Brian had his wisdom teeth out on Thursday. I picked him up from the surgeon’s that morning around 11:00. I arrived downtown at 9:30 but he was still in recovery, so I wandered around Union Square for a while, sipping a green tea. Every store was closed, so I window-shopped. Then I went back to sit in the waiting room, which featured a hi-def flatscreen showing a loop of a video about facial reconstruction. People with weak chins and severe overbites, all given brand-new profiles. After looking at that for a couple minutes, I flipped through the current issue of W. The photo feature in the back had quite a few bare breasts. Small ones, of course; these are models. The shoot before that was of middle-aged supermodels like Cheryl Teigs and Cindy Crawford. For some reason the photographer felt it necessary to use the most unflattering lighting imaginable. They all looked awful. Oh and Carolyn Murphy went topless for this one too. Her boobs, like mine, are perfect.
So anyway, Brian was out of it. I went through this surgery back in 2000, and I was pretty dazed after coming out of the anesthesia then, too. I drove him home, and stayed with him the rest of the day, going to buy him a jamba juice smoothie, and then driving to Safeway to stock up on applesauce and yogurt. While on my way out, I spotted Ted of the Fab Five, doing an autograph signing. At Safeway. Hmm. I didn’t stop — I don’t care about autographs in general unless it’s for a book that I like.
Today was warm, mostly. I took a walk and discovered a new natural foods market in my ‘hood. Had more green tea. It has been three weeks without coffee. My skin looks pretty good. But it’s still inconclusive. By the way, it wasn’t that bad before. It just wasn’t as smooth as I like — I was getting tiny zits on my cheeks. Boooo.
Tomorrow I plan to go to the library. I need some books for “research purposes” for the novel, and I don’t want to buy them. Besides, I haven’t checked out a book in way too long, and SF has a great main library. I have a lot of writing to do. I am not bringing my laptop to the library, but I was thinking that I might try writing a few things out longhand, even though my handwriting has completely fallen into disrepair ever since the internet came along.
Nyah, nyah…
Strangely, both my brother Joel and I were both without (!) wisdom teeth, so neither of us will have to go through the pain of having them taken out.
However, I did get to witness my ex-, Connie, have hers taken out under general anesthesia (at the time, she didn’t have enough money to pay for being put completely under). She told me afterwards that she heard the crack and snap of all four of her impacted wisdom teeth being broken and removed from her mouth.
Ick.
And I’m with you on the handwriting thing. I can barely read my own notes from meetings now. And I have developing carpal tunnel syndrome! Yay for teh internets!
Re: Nyah, nyah…
There are actually different flavors of anesthesia, it turns out. The ones used to surgeries where they cut open your belly, for instance, is a true general anesthesia, delivered in gas form. You are completely under, and unable to move.
The one used to dental work like major extractions is delivered via an IV drip, and you are only “partially” sedated. The effect is comparable to temporary amnesia. You should not remember any of it (I didn’t), and yet they tell me that I was able to walk into the recovery room on my own (I don’t remember doing that either).
The one positiv to take away from my poor typing skills is that it probably saved me from carpal tunnel.
Re: Nyah, nyah…
Connie got the kind where it just numbs you. She said it was pretty awful. I’ve only ever had laughing gas, when they did surgery on my teeth before I could get my braces. I remember giggling and then being home. Sort of like drinking several vodka tonics and then taking an Ambien. Life’s own fast-forward button.