Claire had a wisdom tooth out today. Her 12-year-old molar was impacted because of the pressure of the newly forming wisdom tooth. Hence, the orthodontist and oral surgeon decided the best course of action was to remove the offending tooth.

To keep Claire comfortable for the procedure, the dentist, Dr. Miller, decided to fully sedate her. After her surgery was over, Dr. Miller told me Claire was a model patient. I was given a few post-op instructions, and we were sent on our way. I was given the usual, start with clear liquids, and when those are well tolerated, she can move to soft food, etc…

Whenever I am fully sedated, all I want to do is come home and sleep…not so with Claire. She was “wide awake” and ready to rule the world. Claire wouldn’t stop talking and asking for something to eat, drink or chew on. The drugs they used to sedate Claire caused her to be a little on edge and hyper. I knew she was thirsty and hungry…she wouldn’t stop talking about how much she was suffering from the lack of food and drink. But it was a tough call for me to make. I knew I had to balance Claire’s drug-induced desire for food and drink with my knowledge that anything going down could be quickly be evacuated from the stomach. I started with Claire some Sprite and then moved to applesauce. All the while, Claire begged me for yogurt, ice cream, eggs, noodles…you name it, she wanted it, even with nausea bubbling in her tummy. I kept telling her and telling her to take it easy ~ take it slowly. She didn’t listen. She got it in her drug-induced head that she wanted her ice cream, so she got it and proceeded to eat the single serving of Cherry Garcia. Not long after, Cherry Garcia revisited Claire in the bowl I set aside for just such an incident. She didn’t listen to the mama with a little more experience dealing with wiggly stomachs…she had to have the Cherry Garcia.

And so it begins, with Claire thinking she is all-knowing at the tender age of 10. She just knew it would be OK to eat dairy on an empty, wiggly tummy! I am so hoping it was the meds talking today. I need to head more slowly into the age of “Mama Knows Nothing,” or one of us may not make it out alive.

Oh, for the love of my children…