Wisdom Tooth Update

Hello, Readers!

Today is Sunday, the 6th day after my wisdom tooth surgery. I am doing much better, but not 100% yet. This is my last day of antibiotics. I have been off the prescription painkillers for almost 3 days! Very moderate soreness is now being treated with an over the counter pain killer as needed. I even ate pizza yesterday. 2 whole slices.

However, I really must complain express my concern about my lingering tongue numbness. The left side of my tongue has been numb since the surgery, and, even weirder, I have had a really odd feeling at the left base of my tongue, like a ball is wedged back there or something. It makes swallowing awkward and I feel it all the time. It doesn't actually hurt but it is annoying and distracting and strange.

The funny thing about the nerve damage is that, before the surgery, the doctor reviewed x-rays with us. He showed us the nerve and it's relation to the tooth, and predicted no nerve trouble at all. Hmm.

So now, I have to wait and see if it will go away. I really hope it does.

And now, Readers, I leave you. We are going to Lowe's to look at some goodies for our indoor and outdoor gardens. :)

Wisdom Teeth and Preparedness

Last week, I went in for a dental cleaning and x-rays. My insurance would be running out shortly and I knew I really needed to go in. I was extremely anxious about it, since I haven't been to a dentist in many years. You see, the last time I went to a dentist, the hygienists were so rude and I was just another number to the dentist. They all treated me as if I wasn't good enough to be in their chair. Grant and his family assured me that their dentist was excellent and they could squeeze me in on short notice.
So on Thursday, there I went. I was pleasantly surprised that my teeth had only 2 cavities that I would need filled. The hygienist did a "rough cleaning" on my teeth and I need to go back in soon for a finer cleaning. However, my wisdom teeth were fully "in" and they all also had cavities.
The receptionist, knowing that my insurance would be running out on the 7th, was kind enough to call the local oral surgeons and found an open appointment for Monday. Yikes.
This dentist office is fantastic. If you live in Reno and need caring dental professionals, I can't recommend Sala Family Dentistry enough. They are fantastic.
So, yeah. We definitely could have been more prepared for that. Which is why I am writing today. This wasn't exactly an emergency medical situation, but everyone should be prepared for such a thing. You see, even though I had dental insurance, the oral surgeon required a 10% down payment when I came in for the extractions. Luckily, we had plenty in savings and all was well. As a young woman, sometimes it is hard to choose between a great sale at Macy's and padding the old savings account. But I chose correctly frequently enough to make this procedure happen with no effect on our day-to-day lives.
However, when it comes to food, we could have been better prepared... Once I arrived home from the surgery, Grant and my darling brother, Kevin, carried me up the stairs to bed. And while I slept, Grant had to go shopping for soft foods, as well as pick up my prescriptions. They even let him pick up my vicodin. I didn't know that was legal, but apparently, it is. Anyhow, a few jars of applesauce and some boxes of Jello would have been a big help to us this week.
I can only imagine Grant bustling around the grocery store, hoping I'm not at home, starving to death. Luckily, any kind of medication hits me like a sack of bricks, and I slept for several hours.
And, TMI alert, I woke up with blood everywhere... In my hair, on my pillow, on my ice pack and my clothes. Yuck! Since all I wanted to do for the first day was lie in bed and sleep, having a spare set of cold-weather sheets would have been smart. But we didn't, so I had to wait, awake, out of bed, while they got clean.
Readers, learn from my mistakes! I am on the road to recovery and have managed to eat some solid foods, if they are in small pieces.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.