Unexpected Events!

Well, the last 24 hours have been very eventful... Let's start with Monday, then work forwards in time until the present.

On Monday evening, I was at U Canterbury, doing a bit of reading to prepare for a phone call I was expecting very early the next morning (to discuss the prospect of doing some research on lake food webs and predator-prey interactions, but that is beside the point for now). I could feel a little rough patch on my lower right third molar (wisdom tooth); thinking it was bit of food stuck back there, I poked at it only to have a sizable piece of my tooth break away! I was surprised, and more than a little chagrined. I take any kind of tooth damage rather personally, and this was a substantial piece of enamel and dentine.

No longer focused on work, I went home. An inspection in the mirror showed that I now had a sizable cavern in the side of my wisdom tooth. To make a long story short, I went to bed so I could wake up at 6:00 the next morning for a long-distance phone call. I had a very nice talk with a DFO scientist, then went to work. I needed to find a reputable dentist, so I asked around in my office. Tanya (fellow quasi-post-doc) suggested her dentist, so I phoned and made an appointment for 3:30.

Before I could go to the dentist, however, Shelley and I had to go to the airport and pick up Shelley's mom (and her friend Sandy) who was arriving in Christchurch at 2:00... and before we could do that, Shelley and I had to go pick up the van we had rented for Shelley's mom's visit (our car can't accommodate everyone). So we managed to get all that done (much to Aya and Rowan's joy and delight), then off I went to the dentist.

Once I was firmly seated in the dentist chair (at Bradley Wood Dentists on Papanui Road), my dentist Jeremy told me that there was no saving the tooth. It was badly decayed on the inside, and had to come out. I had mentally and emotionally prepared myself for this moment. ;)

To be truthful, the procedure was pretty straightforward. The tooth broke into three pieces, and took a fair bit of work to get out (perhaps 30 minutes), but it was relatively painless (since I was well-frozen). I now have an odd number of teeth for the first time since I was a lad.

Now if I was just finished (a) my Christmas Shopping and (b) revisions to my latest manuscript which has been tentatively accepted to a decent scientific journal.

[I've included a picture of Rowan, standing amid the Kowhai flowers on the lawn.]

Cheers,

Trent.