The Dentist and Kidney Update

I used to love going to the dentist when I was kid. When I was in first grade, I loved all the Paddington Bear adventure stories. I wrote one about Paddington going to the dentist. Back in first grade, however, I didn't have cavities.

I had a cavity filled back in May, but it immediately began giving me a lot of pain whenever I hate something hot or cold. I've been chewing all my food on the right side of my mouth for two months in an effort to avoid that face searing stab of pain that shoots through my jaw, ear and chin whenever something cold hits the nerve.

Last week when Evan and I had our checkups, I mentioned to my dentist that I was having trouble. He did his thing and poked around. We decided to have the filling removed. The thinking is that a silver (metal) filling is going to be more likely to transfer heat or cold. He filled the space in with some sort of compound that will help "scare" the nerve away from the area.

All that is fine and dandy except for the fact that I get myself worked up into such an emotional frenzy thinking about the numbing and the drilling, that I end up exhausted when the appointment is over. Even Dr. M knows that he has to handle me with kid gloves.

I also have a funky nerve ending in there that was making me jump whenever the drill hit that spot. Dr. M ended up giving me three separate injections to make sure I was completely numb. Then I had to go and cry because it was hurting. I hate being such an idiot patient.

My dentist is great. I have no issues with him. He was bound and determined to figure out what was causing me so much pain. I just wish that I wasn't such a coward.

The numbness has finally worn off. I haven't tested the tooth yet with hot or cold food. I'm too afraid. What may have been causing the problem all along was what looked like a sesame seed buried under my gum. Ewww. At least Dr. M said that it wasn't something I could have even gotten to with floss. Hopefully I'll get some relief. I was getting tired of constantly popping pain pills.

My little tooth drama is not nearly as dramatic as Eric's news. We both went this morning to get the results of his CT scan from last week. The tumor in his kidney absorbed some of the dye, which leads the doctor to believe that there is an 80 percent chance of this being cancer.

Last week the doctor was more willing to sit on this and "watch it." Not so anymore. Now his recommendation is to have the kidney removed.

We've pretty much known this was coming since March, but it is still sobering to hear out loud. There are a few things in our favor. More than likely it will be done laproscopically. The only thing preventing that might be scar tissue from his gallbladder being removed. Also, once it is out, it will be curative. Eric won't have to go through radiation or chemo. There is only a 5 percent chance that he would get cancer in the other kidney.

The surgery is at least six weeks out due to the doctor's schedule. Perfect. Right when I go back to school! I like the doctor. He was reassuring towards both Eric and me.

After we walked out of the doctor's office, I cried. Big surprise. I just tend to worry. However, I am going to do my best not to dwell for the next six weeks. We have a lot of fun things to do and look forward to in the next month or so. I just had to get my feelings out.

When Eric is going through as much as he has with his pancreas, gallbladder, and kidney, I almost feel silly for complaining about a hurting tooth. Almost.