I had a wisdom tooth 'taken out' by the NHS. I was put to sleep and awoke with a mouthfull of blood and pain (no anasthetic if you get put to sleep). For years, I was plagued by painful tooth fragments that kept surfacing from where the tooth used to be.

In the US, I had another problem wisdom tooth. They took X-Rays and it turns out that the tooth the NHS had 'taken out' had merely had the crown pulled off with the root still in place. My US dentist thought it was hilarious. I ended up having 3 wisdom teeth taken out, one surgically, I had the tooth fragments taken out of my gums surgically, and awoke in no pain since I got numbed up by the time I woke up.

Ironic part is that they pretty much cost the same out of pocket at the time, even with the 'free' NHS (that I had already paid taxes for)

PS Now you know why British teeth are so bad, the dentists are butchers!

Believe it or not, 12 years ago or so, the British Health Care System (perhaps British Army docs)operated on a British soldier to "straighten" his penis which "leaned" to one side. It becamce infected and had to be removed. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP! GEEK ALERT! - See if you can find on the net.

You get what you pay for.

Actually, when the government is providing the service, you get 1/3 of what you actuallypaid for, and shitty service to boot.

Is it just me, or does that link not work?

lauraw is right, the URL needs an = sign at the end to work, Damn Internet!

I tried to fix it. I added the "=" but for me at least it still doesn't work.

Link works for me.

If Europeans don't want to work then they can suffer. If Europeans embrace socia1ism then they can suffer. If Europeans cannot fight terror then they can suffer. If Europeans make heroes out of the likes of Arafat, Chirac and Annan then they can suffer. If Europeans actively plot against us they should be MADE to suffer - a lot!

I just want to tell you good luck, we're all counting on you.

Back when I was living there, they were having problems of a slightly different sort -- because of some major issues in defining different types of dental problems at the NHS, it was about 12 quid for getting your tooth pulled, while getting a filling put in would set you back about fifty. Plus, you could get your teeth pulled by these guys who would come by in a bus; for a filling, you'd have to wait at least a month for an appointment. Easier just to be toothless!

"The hospital! What is it?"

"It's a big building that you can't get into without submitting a Form 27B-6 filled out in triplicate and signed by the proper authorities. But that's not important right now."

I just want to tell you good luck, we're all counting on you.

Surely, you must be joking?!

I'm serious...and don't call me Shirley.

Plus, you could get your teeth pulled by these guys who would come by in a bus; for a filling, you'd have to wait at least a month for an appointment. Easier just to be toothless!

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Bus-Riding Barber of Fleet Street.

Classic.

Thanks for sharing.

Wow, the thread comments are EVEN BETTER.

Someone more ambitious than me needs to start a website devoted to Great Moments in Socialized Medicine. I bet there are THOUSANDS of documentable cases.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank TallDave for the honors he has bestowed on we, the thread commenters.

At long last, we are recognized for the contributions we have so diligently labored over. I'm sure none of us realized back at 05:27 PM when AG posted his first thread comment, that it would lead us down this tumultous path to where we are these many minutes later. So, thank you TallDave. Thank you for the respect, consideration and, dare I say, love you have shown we, the Great Moments in Socialized Medicine thread commenters.

And...I just want to tell you good luck, we're all counting on you.

Okay now, some of you commenters are less than serious.

Really, are you trying to make me piss my pants or what.

Jus' hang loose blooood. She goonna catch up on the` rebound a de medcide.

And win just one for the Zipper. I don't know where I'll be then Doc, he said. But I won't smell too good, that's for sure.

Excuse me, I speak Jive.

I don't think we have the whole story here. I need to know everything right from the beginning.

Hmmm. . . first the earth cooled. Then the dinosaurs came. But they got too big and fat, and all died and turned into oil. Then the Arabs came with their Mercedes Benzs. Then Prince Charles started getting socialized health care. . .

Cheers,
Dave

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

Enough about your tooth problems, AG. Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked in the head by an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does, that never happens.

Who started this?? I can't stop...help!

Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?

lauraw :

Iron boot in the head, schmiron boot in the head. Have you ever seen a grown man naked? I have, every day, for hours on end until I get fed up of standing in front of the mirror naked.

Remember, there's only one river, only one sea, it flows through you, it flows through me, and unfortunately through that bastard that butchered my tooth.

Ace--

What's up with the filter? I tried to post another Airplane quote, no swear words or nuthin, and I got "comment could not be submitted due to questionable content."

WTF?

Cheers,
Dave

Methinks the objectionable word was a word that describes the medical procedure that ends the life of a fetus.

Your filter associates that with a word that rhymes with "ape."

Me no likey. . .
Dave

No, AG, but I do like to watch gladiator movies.

I'm just waiting for a female reader to take off her top and shake it right in front of the camera.

Oldlady : Nervous?
Striker : Yes.
Oldlady : First time?
Striker : NO, I've been nervous lots of times.