Update: Root Canal

I just arrived home, still in pain, w/no root canal.

Let me bring you up to speed so everyone can get a feel for what a great bargain we really get here. In reference to our club dues of course.

First, last week while dining out, I bit down on something hard in my food ((( crack ))), felt like a rock, then brought it to the restaurant’s attention. The manager/owner who I know, walked over to my table messaging me with this story about how difficult it is was in getting good reliable food suppliers these days. He went on for three minutes until his cell phone rang, then quick took that opportunity to leave, telling me see you later, enjoy the day. No discounts, bill was $120 and change, I tipped the usual 20%, wasn’t the waitress’s fault.

This happened on Friday, I wake up Saturday feeling like Joe the construction worker was inside my mouth with a jack hammer. The pain was awful so my wife calls our dentist, schedules an emergency visit, then drives me in. I was in too much pain to drive myself, laying in the back seat moaning – drooling all over her leather seats. We get there, someone guides me into a room, by that time I didn’t even know my name so I hadn’t a clue who that might have been. Could have been the weekend janitor for all I know. In any event, I’m x-rayed, doc shows up, asks a number of questions, non of which I was able to answer in my condition. I remember telling him to pull’em, pull’em all, just start pulling until the pain goes away. He laughs then tells me, Sam, it appears you’re experiencing a little discomfort so what I’m going to do is prescribe a pain killer, and just to be safe, I’ll include a prescription of antibiotics as well. My receptionist will reschedule you for next week, this will allow for any infection to clear up, then we’ll address the problem.
Now by this time I’m running in safe-mode because no human body can function in normal mode enduring that kind of pain.

Brief pause: Remember this

So, my wife loads me back in the car, still moaning/slobbering. She races to the nearest pharmacy, an hour later the prescriptions are filled. The back seat looks like Bourbon Street after Katrina, I’m praying for someone to car-jack us, hoping they shoot me so I’ll feel better.

Fast forward:

The entire week I’m in and out of pain, I can’t wait to get this fixed and over with.
I’m even talking to our pet pomeranian while shaving this morning, telling her, daddy gets his toothy fixed today, daddy's gonna feel all better.

Ok, after sharing a few posts with you guys, we drive over to the office. The dentist greets us, his entire staff is there, they haul me into a room. I wait, and wait, and wait, thinking I can handle this, the wait will be worth it. The assistant shows up, says they need more x-rays to examine the problem. Ok, what the heck, another shot of radiation won’t kill me, x-ray away. That’s done, back to waiting, doc finally shows up, sporting a Ben Hogan golf shirt. Hmmm… He roots around inside my mouth for five minutes with his pick & mirror, mumbling something I was unable to decipher. Tells me to stay put. His assistant shows up ten minutes later, walks me into a room to explains my “fix” options. I pick one, I respond "lets do it, I'm ready". She gets this dumbfounded look on her face, I say what’s wrong, she says Sam, we can’t do this today, we’ll need to reschedule you for another day, this takes time. I’m confused, with finger in nose look on my face, wondering when I’ll finally get this done.

After coming to grips with all that, my wife and I drive back home. Where I put on a pot of coffee, I’m drinking it cold so I’m not really enjoying it, then I start typing. Pay attention now. Remember the brief pause? That was a few minutes ago, I stepped out to retrieve the mail from the mailbox, notice an envelope from our dentist, open it, then faint. Not really, but close. He sends a bill in the amount of $400 for work done last week, my tooth still hurts, so now I can hardly wait for next weeks bill!

Note: I received No membership card to his club. No magazines about his dentistry. No real “exciting” conversation while I was there. Chit chatting online while waiting was Not allowed. We burned a tank of gas between the two trips so far. One bill received already, $400. w/No work performed, still in pain. Next weeks bill will undoubtedly show up on time. Major costs still to come, I’m told $800 alone for the root canal & crown. According to his receptionist he’s found a half dozen other problems, says I need to visit more often. Oh hey what a bargain!

Sam