Thank G-d the tooth extraction went really well! I was anxious going in since I’ve never had any significant dental work done before, but it ended up being so quick and easy. I barely felt anything and he popped the tooth out so fast I couldn’t believe it! And then much to my surprise I hardly had any pain even after the anesthetic wore off! The oral surgeon gave me an additional treatment called Platelet-rich fibrin, or PRF, which helps with wound healing and reduces the risk of dry socket. He drew some of my blood before the extraction and spun it in a centrifuge to separate out the super-healing parts. After the extraction he inserted this material into the hole before stitching it up. This additional procedure was optional, but since my wound healing is compromised by immunosuppression and diabetes, I wanted anything that could help. I don’t know if it was because of the PRF, but my recovery has gone really well and been almost completely pain-free. What a relief!
Unfortunately, Medicare is notorious for not offering dental coverage. I do have some coverage due to having a Medicare Advantage plan, but right now they are denying the PRF (which wasn’t cheap) and the extraction. I had to do it regardless, since the cavity was too close to the nerve to drill and I couldn’t risk it getting infected. I was also willing to pay extra if necessary for the PRF to reduce the risk of complications. But between the dental bill and my ambulance bill from January, this is turning into a medically expensive year!
I have a few extra appointments coming up soon in addition to my usual list. I’ve been on blood thinners for over 3 months now since my PICC-induced blood clot in January. A recent ultrasound showed that the clot has fully resolved, but since this is the 2nd time I’ve had a blood clot, my transplant doctor doesn’t want to stop the blood thinners until I have a consult with hematology. Additionally, recent bloodwork showed that my iron is low, so I need to do iron infusions again. I tried to see if I could do them at Penn Cherry Hill instead of going to Philly, but for some silly reason my transplant team can only refer me to the Pennsylvania locations, and I need a referral from hematology to get iron infusions at the Cherry Hill location. Hematology didn’t have any appointments available for several weeks, so I’m just going to schedule the infusion in Philly. Yay bureaucracy!
Lately it’s felt like the only time I leave the house is for endless medical appointments! Hopefully now that Spring is here we’ll get out and about for more fun stuff soon!
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