Oh......Insert Favorite Swear Word

 Another night of no sleep.  The painkiller from the emergency doctor only worked one time.  Yesterday (Monday, April 29th) was a national holiday, and the hospital that I go to for bone/muscle problems was closed.  Also, Mikey had the car.

I really tried to persevere.  Mikey would have time to take me to the hospital in the afternoon.   But this morning I was feeling terrible, so David called the hospital, to make sure it was open and a taxi. This time Christopher came with me.  The hospital is an orthopedic and internal medicine hospital.  It also has a large rehabilitation room.  Because this is the week with many national holidays the hospital was very busy.

We got there at 9:30, had an x-ray then waited until 11 o'clock to see the doctor.  At one point an ambulance was called to pick up an elderly lady.  Looks like she was bought in from an old people's home, she wasn't doing very well at all!!!

Finally got to see the doctor.  He took one look at the side where the pain is and said something in Japanese that I had never heard before.  Turns out that my pulled muscle is shingles.  I had noticed a rash in the morning but thought it was an allergic reaction to a rub I had used for the pain!!

I had to wait a bit longer to see the other doctor.  He confirmed the diagnosis and prescribed antiviral medicine, a cream, and strong painkiller!!  

Yet another holiday ruined!!  Never mind, if the painkiller works at least I can read and watch TV.

One thing I'm very grateful for is the Japanese medical system.  In some ways it's difficult to navigate, there are no GPs so you have to figure out where to go.  Because I've lived here for 15 years I have an idea of where to go. Also one of my early students here was a public nurse, she introduced different hospitals to me.  The fact that even during one of the busiest times I can walk into a hospital and know that I will be seen is good.  The wait is a few hours but better than a few months in the UK.  Also, I pay into the national health system.  Last year I was paying about 40 pounds a month for Christopher, Hannah, and myself.  David's is paid through his work and Mikey pays his own.  Then at the doctors, dentist, and pharmacy, you pay just 30% of the cost.  It's not a perfect system but one of the best I've seen.

I'm trying not to panic about the other house I was planning on going for a few days during this holiday but looks like I can't do that.  I'll try to sort things out here more!!

Hannah had work at the nursery this morning.  She's also a bit under the weather, allergies, and a low-grade fever.  She was racing about to get ready but didn't notice that she had put on odd socks until she got to work.  She told the staff that it was a new fashion!

Odd socks!