When I tell people I’ll be 40 in March, the reaction is almost always the same: “Oh, no!  The body starts falling apart at 40!”  Yeah, well, looks like my body doesn’t procrastinate like the rest of me!

Beyond the ongoing battle with the swine flu/its complications/aftermath (it’s Day 36, in case you’re keeping track — I must be up to H10 N10 by now), something else happened on Friday evening — something I needed like a hole in the head.  To be succinct, my tooth took on a piece of toast — and lost.

The little cartoony tooth to the right is a rough sketch of what my 3.6 looks like.  (The 3.6 is located bottom left, sixth from the front, in case you’re wondering.)  Because I have a long-distance dentist on speed dial, I took a most unusual self-portrait to show Dr. Munchkin (AKA Little Sister the Dentist).  I’m proud of my photography skills (I took it in one shot), and because I know that there’s at least one person out there going, “Oh, I wish I could see the real thing” (and you know who you are), you can click the sketch for a picture of the real deal.

Anyway, yeah, it does hurt, but I was able to subdue it enough with Tylenol and a MacGyvered “filling” made of orthodontic wax so that I could attend a Christmas party with the staff of the school where I used to teach. It’s liveable.

I have an appointment with my new dentist on Thursday (one recommended by Dr. Munchkin, since she lives too far away now for me to see), and I’m sure I can tough it out until then.  Especially since the swine flu/whatever it is now has made such a stunning comeback and I’m spending the day in a Benadryl-induced daze, watching the same replays of the WISE/Delta II rocket launch over and over.  I’m beginning to understand germophobes, and will be researching not going out in public without a bubble!

Oh, and here’s a public service announcement:  If your dentist recommends you wear a bite plane at night because you’re a clencher, wear it!  Especially in exam season! That’s all I’m saying.

Enjoy your Monday.  I’m going to go eat some more Jello.

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