Wisdom Teeth Weirdness

So for My day off the bike in Denver didn't go exactly as I planned. The original plan was breakfast, then a chiropractor would come do free back checkings or something, then lunch with Dave Fishells family, a friendship visit, then Dinner with the Tanabe family.

Now for what really happened: for those of you who don't know I have been having a pain in my mouth for the past week and it was because one of my wisdom teeth was coming in. It has been very painful to eat over the past week, so I figured something must be wrong. Luckily Meredith Fleishman lives in Denver who I know from back home. Through her I was able to make an appointment at her Dentist for 9am today to see what was wrong.

So I took a cab ride down to 16th street where University Dental Arts is located. When I saw the dentist I got an X-ray of the area of my mouth that was bothering me. The X-ray showed one of my wisdom teeth coming in and putting pressure on one of my molars, which was most likely causing the pain. I was able to get an appointment at an Oral surgeon at 10:15 to get my wisdom tooth removed. So another cab ride later I made it to another waiting room. This place accepted my insurance and everything seemed to be going well until I needed a referral from my primary care physician. I was not able to reach them for a while since it was lunch time back east. Finally I got through to the office and they granted me a referral due to the emergency situation. Everything set up pretty well, but I was a little nervous about the procedure. My brother got his wisdom teeth out and he was inactive for a while. How long would I be off the bike, a day, two days, a week.

My fears eventually dissipated when I learned it would be a simple procedure especially since my tooth was not impacted. I got to experience laughing gas for the first time and I must say it was so weird. I was hallucinating hard core. For a little bit I thought I was dead. I didn't pass out or anything I was just out of it. I think the assistant must have given me a little too much. I asked her if the operation was over even before it started.

The procedure went extremely well and everyone was amazed at my fast recovery. I was able to make to the friendship visit and play wheel chair rugby with gold medal winner from the Paralympics. It's an intense sport. I was also able to enjoy the wonderful steak meal the Tanabe family cooked for the North team.

I happy to say that I don't have any pain at this moment and that I am going to ride tomorrow's 100 miles to Fort Morgan.

Today was definitely an weird experience, but that it what this whole trip is about a life experience. Something that I can look back on. I don't think I will ever forget getting my wisdom teeth out in a strange city. It was pretty amazing how easily everything was set in place. It couldn't have happened without Meredith, my family and the staff at the dentist and oral surgeons offices.

Well I gotta go to bed I'm pretty tired from this eventful day.