reactions, no pain, just temporary insanity. I was pissed, first shot at good hospital drugs, no awesome floating on a cloud feeling, just panic. Worst kind. But, years later I had to have a procedure at the hospital, and whatever drugs they gave me for that were fantastic, I was still a server at the time and apparently as they wheeled me out of the operating room I was trying to take the orders of the patients passed out on beds around me “How would you like your steak done? Baked potato or fries?” Ah, good times.
Anyway. Very glad you got through it, and before you know it you’ll be feeling great, and the strange little holes back there will heal over, and you’ll never have to worry about wisdom teeth coming in and messing up your beautiful smile! :)
November 27, 2009 at 8:37 pm
angryredhead
@Sabina: I’ve also heard that story, that redheads tolerate a great deal more pain than others…the explanation was good, although toss any science words around me and I’m liable to believe it. Interesting though!
@Blondie: Hah, perfect! Although I expected my wisdoom (that was a spelling error, but I like it) tooth fairy to be more scary and wearing black and red and oozing blood or something. Too much?
@SO: I cannot BELIEVE you had that experience! LOL! That’s amazing. I was actually super scared that I’d freak out and cause a scene or say ridiculous things, but I was totally conscious and aware of everything going on around me, although just a little woozy and my legs were kinda rubbery. Such a bizarre experience. And that last line made me smile really hard, which kinda hurt. Hehehehe.
ANDDD I hear you’re coming to visit?!
November 27, 2009 at 9:49 pm
significantowl
YES. I’m so excited. I land in St. John’s the evening of December 29th, and I fly back on January 3rd. Can’t wait!!!
November 27, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Nancy
Poor thing! You’re a brave soul. I’ve been avoiding the dentist for the sheer fact I don’t want him to tell me I need to get wisdom teeth pulled. lol.
Glad you’ve had an opportunity to chillax! The post-anesthesia high is nice. haha
November 28, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Sherri
I’m happy your wisdom teeth extraction was mellow. Mine was a nightmare which involved lots of below the gum cutting. AND I wasn’t sedated, just Novocained. The ick.
I think you should make a necklace out of your wisdom teeth. You know, just to freak people out.
November 30, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Danielle
Glad it went ok for ya.