Wow, it's been a long, long time since my last post, and I apologize to anyone who might actually be reading. There was the weird coming back to work after illness readjustment, the mad dash to the end of the trimester, and then the holidays. So, really, no time to just sit and form my thoughts into coherent sentences. But, my New Years resolution is to blog and e-mail more instead of just reading Boing Boing all the time.
As promised, Part 2 of our thrilling adventure:
Somehow, I'm able to drive home and find the doctor's office. The healthcare system here is pretty different from the States. Doctors usually operate out of private clinics and do a lot of stuff in-house, including surgery and selling prescription meds. There's a national system in place, so you just walk in and flash your card. Each clinic also issues you its own card so they know you've been there before. It's also first-come, first-served, so you have to show up, take a number, and wait.
I'd heard a lot of stories about going to the doctor in Japan - most of them pretty bad. I'd heard that, especially in small towns, clinics are only open a few hours each day since there are so few doctors in the sticks. They would rather live and work in big cities. I'd also heard that Japanese meds are really weak and don't really work on us Americans used to heavy-duty, industrial strength meds. That, and the language barrier with doctors is a big problem. Although they have to study English in medical school, they only know medical terms. What's more, I'd been told that I should go with my supervisor to help me with all the Japanese paperwork and stuff.
I arrive at the clinic with my usual bag of stuff I take to the doctor's (and car mechanic's): my ID, my medical card, a book to read, a box of kleenex, cough drops, etc. I'm also equipped with my handy JET Diary guidebook, which has a section on medical terms and doctor's office terms in Japanese and English. I'm pretty nervous to be going alone, too.
I walk in, and they were totally waiting for me. (The school had called ahead.) I hand them my card, fill out a sheet with my address and stuff, they hand me the clinic card and take a number. - #2 - No waiting!
Oh! Did I mention the nurses are all 20-somethings in cute 1950s white uniforms and nurse hats?
Never actually ever having seen a real nurse in one of these, it's pretty damn surreal.
They call me in quickly, and I sit next to the doc at his desk. I tell him my symptoms. His English is OK, but the Diary helps a bit. Then, the check up. He checks my ears, checks my throat... Then he asks me to do something that takes me some time to interpret. I realize he's asking me to take off my shirt so he can listen to my heart. I go to reach for my shirt buttons, when a nurse I didn't even know was there swiftly lifts my shirt up from behind! The doc has a quick listen to my heart, the nurse spins me around, he listens to my back/lungs! Doc says I have acute bronchitis, rest for 4 days, goodbye. And next thing I know, I'm out in the waiting room again, paying for my meds!
A few days later, I'm feeling pretty good, and my cough is much better.
The Japanese medical system is Awesome!
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