This is a personal story I, Danielle, wanted to share to help anyone going through a difficult event or pain or anything that may seem like its so difficult you just don’t know what to do.

I have had things like this my entire life, problems just seem more difficult for me than for everyone else, or situations that occur to me don’t happen to other people. I have finally realized this is a blessing and I now embrace these instances because sometimes they are truly miracles.

Here’s my most recent story, I hope you enjoy!

One thing I have to say that I enjoy about being a grown up is I finally have the ability to see the lessons from the problems I’m faced with. Sometime it feels I am living an after school special, with all the morals going on!

If you don’t understand what I am referring to, then I have a prime example for you. A few days ago I started getting excruciating pain in my tooth, I had a chipped molar, #19 to be exact, and although it had been broken for over 10 years, it never bothered me before.

Apparently, it got worse, and all of a sudden I’m feeling the exposed nerve with every breath I took. The pain was going in waves and when it was on the high, at times it was so unbearable I seriously thought I was going to pass out.

Being that I have always been somewhat of a Tomboy, I have had my share of broken bones, concussions, been hospitalized a number of times, in a coma for a month, but nothing in this world compared to this tooth pain!

I immediately called my dentist, he looked at the tooth, took an x-ray and said the tooth had to be extracted. Not the happy ending I was looking for.

My mother, god bless her soul, was a stickler when it came to teeth. Growing up, we had braces, retainers, cleanings every 6 months, fluoride treatments, the whole nine yards. Which carried on to my adult life as I continued taking care of my teeth.

I have had a lot of people in my life tell me how white my teeth were and what a great smile I have, thanks Ma!

So to hear the dentist advise I need to have a molar extracted, one that was never going to grow back, was devastating, but not as devastating as the pain I was feeling. I seriously would have had the Dr. pull out that tooth right then and there if possible.

However Thank God that didn’t happen. Dr. Dentist gives me a script for anti-biotic (not sure why? there was no infection.. but that is a whole other blog post to be written soon) and some pain killers (which I was not interested in taking).

I went home. Took some Motrin. Tried to go about my day. I called the Surgeon and their soonest appointment was going to be in 15 days, on top of that they don’t take my insurance, I don’t really think anyone does. This procedure to just extract my tooth was going to cost me at least $900- yeah, Welcome to New York.

That night I woke up crying in pain.

I didn’t know what to do. I used some clove oil, took more Motrin, finally I oil pulled with sesame oil and that gave me some relief. I finally fell back to sleep. The next day I asked the surgeon if I could come in sooner as I was literally going to die, they said no.

I called 4 other surgeons, all with the same reply. I continued to try to find someone, somewhere to help me. I felt completely hopeless and in so much pain!

That night I decided to go to the emergency room, what other option did I have? I called Stony Brook Emergency, Stony Brook is a State University here on Long Island, as well as a teaching medical hospital. I am very familiar with the hospital as my father underwent years of cancer treatment there and I am also very familiar with the University as they gave me my college degree, no I’m not a doctor.

I have the utmost respect for not only their college program, the professors were all amazing at the university, but as well for the doctors nurses, and employees at hospital. It really is an amazing place, Go Sea Wolves!

I spoke with the the ER receptionist to confirm I was not going to waste a trip up there (it’s about an hour away) she said yes they have a dental section and they could extract the tooth if needed.

Well long story short, that was a lie (nobody’s perfect). The dental resident advised that she could not extract the tooth, but suggested I go to the dental school the next day and ask to be seen in there. She numbed up my face and sent me on my way.

At least I slept good that night.

The next day I did as she advised, arrived at the dental school at 8 am and asked if they could see me. Apparently they were booked but she saw the pain I was in and said she may have cancellations and to sit tight.

Well the tooth fairy did her work and they got me in. I met with one of the practicing doctors who was a God send, you’re awesome Gregg and are going to be one hell of a surgeon! They took additional x-rays and spoke with his supervisor, teacher, lieutenant, Jedi, not sure the protocol there, but he advised he could not only help me but, he can save the tooth!

The cost of the work I needed to get done would cost me about the same as just having the tooth extracted, BUT I get to keep my tooth!!

I repeat, I get to keep my tooth!

This is huge for me, I was in tears, this time with joy and appreciation. He did his work that day to fix me up and make sure I was no longer in pain and sent me on my way. I have to go back for more work, and he requested that he can stay working on me so I don’t have to go to another doctor.

Yes the pain I entailed was over the top, however the gratitude of how everything worked out for me is even higher. I still don’t understand why I have to go down such a hard road to get on the right path, could be the stubborn Italian in me, but I seem to always wind up exactly where I need to be.

Most of the time having met other amazing souls, happier, more grateful and smiling form ear to ear. I love seeing the moral of my own stories. I had divine intervention on this one in order to save my tooth.

If things would have all just worked out for me the way I thought it should, I would be in debt and missing a tooth.

Sometimes you just have to trust, allow yourself to be guided, believe that you have help and are in good hands.

Although the pain and this entire ordeal was very tough at times I kept chugging along, I didn’t have a choice. I was not going to be on pain medication for the next 2 weeks waiting to extract an adult molar. Instead I followed the signs, the hints and clues, the universe, God, or my parents left for me… whomever sent it, I acknowledged it and happily got to where I am now.

Pain free, debt free and with 32 fantastic teeth I am so proud to call my own! ☺ I am truly blessed!