The Devil is a Dentist

It’s official. I never ever want to have another root canal as long as I live. That HURT. Not so much the actual root canal because that area was completely dull to pain, but my JAW was sore from the tools they put in my mouth to keep it open and hold the surgical latex in place. And the tooth was on the top so I had to lay with my head down for nearly an entire hour. My appointment was at 10. They took me in at 11 and gave me the Novocain (or whatever it is) shots at 11:15, then finally started the procedure at 11:30. I left at 1:15.

But poor Charlie had a deep cleaning and looked worse than I did. His bottom lip was swollen to 2x its normal size and he managed to bite it while it was numb. I came out of the dentist’s office and he had blood all over his mouth. I felt so sorry for him, but not enough to not laugh at him. (Bad Cathy)

We took off for Walgreens for my painkiller rx then to Braum’s for a milkshake for Charlie, then headed home and to bed for the rest of the day. I put on a pot of chili in the crock pot before we went to sleep off the effects of the dental work, so we had a nice dinner waiting for us when we woke up.

We’re fine except I still have to shake off the effects of all the Lortab and flexeril I took yesterday. My carpal tunnel was giving me trouble the night before so I took the flexeril before the root canal. I’m sure that’s the only reason I wasn’t screaming and crying during the procedure! I’m such a wuss!

Separated by Deafness

“Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people” Helen Keller

I had to get a hearing test for SSI evaluation. I’m still deaf, just got deafer. (Is that a word?) Dr. McGee of Hough Institute said I have nerve deafness – no hope for me (like this is anything new). I asked if I was a candidate for cochlear implants and he said I should be in 10 years but not right now. I feel like I need to make the effort to get involved in organizations that provide services to people with hearing loss.

But, I’m not “Deaf” nor will I ever be. I wasn’t raised in the culture and don’t plan to join it anytime soon. (Capital D on the word Deaf implies Deaf culture – little d “deaf” is a level or hearing loss.) “Deaf” to me always seems to have this image of “not very bright” because their education is about a 6^th grade level. I have a college degree and if I can get my status back as fully disabled I’m going to go back to school. I know I keep saying this, and my health issues have gotten in the way, but it’s going to happen someday. I have to get DRS (Dept of Rehab Services) and SSI to certify me as disabled so I can get the assistance I need – mostly I need transcriptionists because I don’t sign as a first language.

“Forgive me when you see me draw back when I would have gladly mingled with you. My misfortune is doubly painful to me because I am bound to be misunderstood; for me there can be no relaxation with my fellow men, no refined conversations, no mutual exchange of ideas. I must live almost alone, like one who has been banished; I can mix with society only as much as true necessity demands. If I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me, and I fear being exposed to the danger that my condition might be noticed.” Ludwig van Beethoven

I guess I’m embarrassed to have such a severe hearing loss. It was always a “bad thing” while growing up. I don’t like anyone to know right away that I have a hearing loss because I don’t want them to treat me different. I like that they are surprised when they find out and that I’m relatively normal – just need to make sure I am looking at them when they talk to me and try not to talk superfast . The staff at the ear doctor’s office seemed inexperienced with a hearing loss. The audiologist talked way too fast for me. I had to remind her that I need to lipread (or speechread or whatever the heck they call it now).

Most people take their hearing for granted. I’d give anything to be able to hear without my aids, use the telephone like everyone else, and recognize sounds for what they are, not having to ask “what’s that noise” all the time.

That’s Gonna Leave a Mark!

I went to the neurologist today and after about half an hour of being poked, prodded, shocked, and jabbed, the doctor says I have a classic case of carpal tunnel in my right hand. If you’ve never been tested for carpal tunnel, you’re missing out. NOT! After doing the standard reflex testing with the rubber mallet, the doctor hooked me up to this computerized “torture device” and administered a series of electric shocks as well as stuck a needle into several different muscles and tested my reactions.

While hooked up to the machine with little blue electrodes and alligator clips, all I could think of was, “Wow, Angela would really get a kick out of this!”

My right arm is so sore right now I feel like I did a complete work out with it. I’m ready to pop a couple of pain pills and pass out for the rest of the night. I’ve got to wear a wrist splint now while I’m sleeping. I’ve been wearing one on occasion so I won’t use my wrist so much.