Doctor Doctor

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With two weeks to go until I run the Tokyo marathon, disaster struck last Tuesday......I started feeling grotty in the evening and woke up Wednesday with what I thought was the beginning of flu. There have been several outbreaks at school and the last time I went to elementary school the place was like a plague zone, with everyone - teachers and kids wearing masks! So, feeling tired, achy and a sudden hacking cough I thought my best bet would be to get to a doctor asap and see if I could get some anti-virals.

After school I headed to where I thought the village surgery was located. Turns out the first place I went to was in fact a dentist (The drilling noises should have given it away), but they pointed me in the right direction and I eventually tracked the doctor down. I went in armed with my medical card and a print out of Japanese health vocabulary I thought might come in useful. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I wasn't even registered - but after giving my card to the smiling receptionist I barely had a five minute wait before I was ushered in to see a Japanese doctor and nurse. The nurse took my temperature, which showed I had a fever. The symptoms pointed to flu and so they prepared the test.

I knew the flu test wouldn't be pleasant - a friend had it the month before and described it as having your brain pocked at via your nose......unpleasantly eye-watering, it involves the doctor shoving a long swab stick up your nose as fast and far as it will go.

The doctor was very thorough and even sent me for a chest xray to may sure the cough wasn't anything too worry-some. The good news was the x-ray was clear and the test was negative. He prescribed me a whole medicine cabinet's worth of pills for a bad cold and cough. I went away very impressed with the efficiency of the whole experience - even my lack of Japanese hadn't been a problem, with the doctor speaking a few words of English.

The bad news was my cold lasted most of the week and with it not being flu I couldn't get any time off work (unless you are on the verge of dropping dead, the Japanese frown on the taking of sick leave). I was so relieved when Friday afternoon arrived and I could fall into bed and sleep for a few days. I'm on the mend this week but still have an annoying cough. I'm praying I don't fall victim to any more bugs before the big race. Early nights and a fruit and vegetable diet for me!

Marking some second year students' compositions this week I came across two gems I have to share. The students had to write a fictional email to a "host" family they would like to stay with. Most of them copied the example in the text book, which was about a farm in Canada. Two boys had more creative ideas. One, worryingly has an unhealthy interest in weapons of mass detruction, and the other I fear could loose limbs if he ever gets to Cambodia....

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