Chinese food & toothaches
Posted: Nov 6th 2004, 5:44 pm
Totally separate stories, but I figured I would throw them both into one thread. Last weekend, I went to a traditional Chinese wedding banquet and it was sooooo yummy! It was a ten course meal plus dessert and wedding cake. I thought my stomach was going to explode. We had two different duck courses, walnut shrimp, shrimp balls with crab legs, shark fin soup, lobster, roasted chicken, scallops, steamed sea bass, and fried rice. Fortunately I love seafood and I'm not a vegetarian, but I can see how some people would not enjoy three hours of food without a single vegetarian dish. I was disappointed to learn there wouldn't be dancing or any of that kind of stuff, but after the sixth course came I realized it was for everyone's safety. Imagine people trying to bust a move when their stomachs were at maximum capacity. We did pretty well for the first half or so, but after the lobster came, I was like Cartman saying, "No...more...pie..."
I "almost" caught the bouquet. The bride heaved it so hard over her shoulder that it flew over everyone's heads and landed on a table behind us, knocking over wine glasses. The second time, she overcompensated and barely threw it at all. It landed on the floor in front of everyone. We figured one of the little girls in front would pick it up, but after a full ten seconds of all of us staring at it on the ground, the girl next to me decided to bite the bullet and pick it up. She went around me, through two other people, and in front of the little girls to get it.
A few weeks ago, I had to have a wisdom tooth removed because it was so painful. I didn't have the others removed because I wasn't sure how much it would cost so I figured I could get those done later. Unfortunately, about two weeks afterward, I had an allergic reaction to the antiobiotics they prescribed. I know what happens when I am allergic to drugs because sadly I became allergic to penicillin after I had mono in high school. I know that I am also allergic to cephalasporins (there is a cross-reaction with penicillin), but I learned that now I am also allergic to clindamyacin. I'm getting to the point where I feel like I need one of those medic alert bracelets!
On the plus side, the allergic reaction wasn't as bad this time as it was when I found out I was allergic to penicillin, but it was still itchy and uncomfortable - hives from my neck to my feet. That's when you find out how comfy your comfy clothes really are. The doctor's helpful advice was "If they aren't gone in six weeks, come back. And if your tongue swells up, go to the emergency room." On a more superficial level, I was concerned that I would look like a leper at the wedding! Thankfully the hives only took about a week and a half to work through my system.
Yesterday I had my three remaining wisdom teeth removed. Two of them have already completely grown in, and the third was impacted. They tol me that they didn't need to put me under, so it was just local anesthetic. Dentist noises gross me out, so I brought along some music to listen to. Thank goodness I did - the impacted tooth had to be split into two and then removed. They didn't tell me that involved a screaming Drill of Death. Actually, I think it might have been more of a saw, but I can't say for sure - I kept my eyes closed the whole time! I don't want to see the implements of destruction before they go in, and I certainly don't want to see them coming out all covered in blood either. Ick! I had the music cranked up while that saw thing was going and I could still hear it. Gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it! Now my face is totally swollen - I look like I'm trying to smuggle a golf ball in my cheek.
Those three page long descriptions of side effects that come with prescription medicine simultaneously grosses me out and cracks me up. One the one hand, spare me the details. I'm going to take the medicine because the doctor told me to, so there's really no need to scare the crap out of me with stories of intestinal bleeding and explosive diarrhea. On the other hand, I find it hilarious when they warn me that Zithromax may cause vaginal irritation. You know, because I feel so sexy with a swollen face.
It was tricky trying to plan for this surgery - I wanted to make sure that I had ample time to recover so I had to take into account the week I was away at a conference, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Hopefully I will be all healed up in time for turkey day. It grossed me out having a big pit in my mouth the last time around. On the plus side, they gave me a prescription for Vicodin. I haven't taken any because I'm afraid of it - my sister got sick (nauseous) when they gave her Vicodin in the hospital so I'm holding out with just ibuprofin for now. My boyfriend's excited about the prospect of selling my leftover Vike on the street corner.
The downside is that my whole day revolves around eating now because I have to take medication. I'm used to eating when I'm hungry, so it's weird for me to be watching the clock all day for the sole purpose of eating again. At least now I can eat lots of ice cream and tell myself it's all about my recovery.
I "almost" caught the bouquet. The bride heaved it so hard over her shoulder that it flew over everyone's heads and landed on a table behind us, knocking over wine glasses. The second time, she overcompensated and barely threw it at all. It landed on the floor in front of everyone. We figured one of the little girls in front would pick it up, but after a full ten seconds of all of us staring at it on the ground, the girl next to me decided to bite the bullet and pick it up. She went around me, through two other people, and in front of the little girls to get it.
A few weeks ago, I had to have a wisdom tooth removed because it was so painful. I didn't have the others removed because I wasn't sure how much it would cost so I figured I could get those done later. Unfortunately, about two weeks afterward, I had an allergic reaction to the antiobiotics they prescribed. I know what happens when I am allergic to drugs because sadly I became allergic to penicillin after I had mono in high school. I know that I am also allergic to cephalasporins (there is a cross-reaction with penicillin), but I learned that now I am also allergic to clindamyacin. I'm getting to the point where I feel like I need one of those medic alert bracelets!
On the plus side, the allergic reaction wasn't as bad this time as it was when I found out I was allergic to penicillin, but it was still itchy and uncomfortable - hives from my neck to my feet. That's when you find out how comfy your comfy clothes really are. The doctor's helpful advice was "If they aren't gone in six weeks, come back. And if your tongue swells up, go to the emergency room." On a more superficial level, I was concerned that I would look like a leper at the wedding! Thankfully the hives only took about a week and a half to work through my system.
Yesterday I had my three remaining wisdom teeth removed. Two of them have already completely grown in, and the third was impacted. They tol me that they didn't need to put me under, so it was just local anesthetic. Dentist noises gross me out, so I brought along some music to listen to. Thank goodness I did - the impacted tooth had to be split into two and then removed. They didn't tell me that involved a screaming Drill of Death. Actually, I think it might have been more of a saw, but I can't say for sure - I kept my eyes closed the whole time! I don't want to see the implements of destruction before they go in, and I certainly don't want to see them coming out all covered in blood either. Ick! I had the music cranked up while that saw thing was going and I could still hear it. Gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it! Now my face is totally swollen - I look like I'm trying to smuggle a golf ball in my cheek.
Those three page long descriptions of side effects that come with prescription medicine simultaneously grosses me out and cracks me up. One the one hand, spare me the details. I'm going to take the medicine because the doctor told me to, so there's really no need to scare the crap out of me with stories of intestinal bleeding and explosive diarrhea. On the other hand, I find it hilarious when they warn me that Zithromax may cause vaginal irritation. You know, because I feel so sexy with a swollen face.
It was tricky trying to plan for this surgery - I wanted to make sure that I had ample time to recover so I had to take into account the week I was away at a conference, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Hopefully I will be all healed up in time for turkey day. It grossed me out having a big pit in my mouth the last time around. On the plus side, they gave me a prescription for Vicodin. I haven't taken any because I'm afraid of it - my sister got sick (nauseous) when they gave her Vicodin in the hospital so I'm holding out with just ibuprofin for now. My boyfriend's excited about the prospect of selling my leftover Vike on the street corner.
The downside is that my whole day revolves around eating now because I have to take medication. I'm used to eating when I'm hungry, so it's weird for me to be watching the clock all day for the sole purpose of eating again. At least now I can eat lots of ice cream and tell myself it's all about my recovery.