So much for wisdom

For years, dentists have been telling me to get my wisdom teeth pulled out. I kept saying that they didn't bother me, they were poking up through the gums and looked like regular teeth, so why should I bother?

Well, they weren't poking up through the gums enough, and the part of the tooth still covered by gums got some decay on it. In one tooth. Now, keep in mind that I've never had a cavity in a permanant tooth before, and I'm not very good with dental work to begin with. So when the dentist said "Look, we can fill it but it's just a losing battle. Once you start filling them, you tend to keep having to fill them. Best just to take them out." Fine, then lets do all four at once and get it over with. Easy peasy.

Now, I'm 44. If I were 18 this would be no big deal. But the oral surgeon said that this would be painful, there would be swelling, and my recovery would take a week. Codswallop, I said. No way would it take a week. This is where I was wrong, people.

I now present to you, my wisdom tooth experience. In pictures.

Here I am, Friday morning, very nervous, on the way to the oral surgeon. Thanks to the Ativan they gave me to take two hours before, I actually made it to the office without a complete anxiety attack.



They let me breathe some laughing gas, and the IV was in before I knew it. Then they pumped me full of Versed so I didn't care that they were poking my mouth full of needles. Then they pulled my teeth out. I was awake, but I didn't really care that I could feel them doing stuff. It didn't hurt, but I would feel them digging around in there. I didn't scream or nothin'. Versed makes me a great patient. :)

Here I am immediately after I woke up. Thumbs up, baby!



Then, on the way home. Don't I look GREAT?



Here I am with ice packs, trying to minimize the swelling (not very successfully...)




And here is the swelling and bruising.



Lastly, here are the teeth. The one on the left was a real bugger, and they had to bust it up into three pieces to get it out. That side of my mouth is the most swollen and hurty.




Needless to say I'm still recovering. I'm having issues with the antibiotics and pain meds like I always do, so I get to choose if I would rather be in pain or if I would rather poop my pants and feel like I'm gonna puke. It's kind of a toss up at times. Right now I'm opting for the pain, but I think I'll chance to pants pooping in a few hours.

How was your weekend? :)