002 | A Wise Move

So I finally got up the courage to have my wisdom teeth removed and to be honest, it wasn't that bad. The worst part was probably the anxiety prior to the surgery. I began panicking two days before my appointment, which made the time leading up to it seem to drag on forever. It wasn't the pain I was afraid of --- more than anything, it was having to be put under (I'm kind of a control freak). So when I first arrived at the office, my heart was pounding in my chest. But once they got me on the table and gave me the laughing gas, I was (in the words of Tyler Durden) as calm as a hindu cow. Then they put the IV in (which left me with the bruise shown above) and the next thing I remember is being in the passenger seat of my dad's car as he's pulling into my apartment complex's parking lot. Apparently I had been awake since we left the office, but I can't recall anything before getting home. I didn't seem to mind being disoriented, though... and I felt virtually no pain at all. My family got me upstairs and into bed, where I remained for a few hours watching South Park and drinking Jamba Juice. By the early evening, I was walking around like nothing had happened.

The second day was probably worse than any other. I woke up with chipmunk cheeks and my jaw felt like it had been injected with Botox. This was when the meds and ice packs really came in handy. On the third day, the swelling had subsided a bit... but by that point the only thing I was thinking about was the big juicy cheeseburger I still couldn't eat. I'm now on the fourth day and my cheeks have pretty much gone back to normal (although the Botox feeling hasn't completely gone away yet) and I'm beginning to eat solid foods again. I hope to be fully recovered within a few more days.

My advice to people having this procedure is to not make it into a bigger deal than it really is. I know, I know... easier said than done, right? But seriously... freaking out about it is as bad as it gets. I suggest trying to focus your attention on something else in the days leading up to your surgery. Hanging out with friends kept me from thinking about it too much.

Until next time!