How the War affects My Teeth

Yes. The war affects my teeth. My jaw. My tongue. With so many injured guys coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan there is no Pain Management or Neurologist available to Dependents (i.e., me and my kids). The doctors are devoted only to the injured soldiers. So, for the last four months I have sat in the Emergency Room on various occasions holding ice packs to my face and trembling from the pain. I literally got lectured at by some male nurse as he took my vitals. He told me "you need to figure out who is going to manage your health care." I just stared at him and started to cry from the insanity of it all.

Thanks. Really, so helpful. We "dependents" get bounced around from clinic to emergency room and then we get lectured. We literally have to meet people in parking lots to get medicine because there are no appointments available.

The war is taking a toll on everyone. There are not enough doctors to help the families who are on the home front. I haven't seen a doctor but two times in the last four years. And one was a narcoleptic and they "couldn't find him anywhere in the hospital" Nice. They had to reschedule my visit. They couldn't find the guy.

So my teeth hurt for months because there are hurt soldiers. I understand that. Really I do. I am a soldiers wife. God forbid he gets hurt, I would want the best doctors to take care of him. But what about us?

What about the families who are home and fighting our own battles? Doesn't it affect the soldiers too? Knowing that if their wives, or kids get really sick or hurt...there isn't anyone to help unless you go to the ER several times until someone finally takes you seriously? Doesn't that make for distraction on the front?

My teeth hurt. My heart hurts (my husband is leaving in a matter of days) and I am incredibly mad that we are treated this way.