the makings of a new Leslie

2009 has been the year of fixing the "broken down" Leslie.  At 25 I am literally falling apart, and I have discovered just how fragile I really am.  Seriously, am I 25 or 85?  My body might not have a clue with all of the problems that I have had.

In the middle of the year, I thought I was going to have shoulder surgery since I could not lift my left arm without screaming and crying.  I had never had so much pain shoot through my body before.  Driving, taking a shower, and putting on/taking off clothes, were things that I could hardly do without lifting/rotating my left arm.  It's amazing just how much you use your left shoulder throughout the day. 

I remember waking up in the middle of the night laying on my back with my left arm over my head.  I bursted into tears as I tried to lower it...s.l.o.w.l.y.  I woke Daniel to have him get me an ice pack because it was throbbing.  ugh.  It makes my eyes water just thinking about that horrible night.

Thanks to my husband's suggestion, he took me to the chiropractor.  After my 10 weeks of rehab, I have been great ever since.  If you have never been to a chiropractor before, I HIGHLY suggest that you go.  You have never known what great feels like until you are adjusted and popped.  It's like your individual  vertebrae is floating on a cloud.

While at the chiropractor, they took some x-rays to see what the shoulder problem was (which turned out to be a pinched nerve), and they found something else (of course).  The curvature of my neck is backwards and it puts a lot of pressure on the base of my neck and shoulders.  Because of this increased pressure, I have migraines.  (eureka!)  Finally, an explanation on why I have migraines other than the typical causes that neurologists have given me in the past (lack of sleep, certain foods/drinks, stress).  I must say that I have had about 2 migraines since going to the chiropractor (which is about one every 2 months).  I will take it!  I had gotten to where I had one every month, but one every other month is great!  (You have to remember this is coming from the girl who had 1 to 2 migraines per week in college.  Umm, yeah...not fun.)

My previous ordeal dealt with my ingrown toenail.  (You can relive that memory here.  There's no need to document that experience twice.)  Just an update on the toe:  it's pretty much healed.  I am so thankful to be able to walk on my right big toe again.

This brings me to my latest problem:  receeding gums on my lower front 2 teeth.  I noticed it earlier in the year when my teeth started hurting.  It got so bad that I was having to put orajel and pop pain pills just to go to sleep.  After doing the dentist's suggestions for 6 months (using a soft toothbrush, don't brush hard, use sensitive toothpaste), I told him that it wasn't working and the gums were still receeding.  He referred me to a periodontist (gum doctor) to see about having a gum graft done.  (a what?!  scary.) 

My consultation with Dr. Kent was yesterday.  She did recommend a gum graft on my lower front 2 teeth (ugh great).  They would get the gum from a donor bank (like as in a dead person?!! yes), and donated gum would be stripped of anything living like blood cells and vessels.  She prefers using a donor bank to limit the procedure to just one instead of two.  She said in the past they would use existing gum from the top pallette of the patient.  Then the roof of their mouth would hurt worse in healing and have more problems later on than if they just used a donor.  Hey, sounds good to me...kinda creepy, but could it get worse?  After having the procedure done, she reassured me that it would cure my problem and prevent more recession in that area in the future.  I am pretty sure that I am waiting until after the first of the year to have it done.  The healing period is about 6 weeks, but I won't be down for that long. 

With all of my problems and cures, it's like I am becoming a new, better Leslie.  I have cost us a lot of money this year, but thank goodness for health/dental insurance (until univeral health care takes over). 
-left shoulder pain:  cured!
-migraines:  more cured than they have ever been
-ingrown toenail:  healed
-gum recession:  will be cured in 2010

I better live for a long time after all of my repairs.  Ü