J-,
I'm really worried about you, too.
I don't know if a dental college is worth a try, but if it is then I can personally highly recommend it. I have had a lot of work done at our dental college at MUSC, and they've done a GREAT job, and usually at less than half the cost of a regular dentist.
One other thing, do you have a church you're affiliated with? Or family members? Way back when, when I was going through a divorce, and was struggling to make ends meet while supporting 3 children by myself, I had a tooth go bad on me and was in desperate need of a root canal, which was out of the question. Somehow, a local church (that I was not affiliated with) found out about everything I'd gone through (losing my house, no child support, making only a few dollars above minimum wage, etc) and all of a sudden, food was being delivered, a moving van showed up, with workers, to help me move into an apartment, the deposits for the utilities were taken care of, and an oral surgeon was lined up to take care of that tooth for free.
If they know you need help, it's amazing what these congregations can pull off. It's also very humbling to receive that much love and kindness from God through strangers.
I was never able to repay THAT church, but I have most definately integrated the Pay-it-forward principal into my lifestyle.
Please keep talking to us...and send me a PM if you want to talk on the phone...I'll send you my number...
Jess
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36 year old mom of 7 in SC.
MRI 4/2008 shows bulging disc with annular tear @ 4/L5 and and complete herniation at L5/S1.
9/11/08 Laminectomy , successful to a point...relieved nerve pain, but after 4 months was still having severe disc pain.
Treatments tried: epidural shots, oral pain killers, NSAID's, TENS massage, chiropractic care, deep tissue massage. Oh, and plenty of our homemade wine!
May 26 2009, 2 level ADR, L4-S1, Dr. Bertagnoli, Straubing, Germany