Yesterday morning I woke up, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and had to skip breakfast because I had an appointment with an oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth removed. I had to skip food because of the planned anesthesia - I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything for six hours prior to the scheduled 8:45 a.m. procedure, so I had a grumbly stomach by the time I sat back in the doctor's chair.
The nurse came in first, went over the list of do's and don'ts for the next 24-hours and what to expect for the next couple of days. The doctor came in, had me sign the agreement regarding the anesthesia, and put the mask on me through which the laughing gas would be applied. I didn't smell anything, didn't feel faint, and didn't, in fact, think he actually had anything flowing through the machine. He prepped my arm, put in a needle, and ...
Well, then I woke up with Nicole in the room, my mouth stuffed with gauze.
I have no idea what happened at all. Not in the slightest. I sat down then I woke up, and that was it. I've never blacked out due to drinking, never been abducted by visitors from Mars ... but this. Whoa. Neat. I was O-U-T. What a wonderful deep, deep sleep I must have been in.
I was brought to a recovery room to relax for another few minutes, and I pointed at my wrist to ask Nicole what time it was. It was barely past ten. In less than an hour, they'd knocked my ass out, taken out four wisdom teeth, stitched me back up, and revived me, all with minimal pain.
They gave me a prescription of 20 Oxycodone pills to be taken over the next few days, but I doubt I'll need them past today. I feel slight discomfort, but no pain. The feeling you get when you eat the triangle center of a piece of hot pizza and it burns the roof of your mouth is worse than the discomfort I feel right now. Nicole said she was amazed yesterday afternoon when I was pretty much acting like nothing at all had happened.
Just after the appointment, the walk to the car was a bit of a slow, zig-zagging adventure, since I was still a little dopey, and my communication skills were hampered by the gauze and my numb lips, but other than that, all was well. When I looked in the car's passenger-side mirror, my face was rather puffy and swollen (pics to come), and I had to wipe blood off my front teeth with my finger. I looked like a vampire who'd just fed. Taking the bloody gauze out of my mouth to replace it wasn't fun, either, but at least I didn't have to wear a giant plastic cone around my head like Rocky did a couple of weeks ago. So I had that going for me, which was good. When I move my tongue around my back teeth, I can feel the stitches, which is also a strange and somewhat unsettling experience.
The most unpleasant part of the whole thing, though (other than my insurance only covering 75% of the procedure), is that it quite literally has left a bad taste in my mouth. After removal of wisdom teeth, you're not allowed to brush your teeth for 24 hours, so my breath must be pretty bad by now. On the other hand, all I had to eat yesterday was a lot of ice cream and some soft egg salad, so it's not like I was chowing down on garlic and onions or other pungent foods. More than that, however, is the unshakable aftertaste of blood in my mouth. It's inescapable.
Two quick plugs:
1. I ate a LOT of ice cream, for the record. Edy's Slow Churned - go get some. A scoop full of vanilla with some iced coffee poured over it is great stuff, I promise. And their limited edition Pumpkin flavored ice cream is terrific.
2. If anyone somehow comes across this entry while doing a Google search for information about Dr. Kenneth Press, an Oral Surgeon practicing in Morristown, New Jersey - he's fantastic, and I highly recommend him. He was recommended to me by my dentist, and the lady I spoke to at the orthodonist's office gave him a glowing review when I name dropped him in a conversation regarding the reason for the delay in getting my braces put on. He's a really nice guy, and he did a terrific job of getting me fixed up and back on my feet in no time flat. His office is covered in "Best of New Jersey" magazines in which he was featured, and he's clearly on top of his game.
I'd probably been awake anyway "recovering", but last night's Red Sox / Angels game was a terrific reason to get a late start on this morning. As much as I hated to see a true Dirt Dog like Trot Nixon be unceremoniously let go two seasons ago for the much dreaded J.D. Drew era (how could they pay him THAT much?), I have to admit I was wrong.
J.D. Drew: I apologize. While I still feel you're overpaid, I feel that ALL ballplayers are pretty much overpaid. So don't take that personally. I was wrong, though, about what I thought you would contribute to my Red Sox, and I'm glad you're on our side. Hell, I'm even glad you stole Trot's #7 for your jersey. You are a worthy heir to the number and the field position. I wish you could stay healthy all year long, of course, but whatever voodoo you're practicing on your herniated disc seems to be working, so go do some more chanting, or sacrifice a chicken, or whatever it is you need to do to get through the next couple of weeks.
And Kevin Youkilis. Oh, man. If you've read the excellent Moneyball, which focuses on how small-market teams like the A's function and compete with teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, who have the resources to outspend their opponents on big-name free-agents, you know that Youkilis was a highly prized prospect within the Red Sox farm system a few years ago, and that many teams wanted to trade for him. Theo Epstein's continued patience in not moving guys like this is the reason the Sox are trying to win their third World Series in five seasons. He made two spectacular late-inning defensive plays at third base last night, filling in for Mike Lowell, and every at bat looks like he's faced with the prospect of having a kidnapped relative killed if he doesn't get a hit. In his first at-bat last night, he was an absolute mess, dripping with sweat as if a faucet was attached to his batting helmet. It was the first inning. The temperatures were said to be in the 60s.
Talk about a gamer.
I already have plenty of Red Sox shirts at this point, but I think I'd have a real dilemma on my hands if I wanted to get another one. Youkilis? Jon Lester? Good thing I'm not in the market at the moment.
Finally, week five of the NFL season. When the season began, I started with an imaginary $100, and entering week five - twenty individual game picks into the season - I have an imaginary $105. Last week's 2-3 debacle (Buffalo and San Diego both covered, though neither game looked to be going well after their respective first halves and I could have easily gone 0-5) followed another 2-3 week, so I need to turn it around. On the plus side, I haven't had to use any more imaginary "seed money"; on the negative side, I'm not setting the world on fire or impressing anyone (myself, particularly) with my NFL prognostication prowess.
Part of the reason is that I never pay attention to teams like Tampa Bay, and I end up picking games that already have pretty big point spreads.
So let's see what's on the agenda this week.
The odds are from Yahoo! sports at 11:38 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.
1. Arizona -1 vs. Buffalo (at Arizona) for $20:
One of the Cardinals' best offensive weapons, Anquan Boldin, is likely out for the game, which should allow Buffalo's already tough defense to dominate even more. I know they're on home turf, and clearly I'm no NFL expert given my picks so far this year, but how a 2-2 Arizona team is favored by a point over the 4-0 Bills is a little beyond me, and I'm pretty confident that the Bills win this game.
2. Chicago -3.5 vs. Detroit (at Detroit) for $20:
The Bears are 2-2 and coming off a big win against the Eagles. Their two losses were each by only three points, against the surprisingly tough Panthers and Bucs. They beat Indianapolis handily in week one. Detroit is 0-3 and coming off a bye week, and they've lost by no less than 13 points prior to that. Da Bears ought to take this one easily.
3. Indianapolis -3 vs. Houston (at Houston) for $20:
The under-achieving 1-2 Colts are due for a breakout offensive game, and 0-3 Houston is giving up 341 yards per game. Indy is coming off a bye week and have Peyton Manning salivating to put up some numbers. Houston has ... who does Houston have, exactly? Three points seems easy to cover.
4. NY Giants -7 vs. Seattle (at New Jersey - let's face it. They're in New Jersey.) for $20
No explanation, just a gut feeling. Seattle's put up 67 points in the past two weeks, and the Giants are coming off a bye week following an overtime scare against the Bungles. I think the Seahawks can cover, in a 27-23 kind of way.
5. San Diego -6.5 vs. Miami (at Miami) for $20:
Simply because I don't think Miami can do it twice in a row.
So there you go - five games, and I'm picking the road team in EVERY ONE OF THEM. Two underdogs, and as Lincoln would call them, three overdogs.
A sure recipe for disaster!
If I have a losing record this week, next week I pick teams out of a hat. I'll make a video of the picks and everything as proof.
The nurse came in first, went over the list of do's and don'ts for the next 24-hours and what to expect for the next couple of days. The doctor came in, had me sign the agreement regarding the anesthesia, and put the mask on me through which the laughing gas would be applied. I didn't smell anything, didn't feel faint, and didn't, in fact, think he actually had anything flowing through the machine. He prepped my arm, put in a needle, and ...
Well, then I woke up with Nicole in the room, my mouth stuffed with gauze.
I have no idea what happened at all. Not in the slightest. I sat down then I woke up, and that was it. I've never blacked out due to drinking, never been abducted by visitors from Mars ... but this. Whoa. Neat. I was O-U-T. What a wonderful deep, deep sleep I must have been in.
I was brought to a recovery room to relax for another few minutes, and I pointed at my wrist to ask Nicole what time it was. It was barely past ten. In less than an hour, they'd knocked my ass out, taken out four wisdom teeth, stitched me back up, and revived me, all with minimal pain.
They gave me a prescription of 20 Oxycodone pills to be taken over the next few days, but I doubt I'll need them past today. I feel slight discomfort, but no pain. The feeling you get when you eat the triangle center of a piece of hot pizza and it burns the roof of your mouth is worse than the discomfort I feel right now. Nicole said she was amazed yesterday afternoon when I was pretty much acting like nothing at all had happened.
Just after the appointment, the walk to the car was a bit of a slow, zig-zagging adventure, since I was still a little dopey, and my communication skills were hampered by the gauze and my numb lips, but other than that, all was well. When I looked in the car's passenger-side mirror, my face was rather puffy and swollen (pics to come), and I had to wipe blood off my front teeth with my finger. I looked like a vampire who'd just fed. Taking the bloody gauze out of my mouth to replace it wasn't fun, either, but at least I didn't have to wear a giant plastic cone around my head like Rocky did a couple of weeks ago. So I had that going for me, which was good. When I move my tongue around my back teeth, I can feel the stitches, which is also a strange and somewhat unsettling experience.
The most unpleasant part of the whole thing, though (other than my insurance only covering 75% of the procedure), is that it quite literally has left a bad taste in my mouth. After removal of wisdom teeth, you're not allowed to brush your teeth for 24 hours, so my breath must be pretty bad by now. On the other hand, all I had to eat yesterday was a lot of ice cream and some soft egg salad, so it's not like I was chowing down on garlic and onions or other pungent foods. More than that, however, is the unshakable aftertaste of blood in my mouth. It's inescapable.
Two quick plugs:
1. I ate a LOT of ice cream, for the record. Edy's Slow Churned - go get some. A scoop full of vanilla with some iced coffee poured over it is great stuff, I promise. And their limited edition Pumpkin flavored ice cream is terrific.
2. If anyone somehow comes across this entry while doing a Google search for information about Dr. Kenneth Press, an Oral Surgeon practicing in Morristown, New Jersey - he's fantastic, and I highly recommend him. He was recommended to me by my dentist, and the lady I spoke to at the orthodonist's office gave him a glowing review when I name dropped him in a conversation regarding the reason for the delay in getting my braces put on. He's a really nice guy, and he did a terrific job of getting me fixed up and back on my feet in no time flat. His office is covered in "Best of New Jersey" magazines in which he was featured, and he's clearly on top of his game.
I'd probably been awake anyway "recovering", but last night's Red Sox / Angels game was a terrific reason to get a late start on this morning. As much as I hated to see a true Dirt Dog like Trot Nixon be unceremoniously let go two seasons ago for the much dreaded J.D. Drew era (how could they pay him THAT much?), I have to admit I was wrong.
J.D. Drew: I apologize. While I still feel you're overpaid, I feel that ALL ballplayers are pretty much overpaid. So don't take that personally. I was wrong, though, about what I thought you would contribute to my Red Sox, and I'm glad you're on our side. Hell, I'm even glad you stole Trot's #7 for your jersey. You are a worthy heir to the number and the field position. I wish you could stay healthy all year long, of course, but whatever voodoo you're practicing on your herniated disc seems to be working, so go do some more chanting, or sacrifice a chicken, or whatever it is you need to do to get through the next couple of weeks.
And Kevin Youkilis. Oh, man. If you've read the excellent Moneyball, which focuses on how small-market teams like the A's function and compete with teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, who have the resources to outspend their opponents on big-name free-agents, you know that Youkilis was a highly prized prospect within the Red Sox farm system a few years ago, and that many teams wanted to trade for him. Theo Epstein's continued patience in not moving guys like this is the reason the Sox are trying to win their third World Series in five seasons. He made two spectacular late-inning defensive plays at third base last night, filling in for Mike Lowell, and every at bat looks like he's faced with the prospect of having a kidnapped relative killed if he doesn't get a hit. In his first at-bat last night, he was an absolute mess, dripping with sweat as if a faucet was attached to his batting helmet. It was the first inning. The temperatures were said to be in the 60s.
Talk about a gamer.
I already have plenty of Red Sox shirts at this point, but I think I'd have a real dilemma on my hands if I wanted to get another one. Youkilis? Jon Lester? Good thing I'm not in the market at the moment.
Finally, week five of the NFL season. When the season began, I started with an imaginary $100, and entering week five - twenty individual game picks into the season - I have an imaginary $105. Last week's 2-3 debacle (Buffalo and San Diego both covered, though neither game looked to be going well after their respective first halves and I could have easily gone 0-5) followed another 2-3 week, so I need to turn it around. On the plus side, I haven't had to use any more imaginary "seed money"; on the negative side, I'm not setting the world on fire or impressing anyone (myself, particularly) with my NFL prognostication prowess.
Part of the reason is that I never pay attention to teams like Tampa Bay, and I end up picking games that already have pretty big point spreads.
So let's see what's on the agenda this week.
The odds are from Yahoo! sports at 11:38 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.
1. Arizona -1 vs. Buffalo (at Arizona) for $20:
One of the Cardinals' best offensive weapons, Anquan Boldin, is likely out for the game, which should allow Buffalo's already tough defense to dominate even more. I know they're on home turf, and clearly I'm no NFL expert given my picks so far this year, but how a 2-2 Arizona team is favored by a point over the 4-0 Bills is a little beyond me, and I'm pretty confident that the Bills win this game.
2. Chicago -3.5 vs. Detroit (at Detroit) for $20:
The Bears are 2-2 and coming off a big win against the Eagles. Their two losses were each by only three points, against the surprisingly tough Panthers and Bucs. They beat Indianapolis handily in week one. Detroit is 0-3 and coming off a bye week, and they've lost by no less than 13 points prior to that. Da Bears ought to take this one easily.
3. Indianapolis -3 vs. Houston (at Houston) for $20:
The under-achieving 1-2 Colts are due for a breakout offensive game, and 0-3 Houston is giving up 341 yards per game. Indy is coming off a bye week and have Peyton Manning salivating to put up some numbers. Houston has ... who does Houston have, exactly? Three points seems easy to cover.
4. NY Giants -7 vs. Seattle (at New Jersey - let's face it. They're in New Jersey.) for $20
No explanation, just a gut feeling. Seattle's put up 67 points in the past two weeks, and the Giants are coming off a bye week following an overtime scare against the Bungles. I think the Seahawks can cover, in a 27-23 kind of way.
5. San Diego -6.5 vs. Miami (at Miami) for $20:
Simply because I don't think Miami can do it twice in a row.
So there you go - five games, and I'm picking the road team in EVERY ONE OF THEM. Two underdogs, and as Lincoln would call them, three overdogs.
A sure recipe for disaster!
If I have a losing record this week, next week I pick teams out of a hat. I'll make a video of the picks and everything as proof.
2 comments:
Jim - good to hear the oral surgery went off well. Hmm. 'Oral Surgery' sounds like it ought to be a suggestive power rock album. Perhaps even metal, since it has the 'surgery' in there. You know, vaguely suggestive a la "OU812", or "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and the 'surgery' lends a sinister edge, like "October Rust" or "Dead Again". New this week from Cradle of Filth - "Oral Surgery".
I've been watching the NFL picks - trying to stay abreast of the league, and failing, just as in years past. I'm glad you picked my Bears to come out victorious, but I think you're right - too many road picks. Of course, that's easy for me to say at this time of night. The Bolts have disappointed me weekly. Even last week, they pull out the win, but wait until the 4th quarter to start playing. I don't know that I'd bet a plugged nickel on Seattle this year - they're really stinking up the place.
Tenessee at 5-0? Who'd a thunk it?!
Hope you and Nicole are well,
-Noah
Woo-hoo, I get a mention on the blog!
-Old Man Grimes (a.k.a. "Lincoln")
And um, I don't think the Seahawks covered yesterday against the Giants.
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