November 21, 2012
Can I just state for the record that I HATE going to the dentist because EVERYTHING they do to my teeth makes them hurt for days. Even cleaning.....yes, I am blessed with extremely sensitive teeth....thanks, Mom and Dad.
In February of this year I had a root canal done because I woke up one morning and my jaw was bursting and angry with infection. So, off to the dentist I go just to receive the wonderful (not) news that I needed a root canal, but because it was so infected, and it had burst, I had to do a full round of antibiotics before it could be done. Terrific! So drugged with pain medicine and antibiotics I waited the 3 weeks and then went back. Lots of drilling and hours later, I emerged with just half the thing done! Give me a break....the tooth is so sensitive and infected still that we have to let the medicine work a few more days and then come back. Tremendous. Remember, I hate the dentist office....just saying. So I go back, and they finish it up, and make the temporary crown....wait 3 weeks, go back get glued....WHEW!!! I have survived! That place has nice people, but it's an evil place!
Fast forward to the beginning of October....think about a lovely court room where I am set to testify in a court case. Wonder of wonders.....I wake up and my jaw is swollen and bursting yet again in the same place! I took some pain medicine, but not too much because I obviously can't be a pathetic lump on the witness stand! I mean, I have to be able to remember my name and what happened in the case. Made it thru the court stuff, and called the dentist. Long story short, MORE antibiotic, pain medicine, and a trip to see a specialist. At this point I can see the nightmare just starting all over again. The specialist is really nice, pokes and prods, takes xrays. See this pretzel shaped thing hanging from the root of the tooth that had the root canal. NOT GOOD! REALLY NOT GOOD!!
The specialist leaves me sitting there, and goes and calls my dentist. They powwow about me for about 20 minutes. I'm thinking...tremendous, can I just pull the thing and be done with it?
He comes back, and tells me that I have to contact my dentist who is going to give me the name of an oral surgeon. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I have a tumor or some kind of cyst that is growing on the outside of the root of my tooth causing this infection to keep flaring up. It's not something that the regular dentist had any way of knowing would happen when he did the root canal, and it will require oral surgery to remove and a bone graft to rebuild the bone that it has destroyed. GREAT!! I just so excited. I just cannot wait to tell Guy.....is there not a year that can go by without some complicated something I have to do?
So I go home, call the dentist, call the oral surgeon and keep taking a heavier dose of antibiotic from the specialist.
I go to the surgeon, more fancy xrays, and sure enough there is something growing in there destroying all my jawbone, and making my jaw very angry and loosening my teeth. Can this news get any better? Surgery is required sooner than later, and how about next Tuesday? Absolutely tremendous....and where is Guy? Can we just say out of town? He will be back for surgery day, and will then leave again. I'm just so excited! Sorry if you are not feeling my enthusiasm....
At this point because the infection is so extensive, my entire system is just saying enough already....so I retire to bed, drug myself and proceed to become everyone's comic relief for the evening. Glad this whole situation is at least somewhat beneficial to someone.
Well, surgery day arrives, I have drank my energy drink so that my blood sugar doesn't bottom out, and have starved myself for hours. Off to the office, where Guy pays because for some reason our dental insurance doesn't think the surgery should be covered....excuse me....that's another story. They put me out with some sort of medicine that makes you feel drunk I guess....having never been drunk I'm not so sure. However, when I wake up I have a very swollen mouth thats been cut open, stretched out, cleaned out, and finally stitched back together, and the room is spinning. I asked them to go get Guy, as he is my stablizing influence, and can you imagine? They refused to get him until I could stand up by myself....ok, but aren't you going to roll me out to the car in a wheel chair? Why do I have to stand up? And, they are choking me with cotton strips! And why is there pretty birdies in the room?
Thank goodness that stuff wore off fairly soon, or Guy would have been rolling....it was bad enough when they did finally let him in! Can I just say that there ought to be some sort of law that your husband is not allowed to laugh at you when you are waking up from surgery? I mean isn't he supposed to be the Knight in Shining Armour, there to save you from evil dentists, and oral surgeons?
Well, we made it home, and Guy put me to bed and then spent the day catering to my drugged and spaced out needs....I think he was secretly laughing when he left the room every time....just saying.
The next morning I woke up and my entire side of my face was numb! Tremendous! Fabuluous! I just can't think of anything I would rather have. You know that feeling of numbness when you leave the dentist's office after dental work that lasts for hours. Well, a month later, I still have it, but only on about half my bottom lip. The surgeon says that he didn't cut my nerves because I can feel it when he tortures me with shocks, and gently slaps my lip....sounds like patient abuse to me. NOT really! And the best news is that it will probably last for about 6 months! SAY WHAT???
Did I ever tell the surgeon that I wanted to lose a chunk of weight because I wouldn't be able to feed myself? Did I say that I wanted to slobber every drink I tried to drink even from a straw all down the front of myself? Did I tell him that I wanted to have out of control blood sugar for a few days because he shot my jaw full of steroids to help the bone graft "take" better? Did I mention that I teach a class full of teenagers who are going to laugh at me when I can't talk properly each Sunday? Did I tell him anything about wanting to have the taste of stitches in my mouth, or eat mashed potatoes for days and days?
So currently, a month later, I am still having difficulty eating and drinking, but am not quite the comic relief that I was because I have mostly stopped taking the pain medicine. Some days the tingling just turns to hurting and you just can't stand it. And when he checks it with his shocker thing...then it burns all day. All I can say is that these stretched out nerves just need to pull it together and deal because I really am sick of this whole situation. However, the 10 pound weightloss hasn't hurt. I told the surgeon that I was recommending him as a weightloss doctor....he doesn't believe me.
They tell me this is better than pulling the tooth and having to live thru reconstruction.....I have my doubts! Just saying!!
And I told those teenager that whoever laughs at me teaches the lesson....
And I told those teenager that whoever laughs at me teaches the lesson....
