Dental Drama and PT Pain

The past few days have been somewhat miserable for me. Anyone who's read my blog for a while knows that I've had a ridiculous about of dental work and other tooth woes: crowns, root canals, periodontal work, the Cerec fiasco, etc. Last week I went to a new dentist, who informed me that two recent crowns would have to be replaced due to shoddy work, and one would need an implant. He also suggested to crown a molar that had an old gigantic amalam filling. I was bummed that I needed to have so much recent (expensive) work replaced, but I'm kinda used to it.

On Sunday night, after returning from my quick trip to Florida, my upper left gums and molars started throbbing. I was in an immense amount of pain, and I had no idea why (because all of the work scheduled was on my right side). Through the night, I used Orajel, Lortab, and many ice packs to try to take down the pain level. Between 2 am and 8 am, I only dozed off a few times because I hurt so bad. Despite my perpetually sore back, that pain had NOTHING on my jaw.

I called the dentist's office as soon as they opened, and they got me in a few hours later. After a round of x-rays, he informed me that I had 4 abscessed teeth, with infection permeating both my upper and lower jaw. The two worst teeth were ones that had ceramic crowns, so he drilled them and did two pulpotomies. He handed me a prescription for Amoxicillin and told me to come back on Thursday to complete the root canals. He hoped that the other infected teeth would improve with the antibiotics, and would not require invasive treatment.

Over the past three days, I've been miserable. Not only was I dealing with the dental drama, I had a little mishap at physical therapy on my back. I finished an hour of electrostim and traction, and as I sat up, my hip popped about 3 cm out of place. My physical therapist did some manipulation and nearly and hour of electrical ultrasound to get me to the point I could walk. I still feel like a disconnected insect. Or a bowlegged cowboy.

Luckily, Taylor was home for a few days to take care of me. He replenished my ice packs, made sure I took my meds on time, prepared soft foods and offered general support and entertainment till he had to fly back to Memphis yesterday. Just before heading up to SLC to drop him off at the airport, I started getting a fever and body aches. By the time I dropped him off, my fever was up to 103*. My face was so hot, I felt like I could fry an egg on it. Something tells me the Amoxicillin wasn't strong enough.

I have my appointment for the root canals this morning, right after the office opens. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will postpone the root canals, and send me straight to Urgent Care.

Another Moving Fiasco: Part 3

Phew! I finally made some headway in MovingGate 2009-2010. It took bombarding Moving 1 with voice mails and emails for a few days before Rob would actually accept a call from me (I was really getting sick of the receptionist whispering to him that I was on the phone, thinking she'd placed the call on hold). After reviewing the emailed quotes I'd sent from other moving companies, (and sternly warning him with some legal mumbo-jumbo suggested from my buddy in law school,) Rob finally agreed to removed the $2/CF surcharge on the "extra" 190 CF. That brought down the price $360. Not terribly significant, but he said it was the best he could offer outside of court. Since I didn't want to wait for my belongings through a lengthy multi-state court process, I accepted the arrangement. It's still $1075 more than the binding estimate, but I don't think I could have been any more successful without paying for a lawyer. I never heard back from Gephardt, but if he does contact me, I'll see if he has any additional tips for me. I've reported the company to the BBB and American Moving and Storage Association. In the words of Mr. T: "I pity the fool who uses Moving 1!"One other bright spot: We negotiated with Taylor's company to give us additional reimbursement towards our moving costs. They'll cover the $450 in packing supplies. With the "discount" from Moving 1 and extra money from the airline, we are scheduled to have our stuff arrive in Spanish Fork sometime between January 16-22. We'll have to do some mad pawning, Ebaying, and KSL.com selling to get enough cash this week (since the reimbursement will take a while). I've got a ton of Rosie's baby clothes (newborn to 4T) if you're interested....

JJXHCFEB6XZS

Another Moving Fiasco : Part 2

Ah, the continuing moving saga of the Bullock family. Part one of the Atlanta moving fiasco is here.

I was hoping that after two weeks I'd have more good news to report on the move, but we're still in a stalemate. We'd hoped to have the issue resolved quickly, and to have our belongings delivered by Christmas or New Years'. I've talked to several receptionists, two reservation specialists and two managers, and have gotten the most information out of the manager Rob (but on only one occasion). When I call to ask for Rob, I am typically put on hold for 10-25 minutes before I'm told "He's already left for the day," or "He has taken the day off," or "He's meeting with a vendor in the warehouse and can't talk for at least an hour." All excuses are given with a promise to have him call me back immediately, but as of today, I have not had ONE email or phone call returned. I have messaged Erica the reservation specialist a few times, and she is no longer returning my emails or voice mails.

Currently, our items are sitting in their regional warehouse in Arkansas. We have gotten the moving company to agree to not charge us storage fees until we are able to pay enough to start transit (which we will do as soon as they give us an agreeable total price). But at the rate Moving 1 has been going, who knows if it will happen anytime soon?!?

I don't know what else I can do. I just emailed Get Gephardt for help.

Not a pain in the neck, more like a pain in the butt!

Two weeks ago, I was shoveling snow in my driveway. We'd gotten about 11 inches of snow, and had let it sit for a day. Once I picked up a scarf, hat, gloves and some snow boots from DI, I went to work clearing a path for my car in the driveway. After about 45 minutes, I mightily thrust my shovel into a section of snow that was actually rock hard ice. The shovel didn't move from the point of impact, but I wrenched my back in the process. Ironically, this happened while my husband was in the warm house playing XBOX.

I've been pretty miserable since, utilizing ice packs, heat, and lots of Motrin. A few days ago I decided to try shoveling again, and my back flared up even more. I happened to find out that my neighbor is a physical therapist, and he evaluated me. It appears I have a "bulging L4-L5" with "S1 dysfunction." He poked and prodded me while ordering me into uncomfortable positions, gave me a lengthy list of exercises, and forbade me from shoveling snow, loading a dishwasher, vacuuming, or any other rotating repetitive movement for 4-6 weeks.

So....how should I bribe a Deacon to shovel my driveway for the next 6 weeks?

Yet Another Moving Fiasco

The storage unit in Decatur, GA that has held our earthly possessions since June

When Rosie and I headed out to Utah in June, all we brought with us was what fit into my Camry. We packed pretty creatively, so we haven't been totally barren. Unfortunately, most of the clothes we brought with us were capris, tees, sandals, and light jackets. Now that it's Winter, fleece jackets just don't cut it! We've found some amazing finds online and at thrift stores. We've received calls from neighbors and family members when they were getting rid of something we might be able to use. But after 6 months of shelling out $100 bucks per month to Public Storage, we knew we had to get our stuff out to Utah sooner rather than later.

Over the past few months, I've gotten about 20 different price quotes from traditional moving companies, freight companies, cube storage/shipping, U-Pack, U-Haul, etc. We had chosen a broker called Moving 1 (who we did ultimately use this week) and we told them we weren't sure when it would happen because we didn't have the funds to pay yet. Once we got a quote lower than Moving 1's quote, we asked them to match it. They DID match the total, but not the rate per cubic foot. We had reserved 800 cu ft (10x10x8 storage unit) but they way they scammed us was to only give us 560 cu ft for the $1820. When we used 720 cu ft, we got slammed with a higher price for that "extra" 190 cu ft.

In all, they charged us $3.75 per CF, and $5.75 for the extra CF (when all other CF quotes were between $2.15-$3.00 per CF.) Also, they charged us $530 for packing materials which consisted of 12 boxes and packaging tape, and a "dish packing fee" to put our bagged pots and pans into a box. When the truck was all packed, they movers said that the price was now $3200, not the "binding estimate" of $1800. We then found out was binding for weight...no matter how much it weighed, it would cost the same...but we'd have to pay extra for added volume. While at the storage unit as the movers packed, we tossed out dressers, mattresses, garbage bags full of linens and clothes, etc to make take down the amount of space used. We were supposed to pay half in cash at pick up, and half on delivery. We only had $1100 available to pay, so we have to wire them another $700 before they will ship it out to Utah. Our treasures will sit in a warehouse in Arkansas until we have paid half of the balance. Then we have to figure out the other half upon delivery. Hopefully we'll get some cash for Christmas.

I have already submitted several comparable quotes I had obtained from various other companies to the manager at Moving 1 (and the "going rate" per CF obviously is nowhere near as expensive as Moving 1). I've also spoken with the manager of the dispatching trucking company to request an itemized bill for packaging materials, and will get rates from other movers to see how much our crew overcharged us. If the trucking company doesn't help resolve this fiasco, we can go to small claims court over it. If we win, we'll only have to pay about $200 out of what we recover. I am willing to fight, because I have no other choice.

With all of our interstate moves over the last 5 years, we've had varying luck with companies. We had something similar happen to us when we moved from California to Michigan, and luckily my in-laws bailed us out. Our Utah to California move was spot on with ABF U-Pack, and I wish we'd gone with them again. Our Michigan to Georgia move was fairly close to the estimate, but the movers took so long to move it out that we talked them into hiring a crew to unpack the truck for us for free. I'll post an update on what happens with the GA to UT move as soon as we have any answers.

Merry Christmas, right?

Just my luck...

Today I've got a job interview. I got the call at 5:30 pm yesterday for an interview just after lunchtime. It the first time I've planned to make my hair look really nice and wear full makeup in a few months. As I was getting all of my makeup out on the counter, I froze when I saw my bottle of foundation. It was practically empty in a rock-hard clump. Last time I used it, I'm certain that there was at least 1/3 left. I guess it's been a while since I've worn more than mascara and lip gloss.

I went shopping for an outfit to wear for the interview last night. Most of my work clothes are still in storage in Atlanta. After trying on stuff at seven stores, I only came home with a pair of black slacks. Everything else I tried on fit wrong, was too expensive, or made me look like I was 50. The blouse I'm going to wear is a bit on the casual side, but the color shows off my eyes really well. (Random fact: for every job I've been offered, someone in the interview complimented my eyes)

I don't have a printer at home, so I need to figure out a place to print copies of my resume in the next hour.

I've never felt so unprepared for an interview...

Post 499: MIA?, Portland Trip, and non-revving nightmare

Thank you to all those who checked up on me to see if I was okay. "A week without blogging? Are you seriously ill?", several people asked. No..I'm not ill - just in need of a break from the rigors of creativity and daily blogging.

The Portland trip was exciting and exhausting. Rosie and I flew in Friday night and stayed in Tualatin with the Grahams, a family that my family has known for decades. Saturday was fun, start to finish. I had breakfast with Coral, a middle school friend, at Rose's in West Linn. We had the cinnamon roll french toast (to DIE for) and got caught up on all we've missed in the last 12 years. Next, we drove back to Tualatin by way of the Wanker's Corner general store (where we got drinks and snacks.) Our original purpose for going to Portland was to attend a wedding reception for Rosie's cousin...but we didn't realize we'd put the wrong date down until after we got their gift. We met Carisa, an elementary school friend, for drinks at Starbucks. She's getting married this year, and it was fun to hear all about her fiance.

For lunch, we went to Newport Bay Restaurant with my aunt Laurie and cousin Christi. We hadn't seen each other in 7 years at Grandpa Gene's funeral, so it was lovely to have some family time with relatives I rarely get to see. We did a little shopping around Washington Square Mall, then I followed Laurie over to Auntie Dona and Uncle Bob's house. Their daughter Margi found out I was over and she immediately joined us. We caught up and reminisced for the afternoon. Aterwards, I dropped by my cousin Jillian's apartment. Her husband just graduated medical school, and they're off to Colorado at the end of the month for Ben's pathology residency. They gave us a McCormick and Schmick's gift card, so we had a free super-fresh seafood dinner there after pics at the Portland Temple. We arrived back at the Grahams' around 9, visited until my eyelids could no longer stay open, and set my alarm for 3:40 am.

We woke up, packed our bags, and went out to our rental car. Once inside, we realized that things were missing...my Blackberry and Ipod chargers, some papers and food items. It didn't look like the car had been broken into, so I'm guessing the rental car's alarm clicker wasn't working. Luckily the chargers can be replaced. We drove to the airport, grabbed some breakfast, dropped off the car, and waited through a horrid security line at PDX. I complained over the 40 minute wait...but little did I know the non-revving disaster I was about to encounter.

We tried for the 6:00 am ATL flight - we were part of the 9 that didn't make it on. Then we tried for the SLC flight - denied again. Tried for a MSP NWA flight - nope. Tried for another ATL and SLC flight - was told our best option was to get an ID-90 pass from Horizon, fly to Seattle, and get a SEA-ATL non-stop flight. We waited till we didn't get on another MSP flight, went out of security, purchased the passes, walked across the airport again to Horizon's gates, where the gate agent said our luck was pretty bleak to get on a SEA flight standby. So we went back across the airport to try for the last SLC flight - denied again. Finally, we made it on a MSP flight at the last second, and we had to check our bags. Once we were in Minneapolis, we were too late to make it on any outgoing flights. Taylor Priceline'd an "airport hotel" that didn't have a shuttle and was nowhere near the airport. We paid so much in cab fare that we could have gotten a really nice hotel. We got about 5 hours sleep before the 3:30 am alarm woke us up, the cab took us back to the airport, and we were crossing our fingers for the 5:15 am ATL flight. We were top of the list, made it on, and were able to sit together. We touched down in ATL just before 9:00 am - which meant I was late for work.

It was a bittersweet trip: wonderful visits and horrible trip home. Was it worth it? I say yes cautiously : this experience has put the fear of the flight Gods back into me. I don't think I'm going to tempt fate like this again when flight loads aren't wide open. The next time I fly will be on a confirmed positive space ticket.

CEREC SUX!!!!!

DON'T LET YOUR DENTIST FOOL YOU!!!!

As many of my blog readers know, I've had some pretty terrible experiences with my teeth. From my early years, I dreaded visiting the otherwise lovely Dr. Edvalson from church because I knew the visit would end up in bad news, pain, and unhappy parents who couldn't afford the fillings. I've had some pretty hellacious dental visits in my 28 years, but today took the cake.

I went to my new office in Canton today, as recommended by my coworker. I explained the last 8 months of my dental history, including which teeth had been worked on, pain, sensitivity, and rough edges. He looked in my mouth for less than a minute, and looked me in the eye and said "I've got some bad news."

He came to explain that all of the teeth that I'd opted to have CEREC work done on were done incompetently. The two teeth have have been pushing me toward the Vicodin bottle for the last month were full of decay, and would need a root canal ASAP. The CEREC material was breaking off in chunks, and as I held up the mirror as he scraped...I knew he was right.

For those not familliar with CEREC, it is a dental restoration product that uses 3D technology and CAD/CAM to make a tooth replacement that does not require a dental lab. When I was deciding between CEREC and other crown substances, I was talked into the CEREC because I was told that it will last several years longer than ceramic fused to metal. It can supposedly be done in one office visit, but for some reason I always had to come back for a second visit. CEREC should be used with discretion, as not all patients are good candidates, especially on molars. It also causes a lot of tooth sensitivity, which I've been experiencing for months.

When I had the work done last fall, I had a lousy HMO plan, but the feel schedule said I should have been paying approximately $400 for the crown and buildup per tooth. But for some reason, they kept saying that I was required to pay an extra coinsurance on top of that. All the work ended up being around $2000. I talked to my dental HMO several times, and they told me that it was basically up to the discretion of the office to determine the coinsurance amount. That should have been my first red flag.

Another gripe I had with the office was that I knew I had several teeth that needed work, but very little time till I was moving out of state. In once terrible visit, I was subjected to nearly 5 hours in the chair, being shot, drilled, and bonded in all four quadrants of my mouth. I had asked to have only the most VITAL teeth worked on, and they took the liberty of starting every tooth in one visit. I left the office with a 2 year repayment plan and a majorly bad taste in my mouth.

So here we are...needed a mouthful of work done again, still paying off my shoddy work, and having the worry that my new insurance companies (I'm double covered now) may deny the work because it is less than 5 years old (*#%^*&!!!)

My new dentist suggests that I get the Michigan Board of Dentistry, California Board of Dentistry, and an attorney involved. He said that a reputable dentist would take accountability and refund the work and help cover the cost of restoration, but I have a funny feeling they'll hire their own attorney and find a way to blame it on me. It's going to be an expensive, painful, time-consuming and messy hassle!