A TOOTH STORY

A few months ago, I wrote about this certain tooth of mine which was giving me problems (read all about that HERE!). Well, it took me a really long while to have it removed. As in, really long long while. In fact, so long that my tooth actually got chipped in half because I didn't go see the dentist ASAP! And when I did consult him, he told me to get a dental xray first. Because of my work, it took me a while again to get that xray, and on follow up, he told me I need to drink some prophylactic antibiotics prior to extraction. So I took some meds but my gums got swollen, and he said "no can do" so I took another batch of antibiotics. Then I got so busy with work, so the effects of the medicine waned off. I started another antibiotics regimen, then my gums became swollen again, and I had to change medicine again. After that, I got so busy with work then I went to Manila. Until finally, last week, I told myself that I REALLY REALLY REALLY BADLY NEEDED to have that darn tooth pulled out. So I started myself on another set of antibiotics, and I was supposed to go last Monday, but I chickened out and went to watch a jologs movie instead. (一。一;;）But finally this afternoon, after I got off from work, I really FORCED MYSELF to visit the dentist...

...And I was most (un)lucky cos today was such a busy day for him, and when he finally got to see me, it was around closing time already! He was about to tell me to come back another day, but I was like, "NOoOOooOOoO.... DOCTOR! PLEASE REMOVE IT NOW!!" ヘ(>_<ヘ)

And he did~. THANK GOD!!! ∩(︶▽︶)∩

I've already lost count of the number of teeth I've had pulled out, and I really have a high threshold for pain. But earlier, I told my dentist that I was kinda afraid (which was really part of the reason why it took me so long to have my extraction! ⊙﹏⊙) and so he became quite cautious. He explained to me the procedure as if it was my first time, and reassured me by chatting with me, singing songs, and LYING TO ME!!! w(°ｏ°)w YES!!! He told me he was just going to massage my tooth but he actually pulled it out already!!! (⌒_⌒;) My dentist is super awesome! I did think that maybe he used a wee bit too much anesthesia compared to the usual, cos not only were my gums numb, but also my upper lip, and even part of my nose! (And I thought that was funny in a weird way ┐(‘～`；)┌) But tis OK cos I was spared the pain. Then he presented the tooth to me and I would have loved to show it off here but then that might gross out some people. So I made this masterpiece in MS Paint instead...

So what really happened here was that my normal, healthy tooth initially got a cavity and bacteria got in and killed it. YES! My tooth was already so dead cos the nerves got eaten by the bad guys and so it couldn't feel any pain but just kept getting infected. Later on the lower part of the tooth got brittle and kept chipping off bit by bit, and my gums (that's the pink part) kept getting this recurrent swelling cos of the persistent bacterial infection. I think the swelling occasionally subsides with antibiotics intake but it doesn't completely go away cos the cavity is so wide and deep and food (and bacteria) just keep getting in. The dentist told me that  when he instilled anesthetic to my gums, some pus actually came out (eew!) despite the fact that I religiously took my medicine. And then he pointed out that it's because an abscess sac has already formed at the root, and this gets chronically infected. But now that he has pulled out that bad tooth with the sac, he expects the infection to go away and my gums to completely heal. That was really a huge relief for me. This chronic tooth infection actually freaks me out cos I keep thinking that all these bad guys might spread up to my brain or invade my neck and I'll be in really big trouble. Thank God that I haven't reached that point yet!

Well, since I now have two missing molars in the upper left and two missing molars in the upper right, my dentist advised me to change dentures. That made me quite sad cos firstly, I just got my paycheck (a measly amount but money nevertheless!) and it all went to that new set of teeth! And secondly, the dentures I'm currently using are from two years ago, a memento from when I was still working in Camiguin. The dentist there made it for me before I resigned, and I got it really cheap. But it was well-made and was really comfortable. Sadly, because of my extraction today, that old denture will lose its purpose in life, and hence the need to replace it with a new one. So that makes me very sad. Also, the fact that I have dentures at my age makes me sad too (and actually blogging about it makes me even sadder, wtf! (┳Д┳)).

Before I left the clinic, we made plans to fix up the rest of my teeth. But I'm probably gonna schedule that early next year already cos right now I'm already dirt broke, and so I have to do more work so I can follow-up with my dental appointments, and keep my teeth clean, healthy and infection-free.

IT ALL STARTED WITH ONE BROKEN TOOTH.

I've always had teeth problems before, so I've been trying to keep them clean and healthy. But maybe it's genetics or something, but I feel like my efforts are wasted. Three or four months ago, one of my teeth broke. I think it's a premolar. Since it wasn't really aching, so I wasn't really alarmed. Smaller pieces kept breaking off, but I still didn't go to the dentist. Then one day, I noticed this:

There was a swelling in my gums!!!⊙▂⊙

I'm thinking that my gingiva must have developed an infection and grew an abscess because of my broken tooth. I immediately took some antibiotics and vowed to see the dentist ASAP. A week after, the swelling subsided, and I ... got busy. （。-＿-。）

More than a month after, the swelling recurred. I took antibiotics again, and the swelling subsided. Then there was one afternoon when I went to the dentist's clinic already, and waited for him for more than an hour. But when he arrived, I chickened out, feigned some excuse and left. ヽ(´□｀。)ﾉ

Two Fridays ago, I got stuck in traffic then drenched from the rain. And the day after, we had an event in the local mall, and I was already feeling feverish but then the show must go on. That day I also promised myself that I really need to go see the dentist for tooth extraction, so I started myself on prophylactic antibiotics just to be sure that there are no more bacteria hanging around my gums. The new medicine was stronger than the previous antibiotics I took, but pretty soon I was down with fever, chills, weakness and body pains. I had scheduled work for every day of last week so I was hoping that it was just the flu. Unfortunately, it was not.

I had fever and chills for five days. I developed a really bad case of tonsilitis where my tonsils look really nasty with all the erythema and whitish exudates. My gums also developed some pus, and I had several sores inside my mouth, my lips, my palate and even my tongue! It was really horrible! I couldn't eat at all! Since I still needed to work, I had to force myself up everyday, treating patients as if I myself was not one. I took Paracetamol religiously every three hours, cos if I had to wait for four hours, I would start having chills. I added another type of antibiotics to my self-imposed regimen. And I slept every time I had the chance. I must have slept more this entire week than I'd have normally slept in a month!

It was really a very unpleasant experience that I cannot even begin to put into words. Many times I really just thought that I needed to be confined to a hospital, but I didn't have the money and I needed to make money, so I had to push back tears and feelings of self-pity and go on with my pathetic life. Last Wednesday, I was lying in the bed with chills, and I was texting people if they could cover for me the next day. But all I got were replies of "Sorry!" and "Get well soon!". I didn't want well wishes, I needed someone to actually see me as a friend and actually help me when I was in that sick state. But apparently this world is cruel, and what's even more horrible is that there are some people, despite knowing that I was really sick, even had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to relieve them from their work! I swear, at that time, I was really telling myself that if I was not a Christian, I would probably believe that there is no God.

But thank God that He does exist, and that He is the Ultimate Healer, and that He is in control! That Wednesday evening, He allowed me to sleep for eight hours (no patients at all!), and then when I woke up, my fever was gone. I had no choice but worked again for another 24 hours in another hospital, and it was thankfully another benign duty, and by then I was already feeling much better. My only problem was that I still couldn't eat because of my mouth sores. Every time a food particle grazes my palate, or tongue, or the walls of my mouth, it was excruciatingly painful. I had to give away my meals to the nurses, and sadly just attempt to eat the desserts. I mulled on the many times in the past when I took my meals for granted. It made me see food and the act of eating in a very new light.

Friday came, and I was already on the road to recovery. I just needed to finish one last night of duty then I can finally have several days of rest from work. I was riding the jeepney then, when I noticed that my arms were a bit red. When I arrived home after 40 minutes, I was already covered from head to trunk to both arms with rashes.

I had measles.

And you think that by contracting a contagious viral disease I could finally be given a rest from work. But, NO. Once I confirmed by blood test that it was not Dengue Fever and I need not be admitted to a hospital, I had to put on a jacket and mask and report to work cos nobody else could cover for me. I didn't even have the time to take pity on myself cos that would make me late. And yes, even when some people knew that I developed rashes, they still asked me if I would like to relieve them from their duties.（；¬＿¬)

I've always been a workaholic and I never squirm from my responsibilities. I don't often get sick, and even if I do get the common cough or colds, I'd still work if I have made commitments. But last week was JUST HORRIBLE! I was very sick and I had all the physical findings to support it. I was really scared because, as a medical doctor, I knew the possible consequences of my self-medication and my refusal to be confined to a hospital. Yet I had to endure all of these because there are bills to be paid and food to be set on the table. But even when I finally reached my limit, everyone was too selfish and too concerned with his/her own world to actually care. I was broken physically, but what hurts me more is the brokenness I felt mentally, socially and emotionally.

The rashes are fading, the mouth sores are healing, the exudates are gone. But I do wonder if my faith in humanity can ever be restored. (~_~;)

LIFE-CHANGING

So I was riding the jeepney home with my earphones on and blaring at the highest volume.

As I was nearing my stop, I took off my earphones, and then promptly heard the intro of a familiar song playing from the radio...

And the first thing that popped into my mind was: 

"Wow. If there was one song on earth that I would consider as life-changing, this would probably be it." 

My being a doctor. My college degree. My otaku lifestyle. My occasional anti-social behavior. 

My emotional defense mechanisms. My approach to my relationships. My cynical and eccentric moments.

Yeah. All of these and more.

Blame this Aaron Carter song.

I think it's funny, but then I'm not really laughing.

COTTON IN MY MOUTH


"Mas maayu pa ang sakit sa pagbulag sa uyab kaysa magsakit ang ngipon..."

That would roughly translate to "It's better to suffer from the pain of breaking up with your boyfriend/girlfriend than to suffer from tooth pain!" Our pharmacist was the one who jokingly told me that, but I really believe that is oh so true!

I've always had problems with my teeth. I think it's because I never gave them much importance. When I was a kid, almost all my milk teeth were black with cavities so you can't find a single picture of me with a toothy smile. And although I eventually grew even, white permanent teeth, I also had frequent episodes of excruciating toothaches during med school. I've already had several of them extracted because of the pain until I realized that I might lose all of my teeth if I don't take care of them. So early this year I went to my dentist to have dental fillings. It took him two afternoons since he found around 16 cavities! And when I was still working in Camiguin, our hospital dentist made me dentures which I've been using for more than 6 months now. Since then, I have been brushing and using mouthwash religiously so I thought I am now free from teeth problems but I was wrong.

I have an impacted wisdom tooth (third molar) on the lower left side but the dentist said it was OK not to pull it out as long as it doesn't get infected. But a few months ago, the tooth just broke and then the molar beside it started developing a huge cavity. Since I was in Manila the previous months I never got the chance to have it fixed. And then when I got back here, it started aching almost every night. I've taken antibiotics and various pain relievers which gave temporary relief but the pain almost recurred every night.

Two nights ago I was on 24-hour duty when my teeth started aching again. My head felt like it was cracking and I was also starting to feel feverish. I started taking pain meds one after another but still the pain didn't go away. It was a horrible sensation and before I knew it, I already took THREE tablets of AL*****, TWO tablets of TR****, TWO tablets of BIOGESIC, and ONE tablet of DOLFENAL -- all within a span of FIVE HOURS! I think I might have overdone it with the TR******. Until now I still feel kinda deaf and woozy. @__@

So this morning I finally went to see my dentist who, by the way, has been elected as next year's PDA President for CDO (Congrats Doc! ^___^). He found three damaged teeth -- the said broken impacted third molar, the second molar beside it, and another upper molar. However he only took out the second molar because he still needs me to get an XRay for the two other teeth. So hopefully I won't experience any pain until I see my dentist again next week.