Tooth Meat

Chris and I have started watching Deep Space Nine, from the beginning. Is it me, or are many of the themes parallels of modern topics? Ok, I need not ask. I think my real question is: how transparent are they, because they seem like kindergarten to me sometimes.

For those of you that don’t know: Chris broke his right elbow about 3 and a half weeks ago. He had an operation on it this last Friday and he is doing well. I hope that he’ll come back home from the hospital by the weekend (I know, all of you Americans are gasping—yes, a one week hospital stay for a broken elbow.)

I, on Friday of this last week, went to the doctor because I have an infection of some kind in my lower right jaw. I was given antibiotics, Ibuprofen and sent away. The next day, Saturday, my friends Betsy and Mirko were coming back from their vacation in Egypt and stopped through here. As we were eating pizza, I heard a strange “crack” in my mouth, and later realized that the tooth just in from of my lower right molar, or, should I say, where my lower right molar WAS before it had to be removed last fall, had cracked. May 1st (Monday) was, of course, a German holiday, which meant that I went to the dentist on Tuesday, where he took one look at my tooth and promptly started getting his instruments together to extract it.

I will just pause and say that it is moments like these that piss me the hell off about German medicine. For what I am forced to pay every month to be a part of the German, socialized medicine apparatus, I could have a really sweet, and I mean sweet, policy in the US. Dental: 100% covered. Eyes: 100% covered. Here, though, because I am paying for myself and for a bunch of other people who can’t afford it, I only get basic coverage. Normally, I am up for this deal, in that I am, after all, a liberal, and I have seen with my own eyes what a socialized system means: no homeless, no ultra-poor, no abandoned, and no one who is working hard but still can’t afford insurance. But, when the doctor tells me that I will need an implant to the tune of 2000 euros out of my own pocket, I start to get a little hot under the collar. Now, why is it that I am paying a premium price for basic coverage? Screw those other people; it’ snot like I don’t need this tooth to, say EAT!

This whole teeth thing is driving me up the friggin’ wall! I am, with each passing day, looking more and more like some kind of hillbilly. And, all of you that know me know that nothing will get under my skin like looking like a hick. And, because I know you’re all wondering it: yes, I brush my teeth. Yes, twice a day just like everyone else. I even floss. It’s true. I floss! But, for whatever reason, my teeth are just slowly disintegrating at an incredible rate. It so sucks!

Needless to say, I am in a lot of pain right now. Thank you, Germany, though, for the 2-day sick pass consolation prize. I am staying home and taking it easy post-mouth-rape. It was gross. Look in your mouth at the tooth just in from of your molar. Big sucker, isn’t it? Only bloody gums and stitches appear there now. Gooey. Icky. And painful, to boot.

On a lighter note, you might find it funny that Germans call “gums” “tooth meat”.