Painful Clarity

I spend the majority of my days in lack of any real pain. Annoyances? twinges? Mild Soreness? Sure. But no crippling pain.

Right now, on the other hand, I've got a toothache that is radiating from the tooth in question through my cheek, into other teeth, up through my temples, through my neck, and into my ear.

When I rank the times I've truly been in pain, this one is up there:

1. Dislocated shoulder that stayed out for 3 minutes or more.
2. Dislocated shoulder slammed back into place when I hit the water.
3. The sensation after the nerve block wore off from shoulder surgery.
4. Kidney Stones.
5. This toothache.
6. Horrid earaches where my ear swelled closed.
7. Broken ankle.

Tomorrow I'll go see the dentist (for the 3rd time in 3 weeks). But tonight, tonight I've got to tough it out (thankfully, I've got some pain medication lying around.) Even with the pain meds, I'm struggling.

But, I'm also amazed at the clarity that comes with the pain. There is nothing like physical pain to put your priorities in check. I can't believe the thoughts I've wasted this week on anxiety over things that just don't matter. Damn! If I wanted to worry about something, I should have been worrying about the outcome of my crown (which, it would appear, will need to be a root canal, after all).

Or better yet, I should have taken the time to appreciate how good I felt and how well my body was working for me instead of thinking about some stupid sentence I said to someone I wanted to impress and wondering if they thought it was as stupid as I did.

Seriously. I'm so jealous of my formerly pain free self. So blissful that existence is. And I don't appreciate it enough.

Upon recovery, I shall appreciate it more.