Wisdom Teeth

Friday afternoon, August 14, I had the first hand experience of getting my wisdom teeth removed - all four. Many shared their extraction stories and gave me advice for the recovery process. I admit that I've also read the little "Suggestions for your comfort following oral surgery" pamphlet the doctor's office gave me nearly 20 times as well. I guess you could say I'm one of those people who like to follow the rules.

This time it has been to my benefit. I've experienced no pain and just a little discomfort - mainly from living with two wads of gauze in my mouth for the last 20 hours. "Frost" Gatorade has been my friend in addition to the homemade ice cream Jon made for me. I'm eager for the 24 hour period to pass so I can eat something with a little less sugar; I'm only supposed to consume cold liquid the first day. Mashed potatoes and chicken broth are sounding tasty right now (well, so is a hamburger, but that's out of the question).

I'm paranoid about going to church or back to work with a swollen face. I still have mental pictures of friends in high school who looked like a stuffed teddy bear or my hamster when he was gathering newspaper for his nest. I've used everything from the ice pack the doctor sent home, to my lunch box ice pack, to a sock with frozen peas inside to keep the swelling at bay. My face seems to defrost the ice rather quickly...and the peas kinda smell funny.

I've also heard that females are more likely to have a problem with dry socket so, needless to say, I've been lounging on the couch with my mouth shut, only swallowing small amounts of liquid at a time - without a straw - and changing the gauze often. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything right, but so far I have no pain.

I've learned that there is nothing to watch on cable in the middle of the night, but have yet to stick a DVD into the player. While resting on the couch has felt nice, I've already begun getting restless. I'm one of those people who has to do something productive in order to feel good about my day. Jon and I might go on a hunt for linoleum and/or van chairs sometime today. That should be good enough for this "sickly" person to feel productive.

Another thing I'd like to do is turn the TV off and read my book. I think I enjoy books more than the television anyway, but find it interesting how TV can just suck a person in. If I had my way, I'd probably get rid of cable, but others in my family find it relaxing.

My stomach has begun to growl again. I think I'll go see what "soft serve" food I can hunt down in the fridge.