This has ben a long week. Last Monday my face was on fire. Nerve roots were screaming in pain and it reached from my temple to behind my ear and down my jaw. It was terrible pain. Unfortunately, the X-ray did not show a specific problem. The pain increased for several days. One Doctor suggested a terrible diagnosis that involved a lifetime of pain and suffering.
I went to a medical Doctor on Friday. He ruled out the terrible, but was uncertain about the diagnosis. I went to the Endodontist on Monday and he took more scans and X-rays. Eventually, we agreed that the next step was a root canal and a crown on a troublesome tooth. He started on the process and could then see the underlying problem. “Your tooth has a significant fracture.” He finished the process and patched me up, but told me the tooth was a loss. It would need to be removed.
We headed home from Tyler and the pain medicine wore off right as we got to the city limits. All of the nerve pain from the last week came back with a vengeance. I was wrapped in a ball of pain. Cindy called the Doctor-he was not as concerned as she was. Sleep came slowly and did not stay long. The next day it felt like I had been slugged in the jaw, but I thought I was going to survive.
Now, I’m sitting at the oral surgeon’s office about to have this tooth removed and I’m not looking forward to it. I was hoping for the crown. It made me think of a verse of scripture. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV.
I’m seriously a wimp when it comes to dental trauma. I never feel like I’m persevering, instead I feel like I’m collapsing. I’m glad that the real test is about faith and about loving God because in those I just might have a chance at a crown.