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wSpring Tide |
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The tandem pull of the sun and the moon
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wSunday, February 29, 2004 |
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Epilogue
It went ok, better than I feared and I chide myself in the aftermath for being worried about it. The sinus is ok, no "breach", and the tooth came out without incident. It's pretty sore still -- I just woke up hurting -- but that should pass. The oral surgeon shot me up pretty good -- my nose still feels weird -- and there was no pain. The worst part was wondering if her grip on the tooth was going to slip and she'd bash me in some other part of my mouth. I confess to feeling a little tense about that.
This weekend has been a haze. Allegedly darvocet is pretty mild, and I've only been taking halves, but even those knock me out. All I've done is sleep or log on to cl and space out. I know my dreams have been weird but I can't even say what they'v been. I think out of the past 24 hours, I've been out for 16 of those. Friday I think I was awake for maybe 6 hours.
I'm hoping I'm awake more today.
posted by
Just Mary at 7:38 AM
7 comments
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wFriday, February 27, 2004 |
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The Hellmouth
Its Dental Day.
About a year ago, a tooth went south on me... lost a filling, nasty infected ickyness. I was working 3 jobs, temping, no insurance and just making ends meet. So I baby'd it... salt water rinses, kept it clean and got through it somehow. It got infected a few times but I managed. Its been mostly ok since I got insurance, so (sigh) I hadn't done anything about it
About a week ago it broke and a sharp edge was digging into my cheek. My jaw has gradually swelled, my ear hurt, my jaw joint hurts and I've had a constant sinus headache. My neck and throat are totally sore from the swollen lymph nodes on that side.
I made it to a dentist 2 days ago. She took x-rays and its all abcessed and nasty looking. We talked bout the possibility of saving it, but the out of pocket expense is an estimated $1800. (root canal, crown etc.) And that's IF it could be saved.
She gave me a prescript for tetracycline (penicillin allergy) and sent me to a maxillofaciary specialist (I'm probably spelling that wrong) who I met with yesterday for a "surgical consult." There may be sinus issues apparently -- they're worried that the infection has made the sinus barrier thin. She said it might perforate during the surgery but they can heal by themselves.
I have this image of my face caving in on itself like some cover story of Weekly World News (Alien Woman Found Living with Cats!)
Anyway, we talked about my medical history, my allergies and discussed pain management. I'm opting for no anesthesia -- insurance doesn't cover it -- and the prescription will be Darvocet. They offered vicodine, I suggested percodan or demerol and we settled at darvocet. (hey after my wisdoms, they gave me both!)
I had to go back to work after and about 20 min after I got there, the power went out. I waited around for about 2 hours and it finally came back on. I had to start a bunch of tests since I won't be going to work after the surgery, so it was a late one. I got home about 3 and decided that 6am (I have to leave the house at 7am) was going to come too soon. With the power flashing on and off (its been raining cats AND dogs on the central coast of CA), I'm too paranoid that I'll miss my appt. So here I am... typing to you, Dear Reader.
I'm a little nervous. I don't like the big honkin needle they use for the local. And I'm not jazzed about how they have to cut into the gum and section the tooth cuz of the funky root placement. I'm also not excited about the massive infection in my head. I think of things like "what if there's a problem cuz of the infection?" A friend's dad got an infection in the brain after dental work. yikes. I like my brain. I don't want any bacteria throwing a party in my grey matter. And I sure hope I'm not more anxious cuz of the lack of sleep. I can get weepy when I'm tired. I sure don't wanna whine in front of the oral surgeon.
But I'm ready. They want me to start ibuprofen before the numbness wears off. So I've got that in my pack. I'm supposed to ice it too, so I got a cooler ready (my fridge doesn't freeze squat). I got some yogurt, pudding and oatmeal (soft foods only for a few days) along with some juice. I cleaned up work stuff and made arrangements for someone to monitor my tests.
After they're done hacking into the Hellmouth, I'll come home, pop a darvocet and crash. Or maybe I'll just do ibuprofen first and save the darvocet for when I'm awake... not sure.
If you read this today, think nice thoughts for me.
posted by
Just Mary at 5:07 AM
2 comments
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wFriday, February 13, 2004 |
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A few months ago when I got some test fish at the lab, there were a couple lil hitchikers included: tiny, just-barely-not-larval crayfish. There were five of them, and I put them in one of the holding tanks with some relatively mellow fish. Time passed, the lil critters grew, and now there are two. One I'd named Jeremy -- he was big. All reddish, nicely colored, huge claws, and a big fat pig. He's about 4 inches long now, and he walks around the bottom of the tank, claws up and outstretched, antennae waving, hoping in vain to catch one of the fathead minnows he lived with. He reminds me of a drunk fratboy at a party trying to pick up a girl.. doggedly persistant, hopelessly ineffectual.
The other crawfish never had a name.. he mostly hid up on some grating, trying to stay out of the way of Jeremy. He wasn't very successful. Tonight I noticed he'd lost some back legs on one side and a claw on the other. He sort of lurches around when he moves.
I separated the crawdads and gave them new names: Zen and Stumpy.
Zen has gone to live with the more aggressive 3 spined sticklebacks, while Stumpy is staying by himself in the safer waters of the Fathead Minnows. Zen has adapted nicely to his new home.. he has a lovely pvc pipe to hang out in, plenty of detritus n leftover food, and he's now big enough that the sticklebacks won't pick him apart. Stumpy meanwhile, has taken up residence on the bottom of the fathead minnow tank, where he lurches around, waving his one good claw, trying in vain to catch a tasty fathead minnow.
Its crawfish nature, I guess.
posted by
Just Mary at 3:55 AM
4 comments
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