Greetings and salutations. All my friends call me Tony, so you should as well. I do not particularly enjoy speaking about myself, but as circumstance would have it, I find myself in a peculiar situation where I will have to learn to at least be okay with it. I’ve been alive for a little over half a century, so I won’t begin at the beginning, but I’ll do my best to cover what is necessary. I’ve lived my well-seasoned life in a way that makes me proud of who I am. I approach new opportunities with an unquenchable desire to learn and have always done my best to give more in value than I receive in payment, whether in my personal relationships or at work where I collect a paycheck. Although I have zero claim to perfection, I strive to exceed in areas where “satisfactory” would be acceptable. For a lot of people, going the extra mile could be seen as unnecessary. However, I believe that going the extra mile would make the world a much better place. I keep my expectations minimal, if not non-existent. And in the moments when reimbursement is offered, all I ask is that they find a way to “Pay It Forward”.
I know what you’re thinking and I’d be remiss not to tell you myself, I am no saint. I am more than capable of mistakes and poor choices; my life is littered with them. I simply do my best to make my humble contributions to making the world a better place for my fellow humans. In doing so, I simply hope to inspire others to do the same.
Now that you know a little about me, here is my situation:
I’ve struggled with bad teeth my entire life; unfortunately, the problems were hereditary. However, it all came to a peak about three years ago while working at the Pick & Pull in Orem, UT. I was working the loader to try and get a JEEP off the ground so that I could pull the lift kit off of it. As I was nearing completion, it all slipped off the forks and rammed right into my mouth, destroying the majority of my front teeth. I’ve dealt with the repercussions of that day for as long as possible, but it appears as though it may have hit a point that the pain from possible infection is too much.
I will have to look to get what’s left of my teeth extracted, and in a perfect world, I would prefer to get implants as opposed to dentures. As you may or may not know, the cost of implants is fairly pricey, about the same as a new higher-end vehicle. That being said, I completely understand that to some, maybe even most, the difference will seem trivial. I just prefer the convenience of my dental hygiene being as close to the routine I’ve had my entire life. Therefore, I am willing to exhaust every resource in order to secure that, even parlaying my story to an online audience when I find asking for help akin to pulling teeth. (See what I did there? Lol jk)
I cope with the embarrassment by shielding myself with humor, but I sincerely hope that my earnestness shines through the innocent façade. It is an incredibly humbling experience to have even accepted the desperation necessary to ask for help in the form of the kindness of strangers. Regardless of the outcome, I will not allow my circumstances to change the way I venture into the world. I’m just hoping for a little goodwill from my fellow humans. May all that have read this far, and even those that have not, be blessed.
