Just back from the dental surgeon. He agrees. The tooth has to come out. No kidding. Nice guy though, but no bourbon.
He also agrees the molar on the other side should come out and a one piece prosthetic should be made to replace the teeth on both sides.
So, I asked my dentist for an official estimate, but I am sure it will be more expensive than the old Chevy truck I want to buy. I guess we wait and see.
When does the tooth get pulled regardless of whether I get the prosthetic or not? The 9th of May. Yup. Thirty-two days from now.
I am now up to two extra strength acetaminophen and two extra strength ibuprofen every four hours. That, and the Strepsils or Cēpacol as necessary to boost the pain relief.
Last night I woke up at 2:30 AM. Why? I was grinding my teeth and I was rotating the tooth forward. The pain woke me up of course. Popped the pills and a Strepsil and somehow managed to fall asleep for a few hours.
Right now, the pain killers are not working. I want to get a chisel and hammer and bang the sucker out.
I do not know if I will be able to last another month. No more codeine left either. All I can say is, I am lucky that I am not in the middle of one of my famous marathon migraines. They can sometimes last more than a month.
At least the surgeon said we can dispense with building up new bone if we go with a prosthetic and that implants are of no use as I will most likely grind them out. So, three dental experts have now told me this. Super.
Still, no one wants to pull out all my upper teeth. This guy said if I manage to grind any further teeth out, we can at least add to the prosthetic. Well, that is something to look forward to.
At least I am prepared for the wait. I picked up two jumbo bottles each of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Not to mention the giant bottle of rye today. Well, it came with a jumbo sized 100 mL sample of another, hard to get, rye whisky. Hey, I am still a cheapskate, regardless of this agony.
Friday, April 07, 2017
Thursday, April 06, 2017
strepsils
As I said, I did get the Strepsils with the anaesthetic.
Either my tooth is getting worse or the Strepsils are a little less effective than Cēpacol.
The Strepsils are very close to the effectiveness of Cēpacol. So, nominally, there really is no difference. However, the Strepsils that I got have the added advantage of an entertainment element.
It actually numbs my tongue. I end up talking slightly comically. Last night I was talking with the wife and she had a smirk on her face every time I spoke. So, at least I can be of service putting smiles on people's faces.
I picked up the ones that say they are blackcurrant flavoured. You know what? They do taste like blackcurrants! With a hospital taste undertone, just like the original Cēpacol back in my army days, which is good.
There is a black cherry one that sounds intriguing. I like cherries, so I hope I can find that one to try for taste. I would like to find out if they too have that hospital undertone.
However, I think I will mainly stick to the honey and lemon Cēpacol. I do not want people to think I am boozer talking all funny like. Ya know?
Either my tooth is getting worse or the Strepsils are a little less effective than Cēpacol.
The Strepsils are very close to the effectiveness of Cēpacol. So, nominally, there really is no difference. However, the Strepsils that I got have the added advantage of an entertainment element.
It actually numbs my tongue. I end up talking slightly comically. Last night I was talking with the wife and she had a smirk on her face every time I spoke. So, at least I can be of service putting smiles on people's faces.
"i'm tellin' ya! I can't feel my tongue. Sufferin' succotash!" (courtesy supercartoons.net)
I picked up the ones that say they are blackcurrant flavoured. You know what? They do taste like blackcurrants! With a hospital taste undertone, just like the original Cēpacol back in my army days, which is good.
fruit & hospital flavour with tongue numbing entertainment
There is a black cherry one that sounds intriguing. I like cherries, so I hope I can find that one to try for taste. I would like to find out if they too have that hospital undertone.
the illusive cherry (courtesy well.ca)
However, I think I will mainly stick to the honey and lemon Cēpacol. I do not want people to think I am boozer talking all funny like. Ya know?
my preferred choice for self-medicating my sore tooth
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
new activity in the backyard
The birds have not really discovered the feeders yet, but it is early days.
Not long after I finished setting up the feeders, there was a considerable amount of birdsong. More than usual. That may very well just be the onset of spring though.
Then there was a whole crew of grackles, not enough to consist of a plague or an annoyance though, milling about all over the ground flipping over leaves. It looked like one of them lost their car keys and they were all looking for them.
They were back today and a couple hit the mixed seed feeder on the birch and another was at the suet breaking bits off and throwing them down to bunch on the ground. That was pretty interesting.
There has been a really big blue jay hanging around. Seriously, he is huge. The biggest I have ever seen. He is going back and forth between our yard and one of the neighbours who has cedar-log screens set up in his yard. He was checking out the feeders on the birch too, especially the sunflower seeds. Unfortunately, I did not see if he fed or not.
There have also been what I believe are starlings. They are not native to North America, but have been introduced here. Again, there were several, but not enough to make up a murmuration. They hit the mixed seed feeder at the birch as well.
The usual robins are hanging around. From what I understand, they are not so much feeder birds. That is fine. I can take or leave them. They and the grackles usually hit the lawn after I cut the grass. That is just weird. I guess the grass cutting must reveal something they can eat. Glad I can be of service.
From an entertainment perspective though, the best so far has not been the birds, but the tiny mammalians trying to figure out how to get to the feeders.
The wife was working from home today and while I was hiking, she said there was one of our resident crazy-assed black squirrels climbing all up and down the birch trying to get to the feeders and just could not. I guess the way I hung them up is an effective deterrent. Poor guy.
I saw our resident chipmunk, Mr. Chippy, trying the same. He was not as industrious as the squirrel, but he gave it a go. He then must have found some sunflower seeds that fell to the ground and he was pretty happy about that.
I felt a little bad for those guys, so I put out some peanuts for them. They were gone in no time.
So, I just did a walk around and all the feeders have definitely been hit by a few birds, except maybe for the sunflower seeds. That is okay though, I put those out more for the cardinals, who have not made a showing yet this year.
Well, it can only get better.
Not long after I finished setting up the feeders, there was a considerable amount of birdsong. More than usual. That may very well just be the onset of spring though.
Then there was a whole crew of grackles, not enough to consist of a plague or an annoyance though, milling about all over the ground flipping over leaves. It looked like one of them lost their car keys and they were all looking for them.
They were back today and a couple hit the mixed seed feeder on the birch and another was at the suet breaking bits off and throwing them down to bunch on the ground. That was pretty interesting.
There has been a really big blue jay hanging around. Seriously, he is huge. The biggest I have ever seen. He is going back and forth between our yard and one of the neighbours who has cedar-log screens set up in his yard. He was checking out the feeders on the birch too, especially the sunflower seeds. Unfortunately, I did not see if he fed or not.
There have also been what I believe are starlings. They are not native to North America, but have been introduced here. Again, there were several, but not enough to make up a murmuration. They hit the mixed seed feeder at the birch as well.
The usual robins are hanging around. From what I understand, they are not so much feeder birds. That is fine. I can take or leave them. They and the grackles usually hit the lawn after I cut the grass. That is just weird. I guess the grass cutting must reveal something they can eat. Glad I can be of service.
From an entertainment perspective though, the best so far has not been the birds, but the tiny mammalians trying to figure out how to get to the feeders.
The wife was working from home today and while I was hiking, she said there was one of our resident crazy-assed black squirrels climbing all up and down the birch trying to get to the feeders and just could not. I guess the way I hung them up is an effective deterrent. Poor guy.
I saw our resident chipmunk, Mr. Chippy, trying the same. He was not as industrious as the squirrel, but he gave it a go. He then must have found some sunflower seeds that fell to the ground and he was pretty happy about that.
I felt a little bad for those guys, so I put out some peanuts for them. They were gone in no time.
So, I just did a walk around and all the feeders have definitely been hit by a few birds, except maybe for the sunflower seeds. That is okay though, I put those out more for the cardinals, who have not made a showing yet this year.
Well, it can only get better.
Tuesday, April 04, 2017
bird feeders
I was going to post about the selfish, arrogant, narrow-mindedness of some people. That they would allow something to go to complete crap, and force their own agenda, just to slam someone down over their hatred for that person and allow innocents to suffer (not the maiming and dying kind of suffering though). However, what is the point? They refuse to see a situation for what it is. So, I will let them congratulate themselves for their "victory". Small-minded people need that. They will have to accept the consequences for their black-heartedness.
Now on to something more joyful.
I picked up some bird feeders, seed, and suet on the weekend. I found myself over-occupied with other matters, but today I decided to get them set up. The rainy, cold, crappy day be damned.
I did it. I went out and got them up. It is not ideal, but I can fix them up later. I need to get some metal rods for hanging the feeders, then I can also place them for my viewing pleasure.
I also learnt my shed is listing to starboard. Not much I can do about it until the frost is out of the ground. It may settle back in to place as well.
Anyway, I want get a few more feeders so I can have different types of food for the various birds. So far, I have put out one feeder of nyjer seed, one feeder of black oil sunflower seeds, three blocks of suet, and two feeders with a so-called all season blend. I have peanuts still to put out and maybe cracked corn.
I got everything, feeders, seeds, suet, from Giant Tiger. From what I determined, they have the best prices. They even kicked the stuffing out of Walmart on that one. All the food was processed by Armstrong.
Now on to something more joyful.
I picked up some bird feeders, seed, and suet on the weekend. I found myself over-occupied with other matters, but today I decided to get them set up. The rainy, cold, crappy day be damned.
I did it. I went out and got them up. It is not ideal, but I can fix them up later. I need to get some metal rods for hanging the feeders, then I can also place them for my viewing pleasure.
I also learnt my shed is listing to starboard. Not much I can do about it until the frost is out of the ground. It may settle back in to place as well.
suet block on a japanese lilac in the foreground
mixed seed at the back on a black walnut tree
that tree actually fruited last year and the squirrels had a blast
Anyway, I want get a few more feeders so I can have different types of food for the various birds. So far, I have put out one feeder of nyjer seed, one feeder of black oil sunflower seeds, three blocks of suet, and two feeders with a so-called all season blend. I have peanuts still to put out and maybe cracked corn.
a suet block and nyjer seed on my serviceberry tree
maybe the birds will not pick the tree clean this year and I can make some fruit leather
I got everything, feeders, seeds, suet, from Giant Tiger. From what I determined, they have the best prices. They even kicked the stuffing out of Walmart on that one. All the food was processed by Armstrong.
black oil sunflower seed in a ball cage, a suet block, & mixed seed all on my birch tree
you can see the boy's stone dragon "grum" in the foreground and my tarped over canoes in the background
I look forward to adding more feeders. I do not think I need to add any birdbaths though. There are plenty of water sources nearby, including a couple of creeks. If I can find a bath that keeps the water moving without needing to plug it in, I may get one. Maybe.
Soon, I will also be looking to add some nut and fruit trees as well as laying out the edible wild garden and planting all my veggies and herbs too.
Now, what was it that I was not happy with? Never mind, I can create my own joy.
Monday, April 03, 2017
worst case scenario
I have a tendency to over-plan. I look at the worst that can happen and then work backwards.
This means that I usually have everything I need for whatever I am doing. It also means that I usually have too much crap with me no mater whatever I am doing.
Is this a bad thing? I do not think so.
When I go camping I have a stack of tarps, lots of rope, and more often than not, I end up using them. I always bring extra food too, but I usually bring that stuff back, but still.
Road trip? The back of my truck is filled with breakdown gear. In the cab, loads of water, snacks, maps (I will never be lost in Kentucky).
Hiking? I carry a small emergency kit etc. and other sundry items, but that is only good sense.
My everyday carry (EDC): at least two pocket knives, a Leatherman tool, flashlight, handkerchief, Mechanix or deerskin gloves, toque..., you get it.
Travelling? Oh, all kinds of stuff will be found in my luggage. I am like the opposite of the guy in If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, who cleans out his hotel room and stuffs his luggage. Me, my luggage is already stuffed when I start, not that I do not take all the free soap and tea that hotels provide....I am a cheapskate.
This does dovetail with my food pantry habits, so not really a surprise I over-plan.
A lot of people jack me up about these tendencies. That is fine, sooner or later, usually sooner, they ask for some of my over-planned worst case scenario stuff if they are camping or travelling with me.
A lot of people call me paranoid, but that is entirely another post(s). That is okay too. I know everyone is against me. Why would I not plan for that? At least I am not like Steve Buscemi in Billy Madison.
I have to go now. I need to count how many jars of pickles I have left. There may a cucumber shortage this year, you never know.
This means that I usually have everything I need for whatever I am doing. It also means that I usually have too much crap with me no mater whatever I am doing.
Is this a bad thing? I do not think so.
When I go camping I have a stack of tarps, lots of rope, and more often than not, I end up using them. I always bring extra food too, but I usually bring that stuff back, but still.
Road trip? The back of my truck is filled with breakdown gear. In the cab, loads of water, snacks, maps (I will never be lost in Kentucky).
Hiking? I carry a small emergency kit etc. and other sundry items, but that is only good sense.
My everyday carry (EDC): at least two pocket knives, a Leatherman tool, flashlight, handkerchief, Mechanix or deerskin gloves, toque..., you get it.
Travelling? Oh, all kinds of stuff will be found in my luggage. I am like the opposite of the guy in If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, who cleans out his hotel room and stuffs his luggage. Me, my luggage is already stuffed when I start, not that I do not take all the free soap and tea that hotels provide....I am a cheapskate.
This does dovetail with my food pantry habits, so not really a surprise I over-plan.
A lot of people jack me up about these tendencies. That is fine, sooner or later, usually sooner, they ask for some of my over-planned worst case scenario stuff if they are camping or travelling with me.
A lot of people call me paranoid, but that is entirely another post(s). That is okay too. I know everyone is against me. Why would I not plan for that? At least I am not like Steve Buscemi in Billy Madison.
I have to go now. I need to count how many jars of pickles I have left. There may a cucumber shortage this year, you never know.
Sunday, April 02, 2017
electronic waste
Today, our Canada Jamboree group, which is made up of Scouts from three different Scout Groups and at least five different communities ran an electronic waste fundraiser.
Basically, you get a couple of shipping containers, put up signs, advertise online, and hope people show up with their unwanted electronics, working, broken, or otherwise. The real cash cow is vehicle batteries.
When you are done, an organisation picks up your bins, weighs them, some other magic probably goes on, then you get a cheque. The batteries we take in ourselves and get a cheque for that too.
We are very grateful for all the donations of electronics and batteries and other sundry items that we can turn in to cash. I am also grateful another Scouter organised it and slapped this particular one together in about a week.
We filled up two shipping containers. That is a lot of electronics. A lot that will not end up in landfills and contaminate soil and the water table. It is a lot of recovered metals, plastics, and whatnot that does not need to be manufactured from additional raw materials.
What absolutely slays me though? The number of times we did heard, "It still works." Not every time, but a lot of the items we got still operated for their intended purpose. Some are outdated and outmoded, but not all. I do truly understand wanting the latest and greatest, but I have a television that is over twelve years old and only now is the tube starting to get funky. Yup! It is a tube tv. We are going to move it to the basement for the boy and his buddies to use.
When I grew up, my dad fixed, or at least tried to fix, everything that broke down and used it until it could not be fixed. He fixed fridges, stoves, freezers, washing machines, dryers, the list goes on. We used to call the tv repair guy.
I am amazed at how conditioned we have become to get new stuff even if the old stuff still works. But that is okay, it helps groups like us looking to raise funds. The recycling programs that do this and thankfully pay cash, put raw materials back in to the manufacturing process without having to secure new sources and scar the planet further.
So, go ahead and buy that latest television, or computer, or video game. But do not chuck the old one in the trash. Take a few minutes and check the local paper or online for an e-waste fundraiser. They are going on all the time, sometimes they will even pick up from you. You are not only helping that group raise money, but you are helping reduce the toxification and pillaging of this planet.
To everyone that does organise, help, and donate to e-waste recovery, whatever your motives, thank-you very much!
Basically, you get a couple of shipping containers, put up signs, advertise online, and hope people show up with their unwanted electronics, working, broken, or otherwise. The real cash cow is vehicle batteries.
When you are done, an organisation picks up your bins, weighs them, some other magic probably goes on, then you get a cheque. The batteries we take in ourselves and get a cheque for that too.
We are very grateful for all the donations of electronics and batteries and other sundry items that we can turn in to cash. I am also grateful another Scouter organised it and slapped this particular one together in about a week.
We filled up two shipping containers. That is a lot of electronics. A lot that will not end up in landfills and contaminate soil and the water table. It is a lot of recovered metals, plastics, and whatnot that does not need to be manufactured from additional raw materials.
What absolutely slays me though? The number of times we did heard, "It still works." Not every time, but a lot of the items we got still operated for their intended purpose. Some are outdated and outmoded, but not all. I do truly understand wanting the latest and greatest, but I have a television that is over twelve years old and only now is the tube starting to get funky. Yup! It is a tube tv. We are going to move it to the basement for the boy and his buddies to use.
When I grew up, my dad fixed, or at least tried to fix, everything that broke down and used it until it could not be fixed. He fixed fridges, stoves, freezers, washing machines, dryers, the list goes on. We used to call the tv repair guy.
I am amazed at how conditioned we have become to get new stuff even if the old stuff still works. But that is okay, it helps groups like us looking to raise funds. The recycling programs that do this and thankfully pay cash, put raw materials back in to the manufacturing process without having to secure new sources and scar the planet further.
So, go ahead and buy that latest television, or computer, or video game. But do not chuck the old one in the trash. Take a few minutes and check the local paper or online for an e-waste fundraiser. They are going on all the time, sometimes they will even pick up from you. You are not only helping that group raise money, but you are helping reduce the toxification and pillaging of this planet.
To everyone that does organise, help, and donate to e-waste recovery, whatever your motives, thank-you very much!
Saturday, April 01, 2017
cepacol pulls it out of the hat
My tooth is not getting any better. I have to take more and more painkillers everyday. When I see the dental surgeon this upcoming Friday, he is only looking at the tooth and discussing options. I have no idea when I will get relief from this dental agony.
So, today I was going to be out all day. I had been taking Tylenol 3 with codeine and now 1000 mg of ibuprofen. But I cannot take codeine and drive around the city.
I grabbed a pack of Cēpacol from one of my go bags to see if it is still as miraculous as when I was in the army.
Well, I took one and put it by my sore tooth, which was easy. I had my wisdom teeth and a bunch of molar pulled previously. So, I just slid it in beside and let it dissolve.
Holy mack! The pain was gone. It only lasts about two hours, but the instructions say take one every two to three hours. No worries. I have had eight straight hours of relief.
Home now, so I will quaff down some T3 and ibuprofen, but I am hitting my pharmacist on Monday and buying more. Bonus, his prices are cheaper in my little town than the big boys in the city.
He also has Strepsils, which I thought was only available in the UK, but I have seen it all about since I mentioned that. No sign of the hospital flavour ones though.
Some varieties have, to quote their site: "Hexylresorcinol 2.4mg - an ingredient which is both antiseptic to fight bacterial throat infections but also has anaesthetic properties to numb throat pain." (strepsils.co.uk)
So, I am down with that. If Cēpacol gives me relief for two hours without that stuff, I figure the Strepsils will be like being in a Swiss clinic.
It almost makes me want to break my arm or twist my ankle.
So, today I was going to be out all day. I had been taking Tylenol 3 with codeine and now 1000 mg of ibuprofen. But I cannot take codeine and drive around the city.
I grabbed a pack of Cēpacol from one of my go bags to see if it is still as miraculous as when I was in the army.
Well, I took one and put it by my sore tooth, which was easy. I had my wisdom teeth and a bunch of molar pulled previously. So, I just slid it in beside and let it dissolve.
Holy mack! The pain was gone. It only lasts about two hours, but the instructions say take one every two to three hours. No worries. I have had eight straight hours of relief.
Home now, so I will quaff down some T3 and ibuprofen, but I am hitting my pharmacist on Monday and buying more. Bonus, his prices are cheaper in my little town than the big boys in the city.
He also has Strepsils, which I thought was only available in the UK, but I have seen it all about since I mentioned that. No sign of the hospital flavour ones though.
Some varieties have, to quote their site: "Hexylresorcinol 2.4mg - an ingredient which is both antiseptic to fight bacterial throat infections but also has anaesthetic properties to numb throat pain." (strepsils.co.uk)
So, I am down with that. If Cēpacol gives me relief for two hours without that stuff, I figure the Strepsils will be like being in a Swiss clinic.
It almost makes me want to break my arm or twist my ankle.
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