I Survived! Wisdom Teeth Surgery

My recovery buddy, Tyrion

If you know me, you know I'm a needle phobe and super anxious about anything medical. Thus, for the past month and a half, the date "January 20th" on the calendar has been a black dot--the date I was scheduled to get my wisdom teeth out. It seriously was a black dot...I colored it in with a Sharpie.

I couldn't see past that date. In my head was a constant countdown to my personal doomsday. My biggest fear was the IV; I hate needles and really hate the idea of needles in veins. I shed plenty of tears the night before and mentally wrote off the entire month of January.

It's been five days since surgery...and I'm glad to say I survived. It was quite a struggle though. If you're in the same boat and getting ready for Wisdom Teeth Surgery, here are some things I've learned.

1. Laughing Gas doesn't always work
I think my surgeon rushed it because as soon as she put the mask on she started working on the IV. I was completely conscious when this happened...and crying. This was my biggest fear, so I was panicking. The good news is it honestly didn't hurt and I really didn't feel it. Once it was in, I didn't even know it. This was the worst part of the surgery for me. It only takes a few minutes though, so you just have to tough through. 

2. You are out cold in minutes.
I remember turning to the surgeon and saying the meds weren't working. The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room super confused. I don't remember my husband walking into the room. I don't remember a single thing. It is a very weird feeling, but it is like blacking out. Super easy.

3. You'll feel amazing the first few hours.

The meds take a while to wear off, so the first few hours I felt great. These hours are a bit fuzzy. Apparently I was asking a lot of questions. I also managed to escape from the truck when my husband stopped at the pharmacy. I dashed into the store like a ninja with my hood tied around my face (I'm sure that didn't look suspicious). I announced I needed school supplies...then went to the Valentine's Day cards and stared at them. Be prepared to act a fool....

4. The swelling will catch you.
Day 2 I was great. I stayed put on the couch and didn't move because I didn't want to risk it. Day 3...sheer hell set in. The pain meds dulled the pain, but my face felt like it was full of golfballs and it hurt to even eat pudding. I spent days 3 and 4 in sheer agony. I slept like three hours. It was awful.

I honestly feared the IV the most...I should have feared the swelling. No joke, it's pretty intense, depending on your situation. Some people luck into little swelling. I was not one of them. 

5. You will miss food.

I spent the days daydreaming about pizza and tacos. Seriously. The liquid diet gets old after about two meals. There was no temptation to cheat, though, because my mouth was so sore, I didn't even want to think about chewing a thing. I first thought maybe weight loss would be a perk to the misery...I'm pretty sure I'm going to gain weight when I binge eat this weekend. 

6. It will be hard to focus.

I planned on doing a ton of writing this weekend. I did get a lot done on day 2, but once the swelling set in, I couldn't focus on a thing. The pain meds also make it hard to concentrate and remember things. I watched shows that I can't even remember because I wasn't focused. Don't plan on doing anything super important.

7. Find a good support system.

You will need help with lots of things. I was lucky to have a husband who (for the most part) took good care of me. There was a soup spilling moment and a few other squabbles (we spent 4 days in the house together...what do you expect?). However, I was lucky to have someone to help so I could take it easy and heal faster.

8. Be patient.

I planned on being back to work on Tuesday. By Monday, I knew there was no way this was happening since my mouth was still a swollen, aching mess. Be patient and don't rush things. Everyone heals on their own time. You will get better...it's just a slow process. Focus on making it through each day, each hour if you have to. Eventually, you'll be in the clear and so glad it's all behind you.