Raining dentists

Dear Family and Friends and newly acquired dental friends as well!
After a really decent night I showered and called Mike Todorovic the local dentist. The lady that answered told me that she had already left a message for me, I could come in at 8:30. So with great reservations I walked in, filled out the info sheet and was quickly seated in a beautiful office. The wall was glass and beyond the glass was a lagoon. After an xray Mike came and chatted with me, after looking over the tooth and the xray he said that a root canal was the only way to save the tooth. He also pointed out that if that tooth were gone two teeth in the upper jaw would begin to move. Since he know that the local guys charged $1,800 for a root canal he referred me to a team that works in Antioch and Concord. Yes they had a cancellation and could see me at 11:15 so with even more trepidation I started my trip to Concord. They would only charge $1,050 for their hour of specialized work. So once again upon arriving I filled out three pages of paperwork and was ushered into the little room with the "chair". This time the glass wall looked out onto a parking lot. After a few minutes and another xray they began. I had been so filled with self doubt since in the past I've been what is called a gagger, I gag easily if something is placed deep in my mouth. In fact the last root canal had been called off and rescheduled with a second doctor in attendance to put me to sleep and hopefully wake me. Loren had been kind enough to drive me there, wait and then drive me home. However the second doctor added another $1,000 to the fees so that one had cost me over $2,100. So my prayer was that I could breath through my nose, listen to my book, do anything to allow him to complete his work. It was all in vain. After just a few minutes of scraping and drilling he stopped, laid down his tools and said he could not do it, the tooth was cracked and would have to be removed. Well my heart sank over that. His fee was only an office visit, $150 and once again I was in the car with a phone number to call. Dr. Mikes office had urged that I try Dr. Arrow in Brentwood. I called and was told they would fit me in but it could take some time. With an eye on a possible appointment to see a house in Richmond at 4 I left for Brentwood.
When I arrived at his beautiful office I was given a clipboard with 3 forms to fill out. By this time I was getting pretty good at this part, didn't even gag while doing it. Then I was ushered to a corner office and after some time met the doctor, a totally nice person. He explained all the neat things that could happen including death, I signed away my life and then I was moved to the operating room. After about a hour he and a crew surrounded me, draped me, shot me full of juice and began to grind, break, tear and pull. Amazingly I just kept breathing through my nose but it seemed so far away I had to really concentrate of breaking there. After what seemed like at least forever he softly told me he only had one more root to get out and then he was done. I left after signing another credit care tag for $266 and was suddenly on the street driving home. I had a wad of gauze about as big as a tissue box crammed between jaws and into the empty socket. That made me want to gag all the way home. One of the helping ladies told me I should get a milk shake to enjoy. As I drove I wondered if she was kidding, how could I get any milkshake down with all this gauze in my mouth, so I skipped the milkshake and drove home. Phone call after phone call came in but I could not talk and I think they just wanted money.
So as reflect on the day there is very little joy in it but there is promise that at some point in the future this tooth and now its empty socket will cease with the pain and I move forward.
Hopefully by morning I'll feel better and be able to take care of that house in Richmond for the rush appraisal. In spite of many setbacks and disappointments this day has delivered I was touched by the professionalism of all three offices. Meeting Mike again after all these years only confirmed why he is held in high esteem by many in Discovery Bay. He is a real gentleman and is very kind and hopeful.
Thank you to Art, Sylvia, Nikki, Jason, Lois and Ray for your encouragement today. I hope to be walking again soon with Ken but I doubt if it is tomorrow. Since the tooth encounter I've lost 5 lbs which is a nice by product of limited intake.
So I bid you an early good night. I plan to be asleep as soon as I can find something to eat.

Love to all

Tim