Day 27

Okay, the swelling has come way down. I sent out a virtual SOS on Facebook asking for suggestions on what kinds of natural supplements I could take to relieve pain because I am allergic to some ingredient in all over the counter pain killers now and I got a couple really great ones! The most popular suggestion was Turmeric which is an herb that acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. A lot of people suggested teas with turmeric in it but I'm not really a tea drinker so I opted for the capsules. Unfortunately the grocery store closest to me didn't carry Turmeric capsules but I found ones at Cambridge Naturals in Porter Square which is a vitamin/herb whatever store. They had straight Turmeric capsules but when I asked the sales lady what she recommended for pain she suggested these other capsules that are a blend of Turmeric, Cat's Claw, and Jamaican Dog Wood that are specifically made to easy pain. It was really expensive costing me 30 bucks for the one 30 day bottle, but I'm so desperate to get rid of the pain it felt worth it. All of the ingredients sound more like a witch's brew but it seems to be working so whatever. I did end up buying a package of tea that has Turmeric in it figuring I could drink it in between taking the pills. The sales lady also told me that the capsules are completely safe so I can take them all day long if I have to which is really comforting.

The capsules definitely ease the pain in my jaw and the swelling has gone down since I took the first two pills around 2:00, but don't really do anything for my sore gums. My teeth must be shifting yet again because my gums are persistently sore. I also don't know if it was the capsules or the tea but I felt a little drowsy after taking them. But its also completely possible that I am just exhausted from this whole ordeal.

The capsules smell like incense (I told Hannah this earlier but tripped over my tongue and accidentally said "it smells like incest" she got a good laugh out of that one ) but thankfully don't taste like anything, the tea is weirdly minty even though it says its peach flavored so I'm not the biggest fan, but I hate mint so thats just me.

I was so desperate last night for some relief that I took one Motrin PM tablet in spite of knowing that I would swell up. The Motrin doesn't cause as much swelling as the others so I was willing to risk it.
this was the result:

It doesn't look so bad but it still was not a pleasant feeling. Refer to day 23 when the swelling had gone down SO MUCH to see the difference. What is more concerning was that I noticed I had some bruising around my eyes from the Exedrin/Aspirin I took the night before, luckily the bags under my eyes I have from not being able to sleep hide the bruises quite nicely. So to all jaw surgery candidates: DON'T TAKE ASPIRIN OR ASPIRIN PRODUCTS.