Racking up days

Or how many sick days can you use in one month a still keep your job? Good grief Charlie Brown. Another birthday and what do I have to show for it? Today I lost another tooth. I'm now calling it my 9 year torture. It was not really until July 2001 when I lost my first tooth in the front for everyone to see that the denture saga began, but I remember I was in denial having lost two or three back teeth prior to that. SO for 9 years now, I've lost my teeth one by one, and it never gets any easier. Having a tooth pulled hurts every single time. It's rather like death, no matter what I do, I know where the story ends; it's just that between two dentists, I don't know the specific twists of the plot development, except the next and last step. I now have only two natural teeth left in my mouth. I told the dentist today, that when the next one goes, I don't care what he says, they both go so I am finished with this nonsense. I'll be a full dentured old man. Today I also had a regular physical with my internist. Gosh, it was downright boring, given all the medical excitement I've had for the first six months of this year. Lets see, there was the great picnic of the radical prostatectomy (and don't let anyone tell you there is nothing radical about it!) (and truth be known, mine was better than most - I am an outstanding singular succes story), electrocution treatments for tennis elbow, another vocal chord trauma, and the truly revelatory findings of allergies. My big conundrum of my 58th year is what would it be like if I had something really wrong - though I guess I have to admit prostate cancer would probably rank way up there in the serious ratings, but remember, that was discovered last year. I just didn't go for surgery until January. I can't complain about the tooth. The dentist took the denture yesterday and sent it to the lab for the new tooth and then pulled the nearly unanchored perfectly good tooth today and re-inserted my denture with its new tooth. Luckily, I didn't need to be seen too much in my West Virginia mode. A little interesting note - the dentist tells me the teeth he pulls are sent to the dental school for teaching and research purposes. Since my teeth are all in good shape when they are pulled, I hope the students learn alot with my teeth! Oh those rotten gum genes!!! I actually don't mind becoming a dentured person. However, I find the endless torture of pulling one by one just incomprehensibl to say nothing of the hurt to my vanity to walk around with no teeth in my mouth for any number of days since 2001. Had I not used so much sick time this year, I might have stayed home yesterday, but I went to work yesterday and today, only using the necessary time to get done what had to be done. And tomorrow I will sing at church and all will be right with the world. Well, I have lots of vacation days racked up. The state increased the amount of time we are allowed to carry, so I just keep racking up those vacation days. I'll need them in case I need any other kind of surgery two years from now. I truly hope I am not setting a precedent for my golden years. Gosh, if I keep this up, I'll never have time to write my guide book for embarking upon the golden years. Another best seller bites the dust, and alas all possibility of ever becoming independently wealthy. I guess it's better for me to be average - HAH!! Not in MY lifetime!!! There must be a cruise or an extended tour of Eurpoe in my future. Why else would I be racking up days - NOT sick days?!?!?!