Golden Boy? The Time I Said NO! - Portfolio

Growing up in an LDS family, serving a mission was something I always knew I wanted to do...it was what you were "supposed" to do. So after I submitted some of the paperwork, I went to the Dentist for an exam. This was to make sure I didn't have any problems before I started serving.

The Dentist was a local church leader, Bill Perez. Bill is a pretty stand-up guy. Very direct, caring, and hilarious. Relatively short, compared to the average height of american males, and Alaskan Native.

i went into my appointment knowing he would probably recommend that my wisdom teeth be pulled. I wasn't worried, I actually find the dentist to be relaxing. So much so that I frequently fall asleep during cleanings and other dental work.

So after looking at the x-rays, he told my mother that the wisdom teeth would take up too much room, and would cause problems in the future. Then he said, "Don't worry, you can keep your wisdom if you carry them around...want a Ziploc?"

I politely laughed, and he gave us the paper referral to the oral surgeon who would be performing the extraction.

Several weeks later, my mom took me to the surgeon's office. After checking in and waiting for a time, a lady called me back and started prepping me for the extraction. I remember they laid a heavy blanket on me, then put in a huge mouth jack to keep my mouth open during the procedure, and then came the nitrous-oxide.

I feel it is necessary to mention, I was a pretty model Mormon teenager as far as substances go. I wasn't an angel by any means, I could be as sarcastic as the next guy; but I hadn't ever done drugs, or drank in high school. My experience with being high was the sugar or caffeine rush I felt after drinking an energy drink.

When they put the mask on me, I thought of something funny, then, because I was laughing on "laughing gas", I laughed more and harder. Then, they pulled my lip up because it wasn't where it was supposed to be, and I thought they were trying to tear it off.

 I don't remember much afterward, except that I was scared that if I didn't clean out the places my teeth had been, I would have a hole from my nasal cavity into my mouth. They gave me hydrocodone to help with the pain, and that's when the fun began.

For some reason, I had stayed up until ~5 am playing a game (previously the latest I'd stayed up playing video games was like 2 am - the latest). My mom came stomping downstairs, quickly getting ready for work and found me casually playing on my gaming computer. Surprised, she told me to get off and go to bed, and then went into the laundry room without giving it a second thought.

I ignored her.

When she came out and noticed I was still playing, a little more forceful she yelled, "Jared! Stop playing and go to sleep, you shouldn't be up this late!"

"NO!!!" I defiantly yelled back.

She stood there a few moments, her eyes wide. Recovering, she said, "...what?"

"I don't want to, go away already!" I replied without looking away from the screen.

I eventually went to bed, and looking back I chuckle, knowing how surprised she must have been, to hear her golden child telling defiantly at her. From that point on she forbade me from taking any more pills. I was mad for a while, complaining about the pain; but I now know why she did it...shock and fear I'd end up like my brother.