I finally got the last 4 molars on my left side taken out. It didn’t hurt at first, being I was numbed up. But it sure did hurt after the anesthesia wore off. I could only eat, or should I say, gum, my food on one side of my mouth. Well, not fully gum, more like gnaw, for I do have the uppers. More like maneuver the food around the right side of my mouth. No solids. Every time I tried I would get these sharp jabs of pain on my left gum side. But now it seems as if all is well on that side. I can eat without suffering much pain. I can’t really chew a steak, or eat an apple. I guess I can when I cut them in small pieces, but it’s a lot like just swallowing the food, not being able to bite into it to receive the full flavor. I’m sure I’ll be able to do more once I get those bottom teeth in. I have an appointment mid January to get a mold taken of my jaw to get fitted for the dentures.

I thought I’d be more upset about this, but I am actually excited to see how this all works. I don’t have pain anymore where my front bottom teeth used to be. They were loose and sometimes would ache. I was always worried I would bite into something and they would fall out. I don’t have that anymore. Plus, I’ve got a slight overbite where I can’t even tell the bottom teeth are gone when I look in the mirror. It will all be o.k.

This season marks something else. I am now 2 months sober as of the 30th of December. I decided to stop entirely to protect my liver. I had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in 2015, and was placed in the hospital for 30 days and told I had 6 months to 2 years to live. It was a dark time. Not only was I homeless then, but I had developed ascites, fluid in the belly, and had to have my stomach drained of 2 2 liters a week. That’s where they stick a big needle in the belly and pump fluid out. It’s not pretty, nor is it very comfortable. I could barely get around because my belly was so big, and I was in a lot of pain. It was horrible.

So I have no idea why I started to drink again after that. I think I started back up during COVID in 2020 when I had too much space in my mind.

I suppose I have one of those genes that loves alcohol a bit too much. I didn’t get to my old ways of almost a half gallon a day (!) thankfully, for now I am on Naltrexone. Naltrexone is designed to take away cravings and to take away the effects of alcohol. It’s also used to block pain killers. Well, the definition is as follows:

Naltrexone is “an opioid antagonist that works by blocking the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids and the rewarding feelings of alcohol, which helps reduce cravings and the risk of relapse” https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/options/naltrexone

It has been a life saver. I’d probably be dead if I was not on it. I enjoy alcohol that much. Or, I did…

I have no complaints. Everything is going well.

Fun Fact:

“There is a patch of VELCRO inside some ASTRONAUTS’ helmets so they can scratch their noses.” – Random Illustrated Facts

They do this due to an itchy nose and the need to focus when in space.