Tuesday 30 December 2008

Chalk This One Up To Experience?

Fingers and [edit] crossed, the worst moments of this current pain-cycle seem to have passed. For now. Thank fark for that!!!

Having passed kidney stones on three separate occasions previously, I'd say the pain I've experienced over this past week+ beats that hands-down.

That's nothing to boast about... twas physically exhausting.

Trying new pain-killers has it's drawbacks tho... obviously I simply can't keep taking the same stuff for endless days, as they'd end-up having some pretty nasty side-affects health-wise. So yeah, the doctors have been trying to chop and change 'em a bit.

My new dentist (I can't believe I can say "my dentist" now, after last having seen one in like 25 years!) is truly wonderful... so helpful, informative, compassionate, understanding. She's even a bit of a spunk... it's not possible to have a boyish crush on your dentist, is it? (I'm kidding, I assure you! lol). But seriously... she's easy to get to on the phone, she makes herself available to listen and presents the pros-and-cons of different options, rather than just telling me to "do this or that". Tis a refreshing change.

I haven't picked-up the latest batch of pain-killers yet, but it seems the last batch have really helped. Plus the double-course of mega antibiotics for the gum infections etc have really done their job well. Fingers' crossed the next nine days until this norty wisdom tooth can be physically removed will be a whole damn heap healthier and less painful than the last week.

Strange side-affects tho... just tonight, I awoke at about midnight totally disorientated and confused... I literally didn't know where I was, or where the other people in the room had gone... (note, there were no other people in the room! lol). Even after I got up and had a drink to get my bearings back again, I was still feeling pretty confused. Twas a very disconcerting feeling... most of the effects of the painkillers have left me feeling pretty groggy, and while not exactly an unpleasant feeling generally (apart from the pain - bugger that!), they haven't had much of a negative effect on me. For whatever reason, this one kinda left me feeling pretty wary... painwise, it seems to have done the trick. But I sure did not 'enjoy' those lost anxious moments stumbling around my townhouse in a daze tonight. Thankfully it passed very quickly, and I was able to go straight back to sleep (which is something I simply have not been able to do lately).

I'll keep a wide berth from those in the future!

Over the past 24+ hours I think I've caught-up on about a weeks' worth of sleep... sure feels like it. While the tooth is still there, and only gives the occasional slight 'twinge/grab/sting' now and again now, that's the sorta pain that 1.] I'm either subconsciosly use-to by now, or 2.] it's obvioously under some sort-of control, enabling me to fall back asleep again easily, without laying there feeling like someone has kicked me in the right-side of my face with a steel-capped boot.

No, no exaggeration. Wholly unpleasant.

I think I'm awake now simply because I slept so much yesterday, and also that I'm feeling kinda excited not to experiencing disabilitating pain for the first time in what seems like ages. wOOt to me! lol

It's catch-22 that Leanne (my housemate of a few short weeks) wasn't here. While I've spent many a night sitting blankly in front of a TV watch some very strange late-night veiwing or old DVD's (unable to sleep, groaning in pain), I simply would not have been able to do that with a housemate here. The flip-side is that if I had collapsed unconscious or something nastie like that (not trying to sound like a drama-llama or anything...), at least if she'd been around she would have found out about it pretty quickly. So yeah... interesting timing. I feel it was good timing, in a strange way. typical me - i'd rather suffer this shite on my own than have someone else worry about it as well. Yes yes I know, it's catch-22... but I'm a mortal man encompassed with many conflicting contradictions. Sue me! lol.

Oh... and I've honestly been in too much physical pain to feel depressed... I've 'felt' emotionally fine and have coped relatively well with this, actually. I'm quite surprised. I know one the tooth is out and that recovery process is underway, there'll be enough going on in my life in this new year to keep me occupied without having time to stress about stuff too much.

Well... that's the plan...
Peas be with ewe
Cyalayta,
Mal :)

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13 comments:

  1. I am up too at a silly hour. Not from tooth pain, God that has to be the worst. Hope you can get that tooth out soon and have some relief.

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  2. Tis one of the joys of living in a rural area... the earliest appointment I could get to see a dentist who takes out wisdom teeth is 7th January in Penrith! lol. I just have to 'keep my chin up' and hang in there! Gagh! It's feeling alright now, so that sure helps my frame of mind a million percent.

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  3. Glad that your feeling better. Hopefully you will be able to tell us about your gig that your had...I hope everything went well with just the 2 of you.

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  4. WHAT??? You have to be in pain till January 7th? Pop down here I have a pair of plyers! Is that how you spell it? Who cares, I hate that you will be in pain till then. My advice is drugs and alcohol, not necessarily in that order.

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  5. That's a long time to wait for an extraction! Embee (who is having regular dental treatment at the moment) said on Christmas day I hope my tooth doesn't flare up again. When I asked why he said Nick(dentist) was away on a cruise. My reply was I expect you paid for the trip LOL!

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  6. The worst pain I ever see patients in is when they have kidney stones, or are in child birth, that and perhaps trauma of car accidents. So, that tooth problem has GOT to be a bummer!
    Spunky dentist, is she single? You know by now they make a FORTUNE!!!

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  7. I can't even imagine how uncool it would be to even think about attempting chatting-up my dentist! I mean... after that, she'd treat my teeth with a pair of rusty Plyers! hahahahaaa.

    Oh, and this current batch of painkillers etc seem to be doing the trick... at least I can function with these ones... no walking zombie today ;)

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  8. Hehe! LOL! At Caz trying to set you up! Sad that you are in pain over the silly season. I have been there once myself. Very sick a few xmas's ago. Did you know pain is just an illusion? Our bodies way of telling us there is something wrong? Focus on healing yourself and where it hurts. Its amazing what the power of the mind can do! I hope you feel better soon. Sending you some happy healing thoughts (even if you don't believe in it)

    Hugs and smoochies xxxx

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  9. Dear god. Kidney stones and wisdom teeth? I thought my UTI was bad :(

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  10. You sound to have had a rotten time of it, mate. Glad things are on the mend (and an attractive dentist always helps, I find!)

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  11. OH MY GOD!!! You should just tie a string to the tooth, tie the other end to the door and slam the door!! Course, my parents tried that one on me once when I was wee small and it didn't work, but still....

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  12. Pain is the greatest leveller...hope yours has all eased.

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