Last blog of the month, sis!
Can you believe it’s almost June? I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as I am. 😁 This blog post will focus on staying healthy and encourage you to get back on track if you need it!
May is Women’s Health Month, and as women, we need to take care of ourselves so we can pour into others and be poured into.
Self-care recycling itself for generations!
Sharing time!
Speaking of being healthy…. I am going to share a story of my journey with health. I have shared my journey with being more active, and eating healthier but this story happened before that.
This happened in the end of 2022.
I was working at a tech company (I loved my job), and, randomly, in December 2022, my entire team was laid off. I was completely shocked and did not know what to do. This was two weeks before Christmas, to be exact. While I had free time on my hands, I decided to get full health checkups (advice from a sibling). I went to the dentist despite my disdain for the dentist. I went to a clinic not far from my apartment and tried to not think of anxiety-fueled thoughts the whole time. After the dental assistant took photographs of my teeth, I was taken to another room to wait for the dentist.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but the following words I heard stunned me.
“There is nothing I can do for you.”
I started crying, confused at what occurred. The dental assistant ran after the dentist, and I sat in the room alone, unsure of what was happening in my life. The dental assistant walked into the room after several minutes of sobbing silence and explained I needed a dentist who specializes in periodontal disease, which is a condition I have.
“Sometimes it’s genetic, but it’s okay. There is help available.”
I nodded and accepted the referral card she gave me. I didn’t live that far from the clinic, so I walked home to process. I cried the entire walk. I didn’t care how it looked. I felt low. I just lost my job, Christmas is around the corner, and I have a dental disease.
What?? All I could focus on was getting home and crying. That was my task.
After a lot of tears, hugs, and advice, I spent the rest of the week locating a dentist who could help me. The referral card I was given didn’t accept my insurance. I found a dentist and made an appointment. When the dental assistant said she needed to photograph my teeth, I burst into tears. I was so sure this was a de ja vu moment, and they wouldn’t be able to help me.
She comforted me and reassured my fears. I explained the experience at the previous dentist, and she apologized for the lack of empathy from the interaction.
“We help anxious patients often, and it usually is not as bad as it seems.”
I smiled nervously, and we continued. The dentist made me feel very comfortable; she was friendly, answered all my questions, and reassured me that this was only a stepping stone on my path to improved health. Periodontal Disease can be genetic, and it is probably from my dad’s side of my family. Another reason to discuss your health concerns with your family!
Fast forward three months later, and I got hired at a much better company. I also finished all of the extensive oral procedures needed. I won’t go into the complicated ordeal that is my teeth, but it was a very painful winter/spring. I am grateful this was during COVID because, at one point, several of my front teeth were extracted, and I could get away with wearing a mask without anyone questioning it.
I have been wearing partials (dentures) or partial dentures since March 2023, after all my procedures were completed. I know beauty is more than how you look, but at that time, I did not like looking in the mirror.
I felt gross.
I felt like a shell of who I was capable of being, and I hated it.
A few nights, I cried myself asleep.
One thing I didn’t do was give up. I knew I could get past this, and at some point, I wouldn’t be in pain, steer clear of mirrors, or want it to stop. Butterflies are not pretty before they get their wings. They have to go through the process. A transformation needs to occur. I could not have gotten through it without Via. She encouraged me, held me when I cried, and gave me advice to comfort my insecurities.
The news I received was not what I expected to hear, especially after losing my job. It did get better. I look back at that time of my life as a growing experience. Each season has a new lesson and I was in a season of growth. Growing my business, growing personally, transforming myself. My teeth are officially more high-maintenance than I am.
I have to visit the dentist every three to six months for maintenance, and even with insurance, I still have to pay out of pocket for extensive care. I have never shared this story with anyone. I briefly touched on this on social media when it happened, but I wanted to elaborate on the details to emphasize a key point.
Your health is essential.
Taking care of you is not an option.
You can do it voluntarily or wait until you have to do it.
I should have taken better care of my dental health, and I should have looked into alternative options when I didn’t have dental coverage. I did not, but I did seek help. I did not give up when a medical professional left me crying in a room. I love me, and I knew I deserved better. Go get checked up.
Take care of you!
This is Superb. Thank you for sharing. Your story of pain and survival is inspiring
💓