Survived the Dentist Again
As I write this, my pulse is 81 beats per minute. I know this, not because I checked at my wrist or on my neck, but because I can feel each and every heartbeat as stabbing pain in my lower left molars.
I just got back from the dentist where I got 2 fillings and the anesthetic is wearing off. The throbbing pain and general soreness are replacing the slightly numb feeling that was there for the last couple of hours.
I say "slightly" because novacaine doesn't work particularly well on me. After a bunch of nitrous oxide, they gave me the shots and gave me a double dose, because they know it takes a lot to numb me up. The first one was on the top and was actually the first filling of my life where I didn't feel the sharp pain of the drilling.
The lower one, however, was just a repeat of every other filling I've ever had. The drilling started and the sharp pain followed. When I winced and gripped the chair, she gave me a 3rd dose of novacaine and waited for it to kick in. I eventually felt more numb, but the pain never did (and never does) go away. I just deal with the pain like I always have (for things like a pitchfork through my foot at 15) and move on.
So, now I'm sitting at home waiting for my tongue to return to normal so I don't risk a major mess by eating or drinking something. God, I hate this.
I do want to say that this dentist is the best one I've worked with. She's considerate, careful and does good work. It's just that despite her best efforts, it's always going to hurt like hell and there's not much to be done about it.
So, if you see me in person tomorrow you don't need to wonder why I'm abnormally quiet.
