Sunday..
At least two, if not three times I woke up in the middle of the deep deep sleep lortab gave me by gasping for breath. Each time I resisted going back to sleep, dreading the next time I’m startled awake feeling like I’m not getting enough air. I tried to wait it out as long as I could awake so that less of the medication would be in me. I didn’t do too well. So I awoke poorly rested and hating this pain medication.
I asked my husband to call the office of the oral surgeon to explain what was going on. I could hear a bit of the conversation on the other side of the call. It wasn’t an allergic reaction. Yes but it was a very very adverse one IMHO. The doctor suggested to take half of the pill and then wait an hour. If I still had pain, take the other half. All of the medicine hitting me all at once was probably causing me trouble. I could also up my ibuprofen to 4 tablets at once. Not that taking that much will help my stomach I bet.
As far as food went we tried some mix that was supposed to be pumpkin soup. It was more spice than pumpkin. Neither one of us could finish our bowls. That’s soup # 3 that failed us. We batted zero. So it was more mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, yogurt, generic jello, and shakes for me.
The pain got worse and I was forced to take a half lortab during the afternoon. Though I got drowsy I forced myself to stay awake. I hate that damn medicine now.
I spent the day in bed. More applications of the ice pack. Though by now it was past the 48 hours recommended. I figured it couldn’t hurt.
Later that afternoon I spied my reflection in the mirror. I now had a good size light bruise on the right side of my face. The one side that was less swollen, the one that was healing better. Sigh. Plus both areas began to itch. It’s hard to scratch something that’s so tender and painful to the touch. Again I’m hoping the scratching means healing. The bruise on my left side is still nasty and spreading. Oh joy. It hurts by just existing there on my face. Hurting when I turn to the left or lower my chin. It looks like something socked me there. More unpleasant thoughts of looks I’ll get when I return to work, taking the train in, flood my head.
I just keep remembering that each day that passes is one day closer to this being over. One day this will be just a memory. I’ll forget the pain and look back at these posts wondering how out of it I was.
In the evening I take another half of a lortab to help keep the pain at bay through the night at the suggestion of my husband. I am a bit chilly, so I grab my nearby hoodie and put it on for the night, pulling the hood over my eyes. I’m still sleeping sitting up in the bed. I’m not asleep long, 30 minutes to an hour at most. I have a terrible nightmare and actually wake myself up with my own screaming. I’m panting, covered in sweat, and feeling very warm. My husband asks if I’m okay. I answer that I don’t know. And I didn’t. I take off the hoodie and toss it to the ground. I sit there panting, trying to stay awake as long as possible. As the medicine pulls me back to sleep I swear to myself that I’m building a new tolerance to pain. I’m just taking ibuprofen by itself from here on out. To hell with the lortab. That medicine is being put on my “I don’t care. I’m never taking it again” list.