What a week: Part I

I just got back in to work from having a week and one day off.  It was a “vacation” but at times felt hardly vacation-like.

To start with, Friday May 22, I went in for some extensive dental work.  Instead of spreading appointments out over a long period, I’m having a lot done all at once.  The procedure was some five hours long, but that’s ok because I was highly sedated and remember just bits and pieces.  I did have to use the restroom at one point.  That was fun.  Aside from that, it was straightforward.  I got a ride home where I normally would have slept the rest of the day.  Not this day.

I elected to accompany my son to a wedding rehearsal.  The wife couldn’t due to work so that left it to me.  It’s 1:30pm and I’m so very sore from the dental work.  She brings our son home along with my pain meds.  So I pop two Lortab (take 1-2 as needed for pain).  I was miserable, so two was the magic number.  Around 2:15 they’d kicked in and I was feeling rather good.  The doorbell rings and it’s our ride to the rehearsal.  I didn’t know it but I was about to go on the TWO longest rides of my LIFE.

First of all this has nothing to do with the driver, a friend of ours.  I was coming off of IV sedation and had just jumped onto an opiate pain medication.  While some might have found this prospect exhilerating, it can be incredibly uncomfy when you’re riding in the backseat of a large pickup truck.

My head was spinning about 15 minutes into the over hour long drive.  I couldn’t tell if I was getting motion sick or what.  I got a cold drink to help calm my nerves.  NO not that kind of drink, geez.  It was so hard to keep my cool.  I tried very hard to not let my extreme discomfort show in front of my son.  I felt horrible and thought I was going to a) pass out b) puke or c) both in no particular order.

After we got there, I was ok.  Weird?  The rehearsal went down, we all knew our places, etc.  Now, time for the ride back.  I thought the worst was behind me.  Oh no, indeed it was not.

Ten minutes into the ride back it all starts again. WTF man?  Head spinning, sweating, heart pounding.  Ok, not fun, let me off the ride, argh!  This time though it’s 5pm and people are getting off work.  We weren’t going anywhere fast.  Again, trying to keep my cool in front of my kid.  Again feeling as if I was going to die.  As we neared home I started feeling a tad better.  I had a hard time standing up straight.  I was invited to a dinner that evening.  Needless to say, I did not  attend!

I never passed out or lost my lunch.  Hell, what lunch? I hadn’t eaten since midnight the night before. I forgot to mention that part.  Lesson learned: after my next dental appt.  I am going home and sleeping!   I seriously had no idea that I’d end up feeling so bad, geez!

Oh but we’re just getting started.   I’ll have to write up the part about my back later.