My recent health battle

[mattdavis11]

I thought I was going to die. Tuesday the 17th, I came home from work feeling really bad, tired, feverish, nauseated. I couldn't taste my beer either, so I figured I had covid-19. Quarantine. Wednesday the 18th, on the way to the testing center, I pass through an oil town, no smell. I get tested and go back home. 10pm on Thursday the 19th I get my results, negative for covid. I still felt like crap, so I stayed home.

Saturday and Sunday I felt ok, about 60%. Monday the 23rd, I was on the downhill slide again, thinking the results were a false negative, I get tested again. By then my taste and smell had somewhat returned. I began looking online for other issues that I may have that are causing covid like symptoms. I began calling Dr's offices, but they didn't want anything to do with me, either stay home or go to the ER.

I know I have a bad tooth, but no pain associated with it. I look up symptoms online, and make an appointment with a dentist for Tuesday the 24th at 2pm. I didn't get past screening, they told me to gtfo and go home or to the er. 30 minutes after I return home, my second test result come back negative again. I began to freak out, I felt awful and no one cared. I knew I didn't have covid, and the er isn't going to be able to help, they would have screened me, and sent me home because I could breath just fine.

After the 2nd result, I was fairly certain it had to be an abscessed tooth. The symptoms are nearly the same as covid-19. I call around again for other dentists in my small town of 25K, I was begging them to take me in, and did in fact tell them I did not want to die of sepsis or septicemia. Finally I got one to take me in at 9am Wednesday the 25th.

I'm in and out of the dentists office in 30 minutes with a prescription for antibiotics and pain, and diagnosis of an abscessed tooth. What a relief. Even one day later, I feel so much better after the first round of antibiotics and rest. I'm spitting stuff up like crazy.

The infection had spread throughout my body so far, that I was fighting with all I had to kill it off. So much so that I was losing senses. The symptoms that pointed me in the direction of a bad tooth was pain in my neck, as well as swelling and redness in both neck and face.

I felt so hopeless, and my thoughts and prayers go out to all who have lost, and will lose, a loved one due to a medical emergency that goes untreated due to covid. It goes without saying that I feel the same for those affected by covid.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

[onewhippedpuppy]

A friend of mine who isn’t in great health and has a heart condition is dealing with a similar situation. He has been generally feeling like crap and can’t even get a doctor to see him because many of the specialists are closed. He’s concerned it’s either another heart problem or cancer but the best he’s gotten so far is a remote adjustment of his medications. It is criminal that an illness with a 99.9XX% survival rate has effectively shut down the treatment of illnesses that kill millions each year.

Glad you’re feeling better Matt!

[KFC911]

Wow Matt... that's sobering to read. Tough times we're going through as a society .... your post makes it Pelican personal though. Take care and best to you....

[masraum]

The good news is that you were smart and persistent and are on the mend.

Now get your tooth fixed.

[mattdavis11]

Tooth is getting fixed next week. The infection has to dry up first. In the mean time, I'm trying to spit and blow it all out my nose so I don't get nauseated by that nasty stuff draining into my stomach.

[wdfifteen]

Sorry to hear about your travails. Great that you were so smart and you persevered. Your story is frightening, enraging, and encouraging all at the same time. Thanks for posting.

[stevej37]

Your fortunate you got in when you did.
A root-canal is prob in the works.

[flatbutt]

Glad to hear you're on the mend Matt. When I was doing research for Sensodyne we came across data that showed how dental health could impact the entire body. Yours is a severe case but we found that even gingivitis or chronic plaque could cause problems.

[GH85Carrera]

A abscessed tooth is an infection in your hear, rather close to your brain. Bad pookie.

I have used the same dentist for 42 years. He knows my mouth, and me rather well. He will stay late or come in early to see me if it is an emergency like a broken tooth or severe toothache.

Glad you are on the mend. It is often rather astonishing how modern medicine like an antibiotic can save you life. Just 100 years ago there were no antibiotics. The dentists could have pulled the tooth and you might not beat the infection. It is nice to live in the world of modern medicine.

[sc_rufctr]

I'm glad you're still with us Matt. All the best and happy Thanksgiving.

[Baz]

Back in the 80's I served on a jury - was actually the jury foreman - in Daytona Beach. The case was against a local dentist being charged with wrongful death because a man died from an infection from a bad tooth.

The reality is the man who died, ignored advice to seek medical attention until it was too late. The dentist was not at all at fault so we found him not guilty.

I remember after I read the verdict, him mouthing the words to us "Thank you!"

Glad you hung in there and kept your troubleshooting efforts going, Matt! Happy Thanksgiving!

[Danimal16]

To help with that nasal cavity, try a neti pot. I have found that with a mild saline it does help with pressure in the head and clears that nasty stuff out of there.
Best to you this Thanksgiving.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Just an theory, but lately they have been giving folks lots of shots out there, and it may be "suspect". Im no anti-vaxxer, but it seems odd that folks need a shot, for this, and a shot for that. I wonder if this co-incides with the dis-eases out there. I hear from a friend, family gets shots, and later on they are in intensive care? I have 3 live cases from close friends where this happened, 1 of their family memeber died, very odd, as I said its just a "theory"...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Tooth is getting fixed next week. The infection has to dry up first. In the mean time, I'm trying to spit and blow it all out my nose so I don't get nauseated by that nasty stuff draining into my stomach.

MMmmm, on that note, lets go have Thanksgiving dinner!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

Just an theory, but lately they have been giving folks lots of shots out there, and it may be "suspect". Im no anti-vaxxer, but it seems odd that folks need a shot, for this, and a shot for that. I wonder if this co-incides with the dis-eases out there. I hear from a friend, family gets shots, and later on they are in intensive care? I have 3 live cases from close friends where this happened, 1 of their family memeber died, very odd, as I said its just a "theory"...

I've done a fair amount of international travel and gotten not only the "normal" shots but also lots of stuff due to the travel. What kind of shots are you talking about?

[Rikao4]

always..
better to sit at the table..
than be lying on it..

Cheer's to all..

Rika

[tdw28210]

Glad you are on the mend. Here is one of the lessons (for me anyway) that is reinforced by this story. When you are interacting with the medical community, YOU MUST ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. PASSIVE PARTICIPATION IS NOT AN OPTION. And in this time of COVID it is even more important.

My family faced a fairly daunting medical issue about 12 years ago. We made the difficult decision to leave our local doctors (they were very good, but not "great") and get treated at a top 5 medical center. This meant multiple months of travel between cities. Even at this WORLD CLASS facility, interacting with multiple top MD's, PA's and nurses we had to occasionally question, "challenge" and even correct them. One time, a PA spent 3 minutes examining the wrong body part and commenting about it. Another time, we got "lost" in the system and waited three hours in an examination room before mildly complaining about it. (they had marked us as "canceled" after putting us in the room). The doctor appeared in two minutes. The other thing to know? "Honey catches more flies than vinegar".

[rsrguy]

Good on ya!

[Rikao4]

post # 17 makes a good point..

but for most of us here....
the old..
it's nothing..
blowing it off...
is what will bite ya real quick...
and if lucky only leave a scar or two....
I'm a new member off that club now..
trust me..
I type from recent exp..

Rika

[vash]

Glad you’re feeling better!


I think I saw that affliction on the show House.