Emilyn's chemical experience

One story I forgot to share... Emilyn had her last baby tooth pulled on Tuesday.

Well, "pulled" is a strong term. It was more like "plucked," actually. It was one of those cases where her big tooth had come in behind the baby one, and the baby one just kept riding up and up and up on her gum. It was down to almost nothing, but it never got loose enough to fall out on its own.

So, we went to see Dr. Dunagan, and she gave us two options, depending on the level of cooperation that Emilyn was prepared to put forth: Have an oral surgeon put her out and take it out. Or have a little sweet air in the nose and have Dr. Dunagan take it out.

Seemed simple enough to get it taken care of right then and there. Well, Emilyn was very nervous, and wasn't too keen on the feelings she was feeling, and she yanked the "strawberry air" nozzle off her nose once. When she got relaxed a bit, Dr. Dunagan numbed up her gum with novacaine. Then, Emilyn sort of twisted a bit in the chair... I thought she was convulsing, but Dr. Dunagan said it was normal for kids to get a bit jerky while on the gas. Emilyn got very still, and Dr. Dunagan reached in and plucked the tooth out. The actual extraction took the time it would take you to pick lint off your jacket. Seemed to Mommy like a lot of chemicals for the trouble, but what do I know?

The best part is the tales Emilyn told once the oxygen started flowing into her nose, and she came back to us. (Again, it's important to remember that she was still for about 20 seconds.) She got very chattery, as you do sometimes coming off anesthesia. "Was I asleep? Man! I fell asleep! I was dreaming! I dreamed I was on a ferris wheel and went up and down and up and down, and then I dreamed I was a baby, and somebody was trying to put me in a food dish..." And on and on.

I guess she handles her chemicals about as well as Mommy does. But finds the experience as fascinating as Daddy does. A deadly combination!

(Here's a great link on pediatric nitrous oxide... Emilyn had the strawberry one!)