Out of Wisdom (pictures added)

Teeth, that is.

Last week- we added to our already crazy life by taking Oldest out to Cougar Country to get his wisdom teeth removed.  There is a surgeon that comes to Small Town, but it is only once a month and he is booked out for months.  I called on the 2nd and got an appointment for the 10th.  We took him to the same surgeon who did Outpatient.

Now-  I don't know if I have shared the story of his teeth, but here it is, non-cliff notes version.

Oldest did not get any teeth- at all- until he was nearly 17 months old.  I was a tad concerned, but the doctor had a patient not get teeth until 15 months, and my own cousin's daughter who is only 2 weeks older than Oldest, didn't get teeth either.  Finally, what I think made them come in was the fact that his little sister was starting to get teeth, and he wouldn't be outdone by her.  This is a pattern that still exists, I'm afraid.  Anyhow- his first teeth were the top and bottom right teeth-and they took something like 6 months to fully come in.  The remainder of his teeth followed this pattern, taking their own sweet time to show up and be useful.

When he was 10- we went to the dentist to learn that his 6 year molars had finally decided to join the party.  We also got a really good look at what was going on with his adult teeth.  It was not a pretty picture.  Every adult tooth wanted to take the space being used by up to three baby teeth.  So- we went to visit our friendly neighborhood ortho, and began the process of trying to make room for those giant teeth. 

The next problem, his baby teeth didn't seem to be in any bigger hurry to vacate the premises than they were to join the party in the first place.  You might recall Oldest's lovely tooth pulling adventures from Dec 30- 2009.  The dentist pulled 8 baby teeth out then- and left the 4 canines to come out on their own.  Only two were obedient, and it took over a year for most of the permanent teeth to come up into place.

Bored yet?

So- when we went to the dentist last October, we saw that the punk's wisdom teeth were already forming.  Yes- those teeth that most people don't get until they are about 18- were already coming in.  This is in the mouth of a kid who doesn't believe in getting teeth.  To make matters even funner- the wisdom teeth were holding his 12 year molars hostage.  In July, the dentist pulled the remaining baby teeth.  We decided to go ahead with braces because if we wait for his teeth, it will be years!!!! 

So- the oral surgeon removed his 4 wisdom teeth and went on a search and rescue for a wayward canine.  The possible bad news is that his 12 year molars may not ever come in- and may need to be removed just like wisdom teeth are. So not funny. By the time we are done, I think we could have bought a decent car for what we will end up investing in that kid's mouth.

He had a little trouble coming to after the surgery, which made the headnurse-momma a little nervous,  He twitched periodically which was a reminder of the seizure he suffered as a toddler.  He did reach out a couple of times to pet my face (he has the biggest hands!), and fell in love with the office's fuzzy blanket.  Finally- after 5 hours at the surgeon's office, we got to leave.  He has done well, but he did puff up and is now moving on to bruising stage.  He was able to participate fully in his Teachers Quorum Super Activity, and this coming weekend he will get to start the bow hunt.

All is well, until August 31st.  Then we will start the braces.

Someday he will be so thankful that we put him through all this, and that I made a record because he better start saving now for his own children, or become an orthodontist or oral surgeon himself.

Thursday- not too bad- only the right side was puffy

Saturday- both sides were puffy-  but hey- he is vertical and functional, much better than I did.

And- when it comes time for mission prep- he already lost his wisdom.  Teeth.