Ravan's Rants - More Cashectomy - Root Canal, part 2

More Cashectomy - Root Canal, part 2

May. 8th, 2012 at 1:07 PM

So, the abscess didn't drain. For 3 days after the first dentist visit, I was hopped up on vicodin, which barely took the edge off. Back to the dentist, he checked, did some other work, referred me to a root canal specialist. Saw him yesterday. He re-did the root canal, got the thing to drain. More $$$, of course.

Nearly every cent of my FSA set aside this year has been spent on dental work, and that's with insurance! (Insurance only covers $1500 of costs, at 50% to 80% - that barely covers one crown here in Silicon Valley!) That's like over $3000 for a couple hours work.

I'm not sure which hurts more - the abscess or the cashectomy. Pulling the tooth would have been cheaper, but then I would have needed a bridge, which costs even more!

Current Mood: annoyed

Comments

( 4 comments — Leave a comment )

harvey_rrit

May. 8th, 2012 08:32 pm (UTC)

I have known far too many people who are callous about problems they themselves have never faced. The viewpoint baffles me. I dunno if I have all that much empathy, or it's just my default mode of paying complete attention, but your posts on this topic have me writhing with the urge to think of something that will help. (And shockingly aware of how LUCKY I have been with my own teeth.)

I seldom pray, but I just said one for you to be helped with this somehow.

Hearts and flowers.

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ravan

May. 9th, 2012 02:45 am (UTC)

See, that is the gift/skill/civilized trait called empathy - the ability to imagine yourself in someone else's shoes, and want to do something about it. Sadly, too few people these days have it, and the lack is tearing at our society.

I thank my lucky stars, etc, that I have a decent job and am a cheapskate, otherwise I don't know how I'd afford this crap. As it is, I will be paying over $300 a month to a credit card that if I don't pay it off in a given time frame will charge me usurious interest on the who amount.

People have died from untreated dental abscesses - the infection spreads to the brain, eventually. The antibiotics taste nasty, are a hassle to take every 8 hours, but I'm glad I could afford to see the dentist for the prescription, and get it filled. There have been days when I couldn't. That scares me.

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