Taking of The Teeth

From my journal ~ April 2, 2015

Our drive to Madison was fairly normal, we talked about the weather and the farm fields we passed.

The tooth surgery wasn't going to be a big deal or so we thought.  Heck, it would save Rich from getting infections and all of the other awful things Dr. D. had described that come along with Radiation treatment.

We still we on edge about 'what' or 'how far' the cancer 'may' have gone. The waiting was wearing on us.
He'd get short and say something snarky.

I'd get frustrated and throw something when no one was around.  Let's face it, not knowing if the cancer is local or spread all over was unnerving. Nothing would be settled until we had the 'almighty-all knowing' PET scan.

This had to be approved through the VA to be done at the UW Radiology Department at Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research or ... WIMR for short.

But for today we had to concentrate on the oral surgery.

When Rich got into the dental chair, a whole slew of people came in the room wearing gowns.  Dr. D. showed Rich his x-rays from last time and said upon review they would take the 4 bottom front teeth.  There was some bone loss there and they had to go before the Radiation.

Rich protested a bit.  "Doc, what the hell am I supposed to eat with?  I don't have many teeth anyway!"

Dr. D. said, "Rich, better to lose them now than during treatment, the risk factor for infection and troubles is high if we leave them.  I'll give you some bright beautiful new ones after you are all done with your treatment."  He grinned and gave Rich the thumbs up sign.

A gowned nurse ushered me out of the room to the hallway and told me to wait in the waiting room.

A bit later Rich came out with his face stuffed with a wad of gauze.  We made the follow up appointment and headed home.

He motioned for me to drive.  I figured I would.
Traffic was heavy when we got on University Drive.  
Rich started to motion to me and in some garbled way tried be the back seat driver. 
Naughty me, I ignored him, reached down and turned on NPR to listen to the news.

The drive home was silent except for the radio.  Rich reclined in the passenger seat.