All good things come to an end

“Everything has to come to an end, sometime.”

As with all good stories, there is a beginning, a middle and an end.

Those who read this blog know that it’s been awhile since I posted. Certainly not for a lack of things to say (as I’m rather opinionated!) but for a lack of time, among other concerns.

And so, in the interests of keep priorities in check and doing what needs to be done (namely homework, now that I’ve gone back to school part-time), this blog has reached its end. While I feel it has gone out with a bit of a whimper, instead of a bang, that’s okay – it’s more dignified this way.

After October 4, this domain will expire. The blog will still exist as an archive, at http://www.chroniclesofaginandtonicdrinker.wordpress.com. If I wasn’t spending my time writing research papers, working full-time or spending hours on adventures with my dear fuzzy friend Atticus, I’d be right here with you ripping on bad music and other things that come to mind.

For those who have come here due to being related to me, or a friend: thanks for reading. For those who stumbled on here via Google or some other site, I hope you liked what you found. I know a lot of you read an article about my wisdom teeth – so just know that if you’ve found this article that 1) that post is still here and 2) your surgery is going to go just fine.

If you take anything away from this blog, take this: be kind. Be generous and be forgiving. We’re all living the human existence, and compassion is key.

See you around the bend.

A Wuss on Wisdom Teeth

This person has a lot more problems than just wisdom teeth…

As you likely heard, I had two wisdom teeth out last week. This has been a procedure that has been planned since January of this year and it kept getting moved around due to changes in benefits coverage. I finally bit the bullet and had the things out. Of course, being the giant wuss that I am, I was terrified. It turns out, though, that terror was not necessary. It was a fast and (relatively) painless procedure.

The Psych-Up

First thing I will recommend is the opposite of what you’re doing right now: don’t read other people’s accounts of wisdom teeth removal on the internet. With that said, read on…

Getting myself  geared up to get to the surgeon’s office was an ordeal. I kept pushing back making the call by five minutes, finally knowing it had to be done. After calling the cab, I anxiously paced around the apartment, made sure I had everything I needed and headed downstairs to face the driver who would take me to, what I expected to be, certain doom. I wasn’t even in the mood to listen to a psych-up song.

Arrival

I arrived at the surgeon’s office about ten minutes before the procedure. Sitting on the couch in that waiting room was the most anxiety-filled moment of my life. I was picturing this awful, painful procedure that was going to kill me for sure. I was shaking, texting people and tweeting with the hashtag #WisdomTeethTweet. It was likely a little annoying to everybody I harassed.

Getting in the O.R.

The lovely nurse (although at the time she led me in to the O.R., I had decided she was evil) led me in to the O.R., asking me how I was doing and getting me situated. She took my glasses and the surgeon arrived, again trying to calm my nerves. I think she sensed that, somewhere deep inside, I do have a sense of humour and after putting the IV in, the last words I heard from her were:

Wouldn’t it be funny if this was the first surgery I’d ever done?

THAT, at the time, was not funny. Now, I think it’s the funniest thing I’ve heard.

The Procedure

It took 20 minutes. That’s all I know. I was sedated, remember. I highly recommend taking the full sedation if it’s offered and you’re anxious like me. Being completely out of it was easier for me to cope with.

The Aftermath

My friend Steve rescued me from the Surgeon’s office and got me home (thanks Steve!), after we stopped at Shopper’s Drug Mart for my prescriptions. Highlight of the trip was that it was Seniors Day at Shoppers and we saw an old man go down the *ahem* contraceptive aisle. Hey, they have to have fun too!

All in All…

It was a painless, easy procedure. No pain, no fuss. Just be prepared for socket irrigation… That is not the most enjoyable experience.

A Bad News Week…

To put it bluntly: it’s been a hell of a week, personally and in the larger world.

As you know from reading my PR-focused blog, I lost my job on Wednesday (through no fault of my own) and Thursday I had two wisdom teeth removed, which made me look like this afterwards:

Post-op and a little tired.

The week also included the horrific news about the murder and dismemberment of a Chinese student in Montreal by resident weirdo Luca Rocco Magnotta, and the brazen shooting at the Eaton Centre.

Wednesday made me feel like I couldn’t catch a break. It was a very difficult hit to my system to be back on the job hunt and it stung; but, the more I thought about it and really reflected on things, I came to peace with it. I had a fantastic interview today with Cision and am looking forward to meeting their team in person to talk more about how my agency experience can benefit them and their clients. I wouldn’t say I’m “over it” but I’m coping a lot better than I had expected I would. That’s a good sign, I think.

The wisdom teeth removal was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. I was expecting this long, painful process that would make me grumpy. Instead, the operation took about 20 minutes, I went out easy with the anesthesia and was completely coherent coming out of it. I used next to none of my pain medication, because the procedure was painless. I highly recommend my surgeon to anybody looking to have their wisdom teeth out in Toronto!

So, it’s been a bad news/difficult week all around. But that just means this week is to get better, and that’s something I’m looking forward to!