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Date: April 26, 2004
First we had Saturday arrive - at 2AM in the morning - when the tooth I had been ignoring decided enough was enough.
It had been "sensitive".
Like when I chewed nuts. Or bit down hard. Or when the upper tooth hit it when my lower jaw was out of alignment.
I thought it probably was because I grind my teeth and this is a tooth in the back. Way back. The molar before the now-removed wisdom teeth - the removal of which put me in the hospital a few times over the next 20 years until they cleaned up the maxillary sinus that had been punctured. No kidding.
I found out later that, for this tooth that had just taken off, the infection underneath "lifted" the tooth making it strike harder than normal.
I was thinking maybe my dentist goofed on the alignment.
I was thinking the sore jaw was a sinus thing from sleeping hard on one side - esp when it was lessened when I deliberately slept on the other side.
I had thought I should add dental to my Blue Cross ----- niggle niggle niggle.
I ignored the niggle.
NEVER IGNORE A NIGGLE!!!!!
I NEVER LEARN!!!
I ignored the sore jaw and thought - "next week" - I need to get a cleaning anyway.
So Saturday morning sent me rummaging around for something to help ease the ache - Tylenol was not working Aleve was not working - and I found tylenol-codeine. I rarely dose myself on old drugs - in fact - I have been cleaning out the Rx back-up and have a box - a big box - of drugs to dump down the sewer line, also called a toilet. Cancer patients collect drugs.
I had 500 sq foot room (my son's) to clean so my son can come home from the hospital. I had typing to do.
I could feel that any touch on the tooth - finger, tongue, etc - hurt like blazes and it was time to get help. Like TODAY!
Great - on a Saturday. Throb Throb.
Doctors and Dentists don't work on Saturday and Sunday. My doctor doesn't work Friday. He is going to retire down the road. My Rx medications always run out on Friday. I think I plan it that way. Planned management by crisis.
I called my dentist - whose number I have in my magic organizer.
Being a slob, and holding the title "director" earlier in my career, I have a black leather business card holder - 11'' high - holds many, many cards. Even holds so many I should organize it. But it's a lifesaver and, if I want to know how to find you, I make damn sure your card is in there!
I dialed - just in case they kept Saturday hours.
I got an emergency number.
I called back and rang and rang and rang. (I found later it should have clicked to voice mail.)
The codeine was held as an option if I couldn't see straight.
Hot coffee over the tooth felt good.
I went on with my cleaning.
I had typing to do.
I had laundry to run.
I had my usual routine stuff Saturday.
When I couldn't reach my dentist on the second go-round of calls, I was miserable - I used the yellow pages. (It's now 1PM.)
By now I had found my Hydrocone (Vicodan). I took one.- My own Rx - like I don't have a bunch of my son's running around.
That kinda worked.
I called one office ---- this is an emergency - yellow pages said new patients OK - they spoke to me - then put me on hold and another bimbo picked up and restarted the conversation. Hmmmm. Ditz. I hung up and tried another.
M&L Dentistry.
BIG MISTAKE.
Oh yes, they can see me. I patiently explained I had a credit card. (The "Visa plan" for dental work.)
They were very concerned about their fee.
I was desperate - I should have hung up on these people too.
I went in - dozens of pages of stuff.
And then they had to collect $85 BEFORE I saw anyone - and then they would charge me the rest after. Two charges on my credit card? Why?
Office policy. Well, it's not Wells Fargo policy - I would get a phone call!
Don't necessarily have the skills to do the work but, by God, get that fee!
I should have walked out.
I paid in full. A different number then they had quoted --- actually a lower number.
Once they got there-----
He took a digital Xray - fine. But biting that disk about sent me up the ceiling.
He saw the infection (mild but there).
I looked. He looked. He could tell a root canal had been tried or done. And there was a slight infection that probably raised the tooth.
But - the pain was probably my gums needed cleaning he said (probably did at this point).
I said "Stop the pain".
We discussed that he would do enough to "get me to my regular dentist".
So he cleaned my gums on that side - roughtly (well - they probably needed it - however - that was not the source of the pulsing). He numbed me up and chiseled. I have tender gums at this "time of the month" being on hormones. I am a high-normal bleeder at the best of times.
I asked for something for the pain - he said Tylenol. Aleve.
He gave me a mouth wash for the gums.
He sent me off.
Oh I don't think so!
I stayed on the Vicodan.
Saturday I had to leave my son at the hospital at 8PM - which alone is worth filing a complaint over. I had said I needed to be on my feet.
I went home to hot packs and misery.
I can see how you want to take 2-3 pills over one pill a dictated when it hurts this bad!
I refrained.
On Sunday - as I was leaving for the hospital for another try - I had a niggle to try my Dentist again. I was using hot packs and hot drinks and rinsing my mouth with hot salted water. The gums were now recovering from the other dentist's onslaught
By now I knew better than to ignore my niggles at this point.
I dialed.
I got him!
He immediately put me on Penicillin and ---- Vicodan.
OK. I was doing the Vicodan. Good call. The antibiotic cured the tooth last time. It should stop the throbbing.
And he said Ice not heat.
He said come in at 9:30AM Monday. I am about an hour up the road.
I used an ice pack at the hospital. I got to see Prime Suspect 6.
I slept lightly at home with ice on my face being careful to stay on my right side.
I normally sleep on my left.
This morning - I took a Vicodan (Sunday night I had driven home from the hospital on 1/2 tablet).
Then I drove - I understand now that's a DUI - not that I couldn't handle the car - but that all you want to do is SLEEP. But then - without the pain pill he pain was so bad I would have driven into something. In morning traffic, we aren't moving fast anyway.
My truck has a good air conditioner.
Acts like an ice pack.
My dentist got me numbed up - took one Xray - and set to work.
Tooth must come out.
The cap broke off fairly quickly - root canal teeth are brittle. Even though this tooth was fighting to stay alive --- it was brittle.
This tooth had marked days even if it hadn't launched at this time. We knew that before - we were postponing the removal. If I had known what was coming pain-wise - I wouldn't have postponed it - I would have yanked it out then! Especially since I then had Dental Insurance!
My dentist threw up his hands - did not charge me anything (beauty of knowing people). He knows I will be back.
Instead, they walked me across the parking lots to another cluster of buildings - to an Oral Surgeon.
I was supposed to wait - but they had a no show and took me fast - after a few more forms and comments about the "Visa plan". Joke joke.
Oh - I will be adding the dental plan to Blue Cross! And the Vision plan too! $$$$$$ Niggles be damned!
So ---- These guys put me on a table.
And jabbed me with more needles. Yuck. But the pain is gone.
They proceeded to grip and chisel and grind this recalcitrant tooth for about an hour ($325). I was waiting for the pick axe.
He said it was "recalcitrant" It "wanted to stay" "It has a long root."
Oh yes - I have solid teeth. My skull will have them long after I am gone - unless my children cremate me and have me made into blue diamonds. As they threaten to do------
Grind and drill and yank a llittle bit.
And crackle crackle and break off and grind and drill and wiggle wiggle wiggle crackle crackle and break off.
They had a jaw guard I bit on.
I was glad I had taken Sudafed so the sinus wasn't choking me to death.
They finally got it out.
Good, because I was going to have to have another shot!
They put in TWO stitches.
They packed me up.
Gauze to bite on.
And Gauze to change.
And directions.
Rmemeber I am on Vicodan.
Well - it had pretty much worn off.
Both the dentist and the oral surgeon said "Wait to take your pain pill until you are where you are going - but get there! Don't let the pain get ahead of you!"
The oral surgeon thought the dentist I had seen on Saturday ---- was, without being direct, guilty of malpractice.
My sister 3,000 miles away thought so too.
He should have :
- Rxed the Vicodan, and
- Rxed an antibiotic and
- told me to use ice and
- left my gums alone.
Anyway, now the tooth is out (they showed me - was I attached to it? Hell no!)
Should stop bleeding in 2 hours.
But this is the woman on HRT at 62 - whose period of high blood volume is NOW (end of month) and who just had a two - hour nosebleed.
Wanna bet that was related to the tooth infection??? Same side.
I was told again not to take Vicodan until I was at my destination.
I can agree to that!
I went to work - and said - bye. Call in tomorrow.
I went to Stanford, where, by 1:30, I was still bleeding. This was more than 2 hours.
I had changed the sterile gauze - cleaning my hands in the stuff I have to use before coming into my son's room. That's sterile enough!
So I went to the ER. Or I was sent over by my kid and the E1 nurse. I was there - I just strolled over.
I tried to walk right in - oblivious (because he was not at his post) that security has to check you in.
I set off alarms in the metal detector.
My zipper.
They had to use a wand.
I looked like something that the cat dragged in so the guard joked that I had to wait so he could beat me with the wand. Joke joke.
I got in and wandered over to triage and asked where to go and they grabbed me and took me right in -- for paperwork.
They had me on file.
Last time my son was in the hospital I collapsed with dehydration.
They are not allowed to ask about insurance until you have seen the doctor.
Well - I have HIPPA Blue Cross - with $1500 deductable. I will be paying for this too - after Blue Cross "adjusts" the bill.
They got me fairly fast - I was there between ambulances.
They looked and checked and we pulled out the gauze (bloody).
They called my oral surgeon. Took down my regular doctor.
They repacked me with surgigauze and checked me 30 min later and called all my doctors. Said I was about on schedule.
I was so out of it ---- Vicodan - penicillin, pain.
And in and out of the dentist, oral surgeon and then the ER.
I did finally wave my insurance card at them and couldn't remember my older son's number - hey - it's on file in E1! Where my other son is! (My older son was unreachable through out all this. I would have used his dentist.)
They kept me on ice (four cold paks) and then let me leave the ER.
My younger son is doing well - except I took his hospital bed for the rest of the day (and an ice pack).
He walked 6 loops with PE while I was in ER - took a shower and sat up in the barcolounger for hours.
I had the bed and was out of it. I only moved to refill the ice bag.
Everytime I'd roll over and ask if I could get him something he'd tell me to shut up and stay in bed. His way of taking care of mother.
The nurses were doing double takes.
Of course - they WANT him up in the chair!!!! So that was a very good thing. Takes a reason for him to move his butt!
I did try to order TPN (liquid food) for me ("Use this arm") but they weren't having any of that!
I feel so much better this morning (Tuesday) - of course - I am adjusting to the drugs ----- time to back off of the pain killer.
I had an energy drink before I left the hospital (those big yellow things I had brought in for HIM) so I'd have some calories in and the gauze out to go home.
Much better.
I drove home between pills and with the air conditioner on teeth-chattering high.
I actually slept.
I woke up to throbs (missed the pain pills) - took them - used ice - went back to sleep. Got up - mucho better!
I made mac and cheese last night --- that's whole 'nother story!
Ate a little at 2AM. Very little - one noodle at a time. Soft food.
Need the pain pills - but am adapting to them. (OK OK time for 1/2 pill.)
My tongue found the "hole" this morning - told my tongue to behave itself.
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