lack of Wisdom

The past several weeks I’ve had quite a bit of dental work. Since I’ve already had a minor surgery earlier this year here in Korea I wasn’t really nervous. It turned out that I needed a root canal for my bottom right molar, which would also require surgery to remove my wisdom tooth. Mike also has had 2 root canals with the same dentist and survived so I felt ok about my very near future.

The root canal went very well with little pain. But next was my surgery. I started getting a little anxious because I wasn’t sure if I would be put to sleep or not. So I arrive at the dentist’s office prepared to endure whatever was thrown my way. She checks the tooth with the root canal.

Next thing I knew she put a cloth over my face and said that she will begin the surgery. AHHH!!! I frantically waved my hands and closed my numbed mouth. “You aren’t going to put me to sleep?!” I tried to say as clearly as I could. She looked puzzled and unsure of what I meant. So I pretended to be asleep and then asked again. “Please, you must give me drugs!”

“No, no, no.” she replied. “Just relax.” She tipped the chair back, covered my face and began to cut into my gum. I couldn’t take it! My heart was pounding so hard that I could hear it! I closed my eyes and tried to think of a happy place. Maybe I’ll be so traumatized that I’ll just pass out. This was the happiest thought I could muster up.

One hand was gripping the handle of the chair and the other clawing at my stomach! I felt like I was in a horror movie and she was torturing me for fun. After a few minutes of terrifying cuts the tooth was ready to come out. Oh wait…it had to be sawed apart and broken into three pieces before it would come out. And she proceeded to do just so.

First was the saw. The noise sent my body into uncontrollable jolting, for which I just clawed harder into my stomach and somehow didn’t cry! I felt blood and cold water splash my face. Next was the breaking of the tooth. She put so much force on that tooth that other parts of my head began to hurt. CRACK! The sound of that tooth breaking will forever make me cringe. Saw once more. Break again.
The worst part was finally over. She closed the wound and began to sew me up. Sewing is pretty simple, but feeling the entire thing made me nauseas. My whole body was so tense that it took a couple minutes to realize that it was finally finished. Thank you God!

They sent me out to the waiting room. I sat, somehow still not crying, waiting to pay. I felt beat and wronged in someway. It’s been a week since the surgery and I feel much better. I feel so thankful that the USA will put me to sleep for the other 3 wisdom teeth.