Take on Japanese Health Care
Shiota-cho - Monday, October 24th
So, although I wished that I could avoid a visit to the hospital whilst here in inaka Japan, it was not meant to be.
While dreams of Engrish and Anime danced in my head, I awoke at 4 am with a sharp pain in my neck and shoulder. "Hmmm...this is not right", I thought to myself. In an attempt to salvage what little sleep I had left, I swallowed 2 muscle relaxers and rubbed glorious Tiger Balm onto my neck. Damn, that stuff is the business.
A few short hours later, I recieved a call from Akemi-san "Are you ready to go to Elementary Class today?" I replied with "No, I think a visit to the hospital is a better idea".
For those of you who have never visited a Japanese hospital, allow me to summarize:
A typical Japanese hospital is just like a hospital you would find in Canada. There is a reception desk where you fill in your name, although it is written in katakana, a waiting area where you wait for 3 hours to see a doctor, and an examination room where the doctor is waiting for you with a bow, formal greeting, and a smile. Oh wait, that doesn`t happen in Canada.
The best part about this hospital is that there was a rehabilitation facility attached to it, so after seeing the doctor and receiving my prescreption, I followed the delightful Doraemon characters pasted on the floor to have a physiotherapist work on my neck and give me a fluffy warm towel to use as a compress. Ahhhhhh....that`s nice.
Total Cost: 2920 yen for visit plus 900 yen for medication.
Pro: The medication makes me high so I can catch up on some zzz`s I missed the night before.
Con: I can`t read the medication, so I can only assume I`m taking the right thing. Here is what I got - the colourful little book on the left is my prescription records, so if I ever have the same problem, my local pharmacist will know the dilly even if I don`t.
So, although I wished that I could avoid a visit to the hospital whilst here in inaka Japan, it was not meant to be.
While dreams of Engrish and Anime danced in my head, I awoke at 4 am with a sharp pain in my neck and shoulder. "Hmmm...this is not right", I thought to myself. In an attempt to salvage what little sleep I had left, I swallowed 2 muscle relaxers and rubbed glorious Tiger Balm onto my neck. Damn, that stuff is the business.
A few short hours later, I recieved a call from Akemi-san "Are you ready to go to Elementary Class today?" I replied with "No, I think a visit to the hospital is a better idea".
For those of you who have never visited a Japanese hospital, allow me to summarize:
A typical Japanese hospital is just like a hospital you would find in Canada. There is a reception desk where you fill in your name, although it is written in katakana, a waiting area where you wait for 3 hours to see a doctor, and an examination room where the doctor is waiting for you with a bow, formal greeting, and a smile. Oh wait, that doesn`t happen in Canada.
The best part about this hospital is that there was a rehabilitation facility attached to it, so after seeing the doctor and receiving my prescreption, I followed the delightful Doraemon characters pasted on the floor to have a physiotherapist work on my neck and give me a fluffy warm towel to use as a compress. Ahhhhhh....that`s nice.
Total Cost: 2920 yen for visit plus 900 yen for medication.
Pro: The medication makes me high so I can catch up on some zzz`s I missed the night before.
Con: I can`t read the medication, so I can only assume I`m taking the right thing. Here is what I got - the colourful little book on the left is my prescription records, so if I ever have the same problem, my local pharmacist will know the dilly even if I don`t.
posted by Kokawaii at 4:20 AM
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