Unlike the father in the movie 鈥淢y Big Fat Greek Wedding鈥�, who believed in the curative powers of Windex, my mother was a firm believer in salt-water. If ever we were hurt she would come a- runnin鈥� with the water and shaker. Although it burned initially, an infection wouldn鈥檛 stand a chance and, quite quickly, a soothing feeling would be forthcoming.
Months ago, I wrote about the tooth I lost after biting into a chocolate bunny last Easter. Unfortunately, a year later, the fall-out from that incident continues.
This week I had the privilege of going to a periodontist for a surgery that I will not soon forget. I鈥檝e had dental 鈥減rocedures鈥� before but even this specialist couldn鈥檛 use that simple word for what he was about to do. He, truthfully, warned me about 鈥渕ega鈥� swelling, bruising and pain. Even his kind assistant pre-operatively reiterated, 鈥淭he surgery isn鈥檛 that bad but the aftermath is another story 鈥︹�� then she trailed off and quickly asked me what music I鈥檇 like to listen to. When I asked for a Christian music station she said, 鈥淚鈥檝e never been asked that before.鈥�
I found that difficult to believe because when would there be a more opportune time to cry out to God than when sitting in a dental chair?
She settled on music I wouldn鈥檛 hear anyway and we were off!
As I鈥檇 had with my wisdom teeth, I expected to be offered some sort of sedative to relax and make me forget, but my dreams of oblivion vanished when the doc said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 give anything through an IV.鈥� Nice.
Three needles of local freezing later, however, my lower jaw could barely be felt. The digging and drilling began and it only took a jaw-wrenching hour until I was stitched up.
I didn鈥檛 feel all that bad when he was done. I actually felt proud of myself, having weathered the storm so well, and optimistically met my husband in the waiting vehicle with my five prescriptions in hand. We wisely got those filled and I took a few pills before beginning the over three-hour trek home.
I have had three babies. I took nothing for pain during any labours and I don鈥檛 remember crying but鈥擨 cried then鈥攆or at least half of the ride home. As the freezing dissipated, I felt as though a semi-truck had run over the lower half of my face and all I wanted was an epidural from the neck up. Before the narcotics kicked in, I would鈥檝e gladly sprayed my gum hole with Windex or any amount of salt and water.
Days later my face is, indeed, the 鈥渕ega鈥� swollen and bruised I was promised. Thankfully, the pain is less and a strange numbness has set in. Hopefully, the salt water rinses I鈥檝e prescribed are working.
I鈥檇 like to think about Easter treats again but 鈥� I cannot. In my present state of mind, I鈥檓 still mad and blaming it on the bunny!
听
