I was in hospital yesterday, getting my wisdom teeth out. All four of them, under a general anaesthetic.

I am in some pain today, but drugged up on various painkiller and antibiotics, and apart from some Tommy MacLean-style jaw swelling I am physically OK.

The operation itself went well, and it was in fact quite a jovial atmosphere in the ward, where those of us who’d just been under the knife were sharing experiences with those waiting.  I even met an iPhone games developer among them, which gave something else other than surgical procedures to talk about.

Thanks to the general anaesthetic I remember nothing of the operation.  The last I recall, I was telling the anaesthetist that the funny feeling and increased heart rate from the first of his jabs could give him a neat sideline in certain nightclubs, and the next thing I knew a nurse was waking me up in the recovery suite.

And all the staff, from the ward nurses to the surgeon, were all excellent – informative, helpful, friendly and very professional.  At the risk of sounding like a politician at election time, big kudos to the NHS.  And it being a state-run service, it didn’t cost me a penny.  Hurrah.

I now have two days off work to recover, in which I will attempt to get lots of writing done.  As long as I can keep myself peeled away from the iPhone games my fellow patient recommended me…