So here we are, it’s nearly Christmas, we’re all meant to be full of hope and joy…
Whilst I am full of antibiotics, and I’m quite low on the joy bit too presently.
My tooth extraction has been a laugh a minute. The actual extraction experience wasn’t as bad as I had built it up to be in my head.
But the recovery has been horrendous. I honestly can’t remember being taken this low in a long time.
A few friends contacted me prior to my extraction, to let me know that I should avoid dry socket at all costs.
So I did some research, I looked up ways of avoiding it.
What a waste of time that was because guess what, I got dry socket and an infection.
I had to go back to the dentist the next day to have the wound cleaned of pus and packed with some magic clove infused wadding and some antibiotics. And from there things just got progressively worse.
Honestly - awful.
The bit I read online said Dry socket was a rare complication of extraction. 45 in every 2500.
Which seems to be nonsense because 11 close friends contacted me to say they had had it before. So that doesn’t sound so ‘rare’ to me.
The good news is, to cut a long story short. I’m now on day 7 and finally I feel like I might have turned a corner.
My jaw bone is still visible in my mouth, which is extremely disconcerting. Chris has had to check it a lot for me. He said he never expected to see my skeleton ever, but here we are! Hahahahaha
I’m not feeble. I gave birth to a 9lb 2oz baby without any form or pain relief, I recovered from bowel surgery and refused the morphine. I had a womb biopsy the other day without any pain relief (took 2 weeks to get the results, but all is fine in there. It needs sorting out in the new year, but it’s not cancer so I can cope with it).
I manage to cope with physical pain. But this, this was off the chart.
I am happy to say that today is the first okay day pain wise. And I am now able to open my jaw.
This is progress. I was very unhappy about not being able to eat. I love food. I very much like to eat it when I choose to.
I hadn’t eaten solids from Tuesday to Sunday. This was not a pleasant experience either. All for a tooth!!!
Instagram…
Versus reality…
Face ache so bad smiling was a mission.
If you’ve ever had dry socket you have my utmost sympathy. What a rotter it is.
Anyway, by Sunday I was quite tearful. Pain and hunger were getting a bit much.
Chris suggested a picnic. He knows how to motivate me. Diamonds and food, usually - preferably - both. But on Sunday I was just happy with the idea of food as I was half starved. I appreciate I wasn’t going to waste away. ;)
We packed our picnic accoutrements, and a flask and headed off for London.
We called our friend to see if they fancied a winter picnic in the park.
We headed to Fortnum and Mason for goodies. Stocked up and then walked over to St.James’s park. In the shadow of Buckingham palace we set up our picnic.
Hat from Accessorize, Coat from Gant, Tights from Tesco, Boots from Gucci
We had a lovely time. Okay, it was cold. But it felt nice to be finally out of the house. It felt nice to be laughing.
Which as it happened we laughed till we cried at one point.
We were sitting there all bundled up in blankets, when a lady came up to us and said “Would you like some hot chocolates, I just bought them for my friends but I can’t find them now, so would you like them?”
We said what a lovely thing to do and yes please (and why the devil not).
It was only when she walked away that we started thinking that maybe she thought we were homeless.
Which tickled our fancy (not that homelessness is a laughing matter) but the thought that she thought we were made us crack up.
We have no idea why she gave them to us. But we are so thankful to her for her kindness.
I mean it is slightly hard to imagine she thought we were homeless. But as a friend pointed out, I looked like an Oligarch down on her luck, and Chris my loyal manservant, sticking by me through think and thin. Parker to my Lady Penelope! Hahahahahahahahahaha
We had such a lovely time. And it was also nice to have a relatively covid safe gathering before Christmas.
The cold air played havoc with my gum. But at least we had a nice time. And I got solid food in me.
Ben thought I looked like a Chelsea Pensioner, but if that were the case I wouldn’t be homeless would I. ;)
Quite a few people stopped for a chat, with the mad English people picnicking on such a cold day. But I’d like to think we inspired others to give it a try.
Chris and I have a long history of winter picnics. One particularly memorable time we bought a hot, cooked chicken from Tesco. some crusty bread and a pack of butter and ate it in a snowy forest. It was and is one of my favourite memories of our early days as a family together.
Take a flask of something hot, wrap up warm and enjoy the world go by. Hot sausage rolls work a treat too.
We had a walk round London. On the back streets to avoid other people. The press here seem to be posting lots of photos of empty shops and city streets, but we saw no evidence of that. Oxford street and Regent street were rammed.
We came home. Got under a blanket and snuggled up on the settee to watch cheesy Christmas films. Hallmark channel is the king of cheese. So huge thank you to them for that.
On the subject of heart warming watching. Chris and I are a bit late to the game when it comes to the Apple TV series - Ted Lasso.
But it is without doubt the warmest. Sweetest, feel goodest show I’ve seen in years. The writing is spectacular.
I’d put off watching it because it’s about football (or soccer to some of you). And I have zero interest in football (soccer). But it is glorious. It’s full of kindness and joy. And the world needs more Ted Lassos.
Back onto the subject of my tooth. I asked my dentist if I could bring it home. I put it under my pillow - Twice! But to no avail. Chris said the tooth fairy would need a Hazmat suit to come and collect it it was so disgusting. He also suggested I try and sell it for scrap metal rather than the tooth fairy route. :o
Anyway, the tooth fairy must have taken pity on me after a few days of me walking round like something out of The Walking Dead, because they brought me a gorgeous pair of shoes (the ‘adult tooth’ tooth fairy is very generous). :)
I do not recommend tooth extraction as a way of wangling a new pair of shoes by the way.
I love them. I’m going to get a lot of wear out of them. But my god it’s definitely not a process I want to encounter ever again. (I’m literally terrified of all my teeth now!!). ;)
I just want to wish you a very happy Christmas. I hope you are safe, warm, and loved. I hope you have company. Have a happy healthy time.
I’m always about if you’re at a loose end, just email me, happy to chat. (You won’t be disturbing me, I get Christmas Day off from cooking).
I used to just get dolled up and slowly more pissed throughout the day. But these days I get dolled up and sit eating fudge. :)
Merry merry Christmas from me to you. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate you coming and reading my blog. It blows my mind actually. So thank you so much. xx
