Plan B is taking its own direction

Friday, January 20, 2012, the 21st birthday of my youngest daughter. I called her this morning and sang Happy Birthday to her, as I have done to my children for decades. During the subsequent conversation, I became aware that my Plan B has changed. Let me tell you how.

As you know, dear reader, I was sent home by Stevens Transport in Dallas, Texas, a week ago because I did not meet their medical standards. It was a setback but in no way did it diminish my desire to earn a Commercial Driver License and go to work as a long-distance truck driver for someone--after all, it's been on my "bucket list" for a very long time. While I have been studying the Michigan CDL manual in preparation for the series of knowledge tests I have to take, I also took the time to visit a dentist to take care of an ache. It turns out this ache is only the beginning of what will most likely be a very expensive, drawn-out process that might even impact my near-future plans. Here's brief synopsis of what has transpired.

I had a wisdom tooth removed in early January. That, in itself, was not a problem; the extraction when smoothly and there were no recurring issues with bleeding, pain, or anything. A couple of weeks later - and, I am told, entirely unrelated to the extraction - my jaw suddenly froze almost completely shut. I cannot open my jaws enough to fit a spoon, toothbrush, or most food that isn't thin and soft. I was put on 800 mg of Ibuprofen 4 times a day for two weeks in hopes that the problem was swelling. It wasn't.

So now, I have an appointment with an oral surgeon next week to see if he can resolve the frozen jaw. I am not that happy about it, but it is what it is. I have no dental insurance, so I'm paying for all this out of my retirement pocket, so to speak, and those are expenses I had not planned on. And I am sure that the oral surgeon will cost a whole lot more than the dentist.

The worst part about all this is that I might have to delay training or job-hunting, depending on what the oral surgeon says or does. I've never been to one but it sure sounds expensive--anything with "surgeon" in the title is bound to cost a whole lot more than I really want to pay.

Good thing I have a lump sum payment of my leftover annual leave coming, though I was not planning on spending it on dental work.