Insomnia ......... Tooth Drama

I have really been suffering with a bad case of insomnia lately. I know it is because of everything I am going through right now. While I feel calm and excited about the decision I made to move to Utah, I think deep down inside I am feeling a great deal of stress and anxiety. The fact that I made this decision so quickly and suddenly hasn't helped my stress level. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. But that is just the way I work. I have always done things this way and I work well under pressure, but that doesn't mean I don't suffer some along the way.

So as far as my insomnia goes, it is terrible. First of all I couldn't sleep because I was so stressed out about work. I wouldn't be able to get to sleep until 2:00 a.m. on a regular basis. My alarm goes off at 5:30, sometimes earlier depending where I am working. When you are tired, you don't handle stress as well and that sets off another series of events. Well, when things got really bad was a few weeks ago when I started getting this really bad tooth ache. It actually started when I was down in San Diego on 3/28. It would come and ago, but it was on a tooth that I already had a root canal on. Once you have a root canal the tooth is basically dead. They remove the nerve and there is no longer a way for the tooth to survive. Well, this tooth drama with tooth #3, my molar on the upper right, has been going on for years. I mean years, at least 8 years. It all started with a cavity. I had it filled, then I was still having problems so I got an onlay put on. A few years went by, still having problems and they put a crown on. Still years went by, and it still bothered me, so they had to do a root canal and another crown. Time goes on, it starts bothering me. The worst time was when I was in Palm Desert visiting Rebekah. I think I had Sarah or Kate with me, I can't remember which one. Anyway, Rebekah had a doctor's appointment in LA and on the drive out I was dying. I was in so much pain from this stupid tooth!!! Having worked in the dental field for seven years, I was fortunate to have never experienced major tooth pain. Sure I had times where it would bother me, but then I would just hop in the dental chair, the dentist would check it out, do something... and I was good to go. I would always get so impatient when people would call and complain about a toothache. I just didn't ever understand how it could be so bad. People would call all the time and say they just wanted the tooth out of their mouth. I could never understand until that time on the way to LA. I seriously wanted to take a pair of pliers and rip that tooth out of my mouth. Rebekah can confirm that! Anyway, Rebekah used to work for a dentist by the name of Dr. Kim in Glendale. She called him and as a special favor he agreed to meet us at the office that afternoon. I had gone 24 hours without sleep because of the pain I was in. He numbed the area for me to give me some relief and took an x-ray. Once he developed the x-ray he said "No way I am touching this tooth" You have got something major going on and you need to go see a specialist. He gave me some anti-biotics and painkillers and off I went. Within a few days I was feeling much better. Did I make an appointment to see my dentist in Sacramento. No, because I felt better. Well a few months later the same pain came back. So I broke down and went to the dentist and he said the same thing "No way am I touching this tooth. You need to go see an endodontist". So I went and saw an endodontist and it turned out that instead of the three canals that showed up on the x-ray, I had a hidden fourth canal. That was what was causing me so much pain. Additionally, because the infection had been present for so long (and I did nothing about it) I had a lot of bone loss. And there was some random black mass the the endodontist had no idea what it was. Great!!! :( :( :( So I had the retreat of the root canal and was told all should be fine from now on. I went back to my dentist to get yet another post put in my tooth. Thankfully, he was able to save the crown that I had, which meant that saved me $850. Even though I had to pay $1000 to the endodontist. My dental insurance sucks, it only covers 20%. Anyway, after all that about 2 months had passed. Then the same freakin pain came back. I called the endodontisit and he said that sometimes that can happen, lucky me. I had such an infection that sometimes it flares back up. He called in some antibiotics for me. I took them and all was well again. Until my recent trip to San Diego. The pain came back, along with the sleepless nights. I just couldn't understand why I had all this pain. After about a week I broke down and called my dentist, who said "No way am I touching that tooth. Call the endodontist" I did and he said to come in right away. Well, I went in, they took x-rays and guess what? That black mass was still there. They told me I needed surgery. Great, small problem Dr. I am moving in two weeks!!! Well, they worked their magic, rescheduled a few patients and fit me in on Tuesday. To the tune of $1200!!!! Anyway, they had to do an apioectomy. That is where they cut off the tips of 3 of my canals. They also removed the tissue that was infected, which the endondist said was "a massive infection". He is surprised that it didn't heal and he is going to send it in for a biopsy. Anyway, the procedure was about 2 1/2 hours and included 8 stitches. The night before my surgery I was really stressed out about it. Having been in the dental field I know what this consisted of and I knew it was going to suck and it was going to hurt like heck!!! That night I couldn't fall asleep to save my life. I finally fell asleep around 3:00 a.m. and my alarm went off at 5:00. I worked from 6:30-1:00 and my appointment was at 1:30. When I was on my way home I was talking to Amy and told her I would stop by Sarah's school and pick her up. I was driving right by. Amy asked if I was o.k. to do that and I said "Sure, I am numb". So I went and picked up Sarah and told her that we had to go to Jack in the Box to get a milkshake for me. Sarah said "But Auntie, that is not on your diet. You can't go off course". I had to laugh. She is such a little cutie! I told her it was "Doctor's Orders" Since I had the surgery he said I should have a milkshake because it is cold and soft and will help in slowing down the bleeding. So I went and got myself, Sarah, Kate, and Amy shakes. It was yummy and even though I know it was off my diet, it felt dang good to eat it. I dropped Sarah off at home and came home and fell asleep on the couch. I woke up a few hours later. I felt like really beat up and out of it. I had taken some vicoden and I don't like to take it. Usually, it makes me hyper, which is why I don't like to take it, but I think everything I had gone through and the lack of sleep really was starting to affect me. I took a Benedryl that night because that always makes me sleep. When I woke up the next morning I felt really groggy. My mouth hurt, my head hurt, I couldn't seem to think straight. It just really sucked. I had to work 11-C that day. Don't ask me why I didn't take the day off. Anyway, I went to work a total Zombie. I was so out of it. Thankfully, I was in the slowest store and was able to sit down most of the day. I was pretty much zoning out. That night I went to bed around 10 or 11 only to be awoken by my cell phone at 1:00 a.m. I looked at the number and it was an 800#. I was thinking "I am not answering that. Who knows who is calling and I swear if it is a telemarketer I am going to be livid" I waited to see if they left a message. They did. I listened and it ADT, the alarm company from work, letting me know that they were receiving a "low battery" signal. Good grief, did they really have to call me at 1:00 a.m. Well, since I have been suffering from Insomnia, once I am awake I can not go back to sleep. I tried really hard, but I couldn't. Finally at 2:00 I got up and started packing. I got a lot done. By 5:00 a.m. I was feeling sick because I was so tired. I laid back down and my alarm went off at 5:30. I snoozed until 5:45 and then off to work again. They cycle has repeated itself and I am going crazy!! Last night I took a benedryl again because I had to take the CSET (like the MSAT). I had to be at the testing center by 7:30 a.m. I knew I had to get sleep last night. Thankfully, I did sleep through the night. I was so tired this morning and suffering from the effects of the drowsy feeling I always feel the next morning after taking Bendryl. But I knew, if I didn't take it, I wouldn't sleep. We were allowed 5 hours to take the test. I finished in 2 1/2hrs. I have always been a super fast test taker. You either know it, or you don't. I don't think I did too well. I didn't even study for it. Too much has been going on. I tried to withdraw a few weeks ago but I was 3 minutes too late. The test is $250 and I didn't want to not take it. At least I tried. Oh well, I am not going to stress over it. It was a test that I needed to be accepted to the credential program in California, but I don't think it would do any good for me in Utah. Who knows, anyway what is done is done!