Update on various fronts:

[stillane]

We'll start with the tale of the bird.

I called one of the rescues provided by wonderful people, and they advised me to return the little guy to open water. (The sooner the better, too, because it seems they won't eat in captivity.) Apparently, they've been getting a lot of calls about this particular species of late, specifically their habit of wandering where they aren't supposed to be. They need open water to take off, but they're doppy enough to wind up on ice and not be able to find their way back. Given that they also have the land speed of a drunken tortoise, this is not a healthy combo.

Friday saw me and a 70 year old woman attempting to find a clear patch of creek. Combined with the continued presence of vicodin in my bloodstream, I'm sure we made an interesting pair. We did, finally, find an appropriate zone, and the little beast was released. He didn't go far, though. Our fine feathered friend is still hanging out near the house, and my dad is off to visit him even as we speak. (Seriously, the man's gotten oddly attached. Any day now we're going to find him out there chucking shrimp from the shore and mournfully making duck-ish noises.)

ETA: Then again... The world's smallest avian idiot has now managed one better. Not only did he not fly away to freedom as predicted, he got himself frozen to the ice. Rather than let him become a tiny ducky popsicle, Dad put on the waders and ventured out onto the creek. The grebe is officially back under our roof, pending more information from the nearest rescuers. *sigh* How exactly do I convince them to take a critter which is not injured, just terminally goofy?

On the subject of teeth, more wisdom needed.

All of you who've had the grand extraction: how long should the pain continue to be fairly intense? I thought I was doing pretty good circa Thursday, but then not so much. I'm not sure whether I'm just being a huge baby about it, or if there's really something funky going on. I'm usually pretty good with pain - my knees dislocate of their own accord a couple times a year, and I snap them back in routinely - and I don't have a fever or any other obvious infection symptoms, just a persistent ache. My surgeon is flying below the radar over the weekend, and I need to start work tomorrow. Should I be planning a visit to him anyway? Is it normal to still be pretty sore five days latter? Am I the biggest wimp since wimpdom began?

Any and all advice is welcome, be it on the bird or the mouth.

Comments

[feartheotter.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I suppose the phrase "bird brained" wasn't totally coined for nothing. Though I'm not sure what to suggest, other than just giving it another shot and hoping he'll get the message that things like eating and flying and what not are good.

As for the mouth, :( I've ne'er undergone the procedure, so I can't say too much. One would think it would've eased a bit by now though, especially with the vicodin hanging around in the circulatory corridors. :/ For what it's worth though, yer not a wimp -- dislocated knees... D: Just the thought is somewhat uncomfortable.

Also, hi!

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Hee. Hi, again.

The bird seems to have taken up semi-permanent residence in a corner of the living room. Mom's venturing out to seek palatable sustenance for him, since a conference with California sister informed us that he ought to like worms of certain varieties. The plan is currently to put him back when the creek has ceased to be a frozen wasteland. No word from the rescue that we talked to before; I think they've written us off as wackos.

As for the mouth... turns out going back to the medical professionals was the way to go. It was... not fun, but on the plus side, there is now a great dearth of pain. Yay for the dearth of pain!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

*helpless chuckle* well, he seems slightly um metally incapacitated? Or sprinkle him with ketchup?


I've had pain just from provisional fillings for six days when they said it'd only be one-two :/ so it's very individual and I'm currently now knowing myself what to do.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

"Not". Not "now" *sigh*

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Hee. I gotcha.

Yeah, he's not the brightest bird in the sky. We're just hoping to get him through to warm weather, when he'll hopefully have a fighting chance. *fingers crossed*

Where the fillings are concerned: ouch. I'm rapidly developing a dislike of all things dental. Today went well, though, and they fixed me, so all is not lost. Are yours still hurting?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

He is terribly amusing though (second hand pov, of course).

That's good to hear! It took all my nerves to phone them again this morning and I can't get an appointment before my Thursday one. This has been going on for three months now, and since the filling's been in for more then 4 weeks I fear it'll be another provisional one, since the pain indicates infection. But I can't afford to have it pulled. And I don't wanna *pout* sorry, boring rambling, mainly to show that I sorta know what you're going through.

[tenaciousmetoo.livejournal.com]

Um, hi, I'm Ten. I think maybe I haven't commented here in...well, a long time. Bad me. Doesn't mean I'm not reading, just that I didn't have anything to say.

Poor little bird. I can't imagine getting stuck to ice like that. I've only rescued city birds, so I don't know what to suggest for waterfowl. Glad you've found some folks giving advice.

As for the wisdom teeth, it's been a long time since mine were removed (impacted, all), but I do recall it was a long healing process. That said, it's good to call your docs when something doesn't seem right. Maybe they can suggest a pain reliever, or maybe they'll want to take a look and check for infection. Tell them what's going on; I'm sure they've seen it all, and can answer your questions. Feel better!

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Hi! *waves* Lurk, babble, flail wildly around the disco ball... it's all good. *g*

The bird seems to be doing fine today. We're working on a plan for keeping him fed, and he's looking reasonably content with his little paddle pool. So far, so good. Now if the weather would just decide to cooperate...

As far as the teeth go, I took the advice of you and the other wise ones and went to see the surgeon. Turned out I wasn't healing correctly and did need some help, but all is fixed now. Not only am I not hurting, I'm not even on anything stronger than ibuprofen. Thanks for the smart council!

(Also, mind if I ask about your icon? That's one cute pup.)

[tenaciousmetoo.livejournal.com]

So glad to hear that you're feeling better!

You know, Margie's been my default icon since I started on LJ, and I had the pic well over a year before that. I always post credit if someone else is the source, but I have no notes for her (except her name, which came with the file). I think maybe she was a DL from an adoption website. I just love the expression on her face.

[aurora]

Yay bird!

And umm, I don't remember being in much pain after the first two days.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

The bird lives! My mom's out looking for an appropriate diet for him now, even as he splashes about his little pool. If we can just get him reasonably stable for a while, we'll hang onto him until the weather takes a turn for the better. (Granted, with the snow headed our way, that's easier said than done... Danged winter. :P)

You were entirely correct about the pain being abnormal. Went to the doctor today (which I just typed as 'toady', and boy does that change the meaning), and got fixed up accordingly. All is right with the world again! Whee!

[eccentric_hat]

I have no advice at all about the bird--I hope it figures out what it ought to do. About the teeth, are you on drugs and still hurting? I took...some sort of pain medication for...I want to say a week but it might not actually have been that long, and felt fine the whole time, and then I felt a little sore the first day I didn't take any drugs. Probably the best bet, if the pain doesn't go away by the time your dentist is reachable, is just to ask them if what you're going through is normal.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

About the bird: he's still hanging out in the living room, seemingly contentedly. *shrug* Who knows what goes through his little birdy mind?

About the teeth: yep, I was on the good drugs and still hurting. I went back to the doctor today and prevaricated about having downed vicodin before getting behind the wheel. (Apparently, they frown on that sort of thing.) They introduced me to the wonders of clove oil, and now I'm down to simple Advil with nary a twinge. I have to go back a few times in the next few days, but it's a small price to pay for painlessness. Yay painlessness!

[raucousraven.livejournal.com]

Aww, ducky pop! Poor fella, hope s/he'll/the rescue people will figure something out soon.

As for the teeth, mine healed up in about three days, but I stayed off solids for aabout ten. IMHO, if the pain is still bad tomorrow, give your dentist a call. Six days is a bit much for no abatement of pain.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Haven't heard anything from the rescue people, yet. I think maybe they've written us off as crazy ducknappers. We seem to be doing okay in duck care on our own for now; if we can just get him to eat without coercion, we'll be in business.

Took your advice and phoned the dentist, who had me come visit. Turned out I got to be one of the ten or so percent of weirdos who don't heal correctly, and require the intervention of trained professionals. They had the technology, though, and rebuilt me. I have to go see them again every few days for a little while, but I get to be both pain- and narcotic-free, so I'm happy. I even yawned on the way home, and emphatically did not pass out. *g*