One Daily Positive - Week 35 Dr's, dentists and new roads.

Doctors and dentist this week and Peter away for a couple of days in Saudi.

The weather is improving here, some nights the temp has dropped below 30c. I've been sitting outside early mornings drinking my tea and Bob's walks are getting longer.

Since starting a wheat free diet, I've been hungry, had indigestion and trapped wind, symptoms that are classic of my condition, but not symptoms I had until I cut wheat out my diet.

237 Sunday Popped out for coffee then set about rearranging the store rooms and Maid's room to create a nicer space for Pushkins, as she keeps making a break for freedom outside. She's nearly 11 and has been an indoor cat for the past two years. There are too may vicious stray cats outside fighting for the food left out for the neighbours. Pushkins is also overweight so it's a way of controlling her diet also. I've joined a facebook group #postcardsforkindness and picked 10 nursing homes in the UK to write to.

238 Monday Out to the Mall to buy Peter a new laptop/travel bag needed for his trip tomorrow. Spent the afternoon writing #postcardsforkindness a group I found on facebook with an aim of writing cards to the elderly in care homes who are often lonely.

239 Tuesday Took Peter to the airport for his work trip to Saudi then off to the dog park from 9am -1pm, meeting up with friends for a coffee and natter. The afternoon was spent sorting through years of paperwork, policies, investments and old bank statements.

Actual air temp was 42c. It took 20 mins for Bob and I to get home with the air con on full blast and the car temp only dropped to 48c.

240 Wednesday Follow up appointment with the Dr after last weeks endoscope, stopped for a coffee on the way home and posted my cards and letters. Had a horrendous migraine and took to my bed for the rest of the day.

241 Thursday Migraine not too bad at the start of the day, then a visit to the dentist for both of us, me for a deep clean and a wisdom tooth extraction and Peter for a check up and to get a tooth fixed. My migraine kicked back in full force and I took my emergency meds, killed the pain and managed some sleep. The cat and dog didn't leave my side.

242 Friday Side effects of meds were horrendous, sick, dizzy, cognitive ability impaired, we had to do a food shop and I had a coffee while Peter took the car to be cleaned, rest of the day spent on the sofa feeling sorry for myself.

For the past 18 months, we've taken a short cut through the sand to get to our house, 2 months ago they blocked it off and we had to find a new route. Today we drove our normal route on a tarmac road.

243 Saturday Feeling slightly better by midday so we popped out for coffee, car broke down in 42c and we needed a new battery, off to Marina Mall for a walk around. It's Thing 2's birthday and we recorded a .message on fb for him, his mum sent a lovely little recording back.

The last part of my trip to Australia - A week in Melbourne

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One Daily Positive - Week 15 More rain.

Dentist, sweeping sand, more rain and a visit to the doctor. AGAIN.

Getting fed up now with the weather, although not looking forward to summer either. Also had enough of dentists, doctors and all these issues, so I got myself a plan to cheer me up.

Rejoined swimming pool and am forcing myself to go everyday. There will also be random bike rides to the coffee shop and pick up bits of shopping as well as dog walking every day. I'm going to pick something new to do each week and read more, instead of watching TV during the day (read 3 books this week)

97 Sunday Spent the morning after a dog walk in the garden, cycled to the local shop for a coffee, swept both the balconies, went for a swim. Had a BBQ for dinner and sat in the garden blogging and reading. Walked Bob again with Peter.

98 Monday Dentist early, stopped at Wafi Mall which is built like a pyramid, for a coffee, came home, sat on the sofa and read a book all day. Plans out the window having woken up to a thunderstorm and rain.

99 Tuesday Dog park, coffee and natter with human friends. Bathed Bob and then went for a swim and tidied up the house, finished another book and started the next one. Peter was off work with a heavy cold.

100 Wednesday Plans went to pot as we woke to rain, having to drag everything back inside, walked Bob and took myself off to the Marina Mall for a coffee, blogging, reading and a walk. Child 3 spent 4 hours airside in Abu Dhabi this morning on his way back to Australia. Peter was off work again, decided against the pub quiz as we're both a bit poorly. Spent the afternoon and evening watching movies.

101 Thursday Walked Bob, went to the Dr's for more blood tests, then onto the dermatologist to have a mole on my back removed that's changed in size and is catching on my bra strap. Walked Bob in the early evening. Popped in for a drink or three with one of Peter's colleagues at the Marina.

102 Friday Visited the outlet village, didn't buy anything other than a coffee. In the evening we went to the Irish Village for dinner and to see Boyzone. I've seen them before in 1995 and 1997. It was an open air venue and it rained.

103 Saturday A day of nothing, popped out for lunch. Peter flew out to Pakistan for the week. We had the biggest storm to date, thunder, lightening and torrential lane. I watched TV, did a few chores and had an early night.

Finished the week feeling just the same, so lethargic, body aches, chest pains and breathlessness, rain, more sand to sweep and more blood tests next week.

On the blog this week:

Using up all the household plastic.

Parenting highlights with the youngest child.

Wedding venues - All under one roof.

My top tips on Interior design to get your house Insta ready 

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My dental implant journey

In 2017 my front tooth fell out. I picked it up and just shoved it back in, visiting a dentist in the UK the following morning, wedging it back in place he informed me it was on a post and if it fell out again that would be it.

I've known for a long time that I've had bone degeneration and receding gums and eventually I would have to face the expensive and timely implant journey I am now on.

I don't have a fear of dentists but I've been avoiding it as long as possible. a) we didn't have the spare money b) I have chronic neck pain and find sitting of any kind difficult for long periods of time. This includes flights, cinema, hairdressers, in a car. I suffer with severe migraines. c) I've had some bad and I mean really bad dental treatment in the past.

I'd researched dental implants in the past and had a couple of consultations over the years. the route was to have the teeth removed and implants put in on the same day. I knew with the bones I have this wasn't the best option and when I raised it was dismissed, so it all got put on hold.

Over Christmas I heard a snap in my mouth when eating and my front tooth was loose again. I asked for recommendations online and after several weeks of research I found myself at the clinic of Dr Geoffrey Shape in Dubai at the Perio Clinic.

You may ask why I'm giving you his name and it's because he is good, his team are good and he listens, something I've had problems with in the past.

On our first meeting I informed him that he wasn't getting his hands on my teeth or my money unless he listened to me first. He listened.

My teeth were in poor condition, bits missing, rotten teeth hiding under crowns and I was slightly embarrassed by the state of my mouth. I also told him about my inability to sit for periods of time and that I didn't have dental phobia, I just can't sit still......he listened.

And so my journey began. I had a full break down of costs and time frame for procedures, which was amended with consultation as time went on.

Phase 1. X ray. Broken tooth removed, mould for plate.

Phase 2. 4 further teeth removed, one from each corner of my mouth, a deep clean of my gums and a new plate fitted.

In was in a lot of pain and discomfort once the injections wore off but I think having all those injections in each corner of my mouth with hindsight was not a good idea, however it did make the deep clean far less painful when I've had it done in the past without injections. One socket had a stitch in it which irritated me.

Sent away for a few weeks for gums to heal and to get used to wearing a plate.

The first plate fell out every time I drank anything and I couldn't eat with it in.

The second plate was a mouthful and for the first few weeks I felt like I was choking on it, but as the gums healed the plate fitted better.

Both plates took some getting used to, my speech was affected, they were constantly moving in my mouth, food got stuck underneath the plate and in the first few weeks I was uncomfortable going out wearing them for longer than an hour or two. I soon adjusted. I don't wear the plate when I'm at home or walking the dog. I have no problem with removing my teeth when I'm out to rinse them under a tap and I take them out when I'm driving and as soon as I can. A friend suggested Poligrip which has helped reduce the amount of food that gets underneath.

Phase 3. 3D scan

Phase 4. Bone graft into the sinus and two posts fitted. Total time in dental chair = 4 hours with a short break in between teeth.

I took a cushion for my neck and a hot water bottle for my back which the receptionist kindly refilled half way through. I downloaded some pod casts and at one point almost drifted off.

Now I'll not lie, but it wasn't as painful or as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. The injections are the worse, but he used a numbing cream fist which helped. My face was uncomfortable as my lips were stretched and my neck hurt from tipping it back on an angle, but time passed quickly and I drove myself home afterwards.

I was surprised when the stitches wore off that I wasn't in any pain and managed to eat and drink that night as normal, soft food only. Again the stitches were the biggest problem, there were 8 of them and I could feel them all the time. Wearing the plate helped an awful lot.

2 days later, some swelling.

4 days later and back to normal.

Phase 5. Removal of the stitches and the last implant post, lower left jaw fitted. 2 hours in the dental chair.

The first time I cried was when he removed the stitches from my upper gum, it was so painful, but he was kind and patient and gave me a low dose of injection to numb the area. The worse part of the lower jaw implant was the vibration of the drilling, my ears were ringing. No pain after the injections wore off, drove myself home, ate and drank as normal. I did feel sorry for myself though.

Recovery time longer due to my neck hurting more this time.

I've been eating and drinking as normal, although I have changed my diet slightly but mainly eating soft foods such as fish and rice for dinner most night, yogurts, honey and bananas and porridge for breakfast. I've not been eating bread, red meat (unless it's minced) and I've drastically reduced my sugar intake and stopped eating sweets and chocolate. In fact I noticed when I ate some chocolate I had a migraine within a few hours and I've lost around 4kg which is doing me some good.

There are a lot of do's and don't's to follow after the surgery and in particular the bone grafting. Avoid sneezing, no swimming or exercise for a week afterwards, stop smoking for two weeks after surgery,.

One thing that should've been added to the list was 'don't attempt to blow up a balloon' your head will feel like it's exploded.

Phase 6. Stitches out, they bloody well hurt so a local injection was given, plate adjusted and dates set for the next few and final phases for a temporary tooth for the front as the gum has to be re cut to expose the post and some minor surgery to ensure the gum heals properly and looks nice around the new tooth.

The other 2 implants have a metal cap on them and I can feel them in my mouth, with my tongue and there's a slight metallic taste.

The following morning after the injection wore off, I've realised the 2nd plate is now too big. I did mention it felt like it was pushing on the back of my teeth, but when I ate today it kept falling out, so I'll have to go back again to get it sorted.

I'll update this post as time goes on, but for now, other than sorting the plate out, I've got a break from the dentist for the next few months. Next appointment May 26th 2019.

Phase 6 Dental plate no longer fitting. Back to the dentist for the gum to be cut, dental implant post exposed, temp tooth fitted and several stitches in my gums. the plan is for the gum to heal around this tooth as it will be visible when finished.

The tooth is fitted with a screw in the back of the tooth which is tightened and then the hole filled.

I left the surgery in agony, not my tooth, although my gum is sore, but with my neck. I couldn't sit still, I was fidgeting and cried with the pain from sitting for so long.

Next phase is a mould, 3 teeth made and then the following week the teeth fitted and a final check up and I'll be done by the middle of July.

108 My Sunday Photo D is for Dentist.

I suffered with chronic toothache over the weekend and after years of neglect I finally plucked up the courage to visit the dentist and finally get them sorted, unfortunately there's not much that can be done and over the next few weeks I need a 2nd root canal filling, an extraction, new crown and several fillings.

I've neglected the dentists due to a couple of bad experiences in South Africa and bone disease, which means implants without a bone graft aren't possible.

Back in October I suffered with chronic tooth pain on a flight, where the cabin pressure causes trapped air in fillings and decay to release and the pain is excruciating. I fly to Luxor on Thursday for a long weekend with Peter and I know the issue has to be addressed or it would spoil the weekend. I also purchased an emergency filling repair kit from the supermarket and I'm ashamed to say it was still in my tooth until today.

Due to the bone disease and receding gums, probably caused by smoking, my teeth are so sensitive, so depute my mouth being completely numb, the water and air used whilst doing the root canal caused me so much pain in my other teeth, that the dentist stopped work and applied temporary filings to several other teeth and applied a seal around the tooth that needs a new crown.

The dentist was exceptionally kind, especially when she had to inject directly into the root canal as the first lot of injections weren't effective, she appreciated my need to stop treatment and allow me to re position myself, due to my bad neck and had full understanding of why I hadn't been to see a dentist or hygienist for 2 years.

I've been told that due to the work she has done on my teeth, that I'm only to eat soft foods until my next appointment in just over a week and avoid hot and cold drinks.

probably not the best choice of food to be eating with all that sugar, but I did have chicken soup and bread for my lunch and a yogurt.

Oh I wish I'd looked after me teeth - Pam Ayres

I'm reminded of Pam Ayres at the moment and her classic poem 'I wish I'd looked after me teeth' which can listen to here. Particularly poignant to me is the last verse.

'How I laughed at my mother’s false teeth,

As they foamed in the waters beneath.

But now comes the reckonin’

It’s methey are beckonin’

Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth.'

I'm losing my teeth at a rapid rate, OK I haven't had dental work for over 4 years, just check ups and every time they tell me they need to remove 3 teeth, but they don't say why, other than, it can't be repaired or it is loose. These are 3 of my top teeth, that form part of my broad smile and while they don't cause me any pain I'm confused as to why I should have them removed. So here they stay.

I hate visiting the dentist, I'm not frightened of the work, I have an old neck injury and I find it difficult to sit/lie in that position for more than a few minutes without severe pain, I've yet to meet a dentist who understands what I mean as they always interpret it with 'just lie back and relax you'll be fine' the only part of me not being relaxed is the lying back because and I'll say it one last time 'I HAVE AN OLD INJURY TO MY NECK, I CAN'T LIE IN THAT POSITION'

Also with moving around a lot it's difficult to find a dentist I can trust with my teeth, I've been told so many different things over the years, such as I can have a bridge for the top right of my mouth, to discover I'd have to have the rest of my trop teeth on that side removed first, when I ask why I was told because this what they have to do. I've also been told many times that ALL my old dental work needs replacing as it has been done badly, how can this be?

A few years ago I chipped a front tooth, I went to a new dentist to have it fixed, next thing I knew they had filed down my front tooth completely and put a badly fitting veneer on it, it's not straight and 5 years on it still irritates my tongue. I've chipped the other front tooth now and I'm on a liquid diet until I've done my research on finding yet another new dentist I feel I can trust who doesn't just carry work out without a full explanation and offer alternatives.

I also have bone disease in my mouth and I was told by various dentists that I would need implants sooner rather than later, it's an expensive option but a route I was willing to take some day sooner rather than later, that was until I went to discuss it properly and was told for the first time last year, I don't actually have enough bone in my mouth for implants and will need bone graphs. Now that will mean several weeks, months with no teeth in my mouth while the implants take before I can have the posts and new teeth fitted and at 44 I really don't want that, especially with front teeth missing, would you?

I've found a clinic in Harley Street, that can fix your smile in one day, but it comes in at a cost of £15,000, plus all the extras like CT scans to check on the depth of my bone in my mouth and is a 5 hour procedure under a local sedation, which with my neck I'd never be able to manage. I'm at a loss at what to do. I could finance the work, it would be a push. But I fear that I'd have to pay a lot of money up front, air fares, hotels (I live in Dubai) CT scans to discover there's not enough bone for the implants.

So I'm checking out what Dubai has to offer, what would be covered on my medical aid, front teeth aren't cosmetic as far as I can work out they should be covered, but with the damage to my teeth already I doubt anyone would be willing to fix the top 8 without fixing the rest of my mouth.

If anyone has had similar issues and found a way forward without breaking the bank or going without teeth, please do get in touch. Also if you've ended up with false teeth due to implants costing too much or having bone disease, let me know how you're getting on. I really don't want false teeth at 44, but I suppose that has to be better than no teeth, doesn't it?