A bit of wisdom

Operation day to have my wisdom tooth out and I was not looking forward to it. Mum had come down last night as I had to have somebody with me as I would be having sedation and Matt was working. We set off to the Eastman Dental Hospital before lunch so we could stop and have something to eat on route. I hadn't really been that nervous but the last twenty minutes before going in I started to get a bit more apprehensive. I have been more worried about the sedation as I have a bit of a needle/vein phobia and have been known to faint before.

I didn't have to wait long and was taken straight through to a small cubical with the dentist chair. The very young dentist talked me through what would happen and the potential risks. I explained I may faint and at that point more dentists and nurses came into the room to get me ready. I was told they would put my legs up just in case. One nurse started to take my blood pressure and at that point one dentist started to tell the other how to inject me for the sedation. At that point my blood pressure went sky-high and I had to explain that the conversation was the reason. Then the sedation must have started as I don't remember much. I have only one memory of the procedure which was having tears streaming down my face, someone's knuckle pushing on my neck while a nurse held my hand but that is it. My operation had taken over an hour as my tooth had spilt and there had been difficulty removing part of it but it felt like five minutes to me.

Mum then came through while they spoke to her about my after care. Mum had to fill me in later with what I had been up to as I don’t remember. I had apparently been telling everyone I would be eating jelly and chocolate mousse. I had set the alarms off in my bay by messing with the pulse rate monitor on my finger and then when the dentist came in I was sat on the chair saying "it was me" and smiling. When I was led out of the room I was telling everyone that I had to get a blip and then managed to get my camera out and then was swaying around the entrance hall taking pictures of signposts and this letter box. I don't remember getting home but my mum had had a great afternoon being entertained by my drunken antics.

The evening went quickly and I managed some soup but somehow one of my stitches came out so I will have to go back tomorrow. My mum has been amazing today and I’m so glad she was with me to let me know all of my silly antics!


Eastman Dental Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London