I hate hospitals

One of the silliest things people say is "I hate visiting hospitals" and I know some who use their hatred of hospitals to avoid seeing sick friends or relatives.

And it's a silly expression if you follow the golden rule, that I do, if you can't imagine anyone saying the exact opposite.

"I love visiting hospitals!" would see that person being carted off to one, probably by men in white coats.

Much more sensible would be "I hate visiting hospitals because it usually means that someone, possibly myself, is ill."

I have the same issue with dentists.

Now normally, I don't mind visiting the dentist because the routine visit usually means nothing more agonising than having my teeth cleaned but today I do mind visiting the dentist because I have to.

It's nothing to do with the dentist who is a perfectly nice chap.

I have an abscess in one of my back teeth and it's bloody painful and I am trying to take my mind off the pain by...er...writing about it!

It all started on Saturday when my jaw started to ache.  At the time, my teeth were okay but I have had abscesses before and I knew that within 24 hours at least one of them wouldn't be.  And so it came to pass.

I am not quite so panic-stricken this time because the last two I had were made far worse by my anxieties and depression.  I became even more anxious and tense and the pain seemed far more acute.

I'm in a slightly better place these days so I am not panicking, even if my tooth - and part of my jaw - is throbbing and I can't eat anything more substantial than a mulched up banana.  Pork scratchings are out of the question today.

I have a mere four hours of this until I visit the dentist's surgery and undergo what I suspect will be root canal treatment which, given my previous experiences, is seriously unpleasant, especially on what is the hottest day of the year.

Eventually, maybe even tonight, I should be over this and I'll look back and give a crooked anaesthetic smile at how much pain I was in.

Then, I will hopefully put things into greater perspective and realise that in the great scheme of things it is only - only! - toothache and I should get better.