It's over....

...well, almost over. My nose is still numb, my lip feels fat making it difficult and a little humorous for drinking from my can. No straws! Gentle swishing when brushing my teeth and no spitting, let gravity remove the tooth paste. And don't eat peas (it seems they slow healing??). Otherwise, I am good to go with most other foods, with only a few limitations for a while. That is the good news...

The less than good news is that when Dr. Smith was carving around in my gums at the end of my tooth, he came upon a surprise. Instead of just bone or whatever he was cleaning out, he found a mass. No one likes to hear that! This includes me. Oh my! 

Afterwards he talked to me about everything he worked on, explaining that he found more than expected, and by law must send it to UF for analysis. In his two decades of doing this type of work, he has seen only 3 or 4 results which were not benign, and of those, he could tell by looking at the mass what the situation was going to be. He truly believes mine is going to come back as being inflamation build-up and that is what we are going to hope for. 

Part of me wants to be totally upset by the waiting, but the rest of me is confident in his history with these things.  It will be two to three weeks before we get the results back, but Friday I return to have the sutures removed. As of today, I don't like surprises!

I was sent off with a prescription for pain medication which I took to Wal*Mart to have filled. Strangely enough, the pharmacist announced they had neither the name-brand nor the generic medication on hand. And they sent me on my way! She told me to check around at other pharmacies, but this medication is well-known. How odd! 

Truly I didn't feel like shopping around but went to CVS just down the parking lot where they could not have been nicer. The pharmacist himself handled my order and seemed to hurry it up knowing I was still numb from my dental work. I tried to say my phone number but it came out blubbery. He laughed and found it on the paperwork. I think I was smiling back, but I don't know for sure!

As of right now, my top lip is still numb but the gums seemingly having feeling back again, I am doing okay. I trust that will continue throughout the day. It is recommended to use a towel on my pillow for sleeping in case I drool and some blood comes out. Guess folks have had some problems with ruining their pillows or something. I go pretty easy on myself over things like this but will follow his recommendation. 

He said to make sure I eat, no matter what I feel like, as my body needs the nourishment for healing. Good thing I made that big batch of ham salad yesterday using some of my leftovers from Sunday. 

On another note, the air is thick with dust today as the guys are trying to clean up the area using leaf blowers. I can see the footprints on the tile in the courtyard and into my house. I am less okay with the dust than I am with drool on my pillow for some strange reason...

A post-Easter post

So far this a.m., me waking up early and under my own power, I have not heard from the geese. I think I should go down to the river's edge and wake them up, see how they like it. Can't you just see me out there, honking at the geese? Oh, my neighbors would just love me, and likely donate pots and pans in my direction!

I found myself awake with a feeling of apprehension, whether from a dream or because of my pending dental work later this a.m., I am unsure. The morning news is not helping any either, having heard already about the missile strikes in Gaza, potential for another crash in the stock market (get cash on hand, folks!), and the breaking news that couples of mixed faith have a higher propensity for divorce. No wonder I feel apprehensive!

***

Back to Easter Sunday now---after my guests had left, with Justin on his way to the new house, I laid down on my bed with the little laptop in front of me. One of the first e-mails I opened was from the choir director at FG, my home church, featuring a video of the choir. Yes, it was the "Hallelujah Chorus" playing on my laptop! My sister, Lynn, and niece, Alayna, were to the director's left, and to Lynn's right was my other friend, Christin. Oh my! The tears just flowed and I could hardly speak as I dialed Lynn's phone number. 

She was already on her way home from the family festivities but could hear some strains of the anthem over the phone. Hopefully she was able to see it on her computer, which sometimes doesn't stream well. It was just the perfect thing after our full day of celebrations. Lynn told me she wasn't aware it was being video-recorded so it was a surprise for her as well. 

After Gretchen had given me the flower pots in memory of our loved ones, I was trying to think of ways to be able to show her this video. I know what I can do----take my laptop along to Bible study on Monday and tap into the Wi-Fi (which I thought we didn't really need...) and play it. Great idea!

When I got to church Monday, Mike was already there and he gave me the code to get onto the Internet. I fired it up on my little computer for Gretchen and others to see/hear. Some gathered behind us to look over our shoulders. At the same time, though, Mike pulled it up on his computer which was plugged into the 55" TV on the wall. Voila! There was the First German choir plus guest singers, big as life on the wall.               

If you can see the music stand, center, you will see my niece, Alayna in yellow top, and next to her is my sister, Lynn in dark clothes. Next to Lynn is Christin, in the peach outfit. At Christmas 2011, I was able to join this choir in the "Chorus" which was so awesome!

More of our folks were coming in yet while we were watching the video, including Pastor with some of his family visiting from out-of-town. They came in as it was wrapping up and as I was mopping up. I can't help it---just blows me away. He introduced them to us and I told his cousins they just missed the video of GS's choir singing the Chorus. She said she caught the end of it, and her husband said, "I don't recall seeing the pipe organ in the church..." Busted! I told them it was actually my home church in WI, with my family members contributing. (At the 2nd service, Lynn's daughter, Lisa, also joined the choir to lend her voice). Gretchen very much enjoyed it and said she was glad she risked coming across the bridge even with the threat of rain. I am so glad too! We brightened each others days on Sunday and Monday, and for that I rejoice!