Are You Ready For This?

I don't know if this is too much information for you or my attempt to make myself feel better or both. When an aspect of your life occupies all your time, energy and thoughts, you tend to want to tell people about it. Many of you know my recent bad luck with the dentist and although I am not done, I thought it would be a fitting blog to tell you all about the theme of my life right now.

I have had cavities filled as a child and my first root canal in 2005 but recently, starting just 18 months ago in October of 2006, I began my first of 44 consecutive visits. It started with a double root canal on a random Wednesday morning and little did I know, that would begin the cascade of pain, problems and payments. I have been to the dentist EVERY month (usually twice) since and next week will hopefully be my last 2 root canals (both of which have been done before, a.k.a. bad luck) for this year. (Whatever...I have gotten my hopes up before.) Most of the root canals and crowns are being done the second time since my teeth just don't want to take to the first treatment. Talk about painful...having to pay for the same procedure twice.

So, just in case you are interested...maybe it will make you feel better if you are having a cavity filled soon or have to go in for your routine cleaning. Or maybe it will just make me look like the ultimate whiner if you are reading this and only have 2 weeks to live or have lost a child or something. Keep in mind, this is all very comical to me now so don't go throwing a pity party, this is just for laughs...kind of. The bills aren't funny. :)

I have learned to take all of this with a grain of salt and am trying to stay positive. At first I was psychological drained but now, it is just a part of my life that I have no control over. It seems to be one of my trials. One positive note: I donated blood for the first time this spring. Having always been afraid of needles, I have gotten so used to them now that I have built up quite the corageous front. I still don't like needles but I can now tolerate them. Just don't make me watch. So there you go, having all this dental work done has made me conquer a fear that in turn may save someone's life. That is what I am telling myself anyway.

Here it goes, are you sitting down?

Tooth # & Procedure

1. Extracted, wisdom tooth
2. Old filling
build up (October 2007)
crown (October 2007)
3. Old filling
Build up (January 2008)
Root canal (February 2008)
Crown (February 2008)
4. Old filling, root canal watch
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Old small filling
10.
11.
12. Old filling
13. root canal (November 2007)
build up (November 2007)
crown (December 2007)
14. Old filling
build up (October 2007)
crown (April 2008)
15. Old filling
16. Extracted, wisdom tooth
17. Extracted, wisdom tooth
18. 1st root canal (October 2006)
crown (October 2006)
1st bridge (June 2007)
2nd bridge (April 2008)
2nd root canal (June 2008)
19. 1st Root canal (October 2006)
crown (October 2006)
2nd root canal (February 2007)
Extraction (April 2007)
1st bridge (June 2007)
2nd bridge (February 2008)
20. Build up (April 2007)
1st bridge (June 2007)
2nd bridge (April 2008)
root canal (May 2008)
2nd root canal (June 2007)
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28. Root canal (June 2005)
crown (June 2005)
29. Old filling
30. Old filling
31. filling (October 2007)
32. Extracted, wisdom tooth