Accommodation has been organised. (TJ said that I should just stay in a hostel since I'm going on my own, but for the life of me, I cannot bring myself to stay in a backpackers. I am not a backpackers sort of girl! "But you'll get to meet people that way," he says. I'm not going to freakin' meet people. I'm going to be ALONE.)
A day of diving out at beautiful Julian Rocks has been organised with Sundive. I've been with them before and they're awesome.
Reading material has been selected for a lazy day of lying on the beach.
SPF 30+ has been packed into my dive bag.
This is going to be my first break since January '06. I plan to enjoy every minute of it!!!
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Question: Why do all birthday cards suck? Because of this, I'm forced to pick a birthday card that sucks and the recipient of the card will think that my taste in birthday cards is pathetic. But it's not my fault! All the birthday cards suck!
I got my certificate of admission to the NERD College today. It has a gold seal on it. It's shiny.
I booked my flights for my solo mini-break to Byron Bay. I'm planning to spend a day diving Julian Rocks and a day lying on the beach doing absolutely nothing. Bliss. Things with TJ are going amazingly, ecstatically well. He even pretended to be a dentist to accompany me to the ADA congress exhibition.
I can't remember having so many good things happening to me. This time last year I was so depressed and couldn't see the end of it.
Now I don't care what happens. I feel I have so much to look forward to.
I handed in my letter and told Dr Evil that I was pursuing further studies with the view to specialise. I reasoned that if I told him that I wasn't happy, he would try to convince me to stay and make my last months at the practice horrible and uncomfortable.
I feel fantastic.
Only problem is I'm going to miss my girls.
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By the way, not going into details, but kind of, sort of got back together with TJ.
And in case you were wondering, yes, it's a good thing.
In 2 days time, I am handing in my resignation as I can no longer stomach working for Dr Evil.
Knowing this, I feel so incredibly light and carefree, like a huge, massive weight with hair-plugs has been lifted from my shoulders.
I will no longer be called a social worker. I will no longer have Dr Evil sit in on all my appointments with new patients to make sure I am treatment planning them to his liking. I will no longer be victimised and made the scape goat of every practitioner meeting. I will no longer have Bug-Eyed-Stick-Insect-With-Superiority-Complex staring at me with her bug-eyes and a superior smirk on her face, staring at me fixedly throughout these meetings. I will no longer feel evil by association.
Today, I had a new patient attending in pain. She only had 5 lower front teeth left. One had a beautiful root canal treatment that was 15 years old, had always been completely asymptomatic and on x-ray, seemed technically perfect - just like Ameloblast's. Her complaint was on pain in the lower left jaw that "wasn't a dull ache, but a feeling of a heaviness that spreads down the neck, across the chest and left breast and under the left arm". When questioned, the patient said that she had experienced exactly the same pain last November, saw her doctor, who sprayed something under her tongue and then referred her to the hospital for testing, including an angiogram, which apparently, showed no blockages. After taking the spray, her pain disappeared.
I tested all her remaining teeth in every possible way and was sure her pain was from her heart and was being referred. I have seen this before and the previous patient I saw this in ended up with a quadruple bypass and no fillings, even though he was convinced that he was having dental pain.
Dr Evil came in, wanting to check what I was planning for treatment for this new patient, which was namely seeking medical assistance. I explained the situation to him and my reasons behind my provisional diagnosis.
He quite matter of factly took a look at the patient and informed her that I would help her by retreating her root canal, doing a crown and then discussing with her restoration of her upper jaw with implants. In my pathetic weakness, with Dr Evil watching, I proceeded to remove the old root canal, the whole time terrified my patient was going to go into full cardiac arrest at some point.
I have never felt like such a scumbag in my life.
At the end of the appointment, I quietly stressed to the patient that she urgently seek medical advice, then went into the cafe next door, ordered a soy cappucino, and cried.
I am so glad to be getting out of here. It's just not worth it.
I am going to apply for a Masters in Dental Science or Doctorate of Clinical Sciences in Periodontics.
I am certifiably insane.
If I don't make it in, I am going to die.
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I asked Dr Evil for 2 days off in 3 weeks time. He was not impressed that I did not give him sufficient notice. I have not had a holiday since January last year.
I hate him.
Him and his hair plugs.
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A patient of mine told me today that he is taking steroids and they have made his testes shrink. Fortunately, his penis has remained more or less the same.
I don't know why he was offering this information.
It's not relevant to his root canal treatment.
Or is it?
The same patient was trying to set me up with a friend he does weekend detention with.
Went to watch the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras last night. We by chance, ended up with a great view. The atmosphere was fantastic. Drunken men were mooning parade officials from up in the trees, people were arguing about political statements made by the various floats, I was getting random gay men to open my beers for me and a great deal of body glitter was transferred through sweaty hugs.
I was the fortunate recipient of some of this body glitter, having been hugged by a number of gorgeous gay men.
When I asked God to surround me with beautiful men, I should have been more specific.
Sassy 20-something single Sydney-sider with an odd fondness for penguins. Perhaps it's because they not just live, but thrive in the harshest place on the planet. Perhaps it's that they are monogamous and spend time searching for that one soul mate. Perhaps it's because they're loyal and dedicated to their partner once they find them. Or perhaps it's just because they look cool.
