**UPDATE*** Back from getting my face ripped in half. While grateful to have it over with, I pretty much want to die at this point. My case was worse than most because I have bad TMJ AND am allergic to Ibuprofen so in the words of my endodontist: “You are going to really hurt for a really long time. Don’t worry, we do pain refills”. Yay.
I’m finally getting a root canal this morning. I never thought that dentist-phobic me would ever be doing the happy dance of joy in the wee small hours of the morning at the thought of having my face drilled off having tooth surgery, but there is something I was unaware of aside from the searing pain of walking around with an exposed tooth nerve.
Did you know that when you have a tooth that breaks in half due to an unknown cavity underneath your filling IT IS LIKE A ROTTING, DEAD ELK IS BEING HOUSED IN YOUR MOUTH?!*
Did you know that?
Well, now you do!
There just aren’t words for how grody that is, people. (Well, there ARE, but I think after the whole “penis debacle” of yesterday, I will spare you.)
And on a sadder, serious note?
I just realized that I also had an appointment for a root canal on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
That’s a little freaky people.
All joking and kidding aside…
It’s a very sad day in our country’s history.
My thoughts and compassion go out to the families and loved ones of the victims of 9/11. I hope it is some small comfort to them that the entire nation mourns along with them today. When you lose someone you love, the hurt can be so bad that it feels like the entire WORLD should be crying right along with you on these anniversaries. I am glad that they have millions who will remember them and their loved ones today, though I would give anything for them (and us) to not go through it at all.
I hope everyone takes time out of their busy Friday to hug their loved ones. Tell them how blessed you are to have them, not just today but EVERY day.
Because EVERYTHING can change in a heartbeat.
.
*Thanks to my friend, Chelle, for this terminology, which resulted from the smell that occurred when her 5-year-old daughter was in the ER for a perpetual, mysterious sinus infection and they extracted a wadded up piece paper that had been in there WAY too long FROM HER SINUS CAVITY. The best part of the tale? When everyone just sat there blinking in disbelief at what they were seeing, her 5-year-old exclaimed, “Well, how did THAT get in there?!”
Indeed.
:)
Filed under: 
Hoping your root canal goes well, and there is no pain afterward.
And I can probably hazard a guess as to ‘how that got in there’. Possibly something similar to when my son had modeling clay removed from his ear, which he had placed in there in class because the room next door was too noisy, and it didn’t all come out, and he hears so much better now. But still…
My thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered loss on 9-11, in any way.
When I had my root canal, I almost proposed to my endodontist (I think that’s what root canalogists are called). Because he got rid of the pain, plus it cost so damn much, I figured we’d be able to live really comfortably.
I was terrified before my first (Gah!) root canal, but you know what? It wasn’t that bad. WAYYY better than the pain beforehand.
I’ve actually had the whole broken-tooth-need-a-root-canal scenario. It SUCKS. My heart goes out to you. Blargh. Hope it went well!
When my brother was little he started stinking and my parents couldn’t figure out what it was until the Dr. looked in his ear and pulled out a little piece of foam rubber he’d stuffed in their quite some time before. Nasty. Good luck with your root canal. Sounds like stinking piles of fun.
Good Luck today!
And it’s my birthday so the events surrounding 9/11 always put a slight damper on it.
When we were kids, my buddy used to snort spaghetti up his nose – because he could. Until once he tried it with spaghetti that had sauce on it. Never, EVER again. That infection lasted for weeks.
I had a similar thing happen to me when I was about 4. I stuck a balloon string up my nose and didn’t tell anyone about it. It started to smell and the doctor had to pull it out with big long tweezers. It was awesome.
I sympathize with the whole tooth thing. Mine just lost a piece in the back, and having no insurance, I have to wait to get into the dental clinic(they do a sliding scale).
Loralee, I hope you are feeling much, much better in the days following your root canal. I’m so sorry you had to wait over a week to get help!
Thank you for mentioning September 11. For so many people it’s become just another day with a vaguely poignant reminder. But we need to always remember how significant those lost lives were.
I don’t know if you know about Project 2996, a web project tribute to all the victims. They are still looking for volunteers to write about one victim. You can read my tribute and get the project link on my blog: http://featheredbythemoonlight.blogspot.com/2009/09/project-2996-remembering-scott-m.html
Feel well soon!
Forget the pain. Seriously. There is this tiny little white pill called ativan and you will forget the pain. I HIGHLY recommend it for…. Well for just about everything.
Does your oral surgeon do sedation? Best $600 I ever spent. And I love refills, they are the best.
I hate the inside of the mouth. It’s gross. I still have my wisdom teeth and the gums around it get sore sometimes and I just feel like my face is rotting. And the breath! Shit, it’s bad.
I had my root canal part one done yesterday. It is SO MUCH BETTER than the constant pain I’d been enduring with that tooth that I think a root canal is my new favorite thing. Oh, that and Lortab.
Richard once had the “holy-cow-you-smell-like-a-dead-animal” thing going on…turned out he had stuffed a piece of foam rubber up his nose! The doctor discovered it, pulled it out with tweezers, held the green, slimy, dripping thing up to me and said, “Want this for his scrapbook?” Um…no…but thanks for asking!
How did the presentation go last night with all the pain pills? Any memorable bits on YouTube?
Hey, I had to check back, tell flyboy thanks for getting back to me at some point, I’ll keep looking for it.
Sorry about your root canal. I’m actually a dentist, so I am very familiar with what must be happening to you. If you are allergic and have TMJ you must be in a good deal of pain, indeed.
I’ll use your contact form to send you some ideas for pain management and food suggestions.
You will probably feel horrible for awhile yet, Loralee. Hang in there and make sure you stay on top of your pain and have a good support system.
Take care.
This post has kindof sortof inspired me to take baby steps towards the wisdom teeth extraction/three deep cavities/eight gum line cavities that my dentist found “essential” back in early 2008. Heh. I’m allergic to codeine a little bit scared-ish, but will pull out my estimate tomorrow and hang it on the fridge.
I have a scheduled root canal in a week. I hope I survive…
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Great, now I’m scared as hell. I had a tooth break due to a huge cavity underneath. I have a temp filling but will probably have to have a root canal and I don’t think I can. For real. I’m not sure I can do it conscious. Think they’ll put me out for it?
Sissy,
I am HIGHLY needle and denatal pobic. It was actually WAY better than having a cavity filled, IMO. There aren’t nearly the drills at all.
You DO have to have your jaw open WIDE for a long, long time and the put a ton or repeated pressure on it. I have bad TMJ which meant they had to put in a big dam to keep my jaw extended and it HURT my face because of the TMJ.
I’m also allergic to Ibuprofen which is a wonder drug in cases like this.
That is why I am in so much pain. Most people feel much better after it’s done, mine is just tricky.
Also…yes you can be sedated but you have to go to a endodontist that uses sedation dentistry in his practice. (And it costs a whole LOT more.)
In August I had my first “true” experience of going to the dentist (http://theandrus.blogspot.com/2009/08/dentist-first.html). All I can say is.. “Holy Hell, I hoped they knocked you out?!”
Oh sweetie. I hope the pain is subsiding. Wish I could give you a big warm cuddle.
I have a tooth that is broken too. Has a root canal, but the tooth part that is still there is almost non-existent. I need to go in and have it removed and a fake something done. But I HATE the dentist. Hate it, hate it, hate it.
Good for you for going in. At least it’s over right?
Ow ow ow. I have to go to the dentist, soon. Sigh.
*hugs*
This post has kindof sortof inspired me to take baby steps towards the wisdom teeth extraction/three deep cavities/eight gum line cavities that my dentist found “essential” back in early 2008. Heh. I’m allergic to codeine a little bit scared-ish, but will pull out my estimate tomorrow and hang it on the fridge.
Very beneficial – continue to spread the word. Getting excited about an update. For too long now have I had the need to begin with my own blog. Guess if I wait any longer I’ll never do it. I’ll make sure to include you in my Blogroll. Many thanks!!
[...] Reason 159002 I want this damn tooth fixed, already. |August 20, 2009 … Have you ever felt overwhelmed? Powerless? Desperate? Insecure? Insignificant? … Mr. Looney Tunes will be writing a guest post on my blog. (That cracking sound you hear is hell freezing over. Just so you know.) [...]