Well I Did It. I Took Early Retirement

It's working out great. I got a case of the flu that's damn near killed me all week.

Life rarely works out the way we planned. Hopefully, you are feeling better now.

Brandon I am physically comfortable. I eat, I'm warm in the winter and cool in the summer and I can get around on my own and be self sufficient. I've come to believe that's the most we can ask for and should be thankful for it.

As for the flu, it turned out to be a bacteriological infection caused by my bottom teeth I can't afford to fix. Antibiotics knocked it out temporarily.

Buy the meanest, strongest Waterpik you can find. Add a tbsp. of Hydrogen peroxide to the water, put it on the highest setting and blast into your gums twice a day. It will keep the bacteria level down to a manageable level. Now is the time to start as the antibiotics have weakened the bugs.

I would add companionship, friendship and/or community to your list of the most we can ask for.

actually it's late for that. I had a few root canals and crowns a few years ago and they became infected. Because the nerve was gone, I felt no warning pain and until they started rotting from the inside out and I saw the discoloration I wasn't even aware of it.

I learn that there are "minor" roots branching off from the main root of a tooth and that it's not uncommon for those to become infected even after a root canal and crown. That's what I was told anyway.

As for friendship and community I agree one benefits from true friends and you only need one or two true friends. As for community I have come to believe that the more people you open yourself to the more certain betrayal and rejection will eventually follow. I am not pleased to feel this way, but it has overtaken me over the years.

Pretty sure thats not right BVT.

I trained as a dental technician many long years ago so I have enough of an idea to suggest getting another opinion.

It could be a lie to cover up a faulty root canal in the first place. Nothing coming from the healthcare field would surprise me.

This extra root thing came up for hamburgboy some years ago.

He had a root canal and then infection after infection that wouldn't clear up. Ended up at a specialist who discovered that instead of the normal 2 roots, he'd had 3 for that tooth. The third had been hidden in the normal x-rays that are done. Some kind of special imaging needed to be done to see the extra root.

He was advised to tell me to tell my dentist as a precautionary measure.

had to drive to ottawa to have the '' 3 ROOT '' root-canal done .
a long 2 hour drive home with a bag of frozen peas pressed against my cheeck and steering with one hand .
the t0oth is still in place after 20 years .
hbg