Feeling My Age

Here's how I spent my 50th birthday.

"Woke" at 7:30. I use the quotes because I didn't feel awake all day.

Gary woke at about 9:00 am. He took they day off work because he had his wisdom teeth extracted yesterday. He had 4 adult wisdom teeth and a baby wisdom tooth. No Versed for him: he went on Novacaine and nitrous. He is so miserable that I hate to mention he HAS AGAIN USURPED MY BIRTHDAY MONTH. Blood and headaches trump birthday.

I fell asleep off and on until ten. I needed caffeine, but that is off the table.

At about 10 I began getting ready to go to Saint Louis University. SLU has an organization that protects their clinical trial participants, and I participated in a panel discussion. My trial wasn't through SLU, but Rachel From the Cruise was organizing the event and she thought of me.

Wore me out. I was open and lively during the panel - in fact, the moderator pointedly asked if there had been a psych evaluation before I was selected for the trial. It was all very illuminating for me. I met a woman who had been in one of the Salk vaccine trials, and an African-American man who came from a culture that relates drug trials to the Tuskeegee Medical Experiments.

I also got a peek at the SLU culture. On the one hand, when I related that my drug trial had insisted I use two forms of birth control, they laughed and said they never ask their patients to do that. It seems to be a tough and gritty form of Catholicism; right now Saint Louis is abuzz with news of the snitfest between the Law Dean and Father Biondi (Head Honcho and the Pissiest Man of God ever). I'm glad to see the media are the only ones who use his religious title, since he sounds like a bit of a douche.

All that was too much for me. I've tried to nap since I got back, but relatives keep calling with birthday wishes. Gary did recognize my birthday by allowing a birthday hug. And I tell you, right now I am so wiped that the constant CNN Breaking News fanfare doesn't get my adrenaline going. It would seem Mitt will declare his VP before I wake up tomorrow.

I call Jindal. Most predictable and tame.

Comments

[Becs]

Happy Birthday!

But why no caffeine before the panel? Too tummy-irritating?

I do feel sorry for Gary. I had two impacted wisdom teeth removed more than thirty years ago and it still makes me shudder with fear. And this was even after being given general anesthetic.

Tell Gary to rinse with salt water and feel better soon.

[~~Silk]

Happy 32nd birthday! (From here on you get to use hex.)

[TheQueen]

Becs - No caffeine=no coughing. Gary just told me his sister had one wisdom tooth taken out and had to move back home for a while.
~~Silk - Ha! Nerd joke!

[RockyCat]

Happy (belated) birthday!

[TheQueen]

RockyCat - Thank you.