ARGHHH!!! Tooth Extraction Blues

Image by Karen Arnold from Pixabay

 

 

ARGHHH!!!

 

The molar extraction went well. The dentist numbed me so completely that I didn’t feel a thing, other than  pressure as he rocked the tooth out of my massive lower jaw and eventually tugged it out, but it took a lot of rocking and tugging to get it out of there.

 

Afterward, he asked me if I wanted  a prescription for pain medication. Feeling fine and mighty unruffled, I said, “No, I’ll take Tylenol. I’m not a wimp.”

 

And I’m not.

 

But last night, when the numbness wore off, and this morning, the discomfort is more intense than I thought it would be…

 

At first I took two 500 mg Tylenol to take care of it so I could get to sleep; every four hours, the discomfort woke me, so I took an additional Tylenol at those times. This morning I’m only taking one every four hours or so (I’m allowed up to two every six hours, so I’m spreading them out).

 

I have a very minor headache (unusual for me) that has persisted ever since the numbness wore off, so I know my body was traumatized physically by the extraction, even though I wasn’t (emotionally). I was calm cool and collected because there was zero pain, even as the dentist numbed me. He was masterful, all the way around.

 

I’m limited to soft, cold foods and liquids for 48 hours, and in an hour or so I can start rinsing my mouth with salt water to reduce the soreness and keep the wound clean. It’s already healing nicely…

 

I just want the niggling headache to go away and to be able to eat warm food and hot chocolate again. My standard “comfort foods” are off-limits right now and I’m craving them. Cottage cheese, jello and pudding only gets me so far!!!

 

The good news about all this is that I’m losing weight. I’m down to a weight I haven’t been at in 20 years, and I haven’t been playing pickleball or wallyball for a couple weeks because my tooth would pound whenever I exerted more than minimally.  Of course I was eating less when my tooth was so sensitive, too, so that helped me keep losing even though I haven’t been active.  I’ll be in the best shape I’ve been in in 20 years  in Forks next week…

 

I just have to lose this headache and soreness before then. Today would be nice, but that’s wanting the impossible. These things take time. I should be back up to par by the time I drive to Forks on Friday…

 

I’m really looking forward to the convention. Sure hope I sell some books and inspire some teenagers and young adults to listen to the yay-sayers in their lives (or find some, if they don’t have any!) so they keep their dream careers on the front burner. That’s where they belong!

 

Of course, I’m also very much looking forward to connecting with DeForest Kelley fans at the convention, but that’s a given, isn’t it? It will be a lot of fun, I’m sure…

 

I can’t wait, but I’m also glad it isn’t happening TODAY. I need to get over my oral trauma before I can think clearly enough to entertain and inspire others!  I want to feel AMAZING next weekend (for the first time in about a month).

 

Recovery is just days away–and I am sooooo looking forward to it!