I need a nursebuddy to give me blankets and soup :(
April 4, 2011 8:09 PM Subscribe
I need to have my wisdom teeth extracted with full serious-business anesthesia, and I don't know who I can/should get to drive me home and watch out for me for the day.
My parents have of course offered, and I suppose they remain the obvious choice. But a phone call to discuss the date of surgery with them has just reinforced the dread I was trying to banish. My hopes of a sane, drama-free recovery in their care are low, and I probably won't have the energy or clarity to deal with that, so I'm not very comfortable being that vulnerable and trapped with them.
Unfortunately, I live alone with no other family anywhere near me and, due to being an emotionally distant loser, have few friends at all, much less close ones. With no one I feel comfortable asking for such an enormous favor, what do I do? Ask anyway, just to see? Suck it up and accept parents' offer? Can one rent somebody for these situations?
My parents have of course offered, and I suppose they remain the obvious choice. But a phone call to discuss the date of surgery with them has just reinforced the dread I was trying to banish. My hopes of a sane, drama-free recovery in their care are low, and I probably won't have the energy or clarity to deal with that, so I'm not very comfortable being that vulnerable and trapped with them.
Unfortunately, I live alone with no other family anywhere near me and, due to being an emotionally distant loser, have few friends at all, much less close ones. With no one I feel comfortable asking for such an enormous favor, what do I do? Ask anyway, just to see? Suck it up and accept parents' offer? Can one rent somebody for these situations?
I was in a similar situation when I had mine out (full sedation, all at once, relatively new to the city). A friend from work drove me home because the surgeon wouldn't release me to my own care, and I was able to take care of myself fine the rest of the day.
Before I went in, I made myself a little couch nest with plenty of blankets, my laptop, the remote, some liquids, a few towels, and a big bowl for the inevitable drips. I was totally fine, though I apparently sent some weird emails.
Maybe get your parents to pick you up but not stay with you?
posted by charmcityblues at 8:23 PM on April 4, 2011
Before I went in, I made myself a little couch nest with plenty of blankets, my laptop, the remote, some liquids, a few towels, and a big bowl for the inevitable drips. I was totally fine, though I apparently sent some weird emails.
Maybe get your parents to pick you up but not stay with you?
posted by charmcityblues at 8:23 PM on April 4, 2011
Your parents will probably surprise you with sensitivity/leaving you alone when you need your rest after the surgery if you elect to let them take care of you.
That said, I'm going through something similar right now, and I've been shocked at the outpouring of support I've gotten from people who I wouldn't consider close friends or feel comfortable asking for assistance. I bet that if you swallow your pride and ask, one of your not-so-close friends will be happy to help.
posted by telegraph at 8:23 PM on April 4, 2011
That said, I'm going through something similar right now, and I've been shocked at the outpouring of support I've gotten from people who I wouldn't consider close friends or feel comfortable asking for assistance. I bet that if you swallow your pride and ask, one of your not-so-close friends will be happy to help.
posted by telegraph at 8:23 PM on April 4, 2011
Yeah, if you think your folks are going to exacerbate the situation I'd just arrange for a cab. I think you'll be a little loopy for the rest of the day but I doubt you'll be incapacitated to the point where you need a babysitter. At least, that was my experience. If you stock up on high-fat ice cream and srs painkillers beforehand, you can easily camp out in your place watching cartoons for a few days.
The only thing I would recommend to you is to see whether your oral surgeon can write you the scrip for painkillers prior to your extraction. I know when I had mine out we had to stop on the way home to pick up my medicines and it would be tricky to negotiate that with a cab driver whilst unable to talk, I'd think.
That said, if one of my coworkers asked me to pick them up after surgery I'd be nothing but honored. I personally would have a hard time asking because I, too, am an emotionally distant loser, but I think if I were asked I would consider it a huge compliment ("You ain't so emotionally distant after all, loser!"). Funny that.
posted by troublesome at 8:25 PM on April 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
The only thing I would recommend to you is to see whether your oral surgeon can write you the scrip for painkillers prior to your extraction. I know when I had mine out we had to stop on the way home to pick up my medicines and it would be tricky to negotiate that with a cab driver whilst unable to talk, I'd think.
That said, if one of my coworkers asked me to pick them up after surgery I'd be nothing but honored. I personally would have a hard time asking because I, too, am an emotionally distant loser, but I think if I were asked I would consider it a huge compliment ("You ain't so emotionally distant after all, loser!"). Funny that.
posted by troublesome at 8:25 PM on April 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
You'll definitely need someone to drive you home.
But the surgeon isn't going to let you leave until the anesthesiologist confirms that you came out of the sedation okay. Then, you're going to go home and go to sleep -- you're not likely to need watching unless you want the company. I know, I know, good luck convincing parents of that.
Speaking for myself, I was happy to be left mostly alone. If you put a couple of big glasses of water beside your bed, keep your pain meds in reach, and stock up your kitchen ahead of time with single-size servings of yogurt, rice pudding, soup, etc., and stock up on guilty-pleasure movies, you should be fine solo.
posted by desuetude at 8:30 PM on April 4, 2011
But the surgeon isn't going to let you leave until the anesthesiologist confirms that you came out of the sedation okay. Then, you're going to go home and go to sleep -- you're not likely to need watching unless you want the company. I know, I know, good luck convincing parents of that.
Speaking for myself, I was happy to be left mostly alone. If you put a couple of big glasses of water beside your bed, keep your pain meds in reach, and stock up your kitchen ahead of time with single-size servings of yogurt, rice pudding, soup, etc., and stock up on guilty-pleasure movies, you should be fine solo.
posted by desuetude at 8:30 PM on April 4, 2011
Response by poster: Hmm, interesting. The surgeon recommended keeping someone around me for a day, it was part of the checklist of things I had to confirm had been officially explained to me. Maybe it isn't as important as I was led to believe?
posted by jinjo at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by jinjo at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011
Best answer: I doubt you need anyone to actually watch over you. My experience was similar to charmcityblues where I was okay on my own once I got home.
Do you know any local Mefites? If I lived nearby I would totally show up to get you out of dental jail and into a cab.
posted by cabingirl at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Do you know any local Mefites? If I lived nearby I would totally show up to get you out of dental jail and into a cab.
posted by cabingirl at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: You'll want someone to be with you to make sure you're ok, not just pick you up and drop you off. You'll be groggy and disoriented and you'll need someone there to pick up your prescriptions and remind you to take your antibiotics and bring you a popsicle. You might not need someone to sit by your bedside, but unless you have a taxi driver willing to come in and make sure you have everything you need, and maybe do a grocery store/Walgreens run for you, it would be so much better if you had a friend or acquaintance.
However, keep in mind that this isn't as big a favor as you're imagining it: it's a car trip and a few hours out of their day. This is the sort of thing friends--even not-very-close friends--do for each other. If a not-very-close friend asked me to do something like this, I'd try to make it work. At the very least, even if I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be offended that the person asked. Moreover, many people like being helpful, and generally people like being nice to their friends. Are any of your not-close friends nice? Ask them. "I'm having my wisdom teeth out next week. Is there any way you could drive me home and hang out with me for a bit to make sure I don't die? I'll share my ice cream and you can have the TV remote..."
I have a hard time asking for help, so I know where you're coming from. I feel like I have no right to expect people to drop everything and help me--and you know what? It's true, I have no right to expect people to drop everything and help me, but the fact is that people are often willing to do it and they aren't offended when I ask.
posted by Meg_Murry at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
However, keep in mind that this isn't as big a favor as you're imagining it: it's a car trip and a few hours out of their day. This is the sort of thing friends--even not-very-close friends--do for each other. If a not-very-close friend asked me to do something like this, I'd try to make it work. At the very least, even if I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be offended that the person asked. Moreover, many people like being helpful, and generally people like being nice to their friends. Are any of your not-close friends nice? Ask them. "I'm having my wisdom teeth out next week. Is there any way you could drive me home and hang out with me for a bit to make sure I don't die? I'll share my ice cream and you can have the TV remote..."
I have a hard time asking for help, so I know where you're coming from. I feel like I have no right to expect people to drop everything and help me--and you know what? It's true, I have no right to expect people to drop everything and help me, but the fact is that people are often willing to do it and they aren't offended when I ask.
posted by Meg_Murry at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
If your experience is anything like mine or my brother's, you won't remember much of anything from the ride home. So take your parents up on the offer and cross your fingers that it all fades into oblivion once the anesthesia wears off.
(If your experience is anything like mine, you will be also be fighty, sick, and pissed off at the world. If your experience is anything like my brother's, you will hit on the nurse before leaving the office and spend the next half hour talking about how awesome everything is.)
Good luck!
posted by phunniemee at 8:33 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
(If your experience is anything like mine, you will be also be fighty, sick, and pissed off at the world. If your experience is anything like my brother's, you will hit on the nurse before leaving the office and spend the next half hour talking about how awesome everything is.)
Good luck!
posted by phunniemee at 8:33 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
If your experience is anything like mine or my brother's, you won't remember much of anything from the ride home.
Apparently, I was hilarious on the drive home from my general-anesthetic extraction; I remember none of it.
Take your parents up on it. For the first 12-24 hours, you'll be out of it, and by the time you and your parents begin to drive each other crazy, you'll be perfectly fine to go home and take care of yourself. I was very tired and achy the first day, and the next day I was just achy in my jaw, and the day after, I felt fine enough to go to work.
posted by rtha at 8:38 PM on April 4, 2011
Apparently, I was hilarious on the drive home from my general-anesthetic extraction; I remember none of it.
Take your parents up on it. For the first 12-24 hours, you'll be out of it, and by the time you and your parents begin to drive each other crazy, you'll be perfectly fine to go home and take care of yourself. I was very tired and achy the first day, and the next day I was just achy in my jaw, and the day after, I felt fine enough to go to work.
posted by rtha at 8:38 PM on April 4, 2011
This is anesthesia, but it's very light anesthesia. (I had this specific discussion before I had my wisdom teeth out.) You can take a cab home. You won't be *that* out of it, and you can definitely care for yourself for the rest of the day.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 PM on April 4, 2011
Oh, nthing that you must get your meds ahead of time. You totally will not be able to handle waiting in line at a drugstore afterward.
As for whether you'll need hand-holding, you're really the only one who can make that determination. If you kinda would rather have person there with you at home, don't proudly buck up and spend the day miserable. On the other hand, if you'd rather go it alone (and I certainly did), that's totally okay if you have planned for it. Though I couldn't have handled a taxi solo, personally.
posted by desuetude at 8:45 PM on April 4, 2011
As for whether you'll need hand-holding, you're really the only one who can make that determination. If you kinda would rather have person there with you at home, don't proudly buck up and spend the day miserable. On the other hand, if you'd rather go it alone (and I certainly did), that's totally okay if you have planned for it. Though I couldn't have handled a taxi solo, personally.
posted by desuetude at 8:45 PM on April 4, 2011
"The surgeon recommended keeping someone around me for a day" - mine too, but I think it's just so I could get really stoned on pain meds and not have to think about when the next time I was supposed to take pain meds.
If your parents end up doing it, remember- you'll have the drugs to help you through! If you're not asleep, you can always fake sleep.
I've been both the patient and the caregiver in this situation (IV sedation+nitrous+local). It's convenient to have someone there for the reasons Meg_Murray mentions and because I had no concept of time. By the next morning, though, I was up and able to care for myself just fine.
Wish you were closer, I'd be happy to do it for you.
posted by Ochre,Hugh at 8:47 PM on April 4, 2011
If your parents end up doing it, remember- you'll have the drugs to help you through! If you're not asleep, you can always fake sleep.
I've been both the patient and the caregiver in this situation (IV sedation+nitrous+local). It's convenient to have someone there for the reasons Meg_Murray mentions and because I had no concept of time. By the next morning, though, I was up and able to care for myself just fine.
Wish you were closer, I'd be happy to do it for you.
posted by Ochre,Hugh at 8:47 PM on April 4, 2011
Is there someone you're at least friendly with? Ask them. They might surprise you. This is often the sort of thing that people will be happy to help out with and it may even end up bringing you closer.
posted by incessant at 8:55 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by incessant at 8:55 PM on April 4, 2011
I would take your parents' offer.
If you've never been under general anesthesia, it's not like waking up from a nap. You'll be really wobbly and disoriented for a bit. Some people have bad reactions to going under, which is why the doctor doesn't want you to be unattended for the first 24 hours.
Afterwards, even if it goes pretty well, you'll probably be napping most of the time, popping painkillers, and generally out of it.
Whatever drama you're expecting, you'll be too knocked out to care. Prepare well before hand - comfy place to relax, soft foods to eat, ice at the ready, etc., and don't worry about the rest.
posted by contessa at 8:58 PM on April 4, 2011
If you've never been under general anesthesia, it's not like waking up from a nap. You'll be really wobbly and disoriented for a bit. Some people have bad reactions to going under, which is why the doctor doesn't want you to be unattended for the first 24 hours.
Afterwards, even if it goes pretty well, you'll probably be napping most of the time, popping painkillers, and generally out of it.
Whatever drama you're expecting, you'll be too knocked out to care. Prepare well before hand - comfy place to relax, soft foods to eat, ice at the ready, etc., and don't worry about the rest.
posted by contessa at 8:58 PM on April 4, 2011
I would not recommend a taxi by yourself. You never know what kind of reaction you may have to the anesthesia. I had to go in 3 separate times (they were doing some serious mining in my mouth) and each of the 3 times my recovery was different. One time I was completely disoriented on the 30 minute ride home. One time I was perfectly fine. One time I fell asleep and it took a while to wake me up.
At a follow up visit, I saw a patient cry hysterically on waking up. Not out of pain - she was just FREAKED OUT.
Get someone to go with you. Seriously.
posted by veryblue1 at 8:59 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
At a follow up visit, I saw a patient cry hysterically on waking up. Not out of pain - she was just FREAKED OUT.
Get someone to go with you. Seriously.
posted by veryblue1 at 8:59 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Having people around is a good idea because you MAY have adverse effects, not because you will feel a certain way. The slight risk of having some kind of reaction makes it worth having someone around even if they are a pain in the hole (faking sleep is a great idea.)
If you feel really guilty asking a friend, get some DVDs or order take away and invite them over to babysit you with a treat for them.
FWIW My wisdom tooth removal went swimmingly. As the hospital was 200kms away from my parents house, my mum stopped three times on the way home to get me food. (Fasting gives me the crazies.) As I'd had a lot of surgery before, I knew if I wasn't given an anti emetic I would vomit for days. This is me. If you haven't had a general before I'd recommend keeping someone around for a little while after just in case. You don't know what you may want.
Further anecdata: I have a minor day procedure coming up soon and the clinic will cancel my appointment if I don't have someone to accompany me home, even in a taxi. It is a pain as I don't have any obvious choices around either, but they do this to cover off 'worst case' scenarios I imagine.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 9:00 PM on April 4, 2011
If you feel really guilty asking a friend, get some DVDs or order take away and invite them over to babysit you with a treat for them.
FWIW My wisdom tooth removal went swimmingly. As the hospital was 200kms away from my parents house, my mum stopped three times on the way home to get me food. (Fasting gives me the crazies.) As I'd had a lot of surgery before, I knew if I wasn't given an anti emetic I would vomit for days. This is me. If you haven't had a general before I'd recommend keeping someone around for a little while after just in case. You don't know what you may want.
Further anecdata: I have a minor day procedure coming up soon and the clinic will cancel my appointment if I don't have someone to accompany me home, even in a taxi. It is a pain as I don't have any obvious choices around either, but they do this to cover off 'worst case' scenarios I imagine.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 9:00 PM on April 4, 2011
Yes, they'll make sure you're out of sedation ok, but anesthesia makes some people nauseated, dizzy or any number of reactions. It has on at least on occasion made my weepy. So you want someone with you to sit in the living room and watch tv while you go lie down in your bedroom. If you need anything there's someone there you can ask.
Some doctors/hospitals will not let you leave after anesthesia unless there's someone there who will be with you (that's someone who will be with you, not a cab driver). You also shouldn't have a cab driver drop you off and tell them to be back at X o'clock because you don't know at what time you'll be leaving. Normally after general anesthesia they'll let you lie around and rest and recover for as long as you feel like you need.
I think you should accept help from your parents, assuming that what you're saying is that they would be annoying and not that they're abusive or otherwise bad people. The reason I say this, is that as soon as I saw your question, what jumped to my mind was this piece of research. It's not all in the abstract, but the most shocking finding was that often people (and disproportionately middle class people) would refuse help from people who they found annoying for whatever reason ("Oh don't have her come over, she talks too much." was one example I recall.) The result, of course, was that they got less support, so much so that a significant portion of the people doing this ended up discontinuing treatment because they found it too difficult/burdensome. So basically, some people would rather die than let an annoying relative help them. Don't set that precedent for yourself. Take help from people who care about you. A cab driver won't be there for you when you need them.
Oh, and to answer the second part of your question, on hiring someone, if you tell the hospital you have no one they may offer to send a nurse home with you. I had minor surgery in the ER once (local anesthesia, even) and afterwards they said "Is there someone who can come get you or should we arrange for a nurse?" This would have been a homecare nurse paid for by the government, but if you live in a place where that doesn't happen, maybe your insurance would cover it. But seriously, let your parents hang out at your place while you sleep.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:01 PM on April 4, 2011
Some doctors/hospitals will not let you leave after anesthesia unless there's someone there who will be with you (that's someone who will be with you, not a cab driver). You also shouldn't have a cab driver drop you off and tell them to be back at X o'clock because you don't know at what time you'll be leaving. Normally after general anesthesia they'll let you lie around and rest and recover for as long as you feel like you need.
I think you should accept help from your parents, assuming that what you're saying is that they would be annoying and not that they're abusive or otherwise bad people. The reason I say this, is that as soon as I saw your question, what jumped to my mind was this piece of research. It's not all in the abstract, but the most shocking finding was that often people (and disproportionately middle class people) would refuse help from people who they found annoying for whatever reason ("Oh don't have her come over, she talks too much." was one example I recall.) The result, of course, was that they got less support, so much so that a significant portion of the people doing this ended up discontinuing treatment because they found it too difficult/burdensome. So basically, some people would rather die than let an annoying relative help them. Don't set that precedent for yourself. Take help from people who care about you. A cab driver won't be there for you when you need them.
Oh, and to answer the second part of your question, on hiring someone, if you tell the hospital you have no one they may offer to send a nurse home with you. I had minor surgery in the ER once (local anesthesia, even) and afterwards they said "Is there someone who can come get you or should we arrange for a nurse?" This would have been a homecare nurse paid for by the government, but if you live in a place where that doesn't happen, maybe your insurance would cover it. But seriously, let your parents hang out at your place while you sleep.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:01 PM on April 4, 2011
If you think a little creatively, you can probably rent a person for the day. I'd start by searching your area for "home health care" or "home nursing" services or "elderly companion care" or some variation. The people who work in these roles can often pick up some extra work outside of their normally scheduled hours. You might also find some luck asking around at a nursing home for anyone who would like to make a few extra bucks watching over you--some of the younger nurses' aides, in particular. You could also contact a local hospice and see whether they could recommend someone--I know you're not dying, but the people who work for or volunteer for hospice work will be comfortable with watching over you in this way since they've been around sick people. Plus, they tend to be nice people and won't bring the emotional discomfort your parents will.
If you're in a smaller town, you could also stop by the library and ask if they know anyone who does that kind of work. Our small town librarians always knew responsible people for odd jobs for everything from lawn care to laundry services. Plus, there were always older library volunteers around who would probably be happy to pick up a day's work doing something like this. I know it's probably a bit awkward to ask, but our older volunteers never minded being asked to help someone--they liked feeling useful, which was why they were volunteering at the library in the first place. And they'll probably be perfectly content to sit there and read a book while you rest or watch movies.
You could also call up a couple of churches and see if they know anyone who could help. At worst, you'll probably get invited to a couple of services, but that could be better than dealing with your parents.
Are you near any colleges with nursing programs? You might be able to find a newish nursing student willing to look over you on the cheap. Or you could always post an ad to craigslist (ask for references/credentials).
If your parents are going to be emotionally troublesome and it would be worth $50 or so to have them away from you during this time, I'd check out some of these avenues and offer to pay someone else before asking them.
posted by BlooPen at 9:10 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you're in a smaller town, you could also stop by the library and ask if they know anyone who does that kind of work. Our small town librarians always knew responsible people for odd jobs for everything from lawn care to laundry services. Plus, there were always older library volunteers around who would probably be happy to pick up a day's work doing something like this. I know it's probably a bit awkward to ask, but our older volunteers never minded being asked to help someone--they liked feeling useful, which was why they were volunteering at the library in the first place. And they'll probably be perfectly content to sit there and read a book while you rest or watch movies.
You could also call up a couple of churches and see if they know anyone who could help. At worst, you'll probably get invited to a couple of services, but that could be better than dealing with your parents.
Are you near any colleges with nursing programs? You might be able to find a newish nursing student willing to look over you on the cheap. Or you could always post an ad to craigslist (ask for references/credentials).
If your parents are going to be emotionally troublesome and it would be worth $50 or so to have them away from you during this time, I'd check out some of these avenues and offer to pay someone else before asking them.
posted by BlooPen at 9:10 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
The upside of asking a not-so-close friend is that in the process you might become better friends. I'd go ahead and ask. A lot of people have been in this circumstance and will totally understand.
posted by bananafish at 9:17 PM on April 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by bananafish at 9:17 PM on April 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Talk to your doctor about this before you call a cab- when I got my wisdom teeth removed, they made it very clear that I would absolutely not be able to take a taxi or something home unless a family member or friend was in the taxi with me.
posted by kro at 10:00 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by kro at 10:00 PM on April 4, 2011
The surgeon recommended keeping someone around me for a day, it was part of the checklist of things I had to confirm had been officially explained to me.
They always do this. I literally just went through this with my wife (she's just now losing the stitches). Here's what will happen to you:
You will be totally fucked up and utterly, hopelessly useless when you first come out. You'll have an icepack wrapped around your lower jaw, which will be exceptionally, amazingly puffy and covered in bits of blood because your rinsing and spitting-out skills will be severely compromised. You will be loopy. You won't remember this, but resist the urge to gnaw on the inside of your cheek and be careful not to bite your tongue.
After about 30 minutes, you'll be able to stand up and walk around, but knowing how fearful of malpractice lawsuits oral surgeons can be, the nurses probably won't let you do this without someone there to guarantee you don't tip over. You won't be able to drive. Not well, anyway. Certainly not legally. :)
My only other additional advice would be to take a few hundred mg. (two or three tablets) of Ibuprofen (or other anti-inflammatory) before the procedure and ice the everloving crap out of your jaw for the first 48 hours after the procedure. Frozen peas are recommended because they can conform to your jawline. Just remember that it takes a few hours for the peas to re-freeze, so be sure you've got enough bags so you can keep them in continuous rotation.
I remember one of the first sensible things that came out of my wife's mouth after her brain was clearing from the anesthetics was, "That wasn't so bad!" except it sounded more like "Thawassatsobah!" People always inflate the unknown to exceptional sizes. You'll be fine.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:11 AM on April 5, 2011
They always do this. I literally just went through this with my wife (she's just now losing the stitches). Here's what will happen to you:
You will be totally fucked up and utterly, hopelessly useless when you first come out. You'll have an icepack wrapped around your lower jaw, which will be exceptionally, amazingly puffy and covered in bits of blood because your rinsing and spitting-out skills will be severely compromised. You will be loopy. You won't remember this, but resist the urge to gnaw on the inside of your cheek and be careful not to bite your tongue.
After about 30 minutes, you'll be able to stand up and walk around, but knowing how fearful of malpractice lawsuits oral surgeons can be, the nurses probably won't let you do this without someone there to guarantee you don't tip over. You won't be able to drive. Not well, anyway. Certainly not legally. :)
My only other additional advice would be to take a few hundred mg. (two or three tablets) of Ibuprofen (or other anti-inflammatory) before the procedure and ice the everloving crap out of your jaw for the first 48 hours after the procedure. Frozen peas are recommended because they can conform to your jawline. Just remember that it takes a few hours for the peas to re-freeze, so be sure you've got enough bags so you can keep them in continuous rotation.
I remember one of the first sensible things that came out of my wife's mouth after her brain was clearing from the anesthetics was, "That wasn't so bad!" except it sounded more like "Thawassatsobah!" People always inflate the unknown to exceptional sizes. You'll be fine.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:11 AM on April 5, 2011
I'm sorry, I forgot to add, chances are by the time you get home all the loopyness will have worn off so it's really not crucial to have a babysitter. You're mostly going to be sleeping, anyway. It is nice to have someone around for you, but the only thing you're going to want to be ingesting for the next 24 hours is water.
I'd also suggest you pick up your prescription before the procedure (most places will give you the prescription before the extraction). It's just one less stop on the way home.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:16 AM on April 5, 2011
I'd also suggest you pick up your prescription before the procedure (most places will give you the prescription before the extraction). It's just one less stop on the way home.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:16 AM on April 5, 2011
I think the "someone with you" business is a "in case things get weird" precaution. Charmcityblues' description probably describes 99.9% of people's experiences.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 4:32 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 4:32 AM on April 5, 2011
If you've never been under general anesthesia, it's not like waking up from a nap. You'll be really wobbly and disoriented for a bit. Some people have bad reactions to going under, which is why the doctor doesn't want you to be unattended for the first 24 hours.
Yeah, I agree. I remember wandering through Walgreens while my mom and I were picking up my prescription, and I remember feeling like I was totally fine. "Aw shit, I totally need some red pepper flakes! Where are the red pepper flakes?"
Of course, I was whacked out of my skull, and that's the scary part. I didn't *feel* high, I just felt good. And that is where the danger lies. I would have totally thought I was good to drive, perfectly OK to wander around the neighborhood, handle sharp instruments, etc. You really ought to have someone nearby to prevent you from doing these things.
(Light anesthesia aside: whatever they did was fucking bizarre. No time passed while I was under. One moment I was giggling my ass off from the laughing gas, the next I was awake and they were telling me I was done. Clearly, they were bullshitting me, and I demanded a mirror to see inside my mouth.)
posted by gjc at 5:48 AM on April 5, 2011
Yeah, I agree. I remember wandering through Walgreens while my mom and I were picking up my prescription, and I remember feeling like I was totally fine. "Aw shit, I totally need some red pepper flakes! Where are the red pepper flakes?"
Of course, I was whacked out of my skull, and that's the scary part. I didn't *feel* high, I just felt good. And that is where the danger lies. I would have totally thought I was good to drive, perfectly OK to wander around the neighborhood, handle sharp instruments, etc. You really ought to have someone nearby to prevent you from doing these things.
(Light anesthesia aside: whatever they did was fucking bizarre. No time passed while I was under. One moment I was giggling my ass off from the laughing gas, the next I was awake and they were telling me I was done. Clearly, they were bullshitting me, and I demanded a mirror to see inside my mouth.)
posted by gjc at 5:48 AM on April 5, 2011
Yeah experiences can vary a lot about how you react to anesthesia and the procedure. I was a wreck after mine and that was only a relatively simple extraction. Skip ahead a few years when my girlfriend had hers out and a few hours after, with gauze still in her cheeks, she's all "Meh, ahm pfine. Wanna pfhool around?"
But definately a good idea to have company and help running those post-op errands.
posted by elendil71 at 6:33 AM on April 5, 2011
But definately a good idea to have company and help running those post-op errands.
posted by elendil71 at 6:33 AM on April 5, 2011
Probably nothing will happen but you never know. I had four procedures under sedation/anesthesia with no problems, but caught a bad case of the hiccups on the fifth outpatient procedure and wasn't able to hold down food or water for the rest of the day. I ended up checked into the hospital overnight for observation and an IV. Better to have a buddy and not need one IMO.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:30 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:30 AM on April 5, 2011
I very much needed someone there after mine. I shudder to think of being left alone in the state I was in. Of course, mine were all horribly impacted and wrapped around the bone and basically as bad as possible and I was on Percocet for almost a month afterward. But even though I was lucid enough to give my mom directions to Walgreens and home from the orthodontist (I was even scribbling questions to the pharmacist at Walgreens), I basically got home and fell into bed in a drugged out haze. Then I woke up to go to the bathroom and change the gauze, and literally fainted on the bathroom floor. Like, dead faint for about fifteen minutes until my mom came to check on me, and then another twenty minutes before I was conscious enough to stand up and go to bed. If your experience is like mine, I would definitely want my family, irritating or not, as fainting and vomiting in front of coworkers would be humiliating.
posted by wending my way at 7:43 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by wending my way at 7:43 AM on April 5, 2011
Take your parents up on the offer! This is one of those situations where it's 100% okay to call in a family favor!
I actually remember a fair bit of my experience, which is also the only time I've been under, which was a bit scary at the time. The oral surgeon and anesthesiologist seemed like they were used to dealing with similar cases, and were absolutely fantastic through the whole ordeal.
I remember them putting the mask on me, and starting the IV drip. About 20 seconds later I asked "Is it normal for your vision to start to go blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnrggggghhh *NO CARRIER*
Next thing I knew, I was in a chair in the recovery room, and a little disoriented. I knew I had my wisdom teeth out, but had absolutely no idea how I got from one room to the other. Despite being mildly woozy, I hopped out of the chair... and collapsed straight onto the floor. Evidently, my legs hadn't fully woken up yet. Apparently, only 20 minutes had elapsed from the time I was put under -- the procedure goes really quickly. (NB: Kids, if you want to make good money, become an oral surgeon)
The nurse and my mother both helped me back in the chair, and kept yelling at me to not fall back asleep under any condition. I'm not a morning person at all, so I apparently was a bit grumpy for the next few minutes, and kept retorting to the nurse "You're not the boss of me!." Eventually, I stood up, and we left the office.
In those 25 minutes, an ice storm had arrived, and the ground was slippery as hell. This is an awesome combination when your legs are like Jello. I made it through the parking lot without maiming myself, and distinctly remember being repeatedly punched in the shoulder by my mother in the car every time I started to doze off.
I was still a bit woozy when I got home, and was very glad to have someone to care for me, even though I had no adverse reaction to the anesthesia, and the procedure went better than anybody expected. The surgeon removed 3 impacted teeth, and I was eating solid food by the end of the day. Even at that, I'm really glad that I had someone to look after me for those first few hours.
So, yes. Call your mother.
posted by schmod at 7:55 AM on April 5, 2011
I actually remember a fair bit of my experience, which is also the only time I've been under, which was a bit scary at the time. The oral surgeon and anesthesiologist seemed like they were used to dealing with similar cases, and were absolutely fantastic through the whole ordeal.
I remember them putting the mask on me, and starting the IV drip. About 20 seconds later I asked "Is it normal for your vision to start to go blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnrggggghhh *NO CARRIER*
Next thing I knew, I was in a chair in the recovery room, and a little disoriented. I knew I had my wisdom teeth out, but had absolutely no idea how I got from one room to the other. Despite being mildly woozy, I hopped out of the chair... and collapsed straight onto the floor. Evidently, my legs hadn't fully woken up yet. Apparently, only 20 minutes had elapsed from the time I was put under -- the procedure goes really quickly. (NB: Kids, if you want to make good money, become an oral surgeon)
The nurse and my mother both helped me back in the chair, and kept yelling at me to not fall back asleep under any condition. I'm not a morning person at all, so I apparently was a bit grumpy for the next few minutes, and kept retorting to the nurse "You're not the boss of me!." Eventually, I stood up, and we left the office.
In those 25 minutes, an ice storm had arrived, and the ground was slippery as hell. This is an awesome combination when your legs are like Jello. I made it through the parking lot without maiming myself, and distinctly remember being repeatedly punched in the shoulder by my mother in the car every time I started to doze off.
I was still a bit woozy when I got home, and was very glad to have someone to care for me, even though I had no adverse reaction to the anesthesia, and the procedure went better than anybody expected. The surgeon removed 3 impacted teeth, and I was eating solid food by the end of the day. Even at that, I'm really glad that I had someone to look after me for those first few hours.
So, yes. Call your mother.
posted by schmod at 7:55 AM on April 5, 2011
I had mine out under general anesthesia (all four completely impacted - couldn't eat normally for a month, the neighbors came over to gawk at my face) and a while after I woke up I vomited what seemed like a lot of blood everywhere. Since I was still out of it, I thought, "OMG I'm Dyyyyyyyyyyyinng!!!" and panicked until the nurse in the room said, "That's just because you swallowed blood during the procedure." Ah. I would not have figured that out if it had happened later when I was home alone. 911 would have gotten a blubbery mumbled call, I think.
posted by artychoke at 7:55 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by artychoke at 7:55 AM on April 5, 2011
One thing that's really helpful is to have someone there to change your ice packs.
posted by radioamy at 8:43 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by radioamy at 8:43 AM on April 5, 2011
Could you ask just one parent to come? Would that cut down on the drama?
posted by radioamy at 8:44 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by radioamy at 8:44 AM on April 5, 2011
A) I would totally do this for you.
B) See if there's a doula in your area. They typically work with women delivering babies & recovering from delivery, but I can easily imagine one would be willing to care for you for a day.
posted by MeiraV at 9:07 AM on April 5, 2011
B) See if there's a doula in your area. They typically work with women delivering babies & recovering from delivery, but I can easily imagine one would be willing to care for you for a day.
posted by MeiraV at 9:07 AM on April 5, 2011
Sometimes the sedatives contain medications that disrupt your ability to write to long-term memory for 12-24 hours. You basically spend a whole day being the guy from Memento. If that's the case, you DEFINITELY need someone around you , it's not safe for you to be by yourself.
posted by KathrynT at 10:22 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by KathrynT at 10:22 AM on April 5, 2011
Oh, yeah, what KathrynT said, too. That happened to my roommate. It was hilarious to go through the exact same conversation twenty times in a row, but very dangerous for taking pain medication or antibiotics.
posted by wending my way at 10:41 AM on April 5, 2011
posted by wending my way at 10:41 AM on April 5, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you so, so much, everyone. All of your answers have helped. I'll mark best ones later, when I have something to go on besides this warm fuzzy feeling. Special thanks to all who encouraged me not to worry about asking for help; that is AskMe assumption-questioning at its finest.
I will add that the more I think about it, I'm going to leave family as an absolute last resort. Issues of meeting my needs, being a Good Parent, 'just trying to do something nice for me' - these are our biggest, most likely to explode issues and this situation is thick with them. In trying not to write a novel about it in my original question, I may have succeeded too well, but I want to clear up that this is not a question of having my haircut made fun of or whatever. Recently, while spending the night, I have been slept with* during a major argument, to show me that they wouldn't let me decide when I had had enough, and locked in the house overnight once they did leave the bed I was using. I am 25. There is every chance that they will be fine and normal, but if not... I just don't even know.
*in the vanilla, literal sense, but still.
... okay that wasn't actually necessary but I'm leaving it anyway. It's been freaking me out and now it's off my chest. So now I'm putting out a mass alert on Facebook, asking other nice people I know, and maybe I'll even send somebody a Memail, even though I never call him and effectively stole all his Scott Pilgrim books. (THEY'RE IN THE CAR)
*hugs you all*
posted by jinjo at 11:59 AM on April 5, 2011
I will add that the more I think about it, I'm going to leave family as an absolute last resort. Issues of meeting my needs, being a Good Parent, 'just trying to do something nice for me' - these are our biggest, most likely to explode issues and this situation is thick with them. In trying not to write a novel about it in my original question, I may have succeeded too well, but I want to clear up that this is not a question of having my haircut made fun of or whatever. Recently, while spending the night, I have been slept with* during a major argument, to show me that they wouldn't let me decide when I had had enough, and locked in the house overnight once they did leave the bed I was using. I am 25. There is every chance that they will be fine and normal, but if not... I just don't even know.
*in the vanilla, literal sense, but still.
... okay that wasn't actually necessary but I'm leaving it anyway. It's been freaking me out and now it's off my chest. So now I'm putting out a mass alert on Facebook, asking other nice people I know, and maybe I'll even send somebody a Memail, even though I never call him and effectively stole all his Scott Pilgrim books. (THEY'RE IN THE CAR)
*hugs you all*
posted by jinjo at 11:59 AM on April 5, 2011
What you have here is an opportunity, maybe, to turn one of your acquaintances into a pretty good friend. People in general LOVE to help other people, they really really love it. The person you ask is more likely to be touched, and grateful to you for having asked them, than to be irritated or put off. That's why one of Benjamin Franklin's pithy quotes says:
“If you want to make a friend, ask a favor.”
posted by Corvid at 1:32 PM on April 5, 2011
“If you want to make a friend, ask a favor.”
posted by Corvid at 1:32 PM on April 5, 2011
My only other additional advice would be to take a few hundred mg. (two or three tablets) of Ibuprofen (or other anti-inflammatory) before the procedure
DON'T DO THIS without asking the surgeon first (so he can tell you not to do it). Ibuprofen has anti-coagulating effects and is a terrible idea in advance of surgery.
posted by palliser at 6:23 PM on April 5, 2011
DON'T DO THIS without asking the surgeon first (so he can tell you not to do it). Ibuprofen has anti-coagulating effects and is a terrible idea in advance of surgery.
posted by palliser at 6:23 PM on April 5, 2011
I did this just a couple weeks ago. My oral surgeon wouldn't let me leave the office until my friend showed up - not even to take a taxi. I had filled all the prescriptions before the surgery and stocked up on smoothie ingredients and soup but I still needed a few things that my friend was kind enough to go get after getting me settled on the couch. A few things that you may not realize you need: ice cube trays or reusable ice packs (get two so you have one for each side of your face), a pitcher to actually make the smoothies in, more soup and juice.
My friend stayed for about an hour and then left and it was fine. I just laid on the couch and watched TV, took my medication and slept whenever I wanted. Also, it was really helpful for me to keep track of all the medication I took and when, since there were 4-5 different things I was taking all with different schedules.
Good luck. The first 24 hours after the surgery are the worst, but it gets better from there.
posted by bendy at 1:11 PM on April 6, 2011
My friend stayed for about an hour and then left and it was fine. I just laid on the couch and watched TV, took my medication and slept whenever I wanted. Also, it was really helpful for me to keep track of all the medication I took and when, since there were 4-5 different things I was taking all with different schedules.
Good luck. The first 24 hours after the surgery are the worst, but it gets better from there.
posted by bendy at 1:11 PM on April 6, 2011
Best answer: Y'all, we've got it covered - I'm taking Jinjo to the dentist. I'll report back when she is safely ensconced on Le Couch and recuperating, no worries.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:26 PM on April 6, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:26 PM on April 6, 2011 [4 favorites]
Thanks Unicorn on the cob! Glad to hear that Jinjo is in the capable hands of a mefite.
posted by bendy at 11:01 PM on April 7, 2011
posted by bendy at 11:01 PM on April 7, 2011
Response by poster: 11 o'clock and all's well! :D Feeling great and waiting at the pharmacy now, soon to head home. My face is even still a valid face shape, though not my usual one. Have velcro-equipped icepacks from the doc, and juice and exotic flavors of applesauce.
posted by jinjo at 9:11 AM on April 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jinjo at 9:11 AM on April 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by Johnkx at 8:19 PM on April 4, 2011