October 24, 2008

Note to self:

When waiting for any type of medical procedure, do not go looking for info on it on the Internet or ask a question about recovery time on a message board unless you are prepared to hear the absolute worst. Please, someone, tell me that having all 4 wisdom teeth removed while awake with only local anesthesia will be OK. Please. Anyone. NOW!

I need to revisit my list of happy things before I puke due to nerves.

Tonight is BabyGirl's debut as a cheer leader. Last night she came home with her cheer camp t-shirt, Mardi Gras beads in the school colors, pom-poms, and instructions to wear black shorts with her shirt for the game tonight. Um. She doesn't own black shorts. And we live in the middle of no where. If Wal-Mart doesn't have any, we're up a creek. Daddy asked if we had a sporting goods store in town. I just laughed at him. Luckily Wal-Mart had one pair of black shorts in her size. Now I have to convince her that they'll be OK even though they have a butterfly printed on the leg. Maybe I'll just take them into school when I pick her up & show them to her teacher so she can give BabyGirl the official OK (since I have no idea what I'm talking about...ever...just ask my daughter).

I was worried that I'd have to get a pattern & fabric & whip out a pair of shorts on my sewing machine today. I'm not good with deadlines that fall into the "hours" category.

I think I need a nap to prepare for the excitement.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, my tooth isn't hurting all the time. In fact, it didn't bother me at all yesterday until after 8 pm. I'm hoping it stays that way. I can deal with occasional pain. It's the chronic stuff I don't do so well with.

8 comments:

Sarah @ Ordinary Days said...

I had my top two tken out wide awak with just local and I was A-OK even though I am a super wuss in the dentistry department. I didn't even need to take an of the super pills when I went home, just someplain old tylenol once or twice.
You'll be fine!!!

FarmWife said...

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

Inkling said...

One word to the wise from someone who has been there and done that.....

Make certain you rinse out the holes left from the extraction after each time you eat once you are allowed to have normal food again. It doesn't hurt, takes only a few moments, and is well worth it. Really. You don't want to see what a tiny piece of McDonald's hamburger looks like when it's been stuck in a hole for awhile.

Other than that, my only other advice is to stock up on Ben and Jerry's even if you have to put it on the credit card. If you are going to get all four out at once, without being knocked out, and you plan on keeping your children and husband in the same county while you recuperate, I suggest some cream and sugar in the frozen state. You are worth it. And don't even think about sharing. Invalids never share. =)

Seriously, get yourself some yummy treats to make recovery more enjoyable, and know that I'm praying for you.

Sarah said...

I had the bottom two taken out WITH anesthesia, and the top taken out wITHOUT. The top went MUCh easier because I had a very bad reaction to the anesthesia - like so bad that the oral surgeon thought my vein might be septic from the injection site and that it might require surgery ON MY ARM from having my freakin' teeth pulled.

Top with just the novocaine (?) - piece o' cake. Smooth sailing. No problems.

Kork said...

I chickened out and had them all done at one time and was out cold...

However! Stock up on bags of frozen peas and the like...they work much better than bags of ice to keep the swelling down. And no matter what - USE THEM. I don't care what anyone says...better safe than sorry...

As for pain? Eh...the drugs just kept me sleeping for several hours. I think my mom didn't want to deal with me if I got whiny...hm

And Inkling is right - pudding, ice cream, applesauce, whatever is soft and squishy that makes you feel good and doesn't have to be sucked through a straw is good for the first 2 days or so. And rinse, rinse, rinse...ask them for a syringe if they have one...its plastic and you can just squirt some mild saline into the spots...more via email... :D

Gail said...

I have had two pulled and gone back to work the same day. As tough as you sound you will be fine. Sometimes our dreading makes it worse than the doing.
You can do this, remember you gave birth! After that tooth pulling is a piece of cake.
Good Luck, Gail

Alexis Jacobs said...

My husband had his out and said it wasn't as bad as he expected. You will be okay!! You endured childbirth. This will be a walk in the park.

needlefingers said...

I was unconscious for mine, so it may not count, but . . .

It was a breeze. I had all four out, the bottom two completely impacted. I woke up, took my hydrocodone every four hours like a good girl, and it was smooth sailing. I had mine out on a Wednesday (before Halloween, as a matter of fact) and by the weekend, I only had a little achiness that OTC stuff handled. By Monday, it was all back to normal.

But yes, use the squirty syringe they'll give you to wash out the areas (cup o' noodles were my friends, but I didn't want to keep them with me), and maybe even get some Colgate Peroxyl mouthwash. That's what I used.