So I've been sitting here thinking of what my first serious topic should be and I thought I'd ease in, so I don't scare you away. (hehe)
Wisdom teeth. Almost everyone has them naturally, and many people opt to take them out when they're in their teens or twenties to avoid over-crowding or something like that.
Well, I got mine taken out when I was 17 years old - April 18, 2011. I remember that date because it was not only one of me and my boyfriend's "monthly anniversaries" but I've found I'm just really good at remembering exact dates that important things (or sometimes even little things) happened.
Anyways - you're thinking big deal, I got my wisdom teeth out. So does 98% of America.
Aaaand, that's where you're wrong.
Well, first of all I had braces from February 29, 2008 to February 2010, which is vital to know because it's what ended up leading to the extraction of my wisdom teeth because my orthodontist suggested I take them out before they cause me pain and start ruining the beautiful work he just did with my new smile.
So, of course being not only so young, but being myself, I was very anxious and nervous for this surgery because I never like the idea of going under the knife, or under sedation. I always get freaked out that I won't wake up...
Next, I had the worst case scenario from the start, because not only did I have to get all four wisdom teeth out, but they were also ALL impacted. This means none of them had even started poking through yet, which means more digging and drilling for my doctor. Yay, more fun for both my doctor and me! *rolls eyes*
Onward, on April 18, 2011 (as stated above) I went into the room in the office in which I was going to get operated on. See, it was performed in a doctor's office setting because I was getting put under what's called a "twilight sleep" or regional anesthesia - where I felt as if I was asleep most of the time and couldn't feel what was going on, but was not under general anesthesia, in which you have to be in a hospital setting to be safe.
So as I was sitting in the chair, yes, with my mom in the room with me, (love you mommy) I felt like I was going to puke I was so nervous. (Just wait for it - that becomes ironic later on in the post) But what made me feel comforted was the dental assistant. She talked to me about what I was going to go to college for (I was a senior in high school at the time) and just simple things. She was honest but nice, and that's rare to find now-a-days in nursing staff.
So the time had come, and I was injected with an IV sedation solution and had that stupid nose thingy with oxygen on and I drifted off to "sleep". What's weird and freaked me out is during the surgery, I couldn't open my eyes but I heard them talking, things happening, and started moaning because I was scared I was waking up when I shouldn't have been. The doctor reassured me I was fine and I went back to sleep slightly after.
When I awoke from the surgery, I had to go to the recovery area and my parents walked in. I was in the usual state someone is after being sedated, extremely drowsy and my face felt very puffy and numb. You know that weird feeling when you feel like your lips are as big and tingly as a fish's lips?
Yeah, lovely.
Anyways, let's get to the real point of this post. After a little while, we went home, I took a Vicodin, and went to my bed and slept like a rock. After waking up though, that's when the FUN started. (here comes the irony of that saying from earlier...)
I instantly ran to the bathroom and threw up. I thought it was no big deal since I just had a surgery... but then it happened again VERY shortly after.... then again... and yep, you guessed it... again. (Now if you forgot the irony of the saying, I said earlier I was so nervous I could puke, but didn't... but later I did. So there you go - hehe)
Basically, all throughout the day I kept vomiting - I was fortunate enough to have the help of my loving parents and boyfriend, but it was one of the most terrible feeling days of my life. Not only did my face hurt like hell and I was endlessly vomiting (it seriously seemed never-ending) but I was also scared of becoming dehydrated or getting an infection in my newly opened holes all over my mouth.
Just to give you a vivid idea, minus the intense details, I was doing this since mid-morning until 11:30 at night. It was a constant, draining, and long process. Throughout the day, once I felt good enough to try eating - and that abruptly ended... I was also able to nap for a little while mid-afternoon while my boyfriend played Call of Duty on my Playstation 3... well, at least he was amused, right?
Finally, an end did come to this dreadful day.
I was desperate and knew this wasn't stopping - so I begged my mom to call the doctor for advice. It ended up being maybe a bad reaction to the IV sedation or Vicodin, or both. She said that once I started vomiting this much, there was literally no end unless we stopped it - and there was only one way to do that when you can't keep ANYTHING down, not even water.
A suppository.
For those of you that don't know, a suppository is something you have the pleasure of putting up your bum to stop vomiting when you can't take things by mouth. It's cold and looks like a white bullet. Ya know, like the kind you'd put in a gun.
And yes, it feels just as lovely as it sounds. (Awful, uncomfortable, and it makes you feel like you have to go to the bathroom - both ways - in an incredibly powerful way)
But the great thing about it is, it melts completely in about an hour and makes you tired, so you can fall asleep and be comfortable after the trauma your body just experienced. So I awoke the next day, not throwing up AT ALL and feeling better - well, drained, naturally - but my body was finally going to start recovering - both from the wisdom teeth getting yanked out and the constant vomiting.
So there you have it... my wisdom teeth tradegy. It may seem like a random and odd story to some, but I hope somewhere along the line it will help someone - even if it's just so they know they're not alone. I know that's a big help during times when you feel you're the only one going through something.
So after several nights of going back to write some of this blog, I'm happy to say it's finally posted! :)
Enjoy and remember to have a positive day! :)
Hugs,
Lauren
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