Day by Day

“Green Elephants”

August 20th, 2008 by Janene

In January I wrote a couple of posts about why I do not enjoy going to the dentist and why I wanted to change dentists and here is an update on my latest dental adventures (I’ll try to keep it short).

Well, I made an appointment with my old dentist and it was great to see him again. I don’t think I have ever looked forward to going to the dentist before but I was excited for this appointment. It was great to have a dental hygienist again and it was kind of nice to be able to watch TV while someone worked on my teeth. Everything was going great until the dentist looked at my x-rays. While he was looking at them we were having a conversation and he stopped mid-sentence and said “It looks like we’ve got a problem here…”

“WHAT?”

So they took a couple more x-rays and the dentist informed me that I had internal resorption on tooth #19. He then informed me I would need to see an endodontist for a root canal. Lucky me.

So, Monday Joey accompanied me to my root canal procedure. After they explained what they were going to do they asked if I needed anything and I jokingly said “How about a valium?” They laughed and then offered me some sedation options. After discussing it with Joey and the endodontist, I decided to go with the Versed so I could just “take a little nap” (I’d be conscious but wouldn’t remember anything). Before Joey had to leave the room he said “Let’s try an experiment. Try and remember green elephants”. As they were preparing me for the procedure I kept saying “green elephants” over and over in my head.

Well, the Versed worked great. I didn’t feel anything and I didn’t remember anything. Poor Joey had to deal with me all morning/afternoon asking him the same question over and over or telling him the same thing over and over (he said I kept telling him “I remembered green elephants”).

Joey left me in the car while he filled my perscription and I found this note the next day:

“Sweetheart, Stay in the car. I will be right back!”

I swear that was the first time I had seen the note. Man was I out of it.

Anyway. I slept most of the day and around 3:00 I was finally more “with it” and learned that they actually didn’t finish the root canal. I guess they ran into some complications (too much bleeding) so they did what they needed to and I have to go back in a month.

I am not sure what will happen next but whatever does happen I hope it comes with more Versed. Just kidding.

Posted in Personal |

4 Responses

  1. Joey Day : Syzygy » Versed, a curious thing Says:

    [...] accompanied Janene to the endodontist on Monday to get a root canal (she tells the story here). As they prepped her for the procedure, she eagerly inquired about sedation options. They offered [...]

  2. Stu Says:

    Hey Janene,

    I too am quite familiar with Versed (it’s a pretty common drug given for surgeries and other procedures that don’t require you being fully unconscious). I have gotten to the point that it doesn’t affect me as strongly. I still stay down for the procedures, but I find myself waking up earlier, and remembering more from the time in the recovery areas.

    I can think of several occasions where Shilo has told me that I asked her the same question at least a dozen times. It’s gotten to the point that when I am coming out I preface every question I ask with the phrase

    “I know that I have probably asked you this a bunch of times already but…”

    Anyway, I hope you get feeling better. More importantly I hope the second procedure goes better than the first. Enjoy the trip :)

  3. Merissa Says:

    Sedatives are strange things! I’ve never had Versed, but I know that when I first woke up from my appendectomy I felt extremely weird. There’s no other way to describe it but just plain weird. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience. That is hilarious that Joey had to write you a note to stay in the car!

    Miss you!

  4. Day by Day » Blog Archive » Next Week Says:

    [...] Get another root canal [...]

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