Close your eyes tight for a second and imagine your happy place. Now, I’m going to say the word “cancer.” Did you automatically wince? Pulse race a little? How about this one- “root canal.” Did you feel a little pain?
Both those words were directed at me this week and unlike you, I did have my eyes open (although when the root canal one was uttered there was spit dribbling down my face and a bright light blinding me). I spent most of the week scared, uncomfortable (yes, I had a toothache), frustrated and confused. Not a banner week in my book.
The week from hell began on Tuesday when we went to the walk-in clinic to hopefully get some answers on why Rosie had been feeling so bad for almost two months. After the doc uttered the words, “we need to rule out cancer,” we had six blood tests and two x-rays. And, then we waited to hear the results.
Most of the blood work came back the next day except for the mono tests. So, I did what any good mom would do- hounded the nurse on the phone daily. Yesterday on my way to the dentist I called again and was politely told that “some labs send out all the blood in a batch on one day.” To which I promptly uttered, “yes, because you only want to know you have mono on Thursday.” Dead silence.
I arrived at my dentist’s office already crabby (my calendar said I was going to “Dr. Limes” which was a typo. I would’ve much rather had a margarita than dental work. Bummer). I’ve never had a cavity and I really didn’t have time for one. Plus, the nagging ache in the back of my mouth had only been inconvenient for a while. Especially since we don’t have dental insurance. But, as I bit down this week on the softest sugar-free gum I could find, I decided I officially had a toothache and knew it was time to go see the dentist. Dammit.
Once we got through the lively debate over how to numb me (I’m allergic to the preservatives in anesthesia), the dentist began drilling. That’s when I heard an “Uh, oh. It’s deep. We may have to do a root canal.”
“Figures,” I thought to myself. Would be right in line with this shitty week. But, as luck would have it, he was able to give me a pretty white filling. That was a bonus.
As for the mono test, it finally came back yesterday afternoon. And, it was negative which was a good and bad at the same time. We still have no answers on why Rosie’s been under the weather and she still has the three very painful lymph nodes that the nurse thought was a hernia a couple of weeks ago.
So, we’re off to see a surgeon the first week of December at our local children’s hospital to have them biopsied. Which really sucks because we’re about to start dance season. And, then there’s that fear of the unknown thing. The CB’s need a break.
Maria Holiday says
Oh my gosh! We need wine! Hang in there.
bailey says
Bummer week :/ Hope you get answers soon.
Speaking from experience, getting root canal treatments (if you end up needing one in the future) are not that bad. People associate them with horrible pain usually because they’re ALREADY in pain (and the reason they need the treatment). I had 4 done which was prep for other work I needed done and, yes, it’s a bit uncomfortable with the drilling but you don’t feel pain since you’re all numbed up!
Tiny Pinky Baby Boutique says
Do you vaccinate? From what I know, lymph nodes can get swollen from any of the preventable diseases like measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
debcb says
Yes, we vaccinated but our daughter has been done with her shots for over three years. She’s a teenager The swollen lymph nodes were a bacterial infection and since she’s skinny, hers will always be a little more prominent.