First one end...

Ugh. What a day.

Work is going well, I just wish I was more on top of things. Now that I have my own scholarships committee to take care of, I have around 70 apps to process. I figure it should take me a couple of days straight, not counting breaks etc. Plus, the Doctorals have come in, and that will take a couple more days just to process... So in theory, I might have about a week's worth of work, but deadlines are tight, etc. I just wish I had more time.

On top of that, I managed to snap the root of my oldest root-canaled tooth, a lower incisor, last Saturday. The one I had fixed when I was 11 years old. Surprising, really, that it has lasted this long. So I had to part with it this afternoon, and it hurt. It really hurt - I've had a LOT of dental work done in my life, and this was by far the most painful experience I've ever had. All told, the dentist injected me at least half a dozen times (7 inside the lip, 3 on the inside of my lower jaw), because the deeper he dug, the more painful it got. The dental hygienist had to unclench my hands that had dug into the armrests for me: I hadn't even noticed I was doing it. I noticed as I was going through the pain that I would sweat. After a half-hour of this, the back of my jeans were wet with sweat, and I had a sheet of perspiration on my arms and chest. Really wierd.

At the end of it, the dentist told me it was one of the more difficult extractions he'd ever done. (He's my age, and he's been doing this a while.) So now I have to look at 3 options: to go for a partial palate, a bridge, or an implant. I have another 4 to 6 weeks of healing, and in the meantime I will have an appointment with a periodontist to help me determine the next steps.

While I was sitting in the dentist's chair, I became acutely aware of my body's ageing. Yes, the body does start to wear out and doesn't renew itself like it used to. It was just a question of time as to when my root would snap and someone would have to dig it out. I felt like my nose was being rubbed into my mortality once again.

Now, I can look forward to starving tomorrow so I'll be prepared for my colonoscopy on Friday. Oh joy, I can't wait - the happiness of being in my fifties!