Oh what a day!!!

Oh my, what a day!!! I know people say it...but I really did have one of those days today. Lily was restless all day (wanted to be cuddled non stop); I had my first trip to the dentist in many years. To top it off, I ended up with mastitis!!!

The Dentist Trip...

I psyched myself up for a dentist appointment (now I won’t reveal exactly home long it has been since my last visit to the dentist, but lets just say its been a long long time – to long in actual fact). The dentist is just one of those things that gets put on the back burner (way too expensive, no time, oh and just plain petrified). I’ll be honest, if I didn’t have this god awful pain in my tooth for more then a week on and off (that required the consumption of panadene forte) the trip to the dentist would have been postponed again no doubt.

Anyway, as I said, off I went to the dentist this afternoon for what I thought would be a filling. I waited in the waiting room for my turn...I could hear the drill going for some other patient, so as you can imagine the heart rate started to go up. I had said to Trevor earlier that day that I was really nervous about the whole filling thing – mainly about the needle and drill. He responded with, “what are you worrying for...you just gave birth a few weeks ago without drugs”. I suppose he has a point (but that doesn’t help a whole lot).

Ok, my turn rolls around and I hop on the dentist chair. I could smell that distinct ‘dentist smell’ – I’m sure you're all familiar. The dentist (who was a nice young chap) asked what the problem was. I explained my problem and he had a little squiz and that is where it started to get interesting. He said it was more serious then needing a filling. I had two options:

1. Removal of the tooth (costs around $120 – but of course that doesn’t include the replacement tooth which costs a lot more $$$$).
2. Root canal – 3 step process (costs around $630).

As you could imagine, I thought I was going to the dentist for a filling (around $150). I didn’t think I would have to come away spending a small fortune. Obviously, option 1 was not an option (durr...like I want to have a missing tooth!). So it looked like I had to go route 2. The first step of route 2 costs $250.

Naturally, I couldn’t leave my tooth the way it was as it was quite painful. After much toing and frowing (mainly due to the cost and the pain (or preserved pain)) that would be involved in the process) I decided to go for it. Essentially that meant a needle for the pain, some drilling and cleaning and that would be it until part 2.

“Breathe, breathe, breathe through your nose” – that is what the dentist kept repeating when he jabbed me with the needle. Thankfully the pain wasn’t all that bad. After another needle just to be on the safe side (because he thought we would be hitting a nerve) and a little wait (while the anaesthetic took hold) he was drilling away. The feeling was a little surreal – my lip felt like it was about five times the size it should be; my chin was all tingling and I only had half a tongue (or at least that is how it felt).

After a bit of drilling, which is so not the most pleasant feeling (needle or no needle) – it’s the noise I reckon – he stopped and told me I need you to “make an important decision”. Ahh Ohh - I was thinking my tooth had to come out or something. Thankfully not that serious...As he had not hit the nerve (which he expected would be the case) he decided that a good old fashioned filling was possible (thank God – only $130!!!). However, he did say that a root canal might still be required – hey at $610 I would take the chance and have the filing, and that I did. Overall the experience wasn’t that bad – I will go back – maybe a little bit sooner this time.

Mastitis

Not long after I returned from the dentist, I started to feel extremely cold – like freezing cold. So cold in fact, that after I finished feeding Lily, I went and had a hot bath (strange when it was like 26C out side). The bath didn’t do all that much to warm me up...I still froze. Trevor went and picked up Byron. By the time he got back my temperature was 39C. I was in bed, shivering and aching all over.

During the course of the afternoon, I had noticed an ache in my right breast that had progressively gotten worse. There were no lumps or anything that I could feel. The breast wasn’t red or hot, but it was extremely tender. The pain was a similar pain that I had had a few weeks previously (I had thought my bra had dug in causing some bruising). That pain however had disappeared after a few days.

Mum ended up coming around to take me to the doctors. Meanwhile, Trevor was not a happy camper (and let all know it) because he had a work break up that he could no longer go to (obviously!). By the time I had gotten to the doctors, my temperature was 39.8C and climbing. As expected, he diagnosed me with mastitis and prescribed antibiotics, bed rest and Panadol for the fever. If there were any lumps that decided to stay put, I was to go straight back to see him on Monday.

I suppose it goes without saying that it sure was a rough day.

Edited to add (on Sunday 1 October 2006)...

I am not sure whether it was the antibiotics or 8 hours sleep (in a row) or both, but I felt much better on Saturday, albeit very drained, still sore, but no fever. I am grateful for the nights sleep...Trevor took Lily for the night and did all the feeds which helped immensely (might schedule that as a regular event!). I can’t tell you how good it was to get more then 4 hours sleep after a month of hardly any.

Whilst reading about Mastitis I came to the conclusion that because Lily hasn’t been attaching properly on the right side (the affected side) for the last few weeks she hasn’t been draining it properly which has resulted in a blocked duck. As a further consequence of her poor attachment, my milk supply has dropped to half of what it was (which is really worrying). I am expressing after each feed just to make sure I am getting the most out of it...hopefully that will work.

It seems I am a little rundown, which has spawned this massive cold sore on my lip. I have suffered from them in the past but mainly when I am sick and rundown. It looks awful.

On a positive note...at least my tooth is doing well!