That's what I was diagnosed with last week when I went to the doctor's office. Well, what I thought was going to be a routine visit where they speak broken English and give me some antibiotics turned into a rather frightening experience. I'd been suffering with a bad sore throat for about 2 weeks, which was making my job all sorts of fun to do (what with the talking all day, every day for 8 hours) and finally decided to bite the bullet and go to the doctor even though I hate Japanese doctors even more than Canadian ones (and I thought that wasn't possible). Anyway, when I got to the doctor's office, a doctor checked my nose and my throat while a nurse was taking my temperature; turns out I had a temp of 102 which sent the place into panic mode. I was whisked away to a treatment facility on the same floor and seen by an ENT specialist who hit me with the "expiratory disease" diagnosis (which I've since translated, with the help of my students, as being a bad sinus infection, so I'm not expiring and you need not panic). I was then subjected to several squirts of awful tasting stuff up the nose, swabbed with stuff at the back of my throat that hurt like a bitch if you don't mind my saying, and then made to sit at some weird machine which I can only describe as being some kind of medieval torture device. There I was forced to stick blown glass devices up my nose and in my mouth for five minutes while inhaling some foul tasting smoke. Then the fun began - I was plunked onto a gurney and ended up in another room where 6 nurses proceeded to work on me (I kid you not; 6 bloody nurses) - one kept checking my temperature, one was trying to cool me down with cold packs, one was trying to make sure I wasn't TOO cold by covering me with lots of blankets, one was puncturing my arm (apparently they were drug allergy tests), and two were inserting two seperate I.V.'s (my first I.V. - woo f'ing hoo) into my arm. All I needed to really feel like I was dying was George Clooney to come running in yelling "stat!" Granted the Japanese like to go a little overboard and give I.V.'s for everything, and I knew I was fine, but it was still really scary to have so many people "working on me" and speaking in a language I couldn't understand. Definitely not the most fun I've had in this fine country. 3 hours later they unhooked everything, scooted me into the waiting room, sent me home with 8 (again, not kidding) medications and said "have a nice day." Thus ended my most unfortunate day at the doctor's office. But atleast I have a great story to tell.
Other than having all sorts of fun with the Japanese medical system, I haven't really been up to much. Jess is trying to fit in as much time with da boys before we leave, so he's often out drinking at misellaneous places (strangely enough, they're always "guys nights" but all the pictures have hot Japanese women in them . . . hmm . . . ;) ).
Last night we went out with Natsue's family (she's my friend who's in Canada right now) to watch the Hanshin Tigers play. But we didn't go to a stadium; we went to a roof-top beer garden in Osaka and watched the game on a big screen. They had all-you-can-eat&drink and it was almost as much fun as being at the actual game; the fans were just as crazy and just as decked out in Tigers gear. The company was great; we love Natsue's family and finally got to meet her mom who is a die-hard Tigers fan. And the Tigers won 5-0; they are now in 1st place in the league and ahead by 6 games. Woo hoo! I'm only sad that we won't be here to watch the final game live - everyone is saying this is their year. If they win the final it will be the first time in over 20 years, so definitely a big deal to their fans.
Time is going soooo fast and I am powerless to stop it. 3 months ago I couldn't wait to get out of here and now I'm starting to feel really sad and nervous about leaving. My students have been crying which makes me cry, and I have a constant knot in my stomach. I want to see all of you so much but at the same time I'm really apprehensive about leaving. It's the strangest feeling; not at all like how I felt when I was getting ready to come here. I know everything will be fine and that it will hurt to leave no matter what, but I'm just dreading that last day. 12 more days of work and then I'm off for 2 weeks before we come home. We have so much to do in preparation for leaving; I feel like we'll never get everything done. But then, I felt that way coming here and everything turned out fine. I also have to spend some time doing some serious job-hunting; it's getting down to the wire and no one has been able to find contact info for that new ESL school that just opened up in Vic. If any of you happen to come across it, I'd really appreciate it if you could forward the contact info on to me. I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up, but atleast teaching English is a great stand-by while I figure it out. And I'm sure I'll mainly be doing waitressing while we backpack our way thru Europe - woo hoo! I can't wait to go to Europe. Seeing you guys and knowing there's another adventure on the way are the only things making it easier to leave.
Don't really have any other news. We're both feeling great and have probably lost a whole person in weight between the two of us (well, maybe not literally, but close enough). I can't wait until you see Jess - he looks f'ing fantastic.
Take care and talk to you soon!
Yesterday was a perfect day all around. It started out like any other, really; I left Jesse fast asleep and headed out to the gym for an-almost-two-hour workout. I felt really good but noticed that it was really quiet and getting dark when I left the gym. I rode like the wind expecting a huge downpour (we're in the middle of rainy season and yesterday morning was literally the first time it hadn't been raining in 6 days, so I was expecting it to start up at any moment). I had to stop by the pharmacy near our house for the basic necessities of life: soap, face wash and popsicles. When I got out of the pharmacy I noticed that the sky was completely black and that the wind was picking up, so I gathered a storm was on its way. I was right about that, but didn't expect a storm of the magnitude we got. You know me and thunderstorms - I get pretty darn excited to put it mildly. I was so excited, in fact, that when I got out of the shower I immediately stuck my head (and most of my upper body) out the upstairs window to have a better look. It was only several minutes later that Jess pointed out that I was completely naked. Hope I made someone's day! Anyway, it was a perfect storm - black sky, fork lightning everywhere, the loudest thunder I've EVER heard, hail, high wind etc.
My tattoo appointment was for 5 o'clock and we were a little worried that we'd be late as we had to stay home and ride out the storm. As soon as the rain went from poke-your-eyes-out to gentle-smacking we boogied to the train station on our bikes. The entire trip between Kyoto and Osaka the storm was raging all around us - and was still going in Osaka when we got there as well. So I pretty much got hours of viewing and listening pleasure - they sure don't make storms like this at home!
Anyway, we got to the tattoo shop a little early after stopping for some lunch at a little cafe in America Mura. I was a little ticked because no one spoke to us for half an hour - just sat us down in the room and let us wait. The new, better, assertive Meegan had had enough so at 5:30 I went to see what the heck was going on. It turns out the guy was just getting around to tracing my tattoo so I was asked to keep waiting. 10 minutes later he came in to show me what he'd come up with and it was nothing like the design I'd asked for. Even though I'd be stuck with it forever, if this had happened 2 years ago I'd have sucked it up and had it done despite being unhappy with it. Not this Meegan! I made him redo it the way I wanted it and when he came back with the second drawing I was very very very happy - glad I said something. Then I straddled the chair and almost went to sleep (seriously, I was tired and it really doesn't hurt) while the tattoo only took about 15 minutes.
I'm soo happy with it and am so glad I took the time to plan what I wanted and make sure I got what I wanted. In case any of you forget, this is Japanese Kanji and it says "They must often change who would be constant in happiness and wisdom." I LOOOOVE it!! I am currently accepting emails to see who can appropriately guess where it is (what part of my body I mean). Email me and tell me what you think! Anyway, Jess had to leave before I was finished there as he had to be at work, so when it was all over (and much cheaper than I'd anticipated!!) I was on my own in Osaka's best shopping area with a credit card and no voice-of-reason putting his two cents in . . . So I did what any sensible girl would do; I went shopping. I knew exactly what I wanted though and bought only one thing - a pair of shoes obviously. You see, the thing is, as my feet are bigger than most Japanese womens' I have a hard time buying shoes here. And I found a shop with my sizes and really great CFM's. And it's summer sale time, which means almost everything on sale in any store in Osaka is between 20-80% off. And yeeesss, they are the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever owned, but they are also my favourite shoes ever. VERY high heels, very sexy. Perfect for my welcome back outfit (that is, always assuming you guys are going to throw us a welcome back shindig - and yes, I have an outfit for it already; very sexy and un-Meegan-like to go with my new body and my new . . . well, that's just going to have to be a surprise for when you see me).
When I got to Nishioji I stopped and picked up a few groceries then came home to dump everything. Then I had to go back out to return the DVD's we'd rented the night before. While there I rented 3 more, got them home, and discovered that for some reason our DVD player won't play older DVD's. If they're new releases, the DVD player is fine, but if they're weekly's the picture just fades in and out and the screen flashes alot. Anyone know what might be causing this? Anyway, I'm going to try my luck and call the manufacturer today, always being ready to be told they don't have anyone who speaks English, in which case I'll be pretty p.o.'d. But that's just me - ever the optimist! ;0)
I'm off to the gym so it's time to sign off. See you in 6 1/2 weeks!!!
