A Day in the Life of a Blogger

The tray of torture implements my
hygienist Betsy used. Scraaape

I'm late in getting something up on the blog today, but I have an excuse. It's been a very busy day. First, I had a dental appointment, something I have to endure every three months due to periodontal disease. Fun! The visit was mostly positive. I've seen a very good improvement in the last six months, though I believe my progress dropped just a tiny bit from three months ago.  So, I'm still on a prescription, and still have to be tortured four times per year.

The looming lamp monster.
You can see him, can't you?

Each time my butt hits that dentist chair, I marvel at how it feels like I was just there. No matter which little exam room they put me in, it feels the same. And I see the strange little lamp monster above me.  I took a picture of him this time, so that I could prove he exists. You don't see him? Those little Phillips-screw eyes, that little hinge-mouth below?  He hovers over me, taunting me.

After the scraping and interminable gum measuring was over, I had to line up a prescription. Then I had to drive over to the auto dealership to pick up a touch-up paint pen for my car (just a couple of tiny dings to take care of).  After that, back across town to the library to get some homework for my new Mac, and drop off last week's supply.  And I'm back here using the Mac for this update. Whew! It's only 1:30, and I'm kinda pooped. It's a damned good thing I don't have the kinds of chores my ancestors had. I'd have been such a whiny bitch about it!

More bloggy goodness to come this afternoon and/or evening. I hope everyone's having a terrific start to their holiday weekend. Cheers, everybody!

Blogger Visits Periodontist Again

In 2006, I had a series of periodontal surgeries to correct a gum problem. This was after a series of "deep root planings" by my dentist didn't clear up the pockets. Now, 3-1/2 years later, the problem has returned, but on a smaller scale. I just got home from my most recent surgery, this time on the bottom right of my mouth around three or four teeth. There are no sutures this time, since the doctor used a laser (mmm, I love the smell of my own burning flesh in the afternoon!).

The good news? Apparently there will be reduced bleeding and accelerated healing time with laser surgery. I'll let you know when the anesthesia wears off, and I'm relying only on Tylenol and Loritabs for the seared flesh in my mouth. The bad news? The procedure revealed--voila!--my first cavity in 25 years. So, after my follow-up procedure on this surgery, I must schedule a tooth drilling a week later. Whoopeee!!! Well, at least I've got my Loritab!

More Dental Woes. With Lasers!

I start the week with the bane of my existence looming large on the calendar. On Friday, I have my latest date with dentistry. Or periodontics to be more specific. I've got great teeth apparently (even if they're a bit gappy), but I've got rotten gums. I floss, I use a SoniCare toothbrush, I rinse. But genetically, I'm screwed. I've got periodontal disease, which leads to pockets, which leads to bone loss, which can lead to tooth loss. Perfectly viable teeth set in a set of crappy gums.

I really, really hate going through even minor dental procedures. I get mildly queasy for a cleaning. So imagine how surgery makes me feel. I've already gone through surgery on all of my gums, so I was a little surprised there was enough material there to hack me up again. Fortunately, it is only 1-3 teeth this time, rather than my whole mouth. Also, with my most recent big dental problem, the procedure was so easy, effortless and painless, I have a little less anxiety about it this time.

But that was just a wisdom tooth extraction. This involves cutting. Burning to be more accurate, since they are using a laser this time. Star Trek-style surgery in my mouth! Whoopee! I am relieved that it won't involve the upper teeth, since that (as I learned last time) involves sutures that extend all the way to the roof of the mouth. Those dangly threads were extremely annoying. What I do have to be worried about is the shots. Lower jaw shots suck. Mmmmphff. My mouth is all clenched just thinking about it.

I just hope this procedure goes as well as last time, and I'm writing an "after" post that tells how easy it all was. But as the days tick by, and Friday approaches, I know I'm going to get that sinking feeling. We'll see how it affects my willingness to blog.

Blogger Down! Blogger Down! Crippled by Toothache!

My mind is not on blogging tonight, but on my current dental woes. I related last week that I was worried about one of my wisdom teeth. But after a cleaning on Friday that seemed to turn up nothing--though, to be honest I didn't press the issue--it started to hurt. A lot. And it's been a weird pain too, going from intense to annoying to nothing and back in odd cycles. Mornings have been the worst. Tuesday, things seemed to be getting better, and then Wednesday, full-on, skull-shattering pain.

Today hasn't been a picnic either, but I have to say, the sensation has been nearly entirely different each day. And oddly, though I'm pretty sure it's just one tooth that is the problem, the pain can extend across my top left molars, and occasionally the bottom ones too. I have a feeling that the pain from the one tooth is sort of sending out pain-waves that are confusing the rest of my mouth. Because the only pain I feel by actual stimulation is the one tooth.

It's kind of like when you have something lodged between your teeth, but can't find it with a toothpick. Confused mouth nerves. I don't know. I don't want to know. But I have a dental appointment in the morning, where I'm sure that the very best news I'll get is a single extraction. I won't be surprised to find that they want to take the bottom wisdom tooth too, which will make me unhappy. And if there's anything in addition to that? Well, I'll just be stone-cold terrified.

I hate dental procedures, even cleanings. Several years ago, I had lapsed in going to the dentist for a very long time. When I finally got back, I endured a very long cleaning, and surprisingly no cavities. The dentist told me that I had great teeth--and what a shame it was that they were all going to fall out. He was exaggerating, but it turns out I have periodontal disease, and bone loss.

So, I dutifully showed up for cleanings every three months for a year or so. And since I wasn't getting enough progress, I was sent to a periodontist. That evil man cut away and restitched my gums over three procedures. I went to see him a couple more times, but when it was time to transition back to the regular dentist, there was a scheduling snafu, followed by another lapse. As stupid as it was, procrastinating was easier than going back.

But that was a year ago. Since then, I've seen the dentist and the hygienist four or five times, most recently on Friday. So, you'd think that whatever is wrong, they'd have seen it coming. Not that any of that matters. My tooth hurts, and it must be addressed. I just wish I had some anxiety medication or something!

I'm sure--unless I'm too overloaded, or the news is too horrifying--I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with an update. For now, I can't promise any new posts unless I stumble upon something fun or interesting.

UPDATE: If you want to see how it all turned out, go here.