They are my tears and I will cry if I want to!

And, I want to!

So, did I ever mention that I literally suck at keeping up with dental issues?
If not, you heard it here....I literally suck....no, no, I DOUBLE SUCK at keeping up with dental issues.
Case in point....a little over a year ago (gasp!), I started having some discomfort on the right side of my mouth.  So, I went to my dentist and he told me that I had an abcessed tooth....he gave me antibiotics, some pain meds (a stronger Tylenol) and a referral card for a dental surgeon to get the additional work done.  "Call him today and make the appointment," were his parting words. 
Well, you know, I'm a busy girl....Judiland was not going to go on if I had to stop for a root canal or anything quite so awful.  So, of course, I never got around to calling.  The drugs seemed to do the trick....the discomfort was gone, I felt fine.  Mission accomplished in my book. 
Fast forward to this past Spring and I found myself eating a piece of licorice and half of my tooth.
Luckily, we had some left over antibiotics in the cupboard and since I am a doctor in my spare time, I figured that was all I needed.   When the pain hit later that night, I just took 5 Tylenol and proceeded to go on with life.  Yes, I would call the dentist.  Yes, I would take care of this.....
But, you know, I'm a busy girl and taking a day off of work was beginning to get a little tough with all the obligations and a pesky boss and such.  And, you know, I'm a busy girl.  Not to mention that I'm a busy girl and I didn't want the dentist to yell at me for not doing what he said in the first place.....
So, once again, I employed my doctor skills and doused the pain with some kind of topical pain med, took extra Tylenol and I even bought myself a "natural antibiotic" at the health food store.  
I was cured.  Well, except I was missing part of my tooth.
But, no one would see that part of my mouth.
So, all was good.
UNTIL....
It was a busy happy weekend in Judiland.  I was buzzing about the kitchen, entertaining young and notasyoung alike, going to a heavenly dinner party and doing all kinds of fun things.  
I was laughing and enjoying life.....
WHEN THE PAIN HIT.....the fierce, throbbing pain.  
I didn't have time for a tooth issue.
Plus, I wanted to drink martinis and sip wine and be with my friends and laugh and tell stories and reminisce.......
So, I self diagnosed myself and then self medicated myself and then told myself that this just ain't going to happen this weekend.....
My mouth had other ideas.  
Other big ideas.  
As in.....big pain. 
Thankfully, I was able to hobble through until very late Sunday night when the only thing I had left to do was clean the kitchen.
More Tylenol.
More topical treatment.
Kitchen cleaned.  
Off to bed....
At 4 am on Monday morning, I awoke to the side of my face on fire and a pain so intense that I was sure it was going to kill me right then and there.
I iced it.  I put hot compresses on it.  I took more Tylenol.  I swabbed on more topical treatment.
Come sunrise, I took a quick shower, got dressed and waited for the local Minute Clinic to open.
I needed drugs and I need them NOW.
DIAGNOSIS:  "How in the hell are you dealing with this pain?  You have 2 huge abcesses!!!"
RX:  Mega dose of antibiotics, mega pain killer and get your ass to the dentist...NOW.  
But, you know, I am a busy girl and I have to go to work and you know, I am a busy girl.  

Before you start screaming to your computer screen and declaring me a complete and utter idiot, I will tell you that I got to the dentist.   He reluctantly fit me in at the end of the day yesterday. Of course, the tunnels were closed and there was a detour and awful traffic....so, NOT ONLY WAS I 45 minutes late, I had to sit there and be reprimanded for my dental misconduct.
THEN.....he called the dental surgeon himself.
So, yeah, a few more days of these antibiotics and this busy girl is going to stop her busy life and.....um......well......you know.....take care of this thing once and for all.

Funny thing.....the pain never made me cry.

The fact that I have to do something horrible to take care of the pain-- as in--spending a vacation day to sit in a dentist's chair has me blubbering like a little baby.

It's messing with my mascara. 
(and my sunny disposition) 

oh, and p.s.....did I mention that I also never got my colonoscopy that I was supposed to get in February of 2009?

My doctor reminded me of that last week at my yearly exam.   

She wasn't taking my excuses that I've been too busy anymore.  Four years of the same excuse wasn't sitting too well with her.......so she said she will have the nurse in the office give me a call. 

So far, I've been able to avoid her phone calls......

You know.....I'm a very busy girl.   

I'm not too good at taking care of that part of my body either.........