Periodontitis

I usually write about motorcycle-related topics, but this one is differnt.

I had been experiencing painful headaches for several months now. I suspected that these headaches came from temperature differences where I worked with an air conditioning system that always made my work area uncomfortable. But with ruling out the likelihood of an ear infection (after several pointless doctor visits) I decided to see a dentist.

In retrospect, I had a number of warning signs:

• My teeth felt loose when I ate;
• Hot and cold foods occasionally made my gums and teeth hurt;
• I had bad breath that never seemed to go away.

The headache probably came from an infection under my gum line.

Looking back, I can see how this problem developed:

• I spent long hours at work without brushing (frequently between 10 and 14 hours);
• several LAN parties that skipped brushing altogether while consuming sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks;
• I can only imagine the thousands of sodas I've consumed over the past few years;
• and in which time I've not visited a dentist for a regular cleaning.

A regular checkup with x-rays determined that I suffered from periodontal disease. According to the dentist, I was in the early stages of the disease. If treated, it could likely be reversed. If left untreated, a regular cleaning could actually "trap" the offending bacteria and tartar buildup and make my situation worse.

My treatment involved some local anesthesia and scaling of the teeth above and below the gum line. One side was done at a time, for which I was grateful. I wouldn't be able to talk or eat anything if my whole mouth had been numbed! I experienced some soreness for a couple days after each treatment. Afterwards, I followed up with a salt rinse the day of the treatment (as an antiseptic) and regular brushing, flossing and rinsing with Oxyfresh. According to my periodontist, the follow-up maintenance has worked very well. So with regular at-home maintenance and a few checkups confirming my progress, I should be well on my way back to health.

I made a few minor lifestyle changes which will help me continue improving my dental health:

• I bring a "dental kit" with me to work so I can brush and floss after lunch;
• I floss at least once a day;
• I use the Oxyfresh mouthwash treatment at least once a day;
• I make it a point to brush my teeth at the very least twice a day.

I've noticed that I don't feel well, even uncomfortable when I've not brushed my teeth after eating, so it reminds me if I've been neglectful.

If my experience helps someone get to a dentist - or encourage a lifestyle change (like brushing after grabbing a meal before hours of more riding!) then this post is worth it.

Salúd!

---

Useful Links:

Wikipedia
Studio Dentaire
Thomas H. Holmes
National Dental Centre

Texas Worker's Comp.

I'm not a fan of anyone abusing the system, but there are times that you and your employer need to use workers' compensation insurance. I decided to post a few links for those that may be interested to know about worker's comp in Texas.

TXCOMP

Current Workers' Compensation Rules


Workers' Compensation Forms

I hope no-one every has to go through any of this process since it can be a very lengthy one. The road to recovery is too often covered in red tape.

Clutching Hand Leaves Me Grasping at Straws

My wrist injury is not a break, according to the MRI I had done Monday. However, according to my treating physician, the pain in my wrist is from two "large", pre-existing ganglion cysts in my wrist and has nothing to do with the actual injury from two weeks ago.

And no, these cysts are not visible like the one I had before...

So why do I have continued numbness throughout my hand? Presumably, it's from the splint he prescribed me to wear!

Regardless of the outcome of my current "medical" treatment, I want to see a specialist regarding those cysts... and I want to be able to make my ride this fall. All of this falls into doubt since there's a lot of paperwork and waiting involved since I need to change primary care - or at least be pronounced "cured" so I can seek treatment without workman's comp. (The doctor I want to see won't admit me until this is cleared up (according to the office staff.)

Not that loss of function can be described as "all better now." Hey doc, you're being a pain in my butt. Perhaps you can kiss it to make me feel better?

The Good, the Bad, and the Aesthetically Challenged

First the good news: The Ol' gal has a full set of saddlebags for the first time in over 3 years! I've also got the vast majority of the parts I was waiting for this week in. Now it's time I get the bike put back together so I can test ride and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

The bad news? It may be a while before I'm riding again. My left hand has been in a splint for a week now and it's not healing quickly. The doctor wants me to have an MRI done to see what the problem is. (Yeah, this makes my typing painfully slow... compared to what I'm used to!) The doctor also threatened to put me in a traditional cast if I couldn't keep this splint on... Oh, the huge manatee!

Now the aesthetically challenged:

Getting in Shape for the Move

I am ready to move to the new store. Of course, I only speak for myself and not our inventory.

I've also enjoyed the benefits of exercising each morning - and I'm not referring to the customer who wants a part for their bike - but doesn't know what kind of bike it is. (Insert emoticon of :facepalm or :headbrick !)

I started Tuesday morning (which is my Monday, for those not familiar with how most motorcycle shops keep their hours) when I woke an hour early and figured, why not start now? I had been putting it off - hoping that the Spurs would quickly win the national championship and my sleep schedule would return to routine... But since I was awake and wanted to stretch my legs, I managed to get in a good workout following the exercises from a book I had not very recently acquired (but decided I would follow "when I got around to it.")

The results are amazing. I had forgotten how good I feel after exercising. Never mind the health benefits - I'm more alert at work, well focused and sleep better at night. I have been slowly weaning myself from the computer ritual first thing in the morning and now it's paying off.

If I can keep this up, I will probably reward myself with a hiking trip to Big Bend in the late fall. Maybe even make the voyage to Daytona for Biketoberfest? Who knows? I might even get to see family for Thanksgiving!

War of Attrition

I was thinking about depression yesterday. It occurred to me that depression is like a war of attrition. The victor (the person or the depression) is the one who wins the most days.

It seems corny, but I'm beginning to see the wisdom in "making each day count" and "choosing to be positive." That's hard where I work since there's a lot of sarcasm and we're in the midst of a lot of change.

But it's a worthwhile goal. In the end, I hope I have won more days over depression than depression has won over me.

An end to senseless bruise drama

Okay, this is the third week. The stupid bruise is almost gone. I'm no longer in any pain and there's just a mild discoloration. By the end of week two, it had turned a dark brown color and began to shrink in size.

Yes, it's sad that I've only had this bruise to talk about for three weeks! I've been very busy with work and decidedly haven't gotten out much. Gas prices jumped about $0.25 a gallon - or a bit more - though there's talk from Austin about taking away the state's $0.20 per gallon gasoline tax for the three months of summer.

Despite paying near $3.00 a gallon, I managed to go for a ride after work. It's been one of those weeks where you think you're about to finish something when you get caught in a middle of a sandstorm and everything is messed up and you have to start all over again. I wondered if I was going to accomplish anything at all... And it's been a six day work week. Frustration on top of aggravation. Mood = not that good.

So, I'm just trying to let go. It's getting harder as my riding season is fading away into summer (when it's too hot to ride a lot). The weather yesterday was absolutely perfect. It started and ended in the low 70's and never got too hot. Perfect for an extended trip of a week or two. I could smell it in the air.

I thought riding last night would help me clear my head. Instead, I thought a lot about all the rides I've done and who I've ridden with. I thought about mistakes I've made and the problems with me - now.

Despite that, two noteworthy things happened. I saw the post-sunset (it was still somewhat light out at 9PM) at my favorite scenic view in the Hill Country. No picture, but it was stunning with the clouds and hills hinting at reds and blues and playing with shadows. I had also had dinner at McDonalds in Hondo (I think...) where a little girl on the other side of the glass in the play gym decided to make friends with me. She'd see me eating (and being very serious), run up to the window and wave. I'd turn my head, smile and maybe do a little wave. She'd chuckle and run off. This happened numerous times. It's good to know I can still make friends. (?!)

In all, I rode about 125 miles. I got home late, but I was ready for bed and fell asleep easily - though I had weird dreams (thanks to all that thinking). That was rather nice for a mid-week (for me) ride.

One more day of work and then maybe I'll surprise my wife with a birthday treat. Then again, she may not go for it and I'll sit another weekend out...

Bruise Redux

Yesterday is one week from the initial injury. Saturday and Sunday were uncomfortable to say the least. I really wanted to go hiking at Government Canyon (and use my new Texas State Parks Pass) but I just didn't feel well. My calves were cramping and my left arm hurt. I took some aspirin and put some heat on the bruise last night.

I spoke with someone else who had the same thing happen to her (only perhaps even worse) and she told me it took three weeks for the bruise to go away. I would say that by week one I've gotten a modestly large bruise whose size seems to have stabilized.

For the record, this bruise is as large (if not somewhat larger) than any I've ever picked up in a motorcycling accident. I am also starting to wonder about the possible side effects of regular platelet donations. Evidence exists for long-term health problems, but finding and understanding what those problems are remains slightly elusive. Anyone willing to help decipher this stuff for me? I'd be very appreciative!

Taken Saturday, April 28, 2007 after
returning home from work (Day 6).

An Eye for a Bruise

This is about two things: contacts and donating platelets. The latter involves a picture which may or may not be cool to look at during work. Then again, why would you be looking at my blog during work hours? Quit wasting company time and keep America productive! (Everyone else from other countries can disregard that last statement - gotta keep the dollar strong, right?)

I got fitted for contacts Monday and have worn them for the first time all week. Oh, the joys of poking my fingers in my eyes! I'm using two different brands (one for each eye) to see which I like best. So far, it's the one that's easiest to put in and take out!

Now for the cool part: I donated Sunday. (If I donated Monday, I could have had a full cholesterol bloodwork run for free). But my arm slipped just a little, causing the needle to go through the vein. When the machine drew blood from my arm, that wasn't really a problem. However, it siphons out the platelets and returns the blood to my arm. In this case, it didn't pump the blood into my veins but the cavity in my arm around the vein. Fortunately I had a technician right there when it started happening and he stopped the return when he saw me suddenly express a lot of pain in my face.

Yeah, it's funny now. That's why I'm saving the picture for last.

I won't be able to donate for two more months because the machine kept whole blood. In the mood I was in this weekend - despising humanity ad nauseum - it didn't really matter to me.

So with three days to fester, here's the bruise now. You can see the red mark where the needle went in my arm.


Didn't I have a rough time the last time I went to that particular center to donate? (Yes.) Will I ever learn? (No.)

Back in the saddle again...

Thanks to Aerosmith (lyrics) for the "return to duty" as I rode to work for the first time in two weeks. My sinus infection is all but gone, though my allergies still have a hint of irritability. Regardless, I feel ten times better than I did a week ago, and it's good to be back on two wheels.

But even just taking the long way home last night, I noticed that I was a bit out of shape. Between that and the cooling evening air, I made a good decision to make the ride a little shorter than I originally desired.

The ability to ride for longer periods of time takes conditioning. When I first started riding, half an hour or an hour seemed like a long ride... A trip from Daytona to St. Augustine and back seemed like a major ordeal. Since then, it's not uncommon for me to do twice that on a weekend.

Perhaps those all-night/all-day rides from San Antonio to Daytona a few years ago put things into perspective. Regardless, conditioning played a big role in how well I handled the stress of those rides. I could tell that I'm at a low point right now with just that ride home.

I do have a plan: I'm going to sell the XT (*sigh* - it's running great now) and make room in the garage for exercise. I'll dedicate about 45 minutes to an hour each morning (during the week) to exercise. We have a ton of videos (thanks to my wife), some free weights and an exercise mat. Plus, much of the garage is carpeted. (Are my bikes spoiled or what?)

So, I'm going to finish the antibiotics this week and start arranging the garage in such a way as to have some room to exercise. (And, no the living room won't work for us).

A Bloody Nose, A Pain in the Butt...

Remember those allergies from my last post? Well, it's gotten worse. I've mostly lost my voice, I've been draining a little bit of blood from my snot and coughing up some blood in my mucus and it's still that nasty green color. It's definitely from all that nose-blowing, coughing and drying out from my allergy medicines.

I went to see the doctor yesterday (after a week of the bad stuff) and he suggested a shot to help out. He also prescribed an even stronger anti-histamine/decongestant. And if that didn't work out, he said, he hand-wrote a prescription for an antibiotic. The shot is some kind of steroid that would supposedly make me feel great and the pills would only be a precaution.

I volunteered for the shot, despite the fact that I'm nearly phobic towards needles. (One must confront their fears instead of shying from them to become stronger). I didn't realize that I'd have to cross my legs, pull my pants down a bit and take it in my "hip." If one of my coworkers had been the doctor, he would have said (rather crudely) that I should "take it in the bobo and like it!" Well, my butt is still sore and I've not even been riding!

I'm still draining the nasty stuff. So, I'm off to fill the antibiotic prescription.

In the meantime, the XT has been lounging around the Yamaha shop and is ready for it's return home. Sadly, it will ride home in the back of my truck. But it's good to know that having been tinkered with by the mechanic that it's probably good to go for another 5 to 10 thousand miles with only routine maintenance.

On the other hand, a coworker has offered to buy it in the next couple months, so we'll see how that goes. Perhaps once this is all done, I can start back to work on losing a few pounds and getting back in to shape. Again.

'Tis the Season

I've not posted for a while. Part of that was deliberate. I've had a lot of posts lately. On the other hand, I've been busy with work - which is normal - but I've been extremely tired afterwards. In the middle of last week, I began an affliction of allergies which - over the weekend - turned into a sinus infection.

When I went to work yesterday, I did not eat as much as I normally did. I excused myself regularly to blow my nose, hack up some green stuff or whatever. The fact that the air conditioning was broken (and it always seems to get warmer inside the building than outside), I was plenty miserable. I fell asleep watching the Spurs game last night - though that isn't altogether very unusual.

So, did I ride? No.

As a rule - and I've discovered, it's a very good rule - I do not ride when I'm feeling unwell. If my reaction times or judgment seem impaired, then I eliminate riding as an option. I did spend about two hours riding on Sunday, but I was exhausted upon arriving home.

So, this Spring and Summer here are two things to look out for: allergies and dehydration. Both are easy to overlook. The medicines we take for allergies cause many of the same symptoms as dehydration: dizziness, sleepiness, lack of clarity of thought - all of which can be fatal to a biker or any commuter, for that matter.

In hindsight, the accident that precluded the purchase of the XT600 gave me lots of warning signs: I was not feeling 100% (I convinced myself that I just needed some 'fresh air.') I also got that "feeling," which told me that something was not right. I decided I'd just be careful. I also thought about wearing some leg protection, but opted for jeans - just that day - I thought. Any extra protection I could have worn would have been used.

So, I'm taking the cage to work today. But it's okay: they know me there!

Beautiful Monday

Ah... Yesterday was a perfect finale to a very cold week. The skies were blue, the air was warm (a very enjoyable - almost warm - 68° F). It was perfect riding weather. So, as you might imagine, I probably headed off to the hill country for a nice, long ride, right?

Nope. Not at all.

My wife and I were getting some blood work done at the doctor's office. I figured I'd go riding after that. But I got a call from Tanya at the Blood Bank who asked me if I would be available to donate platelets again. It just so happened that I was available that afternoon. So after our doctor appointment ended, we grabbed lunch and went down to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center off I-10 near Vance Jackson.

I'm very poor at reading my emails, but they sent this to me just a few days ago:

The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is calling out to the community with a pressing message to urge all eligible blood donors to give blood. All blood types are needed to help boost the community blood supply, which was threatened last month during the severe weather that affected many parts of the nation and impacted the blood supply. Currently, the blood level is at a critical level, meaning that there is less than a one day supply of blood, far less than the necessary three to four day supply needed to adequately serve the community.

The importance of your blood donation is directly tied to our present need. Your donation of blood or platelets will ensure that patients, young and old, receive the necessary transfusions. Blood is perishable and has a shelf life of only 42 days, so the need for blood is constant. You can be the link that makes a difference in our community. Be a model advocate for donating blood by helping us during this critical time and connecting for life.

I don't know when I'll next be available to donate, so I do as much as I can whenever I can. I also figure that by donating now, I'm helping not only myself but other bikers who might need what I can freely give. Despite the fact that some places will actually pay for your donations, I have a better feeling about donating. I've also heard that the risks involved are a lot lower than the pay-for-blood places... Regardless, I've always been a fan of helping other people. If I gave up a day of riding to do so, then hey - a little bit of my time to save another person's life is worth it.

If you're eligible to donate, you should consider doing so yourself. Then again, you also get free juice and cookies! Ha ha!

Getting back to health

Does this look like a dangerous intersection to you?
This was taken at the same time of day as my accident.
The exit is covered in gravel - it's just a little thicker on
the outside than on the inside.

I can't believe it's been three years since my hard lowside near US-90.

To simplify the story, I thought I saw gravel on the outside of an exit ramp, so I leaned the bike a little further and WHAM! I was suddenly having one of those moments where you have this long conversation in your head while this incident that lasts just a few milliseconds occurs in slow motion:

"This shouldn't be happening..."

"Well, hang on this time. It might get better..."

"Oh, no. Not again."

"I can't hold on!"

"This is gonna hurt... "

"Just gotta keep the helmet off the ground..."

"It's over. If I could just lay here for a moment before I get up. Man, my hip hurts."

As it happens, right before I made the "turn" I waved to a guy on a cruiser. He rode up to me and asked it I was all right. I don't remember what I told him, but I can only imagine that he called for help. I knew I just wanted to rest a minute before I tried to get up. But, before I could do any of that, a police officer was holding my helmet still and telling me not to move. I swear I just closed my eyes for a second... But I was fully aware of my surroundings as the ambulance arrived, they checked for my ID and asked me what had happened. I was also smart enough to ask the paramedics to remove my tankbag before they drove off with me. Good thing, too. I had my camera (a Nikon D70) in there. I managed to convince my paramedic to take a snapshot while I was being transported, though I didn't realize that the camera was no longer on automatic, so the pictures came out a little fuzzy.

Did you have to tape me to this board?
I'm glad you didn't cut my (favorite) jacket off!

Hi, I'll be your paramedic today...

I won't bore you with how I was feeling better by the time I got to the hospital, they untaped me and discovered that everything was fine and how my wife and inlaws arrived to make sure I was okay. My mother-in-law swore she was going to burn the bike. I can shrug that off, but nothing made my heart sink as much as when the paramedic took out my cell phone and called my wife at work to tell her that I was in an accident. "What have I done?" I kept asking myself.

But it's the recovery that was so interesting. I went through a couple months of chronic pain in my right hip - the place where I was primarily injured. I wasn't healing well, even though the bruising had gone down tremendously. I had been to chiropractors before, but I thought to myself, "why not?" I've done the physical therapy route before and it only helped a little.

Above: the bruise and road rash I acquired despite my gear.
I'm glad I wore it; wish I had worn more...

My wife and I went to "Back to Health Chiropractic" (which is fitting, no?) where they took x-rays and performed an initial physical. I was impressed by the thoroughness of the doctor's examination before providing any treatment. It also helped that they took my insurance, too. I went to a Monday afternoon seminar Dr. Drew holds and learned about his philosophy of chiropractic care and some of the things patients need to practice when receiving care. After a couple weeks, I began feeling better with only residual pain. After a few months, my hip would only act up on occasion. Three years later, I'm much more fit, I have better posture, my allergies don't act up near as badly (I'm not kidding about that one!) and I'm generally in better health.

So after that last trip in the truck, my "trouble spots" were telling me that I needed to go back ASAP. I've seen a couple other 'bikers' in his office on occasion. I can tell you that from my own experience, a chiropractor - one that takes the time to find out what's wrong and what's right - can make all the difference. Combine that with a good diet and some exercise and you'll feel like you're on top of the world!

My riding boots took a lot of damage for me - and spared my ankle!

This was my favorite leather jacket. It was unarmored and rode up around
my waist allowing the road rash. If I had worn my riding pants, that
bruise might not have been so bad, either...