The terrible truth of it was she was awake.

“That’s what this is for,” the nurse said, all patience. “You won’t be awake through the procedure.”

She looked at the needle, trying to keep everything down. “Isn’t there… I don’t know… a way to be asleep for that too?”

“It will only hurt a moment,” the nurse continued. “Like a little pinch.”

That wasn’t true. The needle hurt like if someone stabbed you. Since that was what was happening. Being stabbed with a thin piece of metal.

“Look the other way and relax.”

Well, the other option was not to have her wisdom teeth pulled and that was a lot more stabbing. She could imagine, anyway. Looking away, she tried not to hold her breath.