Oh Leslie et al, I'm sorry you are in so much pain. Tooth pain just sucks - that's the one pain we cannot dissociate no matter how much we try.

I am glad you managed to get through the appointment. Glad you took care of yourselves, and let yourself cry when you needed to, without having to 'take care of them' by way of explanation. You did great.

Root canals hurt. Abscesses hurt. I hope the pain eases up soon.