May Hasn't Brought Me Flowers (update)

 

This AI interpretation amused me, so I'm going with it. Goodness knows I need some laughs this month.

I hope that everyone has been doing well.

In case you haven't picked up on it, May has been a challenging month for me.

At the very start of this month, it primarily had to do with this being the first Mother's Day without my grandma. I wrote my 1st Dear Grandma letter on this blog recently. There were some other feelings surrounding motherhood that bubbled to the surface, which I covered in Complexities of Grief.

Now as this month is ending, some physical ailments need attention.

One was a situation that had been going on (quite honestly) for many months, but for a multitude of reasons, I wasn't able to set aside the time to see about it. Yes, there was pain, but as someone who deals with chronic pain daily, the situation hadn't gotten to a point where it was unbearable. Once it got to the point where it impacted functionality (read: tooth cracked unexpectedly, increased pain, and a not-so-pleased tongue), I did go late last week to see if it could be fixed. Unfortunately, the impacted area is infected, the tooth can not be saved, and a whole dental reconstruction plan unfolded.

You can already tell by "dental reconstruction" that it's not a simple pull that day, then press forward. 

Also remember: long words that mean "work" or "changes" typically mean bucketloads of expense.

Source: giphy

In short, the dentist won't pull the tooth until the infection is gone (understandable), and the dentist won't perform the extraction unless the practice knows it's going to get the money ... well, at least half of it for each step of the reconstruction.

A part of me wishes I could treat this situation like a rickety raft ... put it in the creek and let the waves push it out to the lake.

I don't think my tongue likes being stabbed by this chipped tooth. Plus, I don't like the lower side of my mouth being uncomfortable and making my food do mouth gymnastics as far as chewing thoroughly and swallowing.

Since dental insurance did not cover much (Unpopular opinion: It's almost a joke having dental insurance because it rarely covers any major occurrences that can happen with one's teeth.), I have to find other resources to fund the process.

The second situation had more with me misreading the irritation than prolonging the remedy.

During my workouts, I'm used to a bit of soreness. I tend to chalk it up as muscle recovery. Usually, by the time of my next scheduled workout, the soreness has subsided. The amount of time in between depends on the workout area.

For a couple of weeks, my right shoulder blade and the area surrounding it had been sore. I did all the typical remedies but did not experience relief. Last week, there was an uptick in pain and a decrease in movement. Concerned that it was a bone and not a muscle issue, I went to the orthopedic Urgent Care closest to me. They took X-rays, and then the doctor came in. He said there weren't any bones broken, but that the muscle was spastic and strained. I was given a cortisone shot to loosen the muscle but was told that I would need some physical therapy.

This appointment was on the day before the dental emergency.

I decided to go to the PT clinic I had a friendly rapport with. There is one connected to the Urgent Care but I had a bad experience a previous time I needed physical therapy. The lady remembered me, so my intake is this week. I am hoping I can arrange it to where I will work an hour later on those days of therapy because I need to devote the bulk of my sick time to the dental reconstruction and other follow-up appointments. 

Will I do PT three times a week? Probably not. I don't have $90 a week to devote. Sixty, maybe. If I get the handouts and can do them at home properly on my own, then I'm good to go.

Reaching across my body hurts more than anything. Reaching overhead is bothersome if I do it too long ... I thought I'd be able to wash my hair this weekend, but ended up being too cumbersome.

I can only do a fraction of the weight I'd normally do. I performed a modified workout this past Sunday and was okay. I only take the pain medication (although it was given to me for the dental pain) as needed, but it's more bearable now than before that cortisone shot.

Even with all of those drawbacks, I am still here.

Withdrawn but still here. 

I am returning to a structured setup regarding my availability for phone calls. It all boils down to establishing balance and being smart about where to put my energy. For those who are wondering about the change, I may put up a post ... not necessarily blog about it, but on Facebook or Instagram with the full breakdown. It's not anything major, but I don't think it is worth taking up blog space.

Okay, let me get off here.