2004-10-06 - 4:09 p.m. tooth trauma Please note that as I write this, I am all cr*cked out on vic*din, and am shaky -- both from the pills and from blowing a phone interview thanks to the spaciness. I woke up yesterday morning not feeling right. My head felt fuzzy. No way I was going to trek across town for a press conference at 9:30 a.m. It eventually became obvious that my fuzzy head was being caused by a toothache that had been bothering me off and on for weeks. I called in and talked to my dentist's partner. He suspected a nerve problem and asked me to come in around lunchtime. And thus, my day was shot all to hell. How? Emergency root canal on a tooth with a crown. Took all day. Phase 1 cost a smidge under $400. Phase 2 will take 2 hours and cost $1400. COBRA dental insurance will pay for the bulk of it most likely. If it hadn't, or if I'd stopped paying for the COBRA coverage, I'd really be freaking out today. Who can afford to pay $1800 out of pocket on the day of service? For some reason unbeknownst to me, the doctor said to take ibuprofin. I felt horrible all night. My cheek hurt if pressed against my pillow. Opening my mouth hurt. Smiling or laughing hurt. I couldn't take the edge off the throbbing. I left a cranky VM for the nerve specialist this morning, and eventually got a vic*din prescription, which is good and bad. Good in that it makes you not care about the pain. Bad in that it can (especially when in combination with Ibuprofin) nauseate me. A friend took me to the grocery store so I could buy soup fixings... once I get past the shaky feelings, I may start on that -- or it may all wait until tomorrow. The thought of gong to sleep now is quite compelling. any comments? (1 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09