"My Face Hurts"

It seemed so far off when we first talked about it, but finally today came around. I drove Eli to the dentist this morning so that he could have a soft tissue graft of skin from his palate onto his lower front teeth.

The appointment was at 8 o'clock in the morning, and we were the youngest people in the waiting room by about two score years. Oscar was with us, while Elsie was with her babysitter. The little lady toting the full-sized oxygen tank kept talking to us, asking questions about the baby. She commented that she could see his little baby feet sticking out, and she just LOVED baby feet (I can't make this stuff up--it's ALL little old ladies). Eli got him out of his carrier and was holding him and when I looked up to the receptionists window, there were about five women in green scrubs just craning their necks to admire. What is it about men and babies? :) I guess I can't help it that my family is pretty good looking (in person).

Eli was called back and they told me they'd call me to come pick him up in 1.5 to 2 hours. Okay. So, Oscar and I went to Wal-Mart to shop for Eli's liquid diet. We were there for a while, distracted by sale items. And then we ran the groceries home, fed Oscar again, and went to Sam's Club for gas, because by this time (3.5 hours after I dropped him off) I was getting anxious and wanted to be in the car when they called. I was just about to leave the pump when I got the call to make my way back across town. Finally!

While I waited in the waiting room, this time with three other people three times my age, again everyone wanted to see the baby. I brought him over so they could get a closer look. The woman who had initially asked about him turned about to be a memory care patient who was there with her husband. It didn't phase me one bit that she asked how old my baby was and what his name was multiple times. And I wasn't the least bit surprised any of the three or four times that she commented on his little baby feet. (See? I'm not exaggerating.)

They called me back to Eli's surgery room. His back was to me and the dentist was getting together his instructions. Eli heard me talking and said, "Is that Erin?" I said hello, and he haphazardly waved over his head. He was...in lala land, as we like to say in my mother's house. Kind of slumped over, with the IV still in. When I got to see him, his lips were bloody, and his eyes half-lidded. It stressed me to see him this way. The dentist gave instructions and then sent us on our way. The two assistants helped to get him to the car, and we drove to the pharmacy, where it was going to take forever for the drugs to get filled, so I left the prescriptions there and took Eli home. By this time Oscar was hungry again.

Have I mentioned how much I love our neighbors and I'm so sad that they're only planning to be here until he finishes school? Well, I went ahead and unlocked the door. Mr. Neighbor supervised Eli as he got out of the car and into the chaise lounge in the corner of the living room, while Mrs. Neighbor took Oscar and tried to calm him down. Little Neighbor chased the cats (he'd never really seen cats before, except when he was over taking pictures with Stacey). And Mrs. Neighbor volunteered to run back to the pharmacy to get the drugs. An angel. An absolute angel. So I was able to feed O and get Eli settled and with some food in his stomach (yogurt smoothie and V8 juice) before the narcotics came.

He was in pain, and I felt useless and unhelpful, but I stuck it out. And once he had the drugs in him, he was able to sleep. But, of course, Oscar didn't want to, so no nap for this mama today. And I made the decision to not return to work this Friday. I will return on Monday, full steam ahead. But I need these days to square away details and prepare myself to get back in the groove. And to care for my husband.

This evening he is somewhat human again. Somewhat. I was feeding Elsie dinner and I turned around and he had come downstairs, stealthily, like a ninja. And Elsie was being herself, so we could help but want to smile and laugh, but Eli couldn't smile. "My face hurts," he said. I remember that from my wisdom teeth being removed.

Anyway, we're headed to sleep as soon as the next dosage hour comes about.

Cheers.