June 18, 2017 - OUCH!

OUCH!

The last weekend of October, I was in Samaipata.  While out to eat, I felt a slightly unfamiliar crunch.  I have a back tooth that had a filling that I lost a few years ago.  It never bothered me, except for a gross little hole at the back of my mouth.  When it would hurt, I just used a sensitive toothpaste for a few days and I was fine.  That wasn’t working this time.

As the week progressed, the pain increased.  I bought aspirin for the fever that was developing and some stuff to put on the tooth for the pain.  By Thursday, it hurt.  Friday night I did not sleep.  Saturday morning, I called my friend Sandra and asked her to recommend a dentist. 

Around 12:30, Dr. P. messaged me with a time and directions.  By 1:15 it was hot outside, mid-90s.  I learned in the 80s when I lived here before, that it is always best to walk on the shady side of the street.  It becomes habit now.  It is amazing that it can be 95 outside, but in the shade, it feels like the low 80s.  Dr. P’s office was about 8 blocks away. 

He was a nice man.  He didn’t have to see me since he doesn’t work Saturday afternoons, but he came in just for me.  That just shows what kind of man he is.  He said I need some work done and he will send me to a specialist.  He cleaned my tooth and put a temporary covering on it. 

Monday afternoon I had a second appointment at a very nice dental surgeon’s office a block from the cemetery.  The neighborhood is a little run down, but her offices are beautiful.  Three different dentists, all pretty ladies, worked on me.  It took a while before the anesthesia worked well, so for a bit I was in pain.  I wasn’t handling the pain very well.  I don’t handle pain well.  I was ready to escape.  They were patient with me, and slowly, the pain began to lesson. 

I don’t want to go into the details of the pain or the procedure.  Instead I want you in the States to realize there are very good doctors and dentists here in Bolivia, a third world country.  Something that might surprise you is the cost.  For all the work being done, it cost me just $130.  That was for three visits to the dentist and three visits to the dental surgeon. 

I remember a decade ago when I broke a tooth and had to make the decision between a root canal and extraction.  The extraction was about $500, and I think the root canal was about $3000.  I made a calculation.  If I am again living in Texas and need expensive dental work, I could fly to Bolivia, stay in a hotel, eat out all three meals of the day, and get work done on my tooth for less than $3000.  I’m not making any comments on American medicine, but really I am.  It is way too expensive!