As many of you know I used to write for Latitudes & Attitudes, and will most likely do so again. One of the best pieces of cruising advice they give is “Attitude”, that’s what cruising its all about, and its true! Change Latitudes, change Attitudes!
I meet so many cruisers who just don’t adapt to their environment. So many cruisers go to the market in foreign countries and expect to buy the same products as they do at home. “I just like such and such peanut butter, soft drink, or tooth paste”. The world has so many wonderful things to offer like malta (soft drink), new fruits, vegetables, beers, and so many other things. The best cruisers are the ones who easily adapt to their environments and accept new languages, customs, products, and foods. Truthfully…, its part of the fun for me.
I’ve been relaxing for a few days now. Although my crew was great having 4 people on Splendid for a week was tiring, not to mention the antibiotics I was on. I have had copious amounts of dishes and cleaning the past few days but I’m pulling it all together.
Today is my first day off of antibiotics for two weeks. I’m still having problems with my ears and I have studied on the internet for countless hours on what could be irritating me. As you know I just had my $500 tooth extracted and it has reveled a cavity on the tooth behind it. I just don’t think I’m going to get out of this tooth nightmare so easily. I’m paying dearly for not taking care of my teeth and flossing every day. Hindsight is 20-20 right? After a lot of research I think my impacted wisdom teeth are causing most of my problems, I’m going to have oral surgery and have them removed next week :( To save some money I’m going to have them both done at once however I think the procedure will be exceptionally grueling, but it will get the whole thing out of the way quickly. I’m going to take a week and just chill after the procedure and work on my next video.
There is a weird vibe hanging around, I’m sure it will pass shortly. The French and American sailing communities are morning the loss of J.P. and Don. It is such a wasteful loss of life. It is amazing the damage one man can have on so many. Many of you might say “Panama” is dangerous but the killer was from Spain (Europe). I hear he had been in and out of mental institutions his whole life and has had a bad run with drugs. Everything happens for a reason right? I’m looking for the good in all of this and just don’t see it at the moment.
Most of the time the world just doesn’t make sense to me. The things we do for money, power, oil, drugs? Man I just don’t get it, WTF? I understand the hopeless feeling the killer must have had after he lost his boat on the reef a few months ago, I can relate for sure. Splendid is everything I have in the world but if for some reason i lost her I could easily find something in a shipyard somewhere that I could nurse back to cruise on. Looking for the reason in it all just isn’t going to happen, I give up!
I have a lot to do in Panama next week and will be there for a few nights. I’m going to start staying in the hostels so I can get to know the managers for future business.
My plans have changed a bit. I have a charter at the end of March, and after that I go to work on the ship for three weeks or more. When I return to Splendid I’m thinking to take a group of backpackers to Cartagena. Once in Cartagena I will haul Splendid and really put my knuckles to the grindstone. Nothing is more motivating to me than being stuck in a dirty ships yard on the hard paying by the day. Splendid will emerge with a whole new look :)
After that I’m going to take a few months off and find my center in the San Blas. I’m hoping I wont have any teeth/ear problems and can just shoot fish every day till I’m ready to come back to society/this reality.
It’s good to lay in a hammock and watch the stars for countless hours. I plan on doing just that tonight.
Peace, Love, and Coconuts.
-Alex
Hello Alex,
I was in the same position as you were when it came to my wisdom teeth. My two bottom wisdom teeth were coming in and were pushing my bottom teeth forward. I never experianced any pain but knew that they both had to pulled. I was so scared to have it done and thought i should be put under for the procedure bit that too scared me. Then my dentist said he could freeze my mouth and take them both out at the same time.
I decided to grin and bare it and had the procedure done.
The only pain i felt was the first needle. I kn ew he put baout 4 needles into my mouth but the first was the only real pain and that was minor. He proceeded to pull both teeth in about 30 min and off i went. No pain except my eye kept on shutting because of all the freezing. lol
After that i felt pain about 10 hours later but nothing i could not handle. In a few days i was fine and things all healed up. I wish i would have gotten it done sooner in life . It was easier then what i thought.
HAMMOCK?????? I MISS MY HAMMOCK IN THE SAN BLAS…. almost done rebuilding the fibreglass part of the boat. don’t paint your boat black…G
Hey Alex,
Both my daughters had all 4 wisdom teeth removed in one hit when they were 18, they were a bit low for a few days but pretty well fine after a week.
Best of luck
Thnks for the info. I dont mind sharing the water with sharks or crossing oceans alone. I am a bit of a whimp when it comes to being sick and doctors :(
I’m also going to change dentists. I’m going to a dentist that all my friends recommend however she dosent speak english. The doctor I have been seeing speaks english but dosent listen?
Wow,the people that were ok after pulling a, or both or all wisdom teeth,, I must be the unlucky guy,, paid 750.00 for one & it hurt a bit before & that was why I was there but,, HOLY CRAP!!!! They knocked me out for a bit & it was done & easy. After,, different story,, two months later chips are still working there way out!!!! About the time you think hey its all good,, another chip starts to surface,, one cut the bottom of my toung & I rushed in to get that out!!!! Kicked my but!!! I would rather break a bone!!
I will be going back to Guatemala to do the rest of my Dental work…I really like my dentist there. Great work and great prices. He would payments if you stay there..
Thanks Sam, hope your doing well.
Do you know how much he charges for plugs? I’m thinking I may need to pull another molar. Missing one now I’m just realizing how important they are. I like to chew my steak if you know what I mean :) I’ve never really had dental problems before, its a real bummer, not to mention expensive and painful!!!!
I just want to work on my boat, charter, sail,shoot fish and not worry about this stuff. Maybe all false teeth are cool? I could start a new trend LOL!
How about a pic of your new smile for the boy’s.
How about a pic of your new smile for the boy’s.
Sam, or anyone,
Is there a place to haul out in the rio dulce?
Alex….I e/mailed my dentist and asked him to quote us a price on your tooth.. I told him about you and asked as a favor to me to go as low as possiable. I will let you know as soon as i can
Hi Alex!
Just curious, how much does Lats and Atts pay for an article? and /or other similar magazines. I have heard many cruisers write in hopes of publishing, but to not count on it as an income. It could be a supplement though, and I am curious.
You definitely have something to write about, with the current happenings down there. Sailing / chartering and the murders, if you did not find delving into the murders in paradise too depressing.
Sadly, two of our local sailors here (Seattle) were captured off of Somalia and killed this morning. Many people worry about those things, but statistically you are still more likely to be killed driving to the marina, then while sailing. :)
Mark
Alex,
Make sure you have a good surgeon. I do not have any felling in the left side of my mouth from wisdom tooth extraction.
If your teeth are long they could be very close to your nerves. two types are there. one that can make your cheek a bit numb making it a neccesity to look in a mirror when you shave or put on makeup. This usualy heels with time. The other is the Lingual it helps you feel your tongue in your mouth. I have parathesis of the left side floor, tongue and distal side of gum area and pain in the area when i floss. It doesnt go away you feel it like novacain every moment of your life. Had I had 2 teeth to pull one on each side i could have slurred speach worse than i do now.
Also it is easy for them to penetrate into your sinus resulting in very bad infection. All this happened to me in the US under direct supervision at a University. Cat scans for my skull antibiotics the whole nine, so be carefull just maybe think of doing 1 side at a time especialy where you are you may ot get treated in time to correct nerve damage and ir sinutitus.
Joe in Ft lauderdale.
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