Today, I paid someone $1000+ to do something that might have been accomplished with a piece of string and a doorknob. OK, maybe that wouldn’t have gotten 3 wisdom teeth extracted, but you know me: always looking for a deal.
Over the last few days, I mentioned the upcoming surgery to co-workers and friends and their reactions were basically similar.
These are not my actual co-workers and friends, but you get the drift.
The warnings on the pre-op brochure were disheartening. Of course, there were disclaimers that complications were “rare” and “unlikely”, but I like to fight overwhelming odds. Not this time.
I won’t worry you with the warnings since some of you are planning to have your wisdom teeth yanked, sawed, and chiseled out of your gumline. Looking out for ya!
Thanks to your sage advice, I went for the sedation. They took CM & I back to sign a consent form and hand over the $1000+ (and I didn’t even get a piece of string).
After a few min, I was brought back to the operation room. The tech seated me and put the laughing gas mask and a few electrodes on me. During our small talk, she asked if I felt the laughing gas and I said ‘no.’ Maybe I was reflexively breathing through my mouth.
She turned up the gas and then I worried that it was too strong now. I was mainly afraid of what I might say in my “high” state. Fortunately, I don’t think I revealed my PIN or babbled about eating insect carcasses.
She put in the IV and then I felt this cool rush through my limbs. I didn’t know if it was the nitrous or the IV because she didn’t say she was starting the anesthetic. In my mind, I was fighting it. Trying to focus on something. Didn’t want to lose control.
The boy was awake most of last night, so I joked that I could’ve slept without sedation. It likely wouldn’t have gone as smoothly:
ME
zzz… why won’t he sleep? zzz…DOC
(to tech)
Loud and scary saw please.Doc goes to work.
ME
(startled awake; screaming)
BUBBLES!!!!
Something was going on in my mouth — the needles I guess. Then she gently squeezed my shoulder. I was expecting to talk with the surgeon for final instructions, but she said it was over! They didn’t have me count down or anything. Anesthesia rules!!
Since then, I’ve just been sleeping, taking meds, and feeling a little weird. No big pain or swelling yet, but we were told that the third day after is the worst.
The extra $300 to get put under was WELL worth it. Thanks for your help and prayers, AWSCers!
(photos: jadam, nemone, jadam again, naomgalai)
I remember having to watch a scary video and sign something before getting my wisdom teeth out, as well. Almost as frightening as the waiver I signed when I went skydiving. No joke! But I’d do it again! (The skydiving, not the wisdom teeth…)
It’s always interesting to sign your name to something where it essentially asks, “If you die, no one will sue us, right?”
What a society we live in today.
See!?! Anesthesia is a gift from the Lord. Hope your recovery is smooth. I remember eating oatmeal with a very tiny baby spoon and then never wanting to eat ever again because the pain was so bad. And then I remember calling to check on my brother after he had his done and he answered the phone himself, as if he had just come home from the gym or something.
Glad it’s over, and glad you went under. That’s what I did and would suggest. I have a friend named J.W. Face who played wallyball the day he got his out! Dedication!
rachel – i do worry sometimes about what i’m signing away with those waivers. it’s a catch-22. if i don’t sign the waiver, i don’t get operated on. if i don’t get operated on, my jaw would deteriorate away into nothing. hmm…
amy – i couldn’t imagine going through it without the anesthesia. i likely would’ve freaked out and made a scene.
brad – i wish i could’ve bounced back so quickly.