Gah. I hate teeth. I like dentists well enough, but I can't stand dentistry.

Yes, I had my surgery yesterday. I was (of course) a nervous wreck going in. I wanted to be completely asleep for the whole thing, but I hate the IV. The dentist couldn't find a vein in by arm, so he had to put it in my hand. Gross.

Then he started to pull out the needles and I don't really like needles. Especially in a dentist's office- they aren't so bad with normal doctors. Thankfully, they all went into the IV tube instead of in me.

There was a Monet in front of me, and I remember watching it get fuzzier, watching even Monet's brushstrokes meld together, as blended as a Raphael. Then I fell asleep, and I remember waking up hyperventilating. The dentist and the aides took a while to calm me down, get me to breathe normally. They said they were cleaning up, that I was done.

He talked to my mom about my bad reaction to the anesthesia, and I thought that was just the hyperventilation. So I got into the car (I must have looked drunk) and we went to Walgreens to pick up my medications, and some Advil and apple juice. I must have been in and out on the car ride, but I managed to swallow some pills and go to sleep at home. I slept a long time, in and out. While I was awake, I heard my mom talking on the phone, describing my bad reaction. But it didn't sound like what I remembered.

When I asked, I was told that I had woken up twice while the dentist was still working on me. The first time, I woke up and said "Stop! It hurts, it hurts! You have to stop!" and the dentist replied that I couldn't possibly feel anything. (I don't remember this at all.) Then I fell back asleep.

The second time, I said I couldn't breathe. I wanted to get up. This time I stayed awake for much more than the few seconds earlier. Of course, I wasn't done- they still had to stitch me up, and I still had the IV in my hand. If I got up, not only would I have fallen down from the drugs, but ripped the IV out of my arm. I started hyperventilating. Apparently, I started crying (a normal reaction to the anesthesia, I'm told). Then, eventually, I fell back asleep. This might be what I remember. (My memory of it is all real patchy...)

The doctor said it was caused by my red hair, or rather the melanin or melatonin levels that give me red hair. They influence sleep, and are thought to mess with the anesthesia. I couldn't believe that my hair color could give me so many problems. I'm concerned that if I ever have a more serious surgery, it could cause me major problems. Sigh.

thebes // cairo