Ken had three baby eyeteeth extracted this morning. He received N₂O and then an I.V. of ethyl chloride. He was conscious for the brief procedure but heavily sedated.

As he started to come out of his stupor, his first reaction, after trying to determine his whereabouts, was sadness because he didn't remember his teeth being removed. He cried that he wanted to remember.

I told him that when he's 20 and has his wisdom teeth removed and has to drive himself home afterwards like his mother did, then he'll remember. At the time, the pharmacist took pity on me and filled my prescription immediately.

But, unlike wisdom teeth, Kenny hasn't stitches or swelling or pain. The drowsiness wore off within a few minutes of getting home. He played up his wooziness a little for Daddy's benefit. The bleeding stopped an hour or two after that. Chewing isn't a problem. Of course, neither is talking.

The hardest part for him was the drive home with his numb, limp mouth stuffed with so much gauze that he couldn't articulate anything.