Camels, people in brown coats, orange papers... senseless muttering.

My gums feel strange. And my teeth hurt. Or at least, the empty spaces where my teeth used to be hurt. Yesterday, I had my wisdom teeth surgically removed. I was put under IV sedation and numbed up.

Before the procedure, several things were done to prepare me. First the nurse put an oxygen tube up my nose. Ewww. Very uncomfortable. Then, they put one of those things on my finger that reads your pulse. I could hear the beep of my pulse on a little machine. I caused a little mischief and played with the machine by seeing if thinking about certain things or breathing faster would make the machine beep faster. That was fun. At least it was until they got ready to give me the sedation shot. It was slightly embarrassing when the machine starting beeping faster and faster. I didn't realize a shot would make me that nervous. All I remember after that was the room looking kind of funny. The light above me looked like it was getting bigger and then smaller and then bigger again. Then I woke up. Let me tell you it's very strange to suddenly wake up without any memory of ever closing your eyes. I also realized there was gauze in my mouth and I couldn't even feel my lower jaw. The nurse was standing there. She asked me how I was doing. I answered "imdnggh." She nodded as if she'd understood I'd tried to say, "I'm doing okay." Then again, this is her job so she probably did understand me.

Then I must have fallen asleep again because there was a camel in the room. After my eyes opened again, the nurse said, "Keep your eyes open." "mgh" (okay), I replied. I failed though because then there were Browncoats (Independents from the show Firefly. It's a great show. Watch it.) standing in the room and Malcolm Reynolds (the captain from the show Firefly) was talking to me about my teeth. Then the nurse told me to stay awake again. I nodded but failed. This time somebody was ripping a piece of orange paper. These were the shortest, but strangest dreams I'd ever had. After waking up that last time, I really tried to make an effort to keep my eyes open. Then the nurse went to get my mom. They came back and talked about post-op stuff like my medications and what I was not allowed to eat. I don't remember much of what they said. Then I tried to tell them about my dreams. They looked at each other as if I needed to be put away. But hey, it's not my fault the drugs made my brain all fuzzy.

I was sent home with medications and an ice pack that straps over my head and hangs beneath my jaw. My mom said I looked like Jacob Marley. I suppose maybe I did look a little bit like the picture included in this post. Just... minus the chains... and the crazy hair... and the ghostly complexion.

My mouth still hurts today and I'm not feeling pleasant. Let's just say... I'm watching the clock to see when I'm allowed to take my pain med again and I'm wearing my Jacob Marley garb. But I do have to say, baby food does not taste too bad. As a matter of fact, I think I'll have some now with a little pudding for dessert.

Although it's rather unavoidable, I wish that none of you will have to (or had to) go through this ordeal with funny dreams, pain, and squishy foods... plus more.