I Look Forward To The Day When My Mouth Doesn't Hurt

I had part II of my root canal completed on Monday. There were no flaming matches in my mouth this time, but it was 100 times worse than the first procedure.

During my 2 hour appointment, the dentist drilled my tooth down beneath my gums to create a stump for the permanent crown to sit upon. My gums were angry and mangled. When I left, I had dried blood splattered all over my face. The dentist said the worst was behind me. Didn't he say that the last time?

It's been 5 days since the carnage and boy, my mouth freakin hurts. I have a pretty strong pain tolerance (hello natural childbirth x2), but I think I have reached my limit with this stupid tooth. My gums are throbbing and my teeth are aching from all the clenching I have been doing in response to my throbbing gums. The only relief I have is when I sleep. Because I nurse, I don't feel comfortable taking anything stronger than a Motrin, but I still won't take more than 1 or 2 a day for fear of tainted milk (totally in my head, but still). It is pure misery.

Before I had Beatrice, someone in our hospital birthing class said to me that I was absolutely crazy for wanting to have a med-free birth. "Who would want to feel the pain when you could opt for medication? It's like having a root canal without novocaine." I remember it vividly because it hurt my feelings the way this stranger was taunting me. I thought he was the crazy one because hello, childbirth pains are natural and even though not everyone wants to experience them, it's what is supposed to happen when you have a baby. Having your tooth's roots scraped out with metal instruments then drilled down to a nub, not so much. There is nothing natural about dentistry. Take my word for it.

The one time I want to take advantage of modern medicine, I can't have the drugs. My mouth freakin hurts, y'all. Part III of this nightmare continues in the coming week...