Why are they called "wisdom" teeth?

This morning I got my wisdom teeth out. The stupid thing is that we actually have to PAY the doctor to take out my teeth. It just doesn't seem right. So right now, the numbness is gone, pain has broken through, and I have gaping holes in the side of my gums where you can see my jawbone. Oh, and the big chipmunk cheeks. I already have chunky girl cheeks as it is, so you can imagine that I'm one hot chunky swollen gaping hole having mama today!

But I still want to know why they are called "wisdom" teeth. Is it because you get them when you are older? Mine were completely sideways, by the way. When I woke up from the surgery and I felt like my tongue was wearing a wool sweater - which is not good. I couldn’t feel myself swallowing because everything was numb and I started hyperventilating. Then I started bleeding to death from the gaping holes showing my jawbone. They almost had to hook me up to the IV again to give me more blood stopping medicine or whatever.

So I got home and my cheeks and jaw and throat were all still blissfully numb. I couldn't feel my lips either. Try drinking anything with a numb jaw. How was I supposed to take my pain pills if every time I tried to drink I drooled milk out all over my shirt and the couch?

So now I'm home watching tv, on pain meds and valium, and not in too much pain - yet. They say tomorrow - that's another story. Bastards. And all this happens one day after my insurance is terminated. Fuck heads. They couldn't give me one extra fucking day after all that work ... oh well.

My life is great since being "let go", "laid off", "fired", whatever they want to call it so that I can't collect unemployment and continue my insurance. Yeah. They didn't even give me Cobra, which I thought every employer was required to do. Anyway, here I go on the crazy girl boring insurance rant.

I'm loopy, have fat chipmunk cheeks and gaping holes in my gums. But I can't complain. I'm not in any pain ... knock on wood!

On a side note, they gave me my gross teeth to keep! I'm using it as my MySpace profile pick. They said that this one chick wanted her teeth and made earrings out of them ... and people think I'm weird. Ew.