Sophia got her wisdom teeth out on Friday and she came through like a real trouper. I know she was scared, but she kept a stiff upper lip (even though it was ashen, like the color of her face) and I was very proud of her. It was her first time under anesthesia  and I was a bit nervous myself. I assured her all the way that it was no big deal, that I had my wisdom teeth out when I was her age and I got to drink milkshakes  and it was so fun. (I didn’t mention that I remember puking blood into a bedpan afterward. I chose to keep that thought to myself.) In those days you stayed overnight in the hospital. Now, in this day and age of revolving door medical care, it’s in and out. I was horrified, truthfully, when the nurse called out to me, “Here’s your daughter. She’s ready to go,” and presented me with a wobbly teenager still doped up from the anesthesia. The child could barely stand, but she was cognizant enough to show me a baggy filled with her bloody teeth. Eeeeew. (I kept that thought to myself too.)

Fortunately her dad, Jared, my ex, was with me and together we carried her to the car. When we got her home, Paul was there to open the door and turn down her bed. Jared sat with her while I ran to the store to stock up on milkshake ingredients. When I returned, it was time for Sophia to ice her jaw. I gave her two baggies filled with ice cubes which she held to her face. She complained of being bored because she wanted her hands free. I tried tying the bags with a towel around her head, but that didn’t work so I asked my engineer husband for a problem solving solution. “What can we tie to her head that wouldn’t be too heavy and would stay on?” Seriously, without any hesitation, he responded, “How about a bra?” He then put the ice bags in  two socks and placed them in the cups of a bra and hooked it to her head. Voila. It worked. Sophia was able to ice her jaw for several hours while she played on her computer. And she got to experience the love and attention of her three parents. I would show you the photo I took of her, but she won’t let me. Just as well since some images are probably better left to the imagination.