I have an infection in my mouth—seven days of antibiotics. Forty-two pills taken for one week is nine pills every eight hours each day. I've set three alarms at 4am, noon, and 8pm.

I was very sick on my birthday with flu and sinus infection. I was in bed for two weeks. The inflammation hurt my face, and my teeth moved so that there was a wee gap at the front. The gap was gone when the cold passed, and the swelling disappeared. I did not consult a doctor or dentist.

Before I left Vancouver, I told Clara, "I have a feeling about my teeth. They will bother me this year."

Three weeks later, I visited the dentist for a cleaning, and she discovered an infection. The bacteria settled in little pockets between my teeth and gums. Did the illness set off the disorder in my mouth? I did not ask.

The entire appointment took two hours. Forty minutes were spent cleaning my teeth and reviewing my mouth, and the rest of the time was given to the consultation. She typed in Portuguese, and I typed in English. Writing and reading take more time than speaking. There is a pause to digest and reflect on what was written while the other person types. I prefer it this way. It requires patience for the process.

My entire body was in defense during the cleaning. The dentist used a utensil I had never seen before, a metal scraper that vibrated and released some water to clean while scraping. The buzzing sent vibrations into my belly. I was more sensitive in certain areas and had to send a circle of white light around the area to protect it as she maintained the pressure.

I consulted with the dentist I visited several times in Turkey. I inquired about the prescription, and she replied that it was correct to deal with the disease.

It's odd because I've had no pain: no bleeding or signs of discomfort in my mouth. There have been no outward indicators aside from that little gap between my two front teeth many weeks ago that something was slightly off inside me.

I was moving from a feeling, a deep inner knowing, that there was something misaligned and causing disruption within.

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