Go to the DENTIST!!!

So, I went to the dentist yesterday and they diagnosed me with ANUG (Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis). Just google ANUG and you'll see some great pics of what my mouth looks like...well, not the worst-looking ones. Thankfully my mouth isn't as bad as some of the pictures so I've included this one that is best compared to my situation.




Grotesque I know, but the truth, minus the yellow colored teeth and plaque buildup. So, it's been really interesting how insanely fast this all came on. It was as if with every passing day some new and more painful symptom was added to the tab. It'll be quite the "bill to pay." What's even more insane is that I've never ever had any problems like this in my life. I have excellent dental hygiene routines--floss every night, brush my teeth daily, mouthwash occasionally. The only thing I can contribute this to is that...I'm going to confess now because it my save you or someone you love the intense pain that I'm going through right now...is that the last time I went to the dentist was for the exam for my mission, so...Dec 2003. 7 years!!! Sick! I know! I had some really great excuses, but you know what, they mean squat now. Please, please, please go to dentist regularly! Don't make my same mistakes.

So, to end on a good note, my thoughts more and more are drawn back to the counsel I received from my blessing--to turn to the scriptures. Now that I have proved to myself that I can read the scriptures on a regular basis, I must now step it up a notch to study them. There is a big difference.

Pain

I have a very dear friend who is no stranger to physical pain. As I have talked with her over the years, my testimony of the healing power of the Atonement has strengthened. I had a superficial understanding, an outsider's understanding of how that works until this weekend.

For the last two days straight, I have been battling with fever, hot and cold spells, and a constant growing ache in my gums. Last Friday I noticed that all around my mouth my gums were very tender and sore. Sometime during the day I discovered a pea-sized mass in my left cheek that was sensitive to the touch. A flare of panic struck me and I ultimately found myself a dentist (which I had been meaning to do for months now).

There were only a small handful of dentists that took my insurance and who were open Saturdays. I found one that turned out to be related to me through marriage. Tender mercy of the Lord! He told me that I had a general gum inflammation and that the solid mass in my cheek was most likely a saliva stone.

So I left with a return appointment for next week and some instruction on how to help with the problem. As the day progressed I developed a fever that I'm still trying to kick.

As I was brushing my teeth last night, it became apparent to me that the infection had worsen. It was one of the most painful things I've encountered in a long time, brushing my teeth. I went to bed with this nagging worry in the back of my mind.

I slept for a few hours until the pain in my mouth was unbearable. My sweet husband woke up with me and was/has been a great comfort.

As we went back to bed and with my mouth pounding with pain, the thought came to me to study physical pain. I did so and the first thing I came upon was a talk by Elder Hales back in 1998 for a General Conference of the church entitled Healing Soul and Body. Previously that year, Elder Hales had undergone bypass surgery and he spoke of his physically painful recovery. He then counseled us to do as he did, turn to the Lord, trust Him and in His timetable, ponder the scriptures.

This was a reconfirmation of the counsel I received in the blessing my dear husband gave me when I first was so sick, to read my scriptures.