Today I am continuing to recover from oral surgery. I must admit that I was very worried about "the unknown" of it all. I'd never been "put out" for oral surgery before and I was worried. I even brought my weighted blanket (much to the staff and doctor's delight!) and it was invaluable for me as I waited in the room for the surgery to begin and I'm certain it must've helped me durning surgery, though I must admit it was such a blip of one minute I was talking with the Dr. about Polish food and then I was waking up because they were taking all the monitors off me. I couldn't help but think what a metaphor it all is for the things we dread. We get through them and then at some point they feel like a blip. While it's happening it sure doesn't feel that way, and seems like it goes on and on forever, but I think that so often when we look back, one day it was just ... over. We did what we needed to do and we got through it. Today I'm sore, and tired and a little wobbly on my feet but already I can feel how much better it's going to get. I'm proud of myself for asking for help, for telling the surgery office and the dr about my anxiety issues and for doing what was needed to take care of myself. I really need to thank my husband, T. Andrew Caddick for bringing me to my appointment, and tending me with care and humor yesterday, setting reminders for all my meds and crushing up anti-biotics and pain meds in a mortar and pestle so I could take these pills literally "too big to swallow", heating up soup, and making sure I ate soft foods all day long and just sitting with me while I dozed and recovered. Knowing I was going to have to "do something about that rotten bridge" had been weighing on me for a long time, no doubt in ways I wasn't even fully aware of, but as it was giving me discomfort for ages, I know it was affecting me. All of this is a reminder to me that even when it feels like I'm "in the weeds", it's temporary. Big shout out to Michelle James and Rochester Dental Aesthetics Dr. Mike Papastamatis for removing the dastardly bridge with lots of care and attention and to Dr. John Hackenberger and the staff at Summit Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery for making my oral surgery so easy, and being so kind and supportive. Pretty soon I'll be a whole new woman again, and totally out of these darn weeds! Finding the right helpers is such a self-care, self-love MUST. Love yourself and love others,
Love, Cheri
