2002-07-17 - 6:09 p.m.

On the internal soundtrack: "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", Elvis

Except it's Val Kilmer singing it, in "Top Secret!"

I did it!

Go, me!

Since I have never been under the influence of anything, ever, I was too chicken to use the nitrous oxide. I like my state of mind the way it is. So I ended up doing it with just novocaine. Since people sometimes get panicky when the entire mouth is numbed (it feels like you can't breathe or swallow), my doctor only took two teeth out today, and will get the others another time, probably September or October since my August is going to be extremely busy.

Looking back on it, it really wasn't too bad. The anticipation (i.e., the last two weeks of whining and hand-wringing) was the worst part. Going back for the other two will not be a big deal.

Getting the novocaine shots was fine. I must've gotten five per tooth. I'm not sure because I couldn't feel most of them, thanks to topical anesthetic, and I keep my eyes closed (I have no idea what a novocaine needle looks like).

After I got the novocaine, they left me alone for a few minutes for it to take effect. I was still scared of the surgery at that point, so I was shaking rather violently. That happens to me sometimes when I get scared or anxious. Mentally I was okay but my body was flipping out.

The first tooth was a nightmare. I think that's about as bad as it gets. Yanking, pushing, pulling, drilling, PUSHING. It took half an hour. She explained later that it had grown an extra root, which made it really difficult to get out. I had been told there might be a lot of pressure, but I didn't realize it was going to be so much pressure that I'd have to prop up my own jaw because it hurt (on the non-anesthetized side) from all the pushing. It's like they're trying to break off the lower jaw.

About halfway through the first tooth, I needed to pee. It got progressively worse. The tooth was taking forEVer, and I knew I had to wait 'til it was done before I could go. I started getting anxious just about the peeing! FINALLY it was done, and they let me go, and I tottered out into the waiting area past Poindexter, who looked at me very sympathetically.

Then I came back, feeling much calmer (nothing like an empty bladder to make a gal relax), and braced myself for the next one.

That one, which is the tooth that had given me the most trouble, slipped right out with one pull. No pressure or anything. When I saw her bring out the stitching thread less than a minute after she started, I was ecstatic.

I wanted to keep the second tooth (the first was in about 10 pieces), but apparently it's illegal to give me that since it's "infectious". She rolled her eyes when she told me that. But at least I got to see it. Damn thing.

After the surgery, I felt fine and well enough to walk home. We stopped in at the pharmacy and at the mall where the sandcastles are, so Poindexter could see them. I really need to take pictures.

She gave me a script for percocet, which makes me dizzy. It wore off a little too quickly with the first one -- got to a point where I thought "If it gets worse than this, I'm going to be upset." Waiting to get to the four-hour mark where I could take another was a little difficult, and the doctor wasn't answering the phone. When I took the second, it was amazing to feel the pain melt away within ten minutes. The doctor has called back and says to take a couple OTC pills if the percocet wears off early, which I think I prefer since I don't like the percocet side effects.

So there you go. So far, so good. Poindexter says "I told you so," but he looks awfully affectionate when he says it.

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