cupping-day three. day one -don't even askIt's been, let's say, a challenging week. I'm thinking of a theme for this charmer and I'm going to call it "stepping on my face in stilettos".
On Monday the wicked witch of the east visited my back molar and poof, my gum blew up over where my tooth was supposed to be but I couldn't see it anymore. A shooting pain in my head and a fever had me speed dialing every friend begging for a dentist that they solemnly swear to love, honor and respect for the rest of their life. You see, since moving to LA I've been to five dentists - one who scared me with her sterile personality and meanness (she is probably very competent but dentist chairs are scary enough, a dentist shouldn't be scary too), the next had such a rude office assistant yelling at me to phone my HR department because she couldn't figure out how to call dial 1800METLIFE, another who scammed me out of money and did some bad dental work, to the second to last who did goodness knows that led me to overnight balloon face.
You hear about scary dr's but I'd never experienced it quite like this - I thought I was way too picky to fall prey. Prey I have been. My dear friend who went through serious dental drama referred me to a dentist who rocked it. He was professional, kind, had a personality, talked me through it and scared me just enough to take my medicine like clockwork. His office called me today to see how I was feeling (wow). My tooth was abscessing from the bad work (and a bad tooth) and it had spread to my sinuses. Very bad and very painful. I'm on antis and eating on one side of my mouth. Upside: Yogotango.
Lesson learned: lotsa dentists are out for your money. If your friend only had their teeth cleaned and you need major work, that recommendation isn't worth a travel toothbrush. Move on, keep asking. Drive. Fly. Trust me, it's worth it.
Because my face is a mess and my neck and back were completely knotted by the whole affair, my acupunturist skipped my endo and treated my mouth and back issues. "I'm going to do cupping" she said. I love her, she's the only person who has ever been able to effectively and seriously minimize my pain so I wasn't really listening. I've had cupping before - for those of you who don't know, it's when they adhere glasses with a flame suctioned on to your back. Doesn't hurt, just pressure. I forgot to ask about the marks. Oh the marks! Seven days of ginormous purple bruiselike circles all over my back. And of course, the sun came out today. Can't wait to scare the neighborhood in my tank tops!
The reason I write this is that some of this could have been avoided if I had spoken up. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Just because someone is a dr. and/or an "expert" doesn't always make them right. What if I had a back modeling job - ok fine - a gala event this week?
As a survivor I should know better but I'll cut myself some slack. My face is healing, I found a great dentist, and the cupping will actually do wonders for all the pain the other dentists put me through.
Another kind of speak out.
