Loss of Wisdom

I have heard some horror stories about wisdom teeth extractions over the years. But by His grace, my experience was... really, really, really positive. I feel very blessed.

Special thanks to my wife for commemorating this experience with the design of a Staples Easy Button.

Through the years of my childhood, I had upwards of 10 teeth pulled. But that was over 20 years ago. Today, it was time to do it again.

I opted not to go with nitrous nor get an anesthesiologist. How often in life do we get to go through a controlled environment of short-term pain that we know will be short-term? Maybe it would build my pain tolerance, and so I didn't want to waste it.

After the shots took effect and I was numb, the good dentist began working on the first tooth. About 15 seconds later, she said,

"Ok. That was the first one."

I responded (with mouth open and lips and tongue all numb),

"Eh? Wha do yul meein?"

"I mean... I just took out the first of your 4 wisdom teeth."

"Wowl. Wilwe? Sol fasth!"

In and out of the office in 45 minutes. I came home, switched out the bloody gauze every half an hour for about 3 hours. Took my ibuprofen and my antibiotics. And then ate a bowl of juk. And then a bowl of homemade applesauce (again, thank you, Bethany!). And then another bowl of juk. And then... a cracker. Then a jelly belly. Then a few more crackers. Then a really really small piece of beef jerky. And now, two poached eggs. I guess I'm just hungry and don't like the taste of my own blood.

Feeling a little pain in the back now, kinda like how it feels if I were to have a sore jaw. Besides that... just really thankful that it has turned out as well as it has.

For the not-so-faint-of-heart, if you want to see pictures, click at your own risk...

My extracted teeth, shot with my cell phone in the office.

My bloody mouth, shot earlier this evening.