Dental expenses

Hello friends,

This is so hard to write but here I go.

A synopsis for those who can't hang through my rambling. I have a serious dental infection and need extensive work done. I will be on leave from work and paying out of pocket for most of this. I need help to cover the costs so I can get well and return to both work and taking care of my family. If you want to know more read on...

Most likely you know me. But just in case you don't my name is Kendra. I'm in my early 40's and I have one amazing 14 year old. My mom lives with me and I work two jobs to support my little family. I am a single mom and I am the breadwinner of my household. My number one priority in life beyond making sure my people know they are loved, is staying well enough to take good care of them. The story about why that can be hard is a long one. I have an autoimmune disease, I also have long Covid.

Rather than over load you with too much more detail I will explain what is going on now.

As I write this I am quite sick fighting a dental infection. I am on hard core antibiotics and it's starting to improve. My cover photo is what I look like normally. I could not bear to use the photo I took today.

I need extensive dental work. And the universe just gave me this handy reminder that it's not something that can wait anymore.

It all started 15 years ago, my teeth were still perfect. My pregnancy was very hard, I had hyperemesis gravidarum (I threw up very often). The weight I was not able to gain started to be counted as a loss. My Dr watched me closely. I was always right at the edge of being hospitalized. Something I didn't know until later was that my body was pulling calcium from my bones and teeth to give to my baby.

The first molar broke when my son was about 2. I was standing in the kitchen eating a bagel and a huge chunk snapped off. The pain was such a shock my knees gave out and I ended up on the floor. I saw my dentist and brought her the tooth chunk. There was no decay at that point. She showed me how all my teeth now had a weak line along the gum. She told me they would most likely all break eventually. She told me to keep any and all I could as long as possible to preserve my facial and jaw bones. (Without teeth to anchor them your bones shrink). She said if I gave up and pulled everything too soon I would end up with not enough bone to support even a denture in 15 ish years. I could be 45 with a face shrunk in and no denture that would fit. That was SCARY.

So here we are about 12 years later. Most of that time I have had dental pain. Sometimes very severe. I've had 2 surgeries to remove teeth. My roots are abnormally deep so a normal dentist won't pull them. I have had so many abscesses I have lost count. I have fought hard to keep my teeth. But now it is time for major work. I have pretty good dental insurance. They will pay $1500 per year. The total cost of my needed work is over $14,000.

I will have two surgeries. The first before the end of the year to make sure I max out my benefits for two years. The first time 9 teeth will be pulled, leaving me with my front teeth so I can still speak normally. The second surgery will remove 7. I will get to keep just 4 of my own teeth. Enough to prevent too much bone loss in my jaw. In between the surgeries a top denture will be made. And a more uncommon hybrid slotted denture for the bottom. I will also have 3 very small fillings. And by next Spring I should be pain and most importantly infection free.

But here is the hardest part. How will I pay for all this?

I am taking out a loan for the first part. Because I have to. I'm quite sick and it can't wait. Healing for me is a slow process so I will have to take time off work. I am applying for leave so I will have some income if I am approved. But I normally work overtime. My budget will get tight right as I have a loan payment to make. If I can fund raise here I can borrow less or pay it back faster. So I am doing a huge hard thing and asking for your help.

Most of my friends are helpers like me. We don't like having to ask for anything but love to help others. But if no one allows others to help none of us get the joy of helping. And really that's what life is about. Loving others and helping when you can. I guess it's my turn to allow others to help me. Every dollar counts right now. And every prayer you are willing to send. This is going to be physically hard on my body. I know what I'm walking into. Lots of pain and a slow recovery. But the fire at my back is giving me no choice. I can't put others first like I normally do, or wait any longer. I can't pour into my family or the people I help at work with an empty cup. The photos below make me laugh, it's laugh or cry these days. Anyone else think I look like I had a bad job of lip filler? The one puffy cheek and fluid filled under eye just add to my look. But anyway this is why this is a must do now thing. This is how I look today from the infection.

If you read this novel thank you! That was a slog, you deserve a treat.

P.S. Please forgive any typos and the poor formatting. Also my rambling. I have quite the fever. If I didn't write this now I was going to chicken out. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any prayers or funds you decide to send my way!