Nurse Mom

J had surgery this morning to get his wisdom teeth and an impacted molar removed.  He had to have a designated driver so he requested my assistance.  He was as nervous as the proverbial long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers while waiting, so he was kind of talkative.  It reminded me of when he was a teenager and he would come into my room in the evening while I was studying, flop across the end of the bed, and start talking to me.  Even when I was really busy, I would lay my books aside as I never knew when he might seek me out again.  Those days have pretty much passed; he rarely wants to talk about anything of importance these days, and if so, he is much more likely to talk with his dad.

So when he began to tell me he is almost finished with the game he and his friend designed and are marketing, it signaled time to put my work away and catch up on something going on he has spoken about very little to me.  J is quite the talented artist and creative writer; his friend--the other J--is a computer mastermind in terms of programming and all the little ins and outs.  Together, they think they have a good team.  I know J has worked relentlessly and consistently on this project without losing interest.

After the surgery was over and I got all the post-op instructions and the nurse had wheeled him to the car, the aftereffects of the anesthesia kept his tongue loose again for the time it took us to go get his pain medication and antibiotics, a milkshake, and back home.  He was looking at the manuscript on which I was working and asking questions--speaking slowly due to a numb mouth and one full of gauze at that.  It may have been the longest he has carried on a conversation with me about my work since his early adolescence--back when he was still interested in my work...and in me.  We talked the rest of the way home.

The doctor said he was in for a couple of very uncomfortable days due to the fact that one tooth was twisted at an angle and another one almost flat--resulting in quite a few stitches.  He is thoroughly medicated and resting with an ice pack for the moment.  It will be interesting to see if his interaction with me continues for the next few days, but it was a pleasant interlude this morning, even if an expensive one. :)