Am Not Adult

I spend a lot of time taking care of my body. 

In the past two years that I have been writing this blog, I have been to at least SIXTY-SIX health-related appointments!! Oh yes, I actually counted. And that's just the ones I mentioned in this blog!

That means I could have had an appointment every single day in a row for more than two months!!! Or once a week for more than a year!!!  Rheumatologists. Doctors. Nurses. Psychologists. Therapists. Physical Therapists. Massage Therapists. IV infusions. X-Rays. Blood Tests.

But you know what kind of doctor you don't see on that list? The dentist.  A few weeks ago I realized, though I have been paying super close attention to my body and being really responsible about doctors appointments, I hadn't been to the dentist in more than two years.

Thus: am not adult. Being a grown-up is hard. 

In any event, two weeks ago I had my teeth cleaned for the first time in two years. And (surprise, surprise) they found three cavities. Plus two old fillings that needed to be repaired. For a total of five (see supra, am not adult).

At about this point, I discovered yet another way that RA has changed my life. Ordinarily, I would have sucked it up and gotten all those fillings done on the same day at the same time. I had head gear, braces, and massive orthodontic work as a kid. Get that stuff overwith!! 

But, when I went today, my jaw (which is a joint, remember?) only made it through two fillings. Even though the dentist was super nice about giving me a chance to rest my jaw,  and letting me use one of those bite blockers for support, I was nearly crying by the time the two fillings were done because of the pain in my jaw. The pain is still making me feel a bit nauseous right now, actually. 

This all comes with the added benefit of getting to go back and do the other three next week. Yet another health-related appointment and some more scheduled jaw pain. Thanks, RA.