Arrested By The Thai Police?!?!?!

And at 7pm the heavens opened at it began to pour down....I was convinced it was an omen of things to come...This visit was to expose the implants ready for placement.

You may recall last time I went to Dr Sunils I was peaking. I was crying I was hyperventilating, I looked like a Vietnam Vet having a flash back....this time I fell asleep in the car on the way....I don't understand where the calm came from, I had taken no drugs just a few Bacardi  Breezers...

Now if you have been to Bangkok you know what the traffic is like, for those  of you who haven't Id call it a "shit fight", anyway, when it rains its even worse. Dr Sunils surgery is about 10 mins drive in normal traffic, tonight it took almost 2 hours. That was plenty of time to work myself up into a complete mental breakdown but I didnt I SLEPT, I still don't understand that but anyway, I finally arrived.

I was still all good when I walked into the dentist. My shoes were removed and the Dr Sunil slippers were placed on my feet and then I was handed THE DRUGS.....

WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Thailand Xanax is wickedly good. They gave me 4 to start with and a blanket. They put on a Kylie Minogue Concert video, word to the wise NOT ALL AUSSIES LIKE KYLIE...she sounds like a dying cat to me but anyway once the drugs started to kick I I liked it then I must have passed out because the next thing I knew Miss Wendy, the receptionist, woke me and said "Miss Susie Madam", as an aside I love being called that, The Doctor will see you now. I got up to try and walk but that wasn't happening I had to be helped. I was off my dial and it was good.... it was real real good.....

So onto the scary chair, ok not so scary chair after hearing Kylie sing for 45 minutes and being drugged like Ive never been drugged before, its even better than Ecstasy and LSD all rolled into one. Even with the drugs I was a little scared and told the dentist to cover my eyes so I cant see anything that is happening, they so very kindly obliged...and so it began........

Back In Australia they tell you they are going to use some numbing agent before they put the needle in but it does nothing. Dr Sunil's cream made my entire mouth numb and THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR THAT!
I had 6 needles to begin with then the work began.

They cut open my gums to expose the implants and then started to scrape back the skin from all around...it hurt, it hurt alot, so I asked for more needles....Sure they say then jab me with 6 more needles.

Everything from this point gets really hazy...I remember there was no more pain just a weird feeling of things being unscrewed and screwed.

I remember Dr Sunil saying that we needed to discuss the colour for the permanent ceramic teeth. I asked him for Hot Pink, he suggested they might not really work with my skin tone, so I said purple....he said we can talk about that later.....

I remember nothing else, not a thing until I arrive back to my room, but I have been told the story...

Dr Sunil sent 2 men back to the hotel with me because I was passing out and just well, drug fucked. I apparently called April, my wonderful GHT nurse in the car telling her I was on my way back but I didn't have a key.  So we must have arrived and the men carried me into the lobby to wait for April...the cheeky men donned Thai Police Jackets and waited for April to get downstairs.

I hadn't told GHT that I was going back to Dr Sunil's after my earlier appointment so when April found me spread-eagled passed out in the lobby holding a piece of paper with 2 "Thai Policemen" she freaked out and was thought that I had ditched The Drill and gone out gotten hammered, been arrested by the Thai police and brought back to the hotel. After the initial panic they explained to April what had actually happened and I was frogmarched to my room.

I remember entering the apartment and seeing The Drill look at me shocked I made some type of face and then passed out again.....

I woke up the next morning looking like "Jaws" from the old Bond movie Moonraker. The was no swelling, no pain just a mouth full of metal stumps.....I have to wait 2 days before they give me my teeth......

NOT LONG NOW!!!!!!!

Tooth Fairy Does Thailand Act 2..... This Time She's Bringing "The Drill"

So posting about waiting for this to happen got boring so I stopped, until now

I wasn't going through anywhere near the emotional turmoil I did last time, probably because I knew where I was going and I knew The GHT team and Dr Sunil. Last time al I did was cry and freak out this time I could barely contain my excitement. My fear level was at 2 on a scale of 1 - 10 last time it was at about 25.....somewhat reflective of the number of extractions I had to get.

My last day in Brisbane was cool, It was fun saying "See you when I have teeth" to everyone nd the encouragement and support I have gotten from people all over the world let alone those in my daily life has really steeled me for the terror of the dental chair again.....

This time I flew Thai Airways, if you want to come to Bangkok fly with them. The flight was smooth the hostesses were lovely and they just kept on coming with the Bacardi and Coke so who could complain? The fact I did not have a stopover in purgatory i.e Kuala Lumpur made it even better.

I think what has also made this alot less scary is the fact I have a sidekick this time, we will call her "The Drill".  The Drill came, not only as support for me, but also to get a bit of medical treatment done here to. A bit of laser skin treatment and some dental work too.

Now, I can understand why people run drugs internationally. The Drill and I alighted from the plane got our passport stamped and walked out of the airport. The bag checking people were all just standing around laughing and chatting and did not x ray or search ONE bag that came off that plane. I wasnt happy about that and a little confused, it took me 2 hours to get through customs in Australia here it took 2 seconds. SCARY.

Airport pick up went smoothly, Thank you Dr Sunil, and we arrived at our apartment...WOW! Global Health Travel have wonderful accommodation. They have two apartment buildings they use and they are both great. I could not be happier.

Our first day here was basically medical day, The Drill went and had a laser skin treatment at Bumrungrad Hospital, it would have cost her over $2000 to get it back in Oz here, $240, and she saw the Dr and had it done straight away, she was back at the apartment within 2 hours!!!!

At 2 pm Dr Sunils car arrived to take us to the Clinic...I have to admit I was a little scared but mostly excited. I was so looking forward to walking in there again looking healthier and not like a sobbing lunatic. Dr Sunil has had some renovations and the surgery is even more ostentatious than before, gold things, chandilers...fancy shit!

I had had no drugs at all not even a sneaky bourbon when I walked into the room and guess what the chair did not freak me out I was excited. So excited I hoped everything was perfect and it was!

My implants have bonded nicely they are perfectly straight and we are ready to go he says. They took an impression of my mouth and the Dr Sunil said, we will start tonight at 8pm. You can wait here til then I will make you dinner then the surgeon will be here.....

OH MY GOD! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY SURGEON????? WHY?????

He explained to me Id need anaesthetic because they were going to expose my implants unscrew the abutments and put in the posts....Ummmmmmm..........WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!! So I said you mean go to sleep type anaesthetic, he said no, Local........this is when I started to freak out.....

MOUTH NEEDLES WHILE IM AWAKE, that's way scarier than birds, but I also knew that a little needle is nothing compared to what I've been through. I told him Ok but I wasn't staying there that long, I was going home having a bourbon or 28 then coming back....he agreed. Dr Sunil is so cool. Id kiss and hug him if it was appropriate. I went back to the waiting area, crying a little but The Drill was there and calmed me down.

Then she was called in.

The Drill was expecting just to have to get a crown and maybe get some laser tooth whitening .....mwahahahaha......... little did she know what Dr Sunil had to tell her.....The Drill has a fracture in her root and needs an implant! But she is so tough and so brave and just a really cool chicky AND SHE IS NOT GOING TO GO UNDER SHE IS GOING TO DO IT AWAKE!!!! The Drill is my HERO!!!! She also had a deep clean and polish, while she described the experience as harrowing her teeth look amazing and apparently feel wonderful and smooth. For all of the Drills work it cost around $2800! Half the price of in Australia!

So we leave and get back to our apartment and I throw down as much alcohol as I an and at 7pm, I go, back, alone, to Dr Sunil........

Tooth Fairy Does A Naked Happy Dance!!!!!!!!

This morning I woke up and did a naked happy dance.....

Why?

No, it wasn't a Fathers Day present for my husband..... Happy Fathers Day Davey xxoo

Its 30 days til I go back to Thailand and 31 til I see Dr Sunil!

That's right only 30 days til I'm relaxing on a "smooth as silk" Thai Airways flight....it better be smooth as silk, I freak out at turbulence. Ill also NEVER sit in seat 7C, thanks Air Crash Investigations.....

On that, my self imposed ban on said show as well as any other plane crash related news, docos or movies begins today....My husband had me watch Con Air last night as a farewell to feeding my plane anxiety.

Last trip I went with Air Asia, it was really cheap hence that choice. If you have been reading my blog you may recall my horror at Malaysia and how I said if it was humanly possible to avoid EVER having to have a lay over there DO IT!!!!!! This was my main motivation to go with Thai Airways, and they leave from Brisbane rather than the Gold Coast and that's just easier.

Last time I was freaking out about just going to Thailand, let alone the dentistry  I was so worried about what Id experience and let me tell you, it was confronting, but by the end I really really loved it there, I mean to the point I've told my hubby retiring there would be awesome. Just like his Dad, who, has actually just welcomed a new baby son with his "younger than me" Thai bride. Yes that's right my father in has a new Thai wife, she is 32, and just had a baby so I have a brother in law 36 years my junior. My cousins were also born in Thailand to a Thai mother, well they are cousins by marriage but they have been in my life for over 20 years and I love them, Id LOVE to go over with them next year for my check up, fingers crossed it all works out! Im totally pumped about going back it seems that Thailand and I have been in each others destiny forever....

I'm cool with the train's, the taxi's, the ferries and the tuk tuk's.

My eyes have been opened to the scamming beggars and the sex trade is there but from what I witnessed it wasn't the hookers I felt sorry for it was the pathetic lonely drunk old men and social rejects whom bought a few hours of happiness....

There were kid prostitutes, that is something I will never ever accept, something I still cant get out of my head, it makes my heart hurt, it was gross, it is something that really bothers me, but I'm prepared for it now, I also know what street NOT to walk down so I can remain oblivious.

I'm looking forward to bargaining again...I get it now and I say.......... MBK will be my bitch.....BRING IT ON!!!!!!!

Ok so I am more than a little nervous about the whole dentist bit but I do know the drugs they give you are A1 and well, Im not adverse to a mind altering substance or two, so the idea of getting trippy with Dr Sunil is enough to balance out the hesitation I have about that....

But the coolest thing about this trip is I'm bring a sidekick....I've been debating about what to call my companion to protect her identity, I've tossed up a few name, I have finally decided on "Drill". Drill and I already have a fantastic scam worked out to try and obtain a free upgrade to first class on the plane. 

We are staying in a 5 star 2 bedroom apartment in Bangkok and then after the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and WHEN I HAVE MY NEW TEETH, we will be spending 4 nights in Koh Samui in a 4 Star Resort Spa....so we kind of NEED First Class passage to ensure the trip perfectly 5 Star....we wont tell them that's why we need first class, no, we are far more manipulative and smart for that we are gonna use guilt and play on their empathy.....I cant say too much about our cunning plan but if it works Ill be sure NOT to tell you so we can keep on using it.....oh, of course I will tell, I love to brag about a bargain. (The Tooth Fairy is Breaking Bad...lol....oh man, how good is that show!!!!!!). Its a great plan but you will probably need to qualify for disabled parking to try and copy us...mwahahahahahaha....

So 30 days, 4 weeks and two days until the final stage of this quest......

I've walked through Mordor and scaled Mount Doom now I just have to get passed Gollum to throw the ring in the fire...then my world will be perfect.

Im not sure how much Ill sleep between now and then.......

Yeah Thailand Is Dangerous......If You Are A Dick.....

I've seen a few stories in the media lately about how more Aussies die in Thailand each year than in any other country. In fact I think the statistic is 1 in 8 Australians who die overseas die in Thailand.

Well durr....but its not Thailand that's the problem its the idiot Aussie with more apparent wealth than apparent brains.

Lets just take a step back and have a look at the stuff Aussies get up to in Thailand.

The number one thing Australians do in Thailand is drink, and I don't mean water. It seems that that's what most tourists do in Thailand and its not discouraged. There was beer for sale at the Floating Markets and at Safari World....pretty much everywhere you go you can get a beer for $0.60.

A drunk person is a stupid person.

You fall over balconies when you are drunk, you also get in scooter accidents. But mind you, if I got in an accident anywhere Id want to be at a Thai hospital in preference to an Aussie one any day...

Drunk pedestrians are also easy targets for the Grim Reaper. When you factor in the insanity of night time Bangkok, even walking back to your hotel drunk without being run over is a death defying feat. Oh and you will be drunk because who can knock back a beer for less than a dollar or a $3 cocktail???? Did you know that even in the United States you are more likely to die as a drunk pedestrian than as a result of drink driving?

If you only purchase bottled drinks with the lid on and never leave it alone you cant be drugged. If you are not an idiot you don't buy drugs in Thailand and you wont open yourself up to the criminal element, blackmail or death.

If you get robbed, don't be a hero, let go of your bag and chalk it up to an "experience".

I have to say that I felt safer on my own wandering around Bangkok at 3am than Ive ever felt in Australia.

Everywhere is dangerous and can be deadly if you don't use your brain.

Thailand is awesome, the people are friendly and the food is great.

But yeah Thailand is dangerous, if you are a dick, but so is Brisbane.

55 Days Bitches.....55 Days

OMG! OMG! OMG!

This time last year I was wondering how I was going to live the rest of my life a disgusting grot. I was an ugly, sad, embarrassed, shell of a human who had begun to steel themselves to accept that having a nice smile and feeling beautiful was forever lost.

I had just started on my dental journey 12 months ago, although my parents played a major role, I credit this to my beautiful friend Lady Lee, you are a reason, season and a lifetime, you crazy cat lady. The dentists had begun their bullshit profiteering but it was before my doctor had given me the OK to go ahead and get my teeth fixed, so I knew I was up for some dollars but I NEVER imagined exactly how much.

Ill never forget the day when I realised just how much this was going to cost and that I could NEVER in a million years afford to get the work done. My teeth were making me so sick, so much sicker than I should have been, I now know. I had begun to think I was going to die. Bad teeth kill people, that's not melodramatic, that's true. My teeth were going to go septic and I would have died, its inevitable, although maybe if I had got really sick they might have done something, who knows.....

That day I was sucked into a black hole, and the day I found Global Health Travel I was spat out the other side, into a world of hope and sparkles.

I have never been on such a ride, if you've been reading my blog you are fully aware of the ups and downs, the freak outs and the triumphs, the stitches and the temples.....it really has been mind blowing.

I have now been tooth free for about 7 months and to be honest I actually forget most of the time. I only really remember when I go to bite something and it doesn't work. Everyone I deal with on a daily basis knows what's going on, I have absolutely no self confidence issues at all. To me no teeth is far far better than the ugly meth addict looking teeth I had - FYI I enjoy my drug buzzes but Im NOT A METH USER/ADDICT, my teeth were just wannabe's.

So its 55 days bitches....just 55 days.......

Admittedly I didn't know 55 days before I was going to Bangkok that I was going but I am not freaking out at all yet like last time.....(stay tuned this will likely change next week).....I am even cool with no general anaesthetic. It might be because this time I know what to expect and I'm going to be seeing people I am familiar with, Loverly, Johnny, Dr Sunil and my Ruby.

I'm a bit sad about Ruby. I have successfully delivered her messages, right into her hand, asking her to contact me, but she hasn't. I'm not sure if its a cultural thing or if I just read the relationship wrong. I really thought we connected. We shared some pretty personal stuff. I want to keep her in my life. I suppose I was just another patient to her but to me she was the most amazing gift from the universe. She was everything I needed in a time of absolute fear and aloneness. I love that woman, I cry when I think about how much love and care she showed me.....RUBY YOU ARE AN ANGEL. I THANK YOU WITH ALL MY SOUL FOR BEING YOU AND BEING THERE!!!!!!

Ill  probably start to blog again a little more now that the end is nigh....This trip to Thailand is going to be very different I'm excited and I'm not one bit apprehensive.

And the best bit is this time the Tooth Fairy is bringing a side kick......look out BKK.......

79 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall, 79 Bottles of Beer.......I mean days of waiting....BONUS BEFORE PIC!!!!!!

Only 79 days to go, not that I'm counting or anything....

Look out for my story in the August Edition of Good Health magazine....Its on page 49, even if you don't buy it at least read the story in the line at Woolies or Coles....

Page 49 is awesome....

I am beginning to freak out a little bit about the next bit, the FINAL bit, but I also know that I am not taking a stupid risk and that my treatment so far has been world class. 

My mouth is fine, boringly so. While my eating may have been limited to soft and finely cut food I have managed to gain enough weight that I may have to start to consider weight control measures.... About 12kgs since January!!!! I have to admit I am loving my fleshed out sexy bod.... but I cant let it become too rotund.

I was re reading my posts today and I realised I am yet to post a picture of my teeth BEFORE any treatment....so I'm gonna do it.....

This is why I started this journey....

Ugly hey...........I bet you understand why being toothless is better than this......

My Year Of Living Toothlessly...

Long time no post, I know.

But there isn't much to say when you are just waiting.......

Its just over 4 months since I got home and its just under 4 until I go back and actually get my teeth!!!

Well, its 118 days to be exact....118 and counting.

I suppose no news is good news or its boring. And yes its good and hence boring......

Nothing at all has gone wrong except a slight freak out when an abutment screw fell out and I swallowed it. The freaking was short, like 6 hours or so, but intense. The screw loss was an expected possibilty. All was well by bedtime.

Once the stitches came out and I decided not to wear the yucky temporary dentures I've pretty much owned my gummy mouth. A mouth with no teeth is FAR less inhibiting than one with bad teeth. I seriously do not give a shit.  Granted, I am lucky it is not immediately obvious that I am without dentition and if people notice and wonder but are too embarrassed to ask me about it I don't care, I don't feel self conscious. I feel better about my appearance now than I did before and that's what counts, not what other people think.

So no "OVERSEAS SURGERY HORROR STORY" headlines here.

NOT ONE THING HAS GONE WRONG!!!!!!

There are certainly some limitations mostly abut food. I can eat lots of things, chicken, rice, pasta, mince, vegies. I have to cut EVERYTHING I eat into bite size pieces. If I can cut it and it is softish I can gum it. I still want a hamburger, BAD. Sure I can cut one up and give it a go with a knife and fork but its not the same and I am desperate to TAKE A BITE OF SOMETHING!!!!!!

In terms of my general health I am a different woman. I have been sick a couple of times. Thats right, a couple of times in 4 months! I used to be sick MULTPLE TIMES EVERY SINGLE DAY. My teeth were making me sooooooooooooooo much sicker than any other illness that I may have. I have gained almost 12kgs!!!!!!! I now weigh a little over 64kg! I was 51kg in December last year and about 53kg when I landed in Thailand. 

I am totally free of pain medication, anxiety pills and other such medication and I am HAPPY! Happier than I have been in years.

There really is nothing to say other than, 

Act One wowed the crowd, we are now in the extended intermission, full of anticipation for Act Two....