Tag: teeth

Oh, Not Another One

Oh, not another poem about her being in the wars!
Can’t she change the subject and get on with her chores?
Is it so essential to talk about her pain?
Could we have another tale before we go insane?

So, let’s talk about the weather; it’s beautiful outside
But what about the dentist and the damage he’s denied
She doesn’t like that surgeon; her doctor’s on the case
The whole *kit and caboodle is an absolute disgrace

But think about the summer with a lovely cool breeze
Look out of the window at the flowers and the trees
Now, she’s got some pills that should offer some relief
Yet, here she is going on about her blooming teeth!

Four days on these pills, and she sleeps, and she shakes
It’s difficult to concentrate; she thinks she needs a break
She wants to carry on her writing; it’s something she enjoys
But she’s drowning in the water, so we need to throw a buoy

So here she is, producing work; will she never rest?
Though everyone on WordPress makes her feel quite blessed
There is a lot of gratitude within this heart and soul
She knows that pushing on will really take its toll

So how about a holiday; where would you like to be?
Ooh, yes, she says, delighted, and chose Southend-on-Sea
We could paddle in the water.  But the sea is full of shit!
Aww, can’t we dip our toes in just a tiny weeny bit?


*kit and boodle (Collins Dictionary)

Informal (often prec. by whole)
The whole lot of persons or things; all of something


Image by wirestock on Freepik







Commotion (A Poem)

(I’ve written about my teeth till I’m ‘blue in the face.’
I think my tooth extraction was a bit of a disgrace
I’ve been in so much pain, but they don’t know why
The doctor gave me morphine, so now I’m rather high)


I think I’ll change the subject; I’m finding this a bore
I’ll shut those tedious thoughts out and open a new door
I’ll pick up my new book and turn page after page
I can concentrate much better; now I’m not so full of rage

So, let us wander elsewhere; my muse is very willing
No more talk of teeth and pain, extractions and fillings
I’m sitting at my laptop as I search for something fresh
The screen’s gone blank, as the page has just refreshed!

I don’t want more laptop trouble; I’ve had enough of that
Now, Peanut’s on the keyboard; that blooming nuisance cat!
How’s a girl to think with this commotion going on?
Now the doorbell’s ringing; oh, damn, it’s neighbour, John!

Will I ever get this poem written and finished to the end?
All of these distractions are driving me ‘round the bend
The cat’s now sleeping peacefully, dreaming in her bed
Oh, now she’s woken up again, demanding to be fed

There is no peace for me today to write and concentrate
Now, here comes the postman, walking through my gate
I’m hoping for a letter, but he says, no, they’re all bills
Pass the morphine, will you, I need a few more pills.



Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Too Many Peas (A Poem)

Here I am in pain from a badly infected gum
The nerves have been damaged, and my chin is all numb
I’ve been to the dentist and paid substantial fees
And all I can eat is custard and mashed peas

They think I may have Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
My mouth is so painful, and the bone is very sore
It hurts when I cough and hurts more when I sneeze
And all I can eat is custard and mashed peas

Necrosis means death to my very fragile bone
I may need an operation, as my X-rays have shown
I’m pretty terrified and have wobbly, knocking knees
And all I can eat is custard and mashed peas

Will surgery be needed? My mind is full of fear
My heart’s thumping loudly, and I’m gulping down the air
I wish I could eat, as I’m missing bread and cheese
And all I can eat is custard and mashed peas

I wish I’d never set foot inside the dentist’s door
I didn’t expect this trouble; that’s for sure
I’ve been using an ice pack to help the pain to ease
And all I can eat is custard and mashed peas

I’ve never had pain like it, not even giving birth
It’s cost me a fortune – I’ve not had my money’s worth
I’m in so much agony; can you make it go, please
Because all I can eat is custard and mashed peas.

Photo by Engin Akyurt: https://www.pexels.com


Agony (A Poem)

(I wrote this poem last night when I couldn’t sleep, but I was too exhausted to post it then).

I went to the dentist today and had a tooth pulled out
Six injections and three stitches later, I didn’t holler or shout
The tooth was awkward and stubborn, so a difficult extraction
The dentist pushed and pulled it hard to try and get some action

My best friend came with me this morning, so I could hold her hand
I squeezed it tight till her fingers turned blue; I knew she’d understand
The gum has not stopped bleeding, and the stitches are very sore
I think I’ll take some Panadol and some more at half past four

I drove back to my house, pale and weary, just as it started to rain
Just what I didn’t need when I was in so much awful pain
I’d left in a rush this morning, forgetting to pack my mac
I’d got halfway there when I realised; it was far too late to turn back

I feel completely exhausted from so much trauma and pain
I do my best to look after my teeth; I don’t want all this again
I messaged my son and said that I can’t have the children tonight
My face is bruised and swollen, and I look a shocking sight

The teeth I have left are in a bad way with lots of amalgam fillings
They’ve cost me an absolute fortune, and I don’t want any more drilling.
Lots of saltwater rinses tomorrow, and nothing to eat till later
The absent tooth has left a hole; it’s almost the size of a crater

I’ve wondered in the past, whether I should have false teeth
They’d have to dig out the decay that is hiding away underneath
“I wish I’d looked after me teeth”, said Pam Ayres in one of her rhymes
That was long, long ago, perhaps, decades, back in the olden times.

(Pam Ayres – “Oh I Wish I’d Looked After Me Teeth” – 2 minutes 16 seconds)

Image by wayhomestudio on Freepik

Kaput!! (More Bad News)

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse in my world, they just did! My laptop completely crashed again today. It was utterly kaput, defunct, expired, deceased, and needing more than the kiss of life to revive it. I lost everything; all my work and all my open tabs again, where I had stored all my blogging friends’ valuable posts and more besides. This happened to me a few days ago, although not on such a large scale as today. I’m past the stage of crying now, and if I could let myself go, I would scream very loudly.

Last time, my techie guy came to try to reset my laptop. Today, he had to come back again and was here for over two hours, having to reinstall everything. He charges £45 ($57) per hour. Today’s fee was nearly £100!! Added to that was the fee for coming out last Monday, which was a Bank Holiday. The total came to £175 ($221).

To add to all my despair, I had a tooth taken out this morning. It was an unexpectedly complicated extraction (more about that tomorrow). I was in the dentist’s chair for forty minutes, having had six injections to properly numb my mouth. I had to pay to go privately, as my regular NHS dentist couldn’t extract my tooth because I have a pre-existing condition, which makes having teeth out a risk. In the end, after much pulling, pushing and tugging, I ended up with three stitches.

When the anaesthetic started to wear off, I was in agony. I had strict instructions to just sip water and not to eat anything solid, not that I’m hungry anyway. I still feel quite traumatised and exhausted from the whole procedure. Tomorrow, I can eat soft food and drink warm drinks – whoopie doo!! The cost of my extraction, strong painkillers and antibiotics came to £500 ($632). Add that to the laptop repair, and it totals over £600 ($760)!! It looks like I won’t be getting much shopping this week. Just as well, my appetite has disappeared.

So … here I am again, begging for forgiveness for losing all your recent posts. Honestly, right now, I feel like throwing in the towel, but I know if I did that, I would only regret it. I so wanted to catch up on your blogs, but it looks like it’s not meant to be.

I’m absolutely shattered now, so will head on up to bed in the hope that a good night’s sleep and more painkillers will help me to feel better in the morning. I really do hope so – it’s been a day and a half today!

EATING DISORDERS BITE BACK

I’ve had an eating disorder ever since I was a child. At times, it has been severe both as anorexia and periods of bulimia. I have been hospitalized (sectioned) twice in 1996 and 1998 as my anorexia was severe and my weight dropped dangerously low to five stone only. I was in my late thirties at that time as contrary to popular belief, eating disorders affect both men and women of any age, not just teenagers although I was in the minority being that age on my ward.

I don’t intend to go into details about my past eating behaviours as this post isn’t about encouraging anyone who is struggling with tips on how to eat less and all the other negative practices associated with an ED. This is just about my feelings about myself.

eating disorders are not optional

As most of you know, I am now in my early fifties and over the years my weight has gone up and down like a yoyo. I have also acquired, as a direct result of my ED, severe osteoporosis and problems with my teeth amongst other issues. (NB. This isn’t the cause of my disability although it obviously aggravates my symptoms).

Suffice it to say, I still have great difficulties with my eating and know I have a distorted body image but despite counselling, I still have a daily battle. My weight is fine (although I would like it to be less [but that is the anorexia speaking] and classically, think I look far too fat). I come slap-bang in the middle of the healthy range on the BMI scale yet I still see this as bad instead of healthy and good. I generally eat fairly healthily but maybe a little too less than I should. But, this is interspersed with sudden desperate urges for chocolate, cakes, ice-cream etc for which I go out of my way in my wheelchair to the local supermarket or newsagent for too large a quantities! I don’t keep any ‘naughty‘ food as such, in the house because I wouldn’t be able to control my bingeing on it.

I hate having an ED – it rules my life and is just an added stress on my mind and body along with the effects of my child abuse, rape, PTSD etc which I have written much on previously. Many people consider that once you have gained a healthy BMI, you are ‘cured‘! This is not the case, unfortunately, speaking for myself that is. I only wish it were. EDs don’t always get better; they may wax and wane or be mild or severe at times). Currently, I would put myself in the middle of that scale which is a constant battle.

I detest my ED. It’s the first thing that springs to mind whenever I am stressed or have experienced current feelings of trauma such as flashback and new memories surfacing. I think about food first thing in the morning until last thing at night. When I was younger and in out of hospital, I truly believed at times that I had become free of my ED. However, this is not the case….eating disorders can bite back! However, I still have fight in me and will never give up believing that one day, I will be free of all this.

hold fast to your dreams