This was yesterday, about 3 hours post-op. Puffy cheeks, glazed eyes....yep, looks like a wisdom tooth surgery.
I was pretty nervous, this being my first surgery ever. Would I embarrass myself? Would I be in agony? What if I turned out to be one of those rare people who can feel the pain but is under the anesthetic so they can't say or do anything?
Dad picked up Boyfriend and me a little before 8:30. It was a quiet two hour drive to the oral surgeon I'd been recommended to see.
And I was hungry. We stopped at Burger King and I eyed Dad's breakfast sandwich enviously, knowing it would be days before I could handle solid food.
The two of them came to sit with me while I was getting prepped for surgery, which was heartening. I was terrified, and the heart monitor showed it. But, as Boyfriend the Medic pointed out, my blood oxygen level was "prefect." Cool.
I'd also never had an IV put in me before, (believe me, Boyfriend has offered) so that was new. It felt like cooling menthol in my arm, and it was not altogether unpleasant. The surgeon arrived (my heart rate spiked), Dad and Boyfriend left, and the go-to-sleep stuff was put in the IV. I wanted to be aware of every moment as I fell asleep. It was strange, not at all like drifting gently off. I got very dizzy and it was lights out for this girl.
The first thing I can remember after coming to is the nurse showing Boyfriend in. I think I remember trying to smile. He later told me I was pretty silly. I sang "my milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard," when Boyfriend said we could go get a milkshake later if I wanted. I also told him I had "Big Yellow Taxi" by Counting Crows in my head, which had been playing at BK, and sang, "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot." I told Boyfriend I had to pee, he asked if I'd need help, and apparently I glared at him and said, "I can wipe my own butt." Good thing Dad wasn't in the room at the time.
We stopped at a gas station for me to pee and get a blue slushie, which I could barely get in my mouth. That's one thing I did not expect: not being able to open my mouth more than a half inch. Nor did I expect the sore throat, which has yet to go away.
My best friends throughout the experience have been Boyfriend, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, milkshakes, and hydrocodone. Ohhh, I love that hydrocodone. It makes the pain go from "Owwww this really sucks" to "yeah, it hurts." I am also thoroughly enjoying the high-end Snuggie Boyfriend gave me for my birthday.
Well, I'm going to try to tackle some mac n cheese. So far my greatest accomplishment has been mashed potatoes. Mmmmm...
