Laughing it Up with the Gas

I had a cavity filled today. It was my first cavity since I was a very small child. I recently developed a strange fear of needles and having one stuck into my gums really didn't sound good, so when they offered gas, I happily accepted. I was really nervous as they slipped that weird thing over my nose (it definitely didn't help that it was done by a girl from high school who was never exactly my favorite person). I sat back, chose some good music (they give you an ipod to listen to while they work, huge fan of this idea, soon-to-be-dentist sister take note) and waited for it to kick in. After 5 minutes, I still felt exactly the same, so the dentist then decided to give me a little bit more. It wasn't long before my whole body tingled, and I felt quite numb. They began their work and I calmly laid there looking at the ceiling, which was painted blue with clouds all over it, and listened to Across the Universe, wondering if that is how the Beatles felt when they wrote it and their other "crazy" (aka: high) songs. As I laid in the chair, I felt like I was floating through those ceiling clouds. This is when I realized the gas was definitely doing its job. It is kind of funny, I remember thinking, "hmm...this is probably the closest to being high I'll ever feel" and "It is ridiculous that I feel like I'm flying through these clouds, but man, I sure do!"

The procedure was over quickly and painlessly. I remember them asking me a few questions and wanting to answer, just not really being able to get the words I was thinking out (this was strangely very similar to when I was whacked in the head during a lacrosse game, and I was almost carted away on oxygen in an ambulance). When they pulled the mask off, I felt a little weird, but nothing really crazy. I went to go pay but had to wait a few minutes for my turn. When it was my turn, I suddenly felt dizzy so asked to sit down. Apparently I didn't look so hot because the next thing I knew the lady was yelling, "We need some help in here! Doctor!" They had to half carry/half drag me back to a chair where they promptly put me back on oxygen, covered me in blankets, and made me lay there for about a half hour. (I probably should have realized something was wrong when the dentist's brother came in, and they were both talking to me about how they know my bro-in-law and his family, (they say hello, by the way) and it took me about 5 minutes before I realized there was 2 of them.)

While I was much better than before, I was still in no condition to drive home, so my mother was eventually called to come drive me home. I feel a lot more normal now but still a little light-headed, and I have a nasty headache (is this what a hangover feels like?). One of the last things the doctor told me was no more gas, I guess if I ever have any more cavities (which is not going to happen) I will have to face my fears and be stabbed with needles.