01-24-2011

Oh yea, I got teeth... well sorta. Dr Steltzman made me plastic teeth, a bridge to go over the 6 left in the lower front. Tickled me so much I stopped by and showed mom, then Cindy, Shelly, and Linda at Easy Inn, then Misty & Matt. I wanted to show Denise but they were busy yesterday at the office and I didn't want to get her in trouble. I go Monday to get the lower teeth pulled and then hopefully to get the temporary bridge put back on until my partial comes in, or that is how I'm hoping it will go anyway. Dr Boyd will make that determination though. The teeth aren't cheap but I'm fortunate to have two good doctors on that since most are afraid to work on someone who has had radiation in that area. Both of them have a great crew too that work for them. That makes a big difference.

  I got a price for the whole thing, uppers and lowers, two caps plus repair, and for now since we have to meet deductibles all over again, plus the medicine costs, and the tests, and everyday living expenses... I'm going to wait on the upper plate and extractions. All of this has been costly and so far we've been able to pay as we went and I still want to do it that way. Plus I want to know the throat cancer is gone, if not, it would be a waste of money. That would be money spent better on other things since I know of no use dentures have. I don't think anybody else could use them. But for now... I have front teeth again. Oh yeaaaa. :)

     

01-20-2011

Went to Knoxville today with Misty. Man that was fun. That is the first time just me and her have went anywhere in years. I forgot just how much fun we have together. We talked all the way to Sams and all the way back. God I needed that. Brandon (BB) came back today and we chatted. He is so funny and so smart. I got the shelving rack system, put it together and sorted the can foods. Found some that had went out of date so tomorrow they get tossed. I think actually though I'll empty them out in the garden first, then bag the cans and let Mark have them.

   I got the DVDs in, as promised of the show. They weren't complete but the thought was extremely nice. So thank you to Mary in New Zealand. Too cool.

Setting here tonight, I had to try just one piece of candy, big mistake. I have to eat on the left side and another tooth just snapped off. Little to no pain involved but right in the front again. Makes me want to just scream. One thing's for sure, I can now breathe quicker, even with my lips back and remaining teeth toughing, lol. It just snapped. How does that happen in life? I did notice since the back one was pulled my sinuses cleared up a bit and actually it had gotten so bad that I think it hurts less. Pretty much no pain all day. Worse part is, I'm getting use to it now. The back saliva glands are trying to work too for a change, now they start, lol.  

01-19-2011

  This has turned out good. All that worry was for nothing. Took pain meds yesterday, today none. A minor discomfort is all, I've had pain, and this ain't it. Now, if I can just keep the socket from going dry. I found a cool video that appealed to me, but I'm a dog person. This is a great, inspiring story. My dogs are like my kids are, they don't pay any attention to me, lol.

01-18-2011

Had the first tooth extracted today. It wasn't as bad as I thought, then again, they are great there. I even took mom's trash off today, but I've stayed inside and played on the computer and chilled. I've taken the pain medicine so far like I'm suppose to, so far. I forgot just how bad I hate feeling like this so I think that last pill was the last one. This ain't bad. I let the last pill run pretty much out to test the waters. I got this. It will be, at least by tomorrow, a minor inconvenience as far as pain goes. Now, if I can just keep my tongue out of it, lol.

  It was great seeing and cutting up with Dr Boyd and all the girls there. I miss pestering them. 7 years I delivered that area and to them. If you all are reading this. Thanks. Unfortunately, I'll be back soon, at least for the bottom ones. Then again, I'll be back for Sidney to check on it. Sometimes I think I'm practicing for senility, lol.  I gotta give Denise that appointment card so she will remind me.  

01-16-2011

Well today I pay for yesterday's activity of shopping, but it was worth every minute. :) I learned that little sign. I fed the cows today and watered the plants in the sunroom so that tomorrow I can be ready for Tuesday. 8 calves now, we've lost 3 from the bitter cold, but I'm glad to see 8 have made it. Funny how after all of this I fear a dentist, lol. I know I'll be in good hands. Dr Boyd has called Dr Rathfoot to check about the medicine he has me on and it is ok. He talked the last time with Dr Panella and Dr Green. I don't think I'll need Hyberbaric Oxygen this time, thank God for that.

  I got 6 weeks before a decision is made about what to do if my throat don't respond and so I'm having second thoughts on the teeth extraction thing all at once, especially so close to the same date. Then it keeps going over in my mind about what if it's not gone, it would be a waste of money and more pain. I know the bottom has to be done, I hate missing a front tooth and it is already getting painful, but nothing I can't handle.

  Not sure why, maybe the rain, maybe the stress, but the neuropathy has been bad the last few days and the other cancer is going wild. The hissing in my ears has taken some of my hearing away, I thought that would be gone by now, maybe it will leave later. I've found that Megan's closed caption has come in handy. I can't imagine how she does what she does, reading faces, captions, lips, expressions... all at once.

  Not sure if it is spasms but piercing pain hits my kidneys occasionally, they have since the chemo. I wonder sometimes if I should put down the aftermath and what seems like ungrateful concerns. Then again, maybe some reading this is in the same boat, and it may help them to feel normal. Whatever normal is these days. Tomorrow I have some errands to run in the final prep. When I was younger I'd not have thought twice about pulling a tooth. These days though it doesn't take a lot to halt things. I may not be affected much by the extraction, but I'm taking precautions buy getting what needs to be done done. The up side is that I need to loose some weight. I really need to find a diet other than the way I've been doing it, lol. 

01-16-2011

Well, I had told some family and friends that it would be back on at 9:00 pm, est on the Bio Channel, I was wrong. The show we're on comes on again at 11:00 pm, est. I did find a link though to the whole show. Now It I can get it to work, lol.

http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=isurvivedbeyondandback&bcpid=676177651001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAELG4_Y~…

01-11-11

First an most importantly,

Happy Birthday Brandon (aka BB) Big number 9

Me and Denise went to my appointment for a follow-up with Dr Rathfoot at UT. He ran the scope again and looked at my throat. My sinuses were infected and we both remembered which side is obstructed, the left, so he went in the right side of my nose. Funny, he had to remind me to swallow. He saw no cancer from the visual and the vocal cords looked better. There is still a lot of swelling on the left side, the cancer was on the right. Due to the swelling it has my swallowing and breathing slightly obstructed. He gave me Cipro for the sinus infection and I'm to continue the Prednisone for 6 more weeks. If it hasn't improved he will look at either injections or maybe stretching the throat or cleaning it out. His main concern was that it stays open enough to breath and swallow. I think that is right. Having Rathfoot, Panella, and Green as doctors is nothing short of a miracle.

  I told him about my teeth and he said that was common. He also talked about Hyperbaric Oxygen as a treatment again, I hope not. I'll do what he says though as I have 100% confidence in what he says. He takes his time to check and to make sure we know what he thinks and is talking about. Denise often understands more of what is said than I do, but I get the jest of it and what I lack Denise tells me.  I feel a little more comfortable with having the work done. It worried me that we would spend this money for nothing as I don't think anybody could use the teeth that are made, and it would be enough for a decent casket. 

  While I'm not happy about my teeth I am slowly accepting it. There again, I have confidence in my Dentist as well. I also have confidence in Dr Boyd in taking them out. My teeth are one of those things I prayed about but sometimes the answer was no. I don't like it but I will accept it, like I have a choice, lol. So tomorrow the first one comes out. I filled the feed can at the chickens and opened the new cat food at the garage, readied the next bag of feed for Jack. That way tomorrow when I feed it will all be ready. 

  Tonight though, we celebrate BB's 9th birthday. We have 2 BB's in the family now, my cousin and my grandkid.