Quality Of Life

The older I have gotten, the worse my mouth has become. I come from a family with genetics for bad teeth. My mother was in full dentures well before she turned 30. My aunts have had numerous caps, root canals, fillings, etc. No matter how much we brush, they decay. Soft, weak, and thin enamel plagues us all.

So over the years, my teeth have broken at the gum line, have decayed from the gums up, have just needed pulled. I paid big bucks for 2 root canals, only to have the teeth break off within months. Brushing my teeth the past two years has almost become unbearable. The enamel is so worn, that my nerves are not protected anymore.

Along with the bad teeth, I have the issues with my palate. The gums around my fistula are tender. They are often swollen and red. I also get sick alot. It's been determined that I'm more prone to infections since my nasal cavity opens up into my mouth. Just a breeding ground for bacteria. Headaches are very common for me as well. Over the past 7 years I've been suffering from Migraines. Headaches so intense I can't stand light, noise, or even having my eyes open.

What is eating food like for me? Very limited and often times painful. I drink fluids more than I eat food. I can't eat chips, no thick or chewy meat, no carrots, no apples, no crunchy peanut butter and cereal has to be a little soggy. Some days I can't handle more than one snack or meal, because it causes so much pain to eat. Last night I tried eating some buttery shrimp at a Chinese Buffet, but couldn't. I was slowly chewing 1 piece of tender shrimp, and it was like holding a fork to a metal filling.......sharp, excruciating pain.

Eating soup is a circus act! Sometimes when I try to eat soup, as my tongue presses against my palate, it forces the soup up into my nasal cavity, which then trickles out of my nose. It's a very attractive sight. Smile. Even ice cream or pudding can become a similar feat to the woman shooting milk from her eye ducts.

I constantly get food stuck in my fistula. I've had to dig out whole corn kernels, chunks of egg, green beans, just a smorgasbord of food items easily get lodged in the hole.

This is a big beginning into how I live daily. There is more to come so please stay tuned......