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Uncomfortably Numb
Aug. 23rd, 2005 02:30 pmI was reminded that I don't like being numbed today. It turns out that if you go a decade between visits, dentists often want to do something that requires them to give you a local anesthetic. I do not like this, even though it is sort of interesting.
For example, if my body can't feel its edges, apparently it assumes they must be far, far away. Various parts of my face felt very, very large. Basically, I felt like The Elephant Man. No, I think he was actually in pain. I just felt like I looked like The Elephant Man, only with different parts of my face being big.
I also felt like my jaw was a specimen from an archaeological dig, which my dentist had set on a desk and was now working on to identify.
There was a period when I had everything but a lower lip and chin. Except of course that I did. I kept reminding myself to be careful with these invisible parts so as not to damage them. I don't know how lepers do this; it's got to take constant vigilance. Part of me wanted to make myself do things properly, like pronounce letters that require lips. But without any feeling, I wanted to keep my tongue on my lip so I would always know where it was--a charming new look for me, I'm sure. I also wanted to move my lip and jaw around in case the increased circulation would give me my feeling back sooner, but then I remember a friend telling me how easy it is to overdo things and make yourself ache later when you can't feel how much strain you're putting on yourself.
During the procedures, I remember thinking, "thank you for not numbing my throat." They're probably not allowed to, because then you'll drool into your lungs and give yourself pneumonia. Still, I appreciated it greatly.
My dentist told me she was thinking, "She's so cute the way she's clenching her hands together." I kept trying to relax, because I suspect that relaxing helps a person deal with discomfort better than clenching does. I'm not that good at relaxing. At various points I was definitely clenching my hands together, my stomach muscles, and my gluteus maximus (especially the right one). In twenty-four hours, I'll know exactly what all I was clenching.
Meanwhile, I feel much better.
For example, if my body can't feel its edges, apparently it assumes they must be far, far away. Various parts of my face felt very, very large. Basically, I felt like The Elephant Man. No, I think he was actually in pain. I just felt like I looked like The Elephant Man, only with different parts of my face being big.
I also felt like my jaw was a specimen from an archaeological dig, which my dentist had set on a desk and was now working on to identify.
There was a period when I had everything but a lower lip and chin. Except of course that I did. I kept reminding myself to be careful with these invisible parts so as not to damage them. I don't know how lepers do this; it's got to take constant vigilance. Part of me wanted to make myself do things properly, like pronounce letters that require lips. But without any feeling, I wanted to keep my tongue on my lip so I would always know where it was--a charming new look for me, I'm sure. I also wanted to move my lip and jaw around in case the increased circulation would give me my feeling back sooner, but then I remember a friend telling me how easy it is to overdo things and make yourself ache later when you can't feel how much strain you're putting on yourself.
During the procedures, I remember thinking, "thank you for not numbing my throat." They're probably not allowed to, because then you'll drool into your lungs and give yourself pneumonia. Still, I appreciated it greatly.
My dentist told me she was thinking, "She's so cute the way she's clenching her hands together." I kept trying to relax, because I suspect that relaxing helps a person deal with discomfort better than clenching does. I'm not that good at relaxing. At various points I was definitely clenching my hands together, my stomach muscles, and my gluteus maximus (especially the right one). In twenty-four hours, I'll know exactly what all I was clenching.
Meanwhile, I feel much better.