The one where I tell a story about my wisdom teeth.

A few weeks ago I began having some pain in my bottom two wisdom teeth. They had been through my gums for a long time, but hadn't ever come in the whole way. So I went to a dentist here and he told me that because they were only partway through my gums, they caused a flap of gum tissue to grow back over them. Food was getting trapped under the flap making my gums red, swollen, and painful. The dentist told me I needed to have the bottom two removed. Lovely! And all this time I thought I would be able to get through life without having my wisdom teeth taken out (has anyone reading this not had their wisdom teeth removed?)

So anyway, I was really nervous about doing the surgery in a foreign country, because everything just works so differently here and I had no idea what to expect. Plus, my dentist told me he was just going to give me a local anesthetic and I would be awake for the whole procedure. I don't know exactly how the procedure works in the states, but I'm pretty sure they put you under for it! So when he told me that, I'll admit I freaked out a little bit.

But I mustered up some courage and had the surgery last Wednesday (only for one of my teeth - they only do one at a time here) and everything went fine. The worst part was when the dentist stuck that huge long needle into my gums, but after that I didn't feel a thing. It was kind of weird being awake for everything, but I did close my eyes because I really did not want to see what kind of tools they were putting into my mouth to get that tooth out! And I was kind of glad that I don't completely understand Turkish and that I didn't catch most of what the dentist and his assistant were saying to each other. For all I know, they could have been talking about about how bad my breath smelled!

All that to say: I survived, I am alive and well and living to tell about it! I had myself all worked up for no reason. And dental work here is SO cheap. The hardest part was going back in everday for the first 3 days to have him check and make sure everything was healing properly. The dentist is about a 25 minute bus ride and a 15 minute walk away. I have spent most of my evenings out of the last week on my way to and from the dentist - in 100 degree weather, with a humongously swollen, black and blue cheek, with lots of people staring at the funny-looking foreign girl. Fun!

Oh well, Joel thought I was really brave and that I now have bragging rights for having my wisdom teeth taken out in a foreign country. And I did have my sweet husband taking care of me, the kids and the cooking and cleaning for the first few days after the surgery. I really do have such an amazing husband!

Now I just have to go in tomorrow evening for a check-up and then again on Wednesday to have my stitches taken out and that's it! But what an ordeal it was, and I think I might be waiting a few more weeks before I go back in for my other tooth!

But if you're ever in Turkey and need some dental work done, I know the place!

Okay, that's all, the end :)