On Tuesday August 29th Dr Struve saw me and they took x-rays. I have to have a root canal and it is a crown, not a bridge. So I have an appointment on September 5th to go to Reno to Sierra Endonontics and Mary Anne has said she would drive me!!! Dr. Struve does not do root canals anymore. It will cost over $1000 at Reno and then another $275 or more I think for Dr. Struve to fill the hole made by the other Dr.!!! Evidently they drill a hole through the crown to clean out all the bad stuff!! I think I have been feeling bad for a long time because of this bad tooth!!! It is a good thing I have some money saved up for my property taxes, I guess I will have to use that.
September 5th
visit to Sierra Endonontics
All appeared to be going well but I was already there for over an hour when the assistant put latex over my mouth and the doctor was coming in to do the job. It seemed to take her a long time to hook it on my teethe in my mouth and then fix it outside. I think now that she was having a problem doing it. And then I could not breathe! I sat up and she told me not to pull at it, she would remove it. They both talked to me and said this happens quite often. They said my brain was telling me I could not breathe but I really could. They were sure if they medicated me the next time I came back I would not have a problem. It was really scary. I have had a lot of medical procedures but I have never felt so threatened by what was happening to me. Oh, yes and after they had taken pictures and poked and probed he told me what he found but I was evidently not understanding exactly why I would now have to sign another sheet of paper saying that the procedure might not be successful and I might have to have the tooth pulled anyway. Also my blood pressure was up when I was there and that concerned me, too. They charged me $297 for the no success but for other things done that day!!!
By the time I got home and the next day I felt I could not go through that again and I should just have the tooth pulled and not waste all that money. I called the pharmacist and told them to put a hold on the pills that were ordered for me.
Joe and Monica came over and hung my blind back up that had fallen down and they listened to my sob story and were very understanding.
The next day I talked to Dr. Struve and he said he would call them and find out what the problem was with the tooth and when he called me back he was convincing me that it was a slight peridontal (gum loose I guess) issue and would probably not be a problem at all and I really needed to keep that crown, it would give me years of service and I needed it and he really urged me to go through with it. I called the pharmacist and said I would come and pick up the medicine.
In the meantime I had read a lot about the procedure and realized that I had been forced to breathe through my nose and it was all stuffed up because I had not blown it that morning. I also had phlegm in the throat and so I felt that is really why I panicked, I could not breathe. Gary also convinced me though that I can actually breathe through my mouth as it is open on both sides. Linda told me to practice breathing with something over my mouth before I go back again.
I decided I would prepare for this appointment and it was not until the following Thursday so I had a week to prepare. I took claritin every day. I did not eat any processed food, dairy, sugar, etc. in other words not foods that might cause me to have phlegm. I was going to have a clear channel. Maria told me to wear sun glasses and take my music and earphones, she also takes a blanket. They told me to wear short sleeves but I took my long sleeved shirt, too. On the Sunday before I had a nightmare that I was still in my pajamas when Mary Anne came to pick me up and I had forgotten to take the pill the night before!!!
September 14th
Joe and Monica came over on Wednesday night and Joe gave me a blessing. I felt great after eating so well all week and not having any phlegm or stuffy nose so on Thursday, the 14th, I felt comfortable going in. I wrote them the check of $1053 and a new assistant was there this time. She told me I could wear my sun glasses, listen to my music and keep my long sleeve shirt on. The dentist immediately numbed my gums. She put two pills under my tongue and I was off to lala land. She also put the dental dam on without a hitch, I was hardly aware she did it. The doctor was back again and soon I was out and done!!! It was amazing how easy it all was.
They gave me a paper to read the next day. I later learned it said not to use any straws. But I wanted a strawberry shake and Mary Anne went to Steak and Shake and then in Susanville I wanted another one and we went to Jack in the Box. When she left me at home I lay down on the couch and slept for 3 hours until Marilyn woke me on the phone. Then I got ready for bed and Sadie did not get her walk that night but she had run around alot on her own.
Anyway, so far so good. On Wednesday next I see Struve again and hope all goes well there with the refill. I have no pain but still have swelling around the tooth as I have had for two weeks now and am taking ibuprofen to hopefully bring it down. Also, my tax money will soon be gone and I will have to start on the HOA money and then I need to worry about buying new tires before the ice comes. Always something...but for now I really feel better than I have in months!!!! On Antibiotics for 20 days, Sue says next week I will have a UTI and she is probably right. But yea, success!!! I did it!!!!
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