Wisdom Tooth Extraction and the Codeine Follow-Up: Guilt and a Song

Since having a truly brutal wisdom tooth extraction yesterday, I have been following the doctor's prescription of antibiotics and...somewhat guiltily, codeine. It's like when you're driving and see a cop car, you feel a little rush of fear and guilt, even though you're not doing anything wrong. I'm just born for guilt I guess.

The codeine dose is extra heavy and takes some getting used to, as my jaw swells and bruises and I see a nasty place at the corner of my lips where the oral surgeon apparently had to rip my mouth open. In my twilight sleep I remember him saying "I just can't get this damn thing out!" (Of course I have a tremendous crush on him now)

Since I really should be going back to work on Monday, I'm getting a tiny bit worried about having to give up this nice codeine relief, and wondering omigod am I getting addicted after just two days?!" A little while ago, I thought "God the heat today is really getting to me. I feel like hell. I just have to go upstairs to my air-conditioned bedroom and have a snooze." Then I realized I was already there, having a snooze. This is spooky.

Suddenly I remembered this old song from 1964. There's a 5 minute version that is the most depressing thing you've ever heard, which of course I used to love back then. But I will spare you and show you the one-and-a-half minute version. Check out the audience- just itchin' for a change! What do you think those guys looked like a year later?

From the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, right before all hell broke loose in the good old USA, here's the short version of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Cod'ine" - (before she defected to Sesame Street). Gotta love that shaky voice!

Cynical about the Medical Establishment: Old root canals and old wisdom teeth acting up

My sister must have a tooth pulled this week and says it makes her mad that an old root canal has somehow gone wrong. She has taken very good care of her teeth all her life. This is the third story I have heard in one week about old root canals causing problems. I was interviewing someone this week who was hospitalized recently for nearly a week because of a serious infection in her head stemming from an old root canal. My son-in-law's father, aged 80, was hospitalized in Italy this past week for a similar problem. And now my sister. It turns out I may have oral surgery this week as well because of an impacted wisdom tooth gone bezerk here at age 61. The first x-ray said "dislocated jaw" - All of us have been vigilant, well-insured, and are of above-average intelligence. We go to good doctors whom we trust. Who really knows what lurks beneath? What doctor, what diagnostic test, is 100% fool-proof? At the moment I'd wager to say none, unless it's already too late.

The whole medical establishment makes us feel that if we pay good money to take care of our health then we will be ok. It's like a security blanket to go to good doctors on a regular basis. But it’s all kind of fake. You are either healthy because you live a healthy life style and/or have great genes, or you aren’t healthy and/or don’t have great genes. Tim Russert thought he was going along just fine. But the finest doctors didn't see it coming and neither did he. And I know of four people in the last week who have been surprised to discover that although they have not been neglectful,they're completely vulnerable.

will continue above with my pranic healing experience this morning