Monday 28 January 2013 at 6.15pm

So the next few days were utterly crappy.

I was not in pain, not at all, and if Abe reckons it hurts more than a hang over he must get some pretty bad hangovers...but the swelling was nothing short of grotesque.

Those of you who know me have seen some of the facial swelling I get as a result of my chronic illness, they were minor league. My eyes were little slits, you could barely distinguish my cheeks from you nose, my lips looked like they were suffering the worlds worst case of collagen overload, it sucked, it sucked BIG TIME!

Loverly, the wonderful nurse from Global Health Travel, checked up on me a couple of times a day, she was available to me 24hrs a day and always answered my calls. The housekeeper, Leah, made me special fruit smoothies that were yummy and cold and just what I needed.

I'm one of those lucky people who can decide to go to sleep and when I am unwell its even easier, I basically did nothing between returning to the hotel on Friday until Monday night, except visit the dentist, which I did on Saturday night at 7pm...that type of appointment time is completely unheard of in Australia, well so is the patient collection from hotel and return for each appointment, and on Monday at 6pm.

And it so it was that Monday 28 January 2013, at 6.15pm I saw myself with beautiful teeth again....long time no see....

All I could think was "AHHHHHHH, Get them out! Get them out! It hurts!!!!!!!", all that came out was incoherent moaning and more tears,  then they put a mirror there.

And through the tears and the pain, I saw a new me....so guess what I did...cried even harder and almost choked on the bloody denture.

I was numb, what do I do? What do I say?

"Am I infected"...Dr Sunil responds with "No, you are healing well".....

OK.....I was spinning out.....

I was told not to wear the denture for at least 2 weeks, to try not to wear them at all if I can, and told me how to attach them, I was told to wash my mouth with salty water, and to come back in no less than 6 months to get the permanent teeth fixed....

OK...

He also told me we were done for this visit, that I didn't need to see him again until my next trip when I will need to be in Bangkok for at least 10 days......

OMG! Did he just say it was DONE for now???????

I think I said thank you about a hundred times....I couldn't think of anything else to say..

Back to the waiting room...I loved that waiting room, always full of Aussies, always happy to talk and always encouraging before you go in and proud of you when you come out, just like the staff and just like The Main Man Dr Sunil.

Given another X-ray to take home...then given he guarantee...and get this Aussie rip off dentists....

If anything goes wrong in the next 3 years the repairs are free....YES....3 years all work free of charge.....if anything goes wrong after that its 50% off.....YES...50% off FOREVER!!!!! Naturally, its on workmanship and hardware, so say, I move to Thailand and take up Muay Thai and get kicked in the head it wont apply, but how awesome is that?

Then I had to say "See you later" to Ruby...it wasn't Goodbye because I'm coming back in a few months, but still...that was sad, I did manage to go out and buy her some flowers and some Tim Tams, she mentioned she loves biscuits, I really didn't know what to say to her. So I did something really unusual well, not really....I cried....and so did Ruby....

Then Miss Wendy told me the driver was ready to take me back to my hotel, I didn't take my camera, I so wish I had a photo of Ruby and I....next time....

And that was it....

I went back to my hotel and just sat...I couldn't talk, it was hard to breathe, I could not believe that the scariest part of all of this was over...I didn't know what to do or say or think or feel, it was a moment of overwhelming emotion that we do not have a word, well none that I know.....

Dr Sunil told me I could have 1 cocktail to celebrate...Ok well I asked him and he said "Hmmmmm, maybe one"

So I did and I watched a movie and I ate Mashed Potato and Gravy...and then I remember thinking as I fell asleep "Tomorrow really is going to be a new day.....

I was starting to feel the adrenaline  the ugly teeth are gone the implants are in, I have no infections, I have my temporary teeth......

I think you may call it joyous bliss.

I slept well that night... the best I have in months.