Words of Wisdom

When I got back from the Ragnar Relay, Jeff informed me that he had set up an appointment with an oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth removed- talk about dropping a bomb. This is something that has been hanging over my head for the past 10 years, knowing that it needed to happen and dreading it. Because we got engaged and married so quickly, there wasn't really time to do it beforehand. During medical school, residency, etc. the timing wasn't great, I had four pregnancies, and funds weren't really there so it just kept getting put off. My wisdom teeth had actually all come in and they were straight, some dentists thought it would be fine for me to keep them, but it was just a little too crowded in my mouth and I didn't want to worry about decay.

The time leading up to the surgery was a little depressing- you know when you're completely dreading something and know that it's coming, especially when family members have gone through the process recently and had such bad experiences. I just tried to forget about it completely, but even when I was sleeping I would even dream about it. It sounds silly, but I was sick with worry and would rank 'wisdom teeth removal' near death and way below many other bad things on the scale of things in life. I know that's why I had continued to put it off, and I'm glad Jeff finally just got the process going for me.

As funny as it might sound, the whole process ended up being a spiritual experience for me. From dreading it beforehand and having moments of peace and comfort, to the recovery process and answered prayers after. I never thought I would say it, but I'm grateful I had the experience because it was a time of personal growth for me- sometimes it seems like the most difficult and trying times in our lives are also the biggest faith and testimony builders.

Friday finally came. I went to the gym that morning and stayed busy to keep my mind occupied. That afternoon after dropping Matthew off, I met up with Jeff at the oral surgeon's office with conveniently is less than a mile from our home. I did all the paperwork, had x-rays, and met with the oral surgeon. We chose this particular surgeon after some recommendations from people in the ward. Ironically enough, he did his residency training in Philadelphia and is good friends with Scott Matson- another one of our friends who is still finishing his oral surgery residency there. It was fun to make the connection and made me feel even better. (The 'friends & family' discount was a perk too. :)

From there I headed back to the operating room, and Jeff took Emily home for some lunch. The last thing I remember is talking to the nurse, then getting really sleepy and going to sleep. The process was fast- it only took Dr. G about 30 minutes to remove all four wisdom teeth. I woke up a little groggy, but still completely 'with it'. Jeff drove me home and I walked inside and upstairs by myself and spent most of the rest of the day sleeping.

Those first couple of days after the extraction were a little rough but not horrible. I felt 'cloudy' was how I phrased it to Jeff- I think it takes a little while for the effects of the anesthesia to go away completely, your mouth is obviously pretty sore, and I felt a little emotional -I'm sure a lot of that was due to hormonal timing too though. I couldn't eat after 10pm Thursday evening, but even Friday night when I could eat, I didn't want to for fear of messing things up. I know the first 48 hours are the most important to preventing dry sockets & other problems, and I was determined to do everything I could to prevent them. I drank some chocolate milk that night but didn't eat anything until Saturday. At that point I finally had some yogurt and pretty much ate yogurt, pudding, chocolate milk, and smoothies for the next few days. Sunday night I added chicken noodle soup, but that was all I ate until Wednesday. They should rename wisdom teeth extractions as the 'Effective Miracle Diet'. By Wednesday/Thursday I was 'hungry' for real food and found my favorite foods were chili and warm homemade tapioca pudding. I didn't think anything had ever tasted so good!

I was glad to have Jeff. He did a great job of running the household on Saturday and took the kids to church on Sunday. More than anything I appreciated his love and the comfort I felt with him there. Going through things like this really seem to bring out the, "I want my Mom" feelings. That wasn't possible, but having Jeff was wonderful. I was sad to see him go back to work Monday morning, but it was good for me. I got the kids off to school and felt good getting back to everyday life-even the laundry. Partly I think because it gets your mind focused back on normal things rather than teeth.

I had some swelling, but it really wasn't too bad and was completely gone by about 4 days after- good thing, because Jeff and I went to a black-tie event the next Friday and I would have hated to look like a chipmunk! All in all, the process went really well and I was so incredibly grateful! After it was over, I felt like a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders knowing it was over and I would never have to go through it again. It was definitely an answer to many many prayers.

Other random thoughts

*They say it's much better to get wisdom teeth out as a teenager or at a younger age. As you get older, your bone gets more dense and it gets harder to remove the teeth. Plus the chances of dry sockets and other complications gets much higher the older you get. You have the highest chances of dry sockets if you are a woman, older, and having the bottom wisdom teeth removed. Plus, as a teenager you don't have to worry about being able to take care of kids, keeping up with responsibilities, make dinner, clean your home, and do everything else you need to do. I will make sure all of our kids get theirs out early!

*Some people might tell you to go to a regular dentist for wisdom teeth extraction, but I am ALL about an oral surgeon! It took him 30 minutes, I didn't have to feel a thing, risk of complications is lower, and it ended up being about the same price anyway. It was a lot cheaper than what we had expected- with insurance and a health savings account, we didn't end up paying a cent out of pocket. That was awesome. I would hate to spend a ton of money in exchange for a miserable event. :)

*I was very grateful for sweet friends and family who helped with kids, carpools, and who called, texted, and dropped things by. It sure made me feel loved and made the process all that much better.

*Right after Halloween is probably good timing for wisdom teeth removal- I couldn't eat my kids' candy even if I had wanted to. Probably anytime during the Holiday season for that matter.

* It took a good week to feel up to exercising and running again. When I started back up one week after I could tell I wasn't completely back to normal- I think that took a good 2 weeks. I missed it and was so grateful to feel back to normal again. It sure makes you not take it for granted.

*Tapioca pudding was my very favorite post-operative food. Warm, and sweet, and so so good. I may or may not have made and eaten entire batches by myself. :)

*I know I said it before, but it was a very spiritual experience for me. Although I am very grateful wisdom teeth removal is a once-in-a-lifetime process, I am grateful I had the experience. It strengthened my testimony of a loving Heavenly Father who is aware of us and our fears, hopes, and desires. I know He loves us and blesses us in so many ways, and lifts our spirits when we feel so low. It was a very humbling experience and helped me refocus myself and take more of an eternal perspective. I think experiences like this help us shift our focus from insignificant things to things of greater importance. The humbling process makes us more kind, more patient, and more full of gratitude and love towards our Heavenly Father, our Savior- who knows and has experienced all our pain and trials, and our families and children. I know this is the reason we have trials in our lives- the hard times help us to turn towards our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When life is easy, sometimes it's all too easy to get caught up in other things. It also made me grateful for examples of others who although they are dealing with lifelong health problems and other struggles, still manage to remain happy, optimistic, and full of faith. I am so humbled by so many of these people- not the least of which is my own mother who is now battling cancer for the 2nd time and my grandmother who has dealt with multiple sclerosis for years. They are amazing women and spiritual giants in my life. Although my experience was the loss of my "wisdom" teeth, I feel like I gained a lot more "wisdom" than I lost, and I am so grateful for the experience.