Root Canal

I went to the dentist yesterday. I had pain, not extreme pain, but a very annoying pulsing pain. (Still have it) The pain I got really makes it difficult for me to concentrate. So I made an appointment with the dentist yesterday. Going there I opted to drive myself and I never drove so badly in my life. (Well maybe the first time I drove I did worst) Missing turns and taking a little bit of curb while taking a sharp turn. Driving while having mind numbing pain was not the wise thing to do. This lesson learned; I won't be driving myself to my Monday follow up appointment with the dentist. And for the time being I am staying home.

I really hoped it would turn out to be a tooth cavity that needed filling, but I got an infection and need a root canal done on me. This was the first shock. The next one was how much the treatment costs. It will set me back a lot. Sure, I should have prepared better for this kind of situation, but with my financial situation as it is, and the recession going on, I just did not have the means to anticipate this calamity. Having tooth problems was the last thing on my mind. The reserves I build up through the years I spend it last year on many minor mishaps and I was not able to build it up with the cost of living rising and my income stagnated.

I really try to do get some writing done, but I'm not doing so well. My mind is on my tooth problems and my financial predicament and keeps me from focusing on anything. It's really wrecking my writing mojo. I had planned to have had a book finished and ready to send to my editor by the end of this month. I don't think I'll be able to get the deadline, nor am I sure I'll have the money to be able to pay for the edit. I guess I'll have to postpone it, and focus on the release of Undead (Finitum series Book 1) and hope to get enough sales to be able to pay for the edit of Book 2 ( and if lucky enough to pay my dental bill).

My current situation, not as dire yet to bankrupt me, but also not really helping with my already not so sound financial situation brings home this post from Kristine Kathryn Rusch I read a while ago. I think I really have to start getting my shit together someway, anyway possible really, because if I don't try to help my luck a little, my bad luck will soon financially ruin me.

After Monday, once my tooth problem is settled, I plan to work harder and put yet more effort into my writing and publishing. I need to make something out of it, or seek something else in the mean time to build up a monetary reserve to avoid being in this situation again.


UPDATE:

26th of July I went back to the dentist for another molar that needed much attention. This time I only needed a cavity filled. It surprisingly hurt more than when I had my root canal done. I'm still sore. Though I'm happy I've had it done.  The pain should subside within two weeks. If not I'll need to go back to the dentist.

6th of August. So far so good. No more tooth problems. (knock on the wood)


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Tooth problems and being broke

A few days ago I turned thirty five. I joked about going into a midlife crisis, about acting out, getting that sports convertible and drive around with the wind blowing in my non-existent luscious long hair. All to compensate for getting older and having had a less than fulfilling life. And maybe there is some truth to that. I don't really feel like I did much these past thirty five years, I could have done so much better if I just applied myself more. I certainly wouldn't be broke if I had made some different choices these last five years, like I missed a few promotion opportunities and passed a lucrative job offer out of a sense of loyalty to my employer.

My earnings as writer are meager and doesn't cover my extra daily cost, it barely covers my editing and publishing costs. With my day job lagging career-wise and money-wise, subtracting inflation, I am making less than I did five years ago. With insurance rising in costs and yearly being downgrading in covarage, I don't have a adental plan anymore, and I couldn't afford additional coverage. And even with extra insurance the covarage sucks, you end paying around 50-80% yourself.

Three years ago I scrapped any remaining dental plans and put the money I saved aside. Initially I got a sizable amount saved, but with each yearly downfall (something broke, wife got ill) I had to take money away to cover other expenses and now that I got zero left, a tooth broke.

With no insurance, being broke, I can't have the care I need. And you know what makes it worse is the realization that even if I had the insurance I wouldn't really be able to afford the care I need. Sometimes my life sucks, really sucks. The only good thing right now is that the broken tooth doesn't hurt, however I'm not sure for how long that will last.

In June I hope to publish two novels and I will pray to existence itself to please let those get me enough for me to be able to cover the cost I need to make to fix my damn tooth. My writing is the only thing I can do right now to earn me some extra cash in the short time. For this year I won't be having a raise, I can't expect more money from my day job. It doesn't help that the economic climate is not very favorable right now and especially not when your health starts failing.

:(