Approximately 2 days before I went to Japan, I was stricken with a cold. Then, because I have asthma, it turned in to the super powerful cold that wouldn't go away. (I coughed for an entire 2 hours train ride to Nagasaki, which I'm sure was very pleasing to my fellow passengers ears, but we'll get to that later in the "WOOHOO I WENT TO JAPAN!" blog.)
I did not let the cold stop me in Japan, even though I felt awful. I returned home and was exhausted. And more exhausted. And still exhausted. And I couldn't breathe. And there was a lot of phlegm (gross--too much information, I know.) and 2 weeks after I got the cold, I was still exhausted and sick and couldn't breathe. Every time I coughed it was phlegmy and then was followed by this horrible wheezing noise. Then, if I walked up stairs, I would cough uncontrollably and wheeze, so I decided to suck it up and go to the Korean doctor for the first time. My health insurance hasn't started yet (next week -_-) so I was worried about the cost a little bit.
I asked Sun Jin to go with me, since I wasn't sure if the doctor would speak English. I knew it was my asthma extending a normal cold into the never ending cold and Hae Jung led me to a good doctor who would deal with my asthma.
I arrived at the doctor, in my wheezy state.
The nurses didn't really speak English, so it was good that Sun Jin was there. They took my temperature and were surprised that I didn't have a fever, since I had a cough. Apparently, in Korea, they think if you have a cough you also must have a fever. Not true.
The doctor's visit, without insurance, cost 15 dollars.
That's right, 15. Not 150. or 1500. 15 dollars.
I went into the office and he spoke very good English.
He was also extremely dramatic. I coughed for him and he said. "OH MY GOD!"
Him: "How long have you had the cough?"
Me: Two weeks.
Him: TWO WEEKS!?
Then, I breathed in as he listened and he said, "Ohh that's not good!"
And "OH MY GOD LOOK HOW INFLAMED YOUR NOSE IS!"
He asked if I had asthma, which I do.
Then, he did what no doctor has ever done to me.
He said, "I'm going to push your neck and see what happens."
And he choked me.
Not really, but practically. It caused a lot of wheezing and an extreme bought of coughing, which is not what is supposed to happen apparently. Sun Jin said it was funny because I was trying to fight him off. Well, can I just say if someone puts their hands around your neck and chokes you, you would fight back.
But, the reaction was bad enough that he gave me a nebulizing treatment, which involved me sitting in the hallway with a giant mask on my face, which was embarrassing and made me feel like an old person.
He gave me my prescription, a weird inhaler thingy that I have to use for 2 weeks and approximately 20 pills to take 3 times a day for 3 days. Well, 6 pills, but who's counting.
He said if I felt too sleepy after taking them to just take out the yellow one and I wouldn't be sleepy. Of the six pills, there are 2 yellow ones, so that was unhelpful.
I've finished 2 of the 3 days and am definitely less phlegmy and coughy, but am still wheezing a bit, which will hopefully stop soon.
I hate being sick.
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