Trash Teeth 2023

Tl;dr My teeth are trash and I've broken 3 of them in the last month (one last night just eating pizza), maxed out my Care Credit card fixing only one of them (because I'm still paying off the three broken teeth and extraction from 2020-2021), and took out a massive loan from my credit union (that ended up being not nearly enough) to move for a new job and survive while I wait for my house to sell. I need financial help fixing my fragile little chalk teeth and getting to my new job, I'm not ashamed to ask at this point, and I'll cross stitch a very nice bookmark for anyone who donates.

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Hi, my name is Carey. Many of you know me in real life. Many of you know me from the library or academic world. A bunch of you know me because of one fandom or another or some other silly shit on the internet. And a bunch of you know me because you like my cats.

If you've known me for 5 minutes, you know my teeth are genetically absolute trash. Unlike Stanley Tucci in The Hunger Games movies, I have crooked, discolored, chalk teeth.

I actually take really good care of my teeth. I brush, floss, and use mouthwash every morning and night. I use a little Whisp thingie and floss after lunch. I don't drink coffee, smoke, chew on rocks, do meth, or engage in activities that would get me punched in the mouth. My only teeth related vice is Diet Coke, but I limit how much I drink. What I'm trying to say is that my teeth are delicate, porous little bone nubs that break constantly due to factors outside of my control.

Most recently, I've broken 3 teeth in the last month. In late March, I broke a molar on a pretzel. The molar behind it broke when my dentist tried to fix the first one. All dental insurance is shit, but mine covers almost nothing. I'm still trying to pay off three root canals and an extraction from November of 2020 to February of 2021. I had to ask for a Care Credit credit increase to pay $2000 out of pocket for the root canal and crown on the first pretzel tooth. The second broken pretzel tooth hasn't even been touched yet because my insurance will cover none of it and I can't afford it in cash or Care Credit. But there's a giant hole in it that I have to clean out multiple times a day.

I know this is long. But I'm a writer and feel that context is important. About 3 weeks ago, I accepted a new job that I would have to pack up and move for. I knew that I'd have to ask for a loan from my credit union to cover rent while I paid my mortgage and waited for my house to sell. But guys, applying to live in the Chicago suburbs is highway robbery. Despite the loan, my husband's parents have to help us with rent. My own dad died 10 years ago and my mother is an abusive sociopath that I don't have contact with. I knew this move was going to be hard when I already had nothing and so much still depends on my house selling quickly when it isn't yet on the market.

Cut to last night. After a very productive day of packing and moving things to storage, the curb, or Goodwill, the husband got pizza from our favorite pizza place. I'm eating, it's great. And I break another tooth on the other side of my mouth. This one's a premolar and a huge chunk just broke right off.

I think life is just fucking with me now. If you've read this far, here's the score: I have 3 broken teeth - one has been root canaled and is getting a crown in 2 days, one has a giant hole in it and hasn't been touched because I don't have the cash or the credit, and the third broke off last night and hasn't been seen by a dentist yet. I've also already borrowed more money than I'm comfortable with from my credit union in order to move to the Chicago suburbs for a new job and my husband's parents *still* have to help us make rent while we wait for our house to sell because the landlord wanted 2 months rent for a security deposit. My Care Credit card is maxed out, my credit score is tanked, and I'm supposed to start a new job with 2 broken teeth and who knows what other dental war crimes waiting to happen.

I need help. I'm not even ashamed to be asking for it at this point. Please help me fix my teeth and/or make it to my new job. I will appreciate you and be thankful forever. And I'll cross stitch something nice for anyone who donates. It might just be a bookmark, but I make really nice bookmarks. Dental insurance is a joke and capitalism a scam. Damn the man, save the Empire. Or something. Thank you in advance.