T.M.J., WHAT???

Last week I had the unexpected visit to the Emergency Room. This "I" is the same person that walked for a week on a broken leg, so you know I was hurting. My reason for this brief trip was my jaw would not open. I could not talk, eat and thought my teeth were falling out of my mouth. Had an earache, and spasms in my jaw. If I had just smelled burnt toast, a stroke was headed my way, instead I knew what the problem was.
T.M.J., temporo-mandibular-joint screwed up, or by another name, Too Many Jackasses making me stress out!

Major home repairs had caused me to clinch my teeth so hard, my jaw snapped. My face was swollen, ears were ringing, numbness and then when I could not talk, lord I was headed to the E.R.

So when I get to the front desk and Nurse Ratchet asked me if she could help me, I pointed to my face. She looked like she had stepped out of a Tim Burton movie, so I timidly whispered, "I can not talk." So my angel of mercy walked me like I was blind to a triage area, where she proceeded to ask me questions???  I still could not speak, so I muffled though some information, most of which was not true. Like " How much do you weigh mam?" " Oh, about 120" she kept writing....finally I went to the back, and had x-rays. Left with three different pain meds, and the doctor asked me if I wanted a shot to speed up the pain relief, NOW this is a good E.R.

When Bill picked me up( people thought I could not walk, very strange?) he asked if I wanted to stop and get some lunch?? " Bill I have just been to the E.R. for two hours, I can not open my mouth, and food would disturb the pain medication that is now traveling through my body!" he looked funny and said, " I can't understand you?" So I just pointed to my TMJ joint and frowned, sometimes the old school Helen Keller skills work the best.

I was better in three days, give or take a dozen, and have used my mouth guard at night and sometimes in the day, to give my jaws a well needed vacation. I have even come to the realization that I have a tendency to "over share" by talking too much, so now I just stay quiet and type!!!

You didn't think I would stop talking??did you??