28 Teeth

28 Teeth

Garden Gnome, shot by my Sister

People who are fastidious with their dental health and hygiene know that asides brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing is an essential part of keeping your mouth healthy. Flossing helps get food particles out from the deeper crevices that your toothbrush cannot reach. Flossing, however, is something I find very irritating — simply because I never quite learned how to do it right, and the older I got I was very sure that I didn’t KNOW how to floss. Actually, I am sure I suck at flossing. And, I hate to suck at things I have to do.

Sucking at something doesn’t mean you should not try. I know that now… having to start 2024 with four less teeth than I started the year with.

The wisdom teeth need to go. I’ve been told this for years, but I ignored the recommendation because they hadn’t given me reason enough to actually go ahead with the extractions. Extractions were painful, expensive, painful, expensive and did I mention painful? I’m currently sitting here with an ice pack and typing through a haze of Naproxen, Tylenol 3 and Amoxicillin.

2023 was the year I decided it was time to do this.

I started this year on a very flat note. Neither sad nor ecstatic, just there. I had to write the bar exams in Ontario and it was the only goal on the horizon. I was going to do exactly the same thing I did last year: work and study. The only problem was that the bar exams were more taxing, and I had consumed so many YouTube videos of what not to do to not fail that I studied like the bar exams was the only thing my life consisted of. I dreamt of all the TV I’d get to watch on the 1st of June after my Barristers exams, of all the spare time I’d have. All the lying around I’d do…

What I did instead was schedule my wisdom teeth extraction procedure.

On the 2nd of June 2023, I sat in the dental chair, anticipating a one-hour procedure — in and out, I thought… foolishly. Thus, I spent the weekend after my bar exams not excited and ecstatic but thinking about how much ice could melt before I fell into a Tylenol-induced sleep.

The following month, I had yet another surgery. A bigger one this time. And this one required me to be in a state of rest for 6- 8 weeks.

The highlight of my year has been my body. I am so grateful to this 42-year-old crate not just for its ability to mend and heal but its tenacious capacity to carry on.

I saw two precious babies born by two of my darling friends — this crate held each of them

I spent time with my family — this crate wrapped and enveloped them in love

I saw Beyonce Knowles-Carter live — this crate moved, danced and gyrated.

I suffered loss — so great, so intense that this crate held on through the avalanche, enough to be there for one whose loss was even greater than mine

I passed my exams — this crate, holding this brain, retained its capacity for knowledge

I survived a principal who told me to reconsider my career choices — this crate managed to get up every day, faltering on its foundation, but still getting up

I lived, I loved and I laughed.

I sound like a decoration from TJ Maxx; I type the words and I feel weird and corny. But it’s truly the most honest description of my year.

2023 was the year I cried the most at work. I didn’t know that it was possible to be so broken by the words of a stranger.

2023 was the year I cried so much in the hospital because I didn’t realize how noisy a hospital ward could be and how much caring nurses interfered with sleep when you needed painless oblivion.

2023 was the year I cried because I live so far from my siblings and even in grief or pain I can’t just get up and see them.

As always, my friends showed up for me this year. I do not take it for granted that I have the best friends anyone could ask for. My friends came from across the world — showing up in little ways, in big ways… in different ways. I’ve had such an amazing year because of the people in my life. I’ve had a spectacular year because even when things were dark and dreary, there’s someone holding onto my arm — either literally or figuratively. I have a squad of people in my life who add so much color, warmth and love to me.

I don’t know why y’all love and truly care for me so much but I am truly grateful.

To round up the year, I thought, you know you haven’t done the left side of your mouth right? The real tilty back teeth are still there and the Pisa tower in your jaw is still hoarding food crumbs. Now, I recognize that half baked flossing is better than none; the fact that whatever gets embedded between those teeth are causing fundamental root and gum decay and affecting the structural integrity of my other teeth (Yeah, I spent a bunch of time with the periodontist in 2022)…let’s finish this year up with getting this out of the way.

Yeah…. worse pain. Did I think spending 2 hours in the chair in June was bad? I didn’t foresee the 3 hour+ session I had a couple of days ago.

Suffice it to say, (I still don’t know what this means) Me and my 28 remaining teeth are going into 2024 with the confidence that no matter what is thrown at me… I’ve got this.