St. Patty's Day Stab Lab

I am not going to lie, I have not been looking forward to this day for a very long time.  Today was the day in which we learned how to give injections by practicing on each other.  I had been pretty anxious about it all week, especially since the anesthesia professor took great joy in talking about "how much it is going to hurt".  He was enjoying it, and it was getting old.  I also couldn't figure out what made me more nervous, getting anesthetized by someone who had never done it before or sticking one of my closest friends.

Anyway, this morning we had some crown preps to do in the sim clinic.  It was nice because it gave me something to focus on rather than thinking about my impending doom the afternoon's activities.  My clinic partner, Mindi, and I decided to treat ourselves to Jimmy John's for lunch, since we thought we would probably be numb for dinner time.  Then, it was time.

Mindi was kind enough to let me decide whether I wanted to get stuck first or second.  I chose second because I figured it would ease my fears to see how "easy" it was to inject someone.  If I could do it, Mindi certainly could do it too.  Mindi got settled in our chair and Dr. S came over to supervise what I was doing and helped with some of the pressure anesthesia.  (Since the palatal injections are really painful, you press the free end of a cotton swab on the roof of the mouth.  The pressure from the cotton swab distracts the brain, which then does not feel the pain from the needle and the anesthetic trying to squeeze into a non-existant tissue space.  It helps SO much.)  Today we did the maxillary injections.  

These are the injections that I gave...

MSA: numbs the premolars and the lip

ASA: numbs up all the front teeth on one side and the lip 

AMSA: which numbs up most of the palate (aka the roof of the mouth)

PSA: which numbs up the teeth in the back

GP: numbs the back of the palate

NP: numbs the front of the palate  

Did you get all that?  SIX injections total.  Mindi was a real trooper and a very good patient.

Then it was my turn to be the patient.  It has been probably about 15 years since I have had my mouth numb.  While I can't say that it was a pleasant experience, it wasn't as bad as I had been anticipating.  I'm definitely glad Mindi is my partner.  It was much easier working with someone I am very comfortable with and trust.  She actually did a great job.  I didn't even feel the PSA she did on me, which is impressive because it probably was one of the more difficult ones we did.

So, I would call today an overall success.  Mindi and I escaped without injuring each other, which means we can still be friends!  (It was pretty funny actually.  In true friend fashion, she was laughing at my numb, droopy lips.  "That is so cool.  You are all numb and I did it!"  We cracked ourselves up.)  Here is a picture taken at the end of the day when we are both all numbed up on the right side of our faces.

Note: I am wearing green under my scrubs.  I was still able to show my Irish pride under my uniform.