I AM ANGRY

Change they say is the only constant thing in Life. Be it anticipated Change or Instant Change, pray your “change” doesn’t come with pain.

Like the woman who has had 6 successful births, and then the 7^th one took her life. How do you explain this Instant Change to her family?

Or the Woman who had waited 10years to conceive, carried her baby to term, only to lose the child upon delivery. How do you explain this instant change?

Once upon a time in 2010, I wrote about my trip to the dentist (Read here ). It was an impacted wisdom tooth and the dentist somehow took out the tooth (non-surgical). I remember I still bled for about a week or more and was in pain. And I swore never to go through this again.

 As much as i thought i was in pain back then, what i have experienced now, if far worse than what i had then.

April 2016, presented me with a mind blowing ache on my Wisdom tooth on the Left side. Yes it was impacted, lying horizontally. Because of the experience from the last extraction, I decided that I was going to use a Government Hospital this time, and that’s how I got to National Hospital on Friday the 8^th. I couldn’t get an appointment because it was late and was asked to come on Monday.  

Friday night became a nightmare, so much that at 4am I was calling the hospital for emergency but being that Saturday the 9^th was Election Day and no movement, I felt so helpless. I frantically started calling different hospitals and got the response of my Life “OUR DENTIST DOESN’T WORK TODAY”.

 In my pain and discomfort, I made calls to friends for referrals etc, I got one in my Estate but getting there, the Dentist wasn’t in town. Spoke with him on the Phone and he asked that I get some pain relief and anti-biotics.

Not Satisfied, I went further till I found a private clinic in my estate and I started calling the number but no one answered. Then luckily, the security man came out and I explained myself to him and he called the Doctor, and voila!!! Help was on the way. 

My Joy was short lived as a lady who appeared to be the secretary came in and I heard her grammar as she was talking with the security guy, next thing she goes inside and changed into her nursing uniform. I told myself that I’m in the wrong place.

Few minutes later, the dentist arrived, and I explained myself to him. He said to me, yea I can do this, but you need to get our card N5, 000, then Consultation N10, 000, and because it is a surgical extraction, It will cost you N50, 000. Then I thought to myself, Babe!!!!!

I was desperate, I was in pain. I was losing my mind.

Then the Dentist that asked me to get the medication called again, he said, don’t take that tooth out until that pain is managed else you may have even bigger problems. 

In my desperation, I got another referral in Garki. Spoke with the guy, and he said, oh you can come. I was happy. But how do I get there since there wasn’t any movement??

I called a friend, who took the risk and came to my rescue, but before he got to me, my uncle called and said I shouldn’t go just anywhere but to go back to National Hospital.  And that was how I made it back to National Hospital and it was still same Advice. “We have to manage this pain” before we can think about the extraction. I was given same prescription as the other dentist did and if by Monday there’s no improvement, then I should come back, but without guarantee that I will be attended to as Monday is their Theater Day. With this now, I went home and commenced Medication. 

But the Pain medication wasn’t helping at all. From Diclofenac, to Zerodol P (Aceclofenac + Paracetamol), to Ibuprofen + Paracetamol, nothing could soothe my pain. So on Monday, I went back to the Hospital. After the examination, I got an xray done, and was asked to wait, in hope that when the surgeons come out from the theater on time, then I might be in luck. Spent my whole day and was told to come back the next day.  And I was told that even though I’ve been booked for Tuesday that it is not a guarantee as it is their “CLINIC Day”. So until they have finished with their patients they had worked on previously, No help for me.

I cried all the way home. But Tuesday Morning, I got there and refused to be let down. By afternoon, One of the nurses called me in and said, you can’t continue waiting, you have to go and come back tomorrow as we can’t attend to you today. I burst out in tears.  Then the nurse who took my folder on Monday, came to me and asked me not to go, that she will get them to see me today. I was happy again.

Finally, my time came. I got called in. and it was show time.

As my jaw dropped open for the local anesthetic to be administered, memories of the time past flooded my consciousness. I cried hysterically and the Surgeons were confused. They asked if I wasn’t ready for this that they could stop at this point. 

I managed to muster, go ahead.   I watched as he put the surgical blade in my mouth and cut. At this point, I shut my eyes. To dislodge the tooth was a lot of work as it took well over an hour and the help of the consultant surgeon before my ordeal was over. Of course I got another shot of the Local anesthetic because at some point I could feel every tug and pull.

1 hour later, I was discharged and ready to go home. But as the local anesthetic wore off, I was in mad pain. I took the ibuprofen + paracetamol every 6 hrs but yet, it was a Joke.

I prayed as much as I could for strength each passing minute. By late evening, I was still bleeding, and I had to bite down on a gauze. I had difficulty swallowing and I couldn’t even eat anything.

Days later, with the pain partly reduced, I discovered I couldn’t open my mouth enough for a spoon to go in. I knew that wasn’t right, and I called the Dentist. I went back on Saturday and was prescribed another antibiotics and different pain medication.

My next appointment for Tuesday was for the stitches to come off. But getting there, i couldn't open up wide enough for them to see anything and we ended up doing Jaw Exercise where wooden spatula's were stacked and forced into my mouth to unlock my jaw. After the session, i was asked to go home and continue with the exercise and come back on Friday. 

 I knew this was no joke as i was hell bent on getting my jaw to open up or else i would have to endure another surgery as i was told. So i did all i could and by Friday, i could open up much more and the stitches came off. 

On Monday, i felt some needle like pain as i open and close my mouth. I immediately knew something wasn't right. I opened my mouth wide enough and looking through my mirror, i spotted a little white piece of bone that was causing the discomfort. I immediately called one of the Doctors who i've been in touch with since my ordeal started to complain and he said, its unlikely to be a Bone as the Bone in the area was taken off during Surgery, but i should watch it a few days but if i was that uncomfortable that i should come back for a review.

By Thursday, no change, and now in more pain, i booked an appointment for Friday. 

I got to the hospital today, and was sent for an Xray, it came back that Truly, that what i saw and felt was indeed What it was. There was a piece of Bone in my Gum. 

Fast forward, they had to numb me again as they had to irrigate the site to get the bone out. What bad news i got was that, they also suspect an onset of Osteomyelitis which they said they had to arrest ASAP. 

I'm back to the Place where i thought i had left behind "PAIN" and "MEDICATIONS". 

I am angry that they could've made such a mistake in the First Place.

I am angry that i have to be on this cocktail of medications again for the next 3 weeks.

I am angry that i have spent the whole month of April in agony

Yes i am angry at the Level of Pain i've been through which i don't deserve.

Above all, I am grateful to be Alive