Was that it?

Well if that was Christmas ... I hope the New Year is better.

Regular readers will know of my ongoing tooth problem (long term plan is to have a gold crown) .... thought it was sorted for Christmas but no!

Christmas Eve the tooth "went" again. I did manage to eat Christmas dinner but that is the last proper meal I've had this week.

I have never known pain like it - upper and lower jaw, down into my throat, up into my ear...

It took me 11 phone calls and two days to get an appt. with an emergency dentist through NHS Direct. Only problem is .. they don't treat just advise!

She told me I needed to get my tooth seen to! She prodded and poked (increasing the pain) and said she wouldn't give me antibiotics as the abcess was leaking (it was a mouth ulcer not pus!) and she wasn't allowed to prescribe stronger painkillers as "I could buy them over the counter "- rubbish said the pharmacist!

For this stating of the obvious and no help I had to pay £16.50.

After yet another sleep disturbed night I finally managed to contact a private dentist at 15:30 yesterday - he was due to finish the clinic at 17:00 but agreed to see me (I think he could hear the distress in my voice).

I'd been leaving messages on the wrong number - someone somewhere has a series of increasingly desperate pleas for treatment!

This dentist was wonderful - he drained the abcess and removed the nerves from my tooth and applied a temporary dressing - end of pain! Mouth a little sore but only to be expected.

Thought that was it - until I got up this morning - I look like a lopsided hamster - the right side of my face is swollen. Happened to have a check up with my GP this morning and he's put me on to two lots of antibiotics - one of which is so strong I can't have alcohol - not even a chocolate liqueur. So much for a "happy" New Year.

In the midst of all this I was walking Max on Boxing Day and managed to hit one of the few remaining bits of ice - ended up flat on my back with a bemused dog hovering over me.

At least I haven't over indulged this year - think I've probably lost weight in fact. Every cloud.....as they say!