What Big Teeth You Have

Have you ever had a toothache? The name itself is a misnomer; "toothache" sounds so mild, almost benign. One single tooth with a little pain. What's the prob? It's just a little pain in one single tooth. Come on, I have 32 teeth in my mouth; how much can one tooth hurt?

Oooouuuuuccccchhhh.

Let's be honest; it's not a toothache. It's an explosion of pain on a regional scale.

The "toothache" started Wednesday night. You'd think I'd head to the dentist on Thursday. No, that would have been much too smart. I had other plans. Thursday we drove to Santa Cruz to move Rebecca out of her dorm, and Friday we drove home. Then came the weekend. I called the dentist today (Monday), who can't see me until tomorrow. So we're talking about 5+ days with my friend the toothache.

Sometimes the pain is pretty mild; just a sensation that makes my tongue want to explore the area and see what's going on. Hmm, if I poke my tongue on this tooth, will it hurt? How about if I touch the gum over in the corner? Will that hurt? Yup, sure does! Other times It's a more serious ache. And then throughout the day, there are moments of excruciating pain. The sensation spreads to the whole right side of my mouth, then up the side of my face and into my right ear. Those are the moments when all I can think about is the Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. And the desire for the pain to stop.

Actually, it's all pretty interesting. It makes me think about people who live in chronic pain. How do they ever feel cheerful? How do they function, be productive, enjoy life?

Man, I am such a wimp. I sit grumpily on the couch and feel sorry for myself. I growl at anyone who talks to me. I rub my gums with my finger. I swallow some Advil and wait for the pain to ebb. And eventually, it does.

So how are you feeling?