[GeorgiaMa'am]

I'm listening to Marketplace on NPR, and I'm babying my mouth. I finally got that cracked tooth extracted on Wednesday. It came out in several pieces, but it only took about 20 minutes and it wasn't too bad. They were very generous with the gas and local anesthetic. They were very nice. My only complaint was that the oral surgeon was fond of 70s elevator music; I spent the rest of the day with Todd Rundgren singing over and over in my head - and if that was my only problem, then I don't really have a problem.

I have antibiotics, pain medication, prescription toothpaste, mouth rinse (six times a day - I'm having trouble getting all those in), and liquid lidocaine for my swollen tongue left over from the thrush. I have slow melting tablets to put between my cheek and gum for dry mouth. I can't use my bite guard because my gum is so swollen it no longer fits, so I'm using a rolled up wad of gauze on the opposite side of my mouth to clench my teeth on during sleep. (I'm not really supposed to do this, but I don't want to crack any more teeth.) And, I have an ice pack to put on my swollen cheek for 20 minutes at a time.

So far today I've eaten two rice pudding cups and two croissants, and that took about two hours. So when I say I'm babying my mouth, I really do mean that's about all I have time for. I go back on Wednesday for a checkup and to get my stitches out.