About two weeks from now is the one-year mark of when I started dating Courtney. And in that year, there have been a number of changes that I've gone through, much of which has been well documented in these Monday columns.
One change that solely came from me, though, was a long time coming.
After leaving my parent's insurance at the end of college, I was raising a family and we had limited funds. When you're living a life with limited funds, you find out really quick the monthly expenses that can go - cable, nights out at the bar and different types of insurance.
For me, that included going without dental insurance. And while being free of this monthly bill means money to pay other bills, it also means that in order to keep paying those bills, any trips to the dentist just wouldn't be in order.
It took a few years to notice any real changes in my mouth. After about four years, I started seeing spots on my teeth that you're not supposed to be able to see, but it was so few and far between, the concern was minimal.
By the time I was making enough money to afford dental insurance and dental care, my late spouse began her battle with cancer. I was not about to put my health above hers. She herself had poor dental health, especially with all the radiation and chemo she endured. Months before she died, she was able to get a handful of teeth removed that had given her pain for a couple of years.
After she died, I was on a personal crusade to get my health checked out. It started with a nagging issue in my chest - was it my heart or was it something else? It was something else: sleep apnea. But I was able to go through all the good heart tests that St. Mary's has to offer, along the way surprising every doctor and nurse, who are used to seeing people more than twice my age.
Neurology, urology, gastro, sleep studies - heck, even a summer of physical therapy for my ailing back and neck. I was taking better care of my body. Well, I was at least searching to find what all was wrong with it.
And for another two years, I neglected my dental needs. So, the time to get on that was now, in this year of change.
I checked in with multiple dentists and was completely unsurprised with what I heard: They all needed to come out. Every. Last. Tooth. We could spend tens of thousands of dollars to save a handful at most, or for less than half that cost I could just go to full dentures. So that's what I opted to do. At age 32.
Yes, I drink soda, but I don't guzzle it by the six-pack. I rarely eat candy, though after Halloween and Christmas I will go on a two-day binge. So maybe that is why I was able to last more than 10 years without seeing a dentist. It's also a huge reason as to why I won't be able to talk for a while.
And as sad or unfortunate or shameful as it is to lose my teeth, to know that I failed in a basic part of our everyday life, I am happy and confident moving forward. The pains in my mouth will be gone. The fear of eating hard food, or cold food, or hot food, or food that crumbs easily and would get caught in a sensitive area causing remarkable pain will all be gone.
And I will have a new smile. One that, hopefully, I can be proud of. Because if you've seen me smile these past five years, most likely it was a big grin without showing my teeth. But not anymore.
You know what else makes me smile? Pitchers and catchers report today.
- Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Monroe Times and can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.
One change that solely came from me, though, was a long time coming.
After leaving my parent's insurance at the end of college, I was raising a family and we had limited funds. When you're living a life with limited funds, you find out really quick the monthly expenses that can go - cable, nights out at the bar and different types of insurance.
For me, that included going without dental insurance. And while being free of this monthly bill means money to pay other bills, it also means that in order to keep paying those bills, any trips to the dentist just wouldn't be in order.
It took a few years to notice any real changes in my mouth. After about four years, I started seeing spots on my teeth that you're not supposed to be able to see, but it was so few and far between, the concern was minimal.
By the time I was making enough money to afford dental insurance and dental care, my late spouse began her battle with cancer. I was not about to put my health above hers. She herself had poor dental health, especially with all the radiation and chemo she endured. Months before she died, she was able to get a handful of teeth removed that had given her pain for a couple of years.
After she died, I was on a personal crusade to get my health checked out. It started with a nagging issue in my chest - was it my heart or was it something else? It was something else: sleep apnea. But I was able to go through all the good heart tests that St. Mary's has to offer, along the way surprising every doctor and nurse, who are used to seeing people more than twice my age.
Neurology, urology, gastro, sleep studies - heck, even a summer of physical therapy for my ailing back and neck. I was taking better care of my body. Well, I was at least searching to find what all was wrong with it.
And for another two years, I neglected my dental needs. So, the time to get on that was now, in this year of change.
I checked in with multiple dentists and was completely unsurprised with what I heard: They all needed to come out. Every. Last. Tooth. We could spend tens of thousands of dollars to save a handful at most, or for less than half that cost I could just go to full dentures. So that's what I opted to do. At age 32.
Yes, I drink soda, but I don't guzzle it by the six-pack. I rarely eat candy, though after Halloween and Christmas I will go on a two-day binge. So maybe that is why I was able to last more than 10 years without seeing a dentist. It's also a huge reason as to why I won't be able to talk for a while.
And as sad or unfortunate or shameful as it is to lose my teeth, to know that I failed in a basic part of our everyday life, I am happy and confident moving forward. The pains in my mouth will be gone. The fear of eating hard food, or cold food, or hot food, or food that crumbs easily and would get caught in a sensitive area causing remarkable pain will all be gone.
And I will have a new smile. One that, hopefully, I can be proud of. Because if you've seen me smile these past five years, most likely it was a big grin without showing my teeth. But not anymore.
You know what else makes me smile? Pitchers and catchers report today.
- Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Monroe Times and can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.
