Get all the details
On Monday, a friend went in for oral surgery. Right before they put him under, they found out that his ride wouldn't be there until an hour after he was done. He had figured he would just hang out and sleep, seeing as how he would be sedated anyhow.
The crucial detail was that they didn't have anyplace to let him sleep, and no staff to keep an eye on him. Nor would they just let him go when he was done. He needed "Adult supervision." Instead, he got me.
I filled a hot water bottle (I always feel so damn cold after surgery) wrapped it in a big towel, grabbed an icepack and my knitting, and got to the dentist's just as they were getting ready to release him. The drugs made him sort of drunk. I can see that with some people, this could be a big problem. But my friend showed no inclination to fight, sing, drive a forklift or use power tools. He just lay back in the reclining passenger seat of my car, hugged his hot water bottle, let me tuck the big towel up under his chin, and smiling, fell asleep. When his wife arrived, two hours later, he was starting to wake up and feel the pain. By then the icepack had thawed completely, so it was useless.
So, if you, or someone you know is getting oral surgery,
1. Plan on going straight home.
2. Put the hot water in a thermos and fill the water bottle when it's needed.
3. Put the icepack in an ice chest to keep it cold till needed.
4. Do not let the patient drive a forklift.
The crucial detail was that they didn't have anyplace to let him sleep, and no staff to keep an eye on him. Nor would they just let him go when he was done. He needed "Adult supervision." Instead, he got me.
I filled a hot water bottle (I always feel so damn cold after surgery) wrapped it in a big towel, grabbed an icepack and my knitting, and got to the dentist's just as they were getting ready to release him. The drugs made him sort of drunk. I can see that with some people, this could be a big problem. But my friend showed no inclination to fight, sing, drive a forklift or use power tools. He just lay back in the reclining passenger seat of my car, hugged his hot water bottle, let me tuck the big towel up under his chin, and smiling, fell asleep. When his wife arrived, two hours later, he was starting to wake up and feel the pain. By then the icepack had thawed completely, so it was useless.
So, if you, or someone you know is getting oral surgery,
1. Plan on going straight home.
2. Put the hot water in a thermos and fill the water bottle when it's needed.
3. Put the icepack in an ice chest to keep it cold till needed.
4. Do not let the patient drive a forklift.
posted by roxie @ 7:09 AM
6 Comments:
At 5:44 PM ,
Willow said...
LOL!
Don't let him drive your car either.
At 5:52 PM ,
Rose L said...
or get a numbing shot to go...or have some brandy handy (or preferred alcohol),...or knock 'em up side the head and they will sleep longer....just kidding.
At 4:19 AM ,
Janette said...
You're a great friend :)
At 5:02 AM ,
Saren Johnson said...
Good plan, but add:
5) don't let them order stuff off e-bay.
At 9:05 AM ,
Lyssa said...
Ha! I picked up a friend after dental surgery a while ago, and had to stop at a drive through pharmacy on the way home to get her pain pills. She had to sign for them, all drooly and woozy and without a clue of what was going on, and I was really tempted to make up some bizarre fake "contracts" for her to sign and leave them on her desk later...clearly she would have signed anything in that state :)
They told me at the time that she wasn't allowed to sleep for two hours. I felt horrible poking her every five minutes to keep her awake.
At 9:42 PM ,
Amy Lane said...
Oooh, yeah-- Knittech had a really good suggestion too!
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