It was a Sunday. I was due to fly off-shore the following morning. But before that, there was a staff vs students soccer game at the school that Caroline was teaching at. I played to bring up the numbers on the faculty side of the game.
During the game, I started to notice a disturbing trend. When I headed the ball, it felt like one of my fillings was jarring loose, or wobbling around in its socket. As the day progressed, it started to worry me more and more, mainly because I was about to head out to the middle of the South China Sea for a couple of months with nary a dentist in sight.
After we’d eaten dinner and it was still bugging me, I decided that I should try and do something about it. And of course 8pm on a Sunday is a great time to try and get into the dentist. I went through the phone book and finally managed to get a dentist that would open up for me ... for the measly sum of $200 (plus whatever treatment they would provide).
I ventured in there and explained my situation, that I was leaving first thing in the morning, that I wouldn’t be back for about 2 months and so I wanted to know what was going on with my tooth. So after taking a look and not being able to find anything, the lady said that she’d need to take x-rays, so x-rays were taken. Then she came out and happily told me that she’d be able to view them tomorrow. Quietly and calmly (well almost) I reminded her of the fact that I had already told her that I was leaving first thing in the morning and that I wouldn’t be there to view them tomorrow.
She had a bit of a think and presented me with 2 options. She could give me some painkillers and hope that things went away, or she could take the nerve out. Now is it just me, or are those two options just ever so slightly diametrically opposed to one another?
I nearly shat myself at that the time and decided to go with the option that didn’t involve tearing into my mouth late at night at least until I was absolutely sure that it was actually the best option for me to take. Besides, I’d been told that a severe toothache is actually not a bad way to get some time off of the barge. I wasn’t keen that as a back up plan though and opted for a course of painkillers!
We left the surgery and Caroline suggested that perhaps we should call her friend back home who was at the time in the latter stages of studying dentistry. I was all for a bit more information. After a couple of quick questions, she asked exactly the right one. Did I have any sinus trouble. As it turned out I did at the time and it was suggested that referred pain from sinus trouble could result in the sort of sensation
More importantly, she referred to the fact that a nerve removal procedure should be done over a period of two visits, spaced something like 2 weeks apart. The thought of what might have happened in my mouth had I opted to go with ‘just rip it out’ quite frankly sets my bladder quivering!
I was very relieved when my sinus trouble cleared up a week later to note that my tooth was in fact fine!f
Jun 30, 2008
Jun 23, 2008
the itch you shouldn't scratch
Summer's back here in Fort McMurray and there's a couple of things that come with summer. The first notable thing that comes about with summer is the caterpillars. And not just one or two of the little blighters, but literally swarms of them.
Apparently its an annual thing here. Such an annual thing that it was reported on the radio near hatching time that the municipal council was out spraying .. because there were something like a billion caterpillars expected to hatch.
Now that is a lot of caterpillars. There were patches of them on the trees, square feet of black patches of caterpillars. I went out to Tom's soccer and there was some pine fencing and there were lines the entire length of the fence, caterpillars crawling from one end to the other, head to tail.
They don't last for too long though, only a couple of weeks, so that now there are really none to be seen.
But they have been replaced. There's a new menace on the prowl.
Mosquitos. And maybe they're not quite present in the same numbers as the caterpillars, but they're more mobile and they're a hell of a lot more vicious.
We brought the rid back with us when we came back after easter as we've been told that the local stuff doesn't have the active ingredient that makes rid so good. And so the other night I went out to play a game of soccer and Caroline told me to remember to take the Rid, because i was playing on the field that she usually plays on and its a bit of a meeting place for the winged vipers.
I of course agreed that that would be a good course of action and promptly left it home. I borrowed some stuff off of one of the locals and covered every inch of my bare skin and that seemed ok. After the game, as we stood around and had a few beers, it was an interesting little dance that one adopted, trying not to spill the beverage whilst trying to swat away mosquitos like the planes attacking king kong at the top of the Empire state, though they seemed to bring more friends than the planes did against kong.
I thought I had survived ok, but then the following day, the dots started to appear. Little red, mosquito induced welts all over the backs of my calves. Turns out that the little bastards had found something of a loop hole. Get me through my socks. Being long socks, i'd left them up, thinking that this would at least protect part of my body from the swarm.
It wasn't really until the following day that I realised this though. Not until about the time that I suddenly felt itchy all down the back of my calves. And after a day in jeans, with the denim not so gently caressing them all day, I finally took them off and found my legs to look something like a crazy drunks version of abstract join the dots.
Eventually, they might even fade away ...
Apparently its an annual thing here. Such an annual thing that it was reported on the radio near hatching time that the municipal council was out spraying .. because there were something like a billion caterpillars expected to hatch.
Now that is a lot of caterpillars. There were patches of them on the trees, square feet of black patches of caterpillars. I went out to Tom's soccer and there was some pine fencing and there were lines the entire length of the fence, caterpillars crawling from one end to the other, head to tail.
They don't last for too long though, only a couple of weeks, so that now there are really none to be seen.
But they have been replaced. There's a new menace on the prowl.
Mosquitos. And maybe they're not quite present in the same numbers as the caterpillars, but they're more mobile and they're a hell of a lot more vicious.
We brought the rid back with us when we came back after easter as we've been told that the local stuff doesn't have the active ingredient that makes rid so good. And so the other night I went out to play a game of soccer and Caroline told me to remember to take the Rid, because i was playing on the field that she usually plays on and its a bit of a meeting place for the winged vipers.
I of course agreed that that would be a good course of action and promptly left it home. I borrowed some stuff off of one of the locals and covered every inch of my bare skin and that seemed ok. After the game, as we stood around and had a few beers, it was an interesting little dance that one adopted, trying not to spill the beverage whilst trying to swat away mosquitos like the planes attacking king kong at the top of the Empire state, though they seemed to bring more friends than the planes did against kong.
I thought I had survived ok, but then the following day, the dots started to appear. Little red, mosquito induced welts all over the backs of my calves. Turns out that the little bastards had found something of a loop hole. Get me through my socks. Being long socks, i'd left them up, thinking that this would at least protect part of my body from the swarm.
It wasn't really until the following day that I realised this though. Not until about the time that I suddenly felt itchy all down the back of my calves. And after a day in jeans, with the denim not so gently caressing them all day, I finally took them off and found my legs to look something like a crazy drunks version of abstract join the dots.
Eventually, they might even fade away ...
Jun 15, 2008
Chemical Warfare
When we were growing up, we had an apricot tree in the back yard. For awhile, I was a big fan of apricot jam and even apricots straight from the tree. As time went on though, I think it reached that too much of a good thing point and I started to eat them a lot less.
We also had a dog that liked the apricots, but being something of a small dog, she wasn't really of the right sort of stature to reach the apricots until they'd already fallen from the tree. Added to that, i think she had something of a taste for the softer, baked in the sun, slightly fermented fruit rather than the fresh stuff.
The result of this was usually discovered later in the evening when the dog was asleep inside. You'd be happily watching tv when a stragne aroma would suddenly waft through the room, usually with enough stench behind it to clear out anyone unfortunate enough to remain in the vicinity.
Well, apparently the affect of apricots isn't limited to K9's. The dried apricot variety, particularly when processed through a woman's digestive system, produces an effect almost to a level equivalent to that of the dog.
So it was with great delight that I sat watching TV the other night that I discovered that one of the things that had been consumed during the trip back from Edmonton (that Caroline had made with the kids (and without me)) was dried apricots.
And let's just say that I didn't discover this fact through discussion. Ahh memories.
We also had a dog that liked the apricots, but being something of a small dog, she wasn't really of the right sort of stature to reach the apricots until they'd already fallen from the tree. Added to that, i think she had something of a taste for the softer, baked in the sun, slightly fermented fruit rather than the fresh stuff.
The result of this was usually discovered later in the evening when the dog was asleep inside. You'd be happily watching tv when a stragne aroma would suddenly waft through the room, usually with enough stench behind it to clear out anyone unfortunate enough to remain in the vicinity.
Well, apparently the affect of apricots isn't limited to K9's. The dried apricot variety, particularly when processed through a woman's digestive system, produces an effect almost to a level equivalent to that of the dog.
So it was with great delight that I sat watching TV the other night that I discovered that one of the things that had been consumed during the trip back from Edmonton (that Caroline had made with the kids (and without me)) was dried apricots.
And let's just say that I didn't discover this fact through discussion. Ahh memories.
Jun 4, 2008
The Christening
A month or so ago now, with Summer on the horizon (somewhat distant, but there none the less) I decided that it was about time that I invested in some golf clubs. After all, the only clubs that I’d ever had had been handed down from Paul to Dad and on to me. I was one of those rare people that pulled out a driver that was actually made of wood! Not to mention the size complex one get’s when everyone else’s driver is about 3 times the size of your own.
I was in Edmonton for work and so walked into the shop, got the guy to show me some clubs and walked out with a brand new, complete set of clubs. They go well with the bag that I won several years ago. It never quite looked right with the old clubs in it.
I am getting invited to a number of golf days through the unions that I am now dealing with and other work functions. I have been looking forward to that point where I get to pull the clubs out and actually have a hit.
Caroline has also been somewhat keen to pursue a it of golf and went to an information night at one of the courses here a little while ago. In doing this, it was suggested that she might need some clubs. I told her that if it really came to it, she could use mine (at least until she decided whether she was actually going to enjoy the game or not).
And yes, you can probably guess what happened at this point. I came home one evening to be told that Caroline had managed to get along to a bit of a give it a go type session at the driving range and that she’d used my clubs.
My new clubs.
Not the old clubs
My brand new, never used, never touched a golf ball, barely even swung, brand new golf clubs.
“It was only the driving range and I didn’t use them all.”
They were my new clubs. I still haven’t used them. And now, they’re not even virgins anymore. What more can I say?
I was in Edmonton for work and so walked into the shop, got the guy to show me some clubs and walked out with a brand new, complete set of clubs. They go well with the bag that I won several years ago. It never quite looked right with the old clubs in it.
I am getting invited to a number of golf days through the unions that I am now dealing with and other work functions. I have been looking forward to that point where I get to pull the clubs out and actually have a hit.
Caroline has also been somewhat keen to pursue a it of golf and went to an information night at one of the courses here a little while ago. In doing this, it was suggested that she might need some clubs. I told her that if it really came to it, she could use mine (at least until she decided whether she was actually going to enjoy the game or not).
And yes, you can probably guess what happened at this point. I came home one evening to be told that Caroline had managed to get along to a bit of a give it a go type session at the driving range and that she’d used my clubs.
My new clubs.
Not the old clubs
My brand new, never used, never touched a golf ball, barely even swung, brand new golf clubs.
“It was only the driving range and I didn’t use them all.”
They were my new clubs. I still haven’t used them. And now, they’re not even virgins anymore. What more can I say?
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