JOHN McCAIN LURKS BEHIND MY 'LIFE CURTAIN'

(Don't worry, this post is NOT politically oriented – despite the title.)

When I started this blog, it was important for me to find a happy balance between life and business.

Over the last few months, I have written about my new business adventure, giving back in the community, and a lot of miscellaneous soap box items.

This post may actually tip the scales the other way, because I'm pulling back the "LIFE CURTAIN" and letting everyone temporarily see what's on the other side.

Just to ruin the suspense: It's a very sore and swollen face! (please see bottom right)

At the ripe age of 33, I had all four of my wisdom teeth violently yanked out of my head. (The reason I bring up my age, I've had A LOT of comments like, "I had my wisdom teeth taken out...WHEN I WAS 17!")

I wanted to briefly share my experience with everyone. I thought a few bullet points and a couple photos would do the trick. (Just to help with a time frame: My surgery was on Sept. 10th and I'm posting this blog on Sept. 11th.)

• Even though I was knocked out for the procedure, I woke up in the middle of surgery to the sound of the drill. (Don't worry....no pain, just that awful drilling noise echoing inside my skull.) The oral surgeon told Tanya that I had some strong bones and it was one of his more difficult extractions. 

• I don't remember anything from the drive home. Tanya said I immediately asked for ice cream, but that is an anesthesia blur. 

• My goal out of the gate was not to take ANY of the "hard core drugs" that were prescribed to me. I don't know if I'm the toughest man on the planet, but I've been very fortunate with the pain. The strongest drugs I've taken to this point is ibuprofen.

• Before the surgery, they show you a nifty little video about the risks, how to take care of yourself, what to expect following the procedure, blah, blah, blah. Why didn't they tell me about the blood? (More specifically, the amount of blood.) WOW! I couldn't believe how much blood I was spitting up the afternoon after the surgery. I tried to keep my face packed with gauze, but that quickly turned into a bloody mess. 

Too gross? I know.

• Even though I was still a little loopy from being knocked out – not to mention still radically bleeding – I braved the rain and watched my little brother play his first middle school football game. (Thank goodness they won!)

• The morning after the surgery, I helped Wikipedia define "swelling." The bleeding had subsided, but as my loving wife put it..."your face is so swollen, you look like John McCain." I've tried to keep cold packs close by, but there is NO DOUBT some serious trauma occurred inside my mouth.

• Eating has been interesting. It has to be soft and easy to swallow, mainly because the swelling prevents me from opening my mouth very wide. My favorite post-surgery meal has been instant mashed potatoes. My mom  offered some classic advice, though: "Any solid food you cook can be blended with gravy to make a soup."

• When I'm sick or hurt, I CAN be a big baby – but it's a choice. For some reason, I didn't want to play that card following this particular procedure. So, despite my soreness and swollen face, I started my new yoga class this morning – 24 hours after the surgery. Nothing major to report – my head didn't explode when I did downward facing dog – just wanted to prove that four extracted teeth can't slow me down.

Hopefully that's the extent of the highlights. It's been almost 36 hours since they ripped out my "wisdom," and I don't have any plans of regressing. 

Speaking of regressing ..... Have you ever heard of "dry socket?" They say that's the worst post-surgery effect. (I'm not 100 percent sure what it is, but when people describe it, they ALWAYS use the term "painful.") Needless to say, I'm scared to death of it, and I'm trying to avoid it like the plague. I'm doing EVERYTHING my little cheat sheet says to do. (Swish gently, take your antibiotics, don't drink out of a straw, don't smoke for five days, etc.)

If I can stay on course – a.k.a. avoid "dry socket" – you can close the "curtain" on this act of my life.