The Hamm's were shown into the dentist's office, where Mr. Hamm made it clear that he was in a big hurry.
"No fancy stuff, Doctor," he ordered. "No gas, no needles or any of that stuff. Just pull the tooth and get it over with!"
"I wish more of my patients were as brave as you," said the dentist admiringly. "Now, which tooth is it?"
Mr. Hamm turned to his wife and said, "Show him your tooth, honey." ~Joke from a magazine we read~
Well, today was the follow up appointment with the dentist. About as I expect it would go. My gaping hole is healing nicely and then he did the threw exam. I was totally not looking forward to that cuz he didn't have to tell me how bad it was. Hearing him read off to his assistant each tooth and what was wrong with it and recommended treatments was not fun. Not fun having some one's hand in your mouth and poking it with a pointy metal thinly. But he was very nice and gentle. But basically all my teeth have an issue with them, some veeeeeery serious ones and some just simple fillings. He went into explaining my "options" and I tried not to get that glazed look of desperation. I asked if Josh could please come and hear all this and help me make a plan with him. Easier that way then having to explain it all over again. The short version is, all my teeth HAVE to come out with the exemption to the front bottom ones. He thinks they are not too bad, and they will help anchor the bottom parcels. I had Lori in mind threw this whole ordeal and her advice on dentures and I asked the dentist about that too. Lori had said that it was best in her opinion not to wait too long after the teeth have been pulled, that they would fit better. The dentist explained that it would be best to wait 8 weeks! So that the gums could heal and the scar tissue would form and heal. I could get some dentures right after and not wait but odds are they would be a temporary fit and I would have to get then redone after the gum's swelling went down and healed.
The thought of getting all your teeth pulled but a few is nota happy one indeed, but one I had resigned myself to it a while ago. My Mom has all hers gone and so do all my aunts and josh's family is about the same way. It is embarrassing that I am so young and need false teeth but at least I will be able to smile again and maybe even eat some nuts too. I am thinking how am I going to live 8 weeks with no teeth?! 
How will that look? How can I go in public like that? How will I be able to talk or sing or yell at my kids? How can I even think about a job hunt with all that going on? But the plus side is, it may be an easy way to loose weight? A liquid diet and soft mushy food may do the trick. Lori? did you loose weight while you was waiting for your teeth?
But here we go with the coast of it all. The dentist emphasized that I should not let this wait too much longer. I could get an infection and go threw what I just did and they would end up getting pulled anyway but more painful. He referred me to an oral surgeon for the teeth pulling. Suggest I met with him at least and discuss it with him on how it would go and the cost. I did get with the receptionist at this office and we figured out how much the dentures and the fillings would cost, but I still have to see how much it will be with the oral surgeon for the extraction's and the anesthesia (not covered I know that forsure). The dentist office will take monthly payments on my debet/credit card and that makes it kinda easier on us but I am doubting the oral surgeon's office will be as easy. I know my last experience with an oral surgeon was all pay up front, very stricked with it. The best part of this whole mess is our benefit year starts over for the insurance in OCT. So if I am quick I can get $1000 from them to cover part of the surgery and then in Oct $1000 to cover the dentures and fillings. But we still will be owing like $2,000 to the dentist after the insurance. Not liking the idea of going into more debut, and neither is Josh, but he has been very understanding. I will be calling the oral surgeon tomorrow and tomorrow after noon all the kids have a cleaning appointment.
"Having fun isn't hard.. When you got your library card" ~Song from Arthur on PBS~ 
Last week I took Zane and Annie up to the Library and we all got our cards. Since we have moved out here we never went to get one. I got a few movies, Carmen was one of them cuz Zane wanted to see the Opera. He had learned about the composer in music class and wanted hear the music. I also got Randy Travis's CD called Praise and Worship. I put a book on order too and Annie put one in for the third book in the Magic TreeHouse series. Zane got a collection of Edgar Allen Poe. Lilly and Sophia was NOT please that they did not get to go nor got a book for them. Well, the other day I got the call that our books on order was in! So today after the dentist appointment I made Josh take us all over to the Library. Lilly and Sophia fell in love in the children's section! They had little tables and chairs and books just their size. Oh the joy on their face! lol I probably shouldn't have let them get so many to take home, cuz now I have to deal with keeping track of them and not loosing them, but I think it is worth it to instill a love of books to them. I picked up the book I had on order, "Song of Susannah" the VI book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Yes.. yess.. I know but there is only one more book after this one and then I am done with horror. I also put on order The 9-11 Commission's report. Good to be informed. Soooo nice not to have to buy books you will only read once! I also got some dvds. My Fair Lady, Twelve Angry Men, and Operation Enduring Freedom: America Fights Back. I also signed up for the program that is going on Sat in the children's section. A lady for the conservation department is coming in to give a talk and have guests. The children's librarian said she saw her before and she is really good. Mental note: take camera with me.
So that was our day. God is so good. He gave me strength threw my whole appointment not to leave screaming, and he has answered my prayers to find a nice, understanding and flexible dentist. I pray that the Oral Surgeon will be the same way and that God will provide the funds needed for me to get all this work done.
another part......... Todd got his dentures back in 90. So that was 14 years ago. Hes 43 now. So that lets you know he was in his 20's when he got his. OH yeah by the way Todds dad wiated 8 weeks. HE was never able to get a set of dentrues to fit. to his dying day he never wore his. ALl I can say is that those who have waited are sorry. Sensationall storms mom wiated and she had problems too. Go back and read my journal see the pain and angish and all I talked about. I could not even write all of it. I kid you not. It was horrible. I siad the pulling of the teeth was nothing compared to the mess I went thru trying to get my teeth !!!!!!!! what does the lab care. They dont see you. your not a person to htem. you are a wax mold. The dentist she does not care. NOT one bit. She or he has her own things going on and after you get your teeth pulled HE or she will not be getting money from you. I mean thats it its over after that.No more x rays no more fillings no more cleanings. Their profit is stopped.
ReplyDeletepart one ......
ReplyDeleteI have known both people. My mom, Dad , husband and and grandmother all got thier teeth the day after they had thier pulled . What we were told which most dentists wont telll you is that (now think about it it makes sense) if the dentuers are in your mouth.......... the gums shrink and fit and adhere to the dentures. They settle together. Think of putting pressure constantly on something if you lay on a pillow for a while your face makes wrinkles like that. if a baby lays on one side the head can be flat there. Well........ That happens to the gums. I wiated like they said!!!!!!!!! My teeth are gonna need to be adjusted OR I have to use fixodent on the bottomes. The lady said now yeah most have to have new ones within one year. I said yeah you said wiat I would have a better fit becuase the swelling would be down. She said well you really dont finish shrinking till after one year. SO whats it matter anyway. yes its harder to talk with teeth out. I did go out in public iwth out my teeth. Believe me its longer than you think and after 8 weeks they bring you in do fitting. Then a week later the wax try ins come in and you adjust your teeth and fit them how you like them. Then a week later you get your real teeth. So that can add up to another two to three weeks. Something they dont tell you. They promise and promise. Then you begin the process of getting use to learning to eat with them. I bit my lip I bit my tongue I bit my cheek!!!!!!! It was alllearing. all over again. WEll I also have ot tell you that you get this done with your teeth only if the lab and the dentist are on top of things.GO back read my journal about how the lab went on vacation the dentist had me waiting for days to get my teeth missed the promised dealine messed up my anniversary and Passover which to me is very important. Yes I lost weight but not beucase of eating soft foods.
part two .......Most soft foods are fattening. !!!!!!!!! YUP fattening. Very fattening. think a bout it mashed potatoes, macaronie. It was bec uase of stress and my stomach being upset.I do have one bit of advice. I wish I had not went to an oral surgeon. We have two places here locally in neighboring towns. These are called affordable dentures and audobon dental center. They advertise dentures for $299. A FULL set. eneded up with the mistakes of the dentist with two sets made by two different labs in opposite ends of the state that are $700 each and one set becuase the dentist would not get my dentures there on time I had a dance to do on sat and this was Friday.......... So I drove to richmone and got my same day dentrues. They fityou that morning and at 2 pm I picked up my new teeth. YIPPPEEEEEEE guess what my $300 set fit much better than my two pairs of $700. So look inthe yellow pages for a place that advertises same day dentures at a price of around $300. Iwent to the cheap place and since then I have found 100's of people who goto the plaec in richmond and say they are the best set of dentures they got. My hubby used the lexington one audobon dental and his are fine. He eats everything. My mom and dad use the richmond place one. They love thiers. These places also pull teeth and do it cheaper. Every little bit helps. The poeple i talked to who waited....... well they all have problems iwth their teeth fittting properly. They all wish they had not wiated. If you do wiat I would not wiat more than 2 weeks to get teeth in. I really agree with that.
ReplyDeleteSorry you have to have so much teeth work done. -Krissy
ReplyDeletehttp://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
good luck with all the dentist stuff, you will be in my prayers
ReplyDeleteLori
I'm so glad you finally went and got that taken care of. I know it sucks. But ya gotta
ReplyDelete