Dentistry + West Africa = Do Not Attempt

So this is the most painful and dragged out dental experience I have ever had. The root canal is still not finished, though hopefully tomorrow will be successful. I have been on high doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen since I've been here and am now on a corticosteroid (to hopefully bring down the inflammation that is supposedly preventing the root canal from being complete) and oxycodone (which I had to go on because the ibuprofen and acetaminophen were not managing the pain, even in high doses).

Then today a couple hours after I took the oxy I remembered that time in college when the health center gave me oxycodone and I ended up projectile vomiting for 12 hours and had to go to the emergency room. I remembered this as I was projectile vomiting over a toilet (hey, a toilet! that flushes!) at the Italian restaurant near the bureau that Julie and I went to for lunch. So far I have not hurled again, though, so I'm sort of hoping I'm not actually allergic, though my tummy feels funny again and my mouth is starting to hurt again meaning I will need to take another dose. So on va voir (we shall see).

I have experienced the worst pain I have ever had in my life while being here in Dakar. I have had seven (or so) root canals in my life and have never experienced pain like this. I kind of chalk it up to this stuff the dentist put in my tooth to kill the root at my first appointment. I have never had this done before, and it did kill the root but also succeeded in provoking excruciating pain in my entire jaw which he claims is the ligaments hurting. I will NEVER let a dentist put that stuff in my teeth again. I would rather have gone through the root canal not completely numb than have gone through the awful week I have just had.

To make matters worse poor John has had to look after my dog, who is not an angel, and I am very anxious to get back and take Yogi off his hands. My sous prefet also called my APCD today asking if I was ok and if I was coming back. When I get home my house is going to stink of rotten potatoes.

I want to go back to my village. Sure cheese and sour cream has been fun, but maybe not worth it. Unfortunately even if we do manage to get through the root canal tomorrow, I will probably have to be here all of next week as well dealing with fitting a new crown. Sigh.

Also I heard that Peace Corps is doing away with Dakar being the Area MedEvac center in the next couple of months so from then on out all Africa MedEvacs will go straight to South Africa, which is far. Apparently this is less expensive than keeping up an Area MedEvac Center in Senegal.

Pain is returning. Time for more painkillers.