A few months before my open heart surgery, I experienced some swelling and pain in my left cheek, I went to the dentist, was treated for an infection, but the pain and swelling returned, again and again. Eventually, it was determined that my immune system no longer recognized the tooth as a tooth, the nerves were dying, the infection spreading. I was sent to an oral surgeon to have the tooth removed, and to begin the process of getting an implant.

Two days later, I was in the hospital getting surgery for my heart. I remember stitches in my mouth hanging down and freaking out the anesthesiologist in the operating room. The implant process was postponed until a month ago when I returned to the oral surgeon, he performed some uncomfortable surgery on my jaw and tooth that prepared for an implant, which I received. We have a couple more months of trouble, I needed more surgery on my gums and on the jawbone before the implant could work. This became a significant thing to me, as I see this as a year marked by medical preoccupations, doctors visits, insurance issues, and some considerable pain and discomfort.

I wanted my life to return to normal, but my life had its own ideas. Two weeks ago, my excellent dentist despaired, he said he just couldn’t understand the trouble we were having with this procedure, normally routine. Nothing seemed to work, more needles, cutting, drilling. Ouch. He thought I would have to return to the oral surgeon for a third time, but there was one more thing he could try, one more tool to order.

Today I went back and it all worked beautifully, my new crown is arriving in a few weeks. Whatever he ordered was what he needed.  On an impulse, I asked Dr. Coco if I could order a crown in red or blue, he laughed and said, no, he wouldn’t order that for me. We are friends, and he wasn’t buying it, he said I would regret it.

“What about gold?,” I asked. Dr. Coco said it was cheaper than the alternatives, and it was okay with him if it was what I wanted. So I texted Maria, who said. “great!” and I am getting a gold tooth.

I’m happy to get a gold tooth, it will make my mouth a bit more interesting, it’s part of my pirate heritage and character, and I am even happier to be nearing the end of this never-ending medical year. Things could have been a lot worse on both counts, my heart and  my tooth.

This is a milestone for me, a landmark. When my tooth comes I will feel more whole in body and mind, my long medical year will, I hope, be coming to an end.