My beautiful smile
Donation protected
Hi,
My name is Cara Morrow. For those of you who don't know me, I am 31 years old and living in the beautiful state of Oregon. I am passionate about running, the great outdoors, health and nutrition, and being married to my wonderful husband. The reason for my writing is that about a year ago I had to get all of my teeth pulled. This was an extremely hard process but has been worth it because it has greatly improved my overall health. The dentures I was given however, were poorly made and causing me a lot of pain. It got to the point where I couldn't wear them anymore (it has been over 9 months since I have worn them and my mouth is still scarred and hurts from them). This has made it very hard to eat many regular foods. If you go too long without anything in your mouth supporting your jaw, your jaw bone starts to deteriorate. I have recently made the decesion to begin the process of getting dental implants, which are basically permanent dentures.
The process begins by getting x-rays to help plan out the 8-12 month long process. Then impressions are taken and sent to a lab to create temporary dentures. After the process is planned out, an oral surgeon drills small titanium pieces into several places on both jaw bones. After this heals (about 4-6 months), the temporary dentures are converted into the permanent teeth that the dentist will attach to the titanium peices. Presently, the X-rays and impressions have been taken and the process has been planned out. It will cost $64,000. Insurance will not cover any part of this process because implants are considered cosmetic surgery, and the payments need to be made at every appointment. $32,000 will need to be paid in September and another $32,000 at my last appointment, which if my mouth heals at an average rate after my surgery in September, should be at the middle to end of March.
There are a couple reasons my teeth started to go bad. The first reason is simply that bad teeth run in my family. Second but more importantly, is a long, long battle I had with an eating disorder called bulimia. What started out as anorexia, a little before I turned 15 years old, turned into bulimia. The first couple years weren't so bad, but in time it got worse and turned into an addiction that I felt I couldn't control. In fact, there were times it felt like black out moments when I was purging then I would come back to reality. I became extremely depressed as this addiction slowly took over my life. It got so bad that I was spending more time in the vicious cycle of eating, purging, feeling guilt, shame, and anxiety, and then starting over, than doing anything else in life. I was going to college on a running scholarship but had to drop out after the first year because my body was becoming weak and fatigued. There was a time frame of about 3 years where this cycle ruled my life. I wanted out so bad, at this time I didn't see the point in living. I really wasn't anyway; I was existing without a purpose, alive to feel darkness each day.
I dont know when or how it happened, but I remember coming to the realization that I wouldn't have existed if I didnt have a purpose. I know that sounds so cliche, but a light went on in my mind when this realization hit me. It quickly became more than just a thought, it was now a reality for me to live by. Depression, anxiety and many fears didn't just dissapear, though. It took a lot of hard work. I started listening to teachings and techniques by experts on how the mind and brain functions, mind and body connections, relationship and confrontation(which actually relates because it causes anxiety, which can lead to an episode), and any other self help methods I was able to find. I slowly started applying the methods I learned to my life and I began the journey of climbing out of this dark hole.
Skip ahead several years, now the hard work is paying off. My husband has been extremely supportive and encouraging through all that has happened. We started dating when my bulimia was still a struggle for me. He loved me, encouraged me, and believed in me. He is also the one who encouraged me to get my teeth worked on. They were so bad by this point that I ended up needing all of them pulled. I did have dentures but due to the pain they were causing I couldn't keep wearing them, as I mentioned before. After doing a lot of research, we decided on implants.
We had put this process on hold for the last year due to the decesion to travel to Hawaii to join a program called YWAM. Here we learned about sustainable living and small space farming. We mostly focused on aquaponics and small space gardening. We took what we learned and traveled to Nepal with a team where we taught the Nepale people how to utilize small spaces for growing food. We also built compostable toilets in the slums and helped build an aquaponic system and a watercatchment tank so they can grow food during their long drought, when water is scarce. We have been back home now for a few month and have began the process of implants.
It is difficult for me to ask for help with this process. But, my amazing manager (Camille) at work has encouraged me to do a Go Fund Me page, thus this letter. I am extremely blessed by the people in my life who have loved and supported me throughout my journey of recovery. I am now asking for help financially so that I can have a beautiful smile and eat normal foods again. With lots of love, Cara Morrow.
This isn't my whole story, by the way. It's pieces from throughout the years; I would have to write too much otherwise. However, if anyone has anymore questions, or if someone who is reading this has a struggle with bulimia and needs encouragement, or if you would like to know the books I've read or teachings I've listened to, you can e-mail me at [email redacted]
My name is Cara Morrow. For those of you who don't know me, I am 31 years old and living in the beautiful state of Oregon. I am passionate about running, the great outdoors, health and nutrition, and being married to my wonderful husband. The reason for my writing is that about a year ago I had to get all of my teeth pulled. This was an extremely hard process but has been worth it because it has greatly improved my overall health. The dentures I was given however, were poorly made and causing me a lot of pain. It got to the point where I couldn't wear them anymore (it has been over 9 months since I have worn them and my mouth is still scarred and hurts from them). This has made it very hard to eat many regular foods. If you go too long without anything in your mouth supporting your jaw, your jaw bone starts to deteriorate. I have recently made the decesion to begin the process of getting dental implants, which are basically permanent dentures.
The process begins by getting x-rays to help plan out the 8-12 month long process. Then impressions are taken and sent to a lab to create temporary dentures. After the process is planned out, an oral surgeon drills small titanium pieces into several places on both jaw bones. After this heals (about 4-6 months), the temporary dentures are converted into the permanent teeth that the dentist will attach to the titanium peices. Presently, the X-rays and impressions have been taken and the process has been planned out. It will cost $64,000. Insurance will not cover any part of this process because implants are considered cosmetic surgery, and the payments need to be made at every appointment. $32,000 will need to be paid in September and another $32,000 at my last appointment, which if my mouth heals at an average rate after my surgery in September, should be at the middle to end of March.
There are a couple reasons my teeth started to go bad. The first reason is simply that bad teeth run in my family. Second but more importantly, is a long, long battle I had with an eating disorder called bulimia. What started out as anorexia, a little before I turned 15 years old, turned into bulimia. The first couple years weren't so bad, but in time it got worse and turned into an addiction that I felt I couldn't control. In fact, there were times it felt like black out moments when I was purging then I would come back to reality. I became extremely depressed as this addiction slowly took over my life. It got so bad that I was spending more time in the vicious cycle of eating, purging, feeling guilt, shame, and anxiety, and then starting over, than doing anything else in life. I was going to college on a running scholarship but had to drop out after the first year because my body was becoming weak and fatigued. There was a time frame of about 3 years where this cycle ruled my life. I wanted out so bad, at this time I didn't see the point in living. I really wasn't anyway; I was existing without a purpose, alive to feel darkness each day.
I dont know when or how it happened, but I remember coming to the realization that I wouldn't have existed if I didnt have a purpose. I know that sounds so cliche, but a light went on in my mind when this realization hit me. It quickly became more than just a thought, it was now a reality for me to live by. Depression, anxiety and many fears didn't just dissapear, though. It took a lot of hard work. I started listening to teachings and techniques by experts on how the mind and brain functions, mind and body connections, relationship and confrontation(which actually relates because it causes anxiety, which can lead to an episode), and any other self help methods I was able to find. I slowly started applying the methods I learned to my life and I began the journey of climbing out of this dark hole.
Skip ahead several years, now the hard work is paying off. My husband has been extremely supportive and encouraging through all that has happened. We started dating when my bulimia was still a struggle for me. He loved me, encouraged me, and believed in me. He is also the one who encouraged me to get my teeth worked on. They were so bad by this point that I ended up needing all of them pulled. I did have dentures but due to the pain they were causing I couldn't keep wearing them, as I mentioned before. After doing a lot of research, we decided on implants.
We had put this process on hold for the last year due to the decesion to travel to Hawaii to join a program called YWAM. Here we learned about sustainable living and small space farming. We mostly focused on aquaponics and small space gardening. We took what we learned and traveled to Nepal with a team where we taught the Nepale people how to utilize small spaces for growing food. We also built compostable toilets in the slums and helped build an aquaponic system and a watercatchment tank so they can grow food during their long drought, when water is scarce. We have been back home now for a few month and have began the process of implants.
It is difficult for me to ask for help with this process. But, my amazing manager (Camille) at work has encouraged me to do a Go Fund Me page, thus this letter. I am extremely blessed by the people in my life who have loved and supported me throughout my journey of recovery. I am now asking for help financially so that I can have a beautiful smile and eat normal foods again. With lots of love, Cara Morrow.
This isn't my whole story, by the way. It's pieces from throughout the years; I would have to write too much otherwise. However, if anyone has anymore questions, or if someone who is reading this has a struggle with bulimia and needs encouragement, or if you would like to know the books I've read or teachings I've listened to, you can e-mail me at [email redacted]
Organizer
Matthew'Cara Morrow
Organizer
Albany, OR