After a restless night, I woke and rolled over to check my phone for the time and saw a text. My procedure had been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances and moved to next Wednesday.

I lay there in semi-disbelief but also not surprised.

I had deteriorated further in the last 48hrs and thought well if it can’t happen today or tomorrow I think I’m left attending ED.

I rang the cancellation phone number listed to outline my situation to see if it could happen on Thursday.
Unlike the new bookings line, they answered right away. It sounded like a bustling stock exchange trading market call centre! A loud hive of shouting activity trading cancelled appointments!! Surreal!!

I let the lady know I’d had a driver bring me up, a support person booked for the day and 2 nights accom. She asked why I was not doing it on the coast and then I explained my complexities and my gurus wanted it done there down the road from them in case of complications.

She was in the midst of saying I could just show up and wait the day out as a walk-in when I heard a commotion in the background and my lady shouting ‘Put a hold on that 1130’. It seems someone had just called in sick for their appointment.

She offered me this. My first thoughts were what about my meeting with Tom.... I said, That’s very kind, thank you. I had my support person booked for the afternoon but I’m in hell so book it and I’ll sort something out! Just as I finished that sentence she shouted at another lady: put a hold on that 240, release the 1130!

She said how about 240. I said perfect!

We were back on track thanks to excellent cancellation tradings haha

I had physio with Paul and Tom popped his head in. I really should have captured this in a photo. Paul working through my adductors and Tom with his head torch and mirror tool thingy checking out my teeth!

He’d said I had no choice but to lose my bad tooth and possibly the one next to it. And it could take 3 months to get the full healing benefits but he’d like to think I’d feel a fair bit better within a couple of days as my right gland and neck were super swollen and so to was my forehead and sinuses. All infected pressures.

Then he said my bones are buggered and can’t get a tooth/teeth screwed in so it would be a plate or something and the best practice is to wait 3 months to allow full healing and the surrounding teeth to resettle.

Armed with this knowledge Brie picked me up and we went to the clinic. We were surprised at how nice, hygienic and modern the place was! When they take you out back they are all in gowns and like a mini hospital. I felt better about this. I don’t know why but I thought it would be a dive and loads of chaos.

The dentist had to set up my records in the system with a full health history. Luckily Scotty & Elise had printed my new improved one for me to take with for her to copy directly from. We lost a fair bit of time there for what is supposed to be achieved in my 40min slot!

Next minute they were just relying on the photo I took of my scan Monday week ago. And it was determined the tooth to come out was NOT the Dark one that Bella has been keeping her eye on!! This seemed unfair!! The shit tooth was the one that looked ok!! At this point, Brie suggested we do a new scan because what if the photo was flipped and we took the wrong tooth out haha

They agreed. Brie then saw them email front reception to cancel the last appointment of the day as our case was complex and going to be longer!! I felt for that person losing their spot.

So we took the scan which confirmed the dark tooth was doing better than last week and could be salvaged and the other one remained badly infected. After a bit of back and forth, it was determined we’d take the front right tooth only. I could come back next week for the other if not resolved. But they thought it should heal ok.

Once I was toothless looking glamorous with a big gause in my teeth, Brie asked when I could return for the cosmetic side. They said I’m listed now for recall but it’s a 2 year wait!!!! Both shocked, the dentist did then said my GP could write a letter to try to speed this up.

I get the sense I’ll need to go private unless we all adopt my new toothless look!!! Tom had given me the name of the guy he thinks is best so he might be getting a call in a few months when it’s time!

Overall it was a good experience and with no pain. I’m feeling lighter in the neck and head. Hopefully a good sleep in my own bed tonight and things will be vastly different by the weekend!!

I was grateful for a lift home to the coast with Elise’s mum Helen and Alan who were heading south for Elise’s bday today!! The best support workers I’ve had to date!!

Anyhow, over to you. Enjoy the toothless look. Brie and I determined words starting with W give the worst of my look haha so I’ll be avoiding W words haha

Memes welcome haha

Hopefully, that’s a wrap from me for 2024.