Dental Drama

Okay, i called the dentist first thing this morning and they got me in at 11:20 (I got someone to cover my classes and go back at 12:30, pumped, at lunch, and was teaching at 1:00). The bad news: my tooth is totally screwed up. This tooth, by the way, started plaguing me at age 10! The baby tooth was pulled. The adult tooth wouldn't descend which screwed up alignment in all my teeth. Surgery in 7th grade to scrape off the gum and glue on a bracket for braces. Four years later, the braces come off. 7 years later there is badness and needs a root canal. Then there is a cyst (size of a skittle) to be removed with surgery. Then there is another root canal for some reason. Then Dave says "Hey, why do you have a dark tooth" and I found out it had "died". So it was ground down to a nubbin and a crown was put on. Two years later, a co-worker says, "hey, that crown looks shabby, you should have it re-done" to which the dentist said, yes, it isn't our best work, we'll re-do it for free. new crown. Falls off two years ago. Reglued and replaced since it broke off the stump that held it into the root-canaled empty root. Now it is loose. x-rays later this morning it is revealed that the remaining root (which isn't much) is cracked in half on both sides. what I need: Extraction (pulling it out, don't ask me how or what they'll pull on). Then a titanium root is inserted. Then I get a retainer with a fake tooth on it because there will be a big whole. This will last three to six months. Then they'll put on a new crown. Oh, and after insurance pays the measly $600 or so it covers, I'll owe about $3,000. Nice. oh, and I'm out of sick days so I'll need Jen to take Charlotte to her sixth month appointment on the 16th of May (I'll meet up with her briefly to nurse if someone covers my classes) so that I can take the next day off to start the horrors.

Did I mention that this is a front tooth?

Dave has renamed it "super tooth", which made me laugh (and cry).

Thank you to everyone who sent nice comments about my plight. Just one day at a time, I guess. I suppose this has reaffirmed my faith in god because all I can do is pray for strength right now (remember the old "footsteps" story?).