Yesterday I took a sick day from school (today too) and went to see a doctor. I went to the hospital twice back in late January for a bad sinus infection so this was my third trip. The students are killing my immune system! Luckily I have health insurance through my school. With each trip I've been amazed with Korean health care.
At the hospital there is a foreign visitors desk where at least one person speaks English pretty well. Yesterday, a woman signed me in then walked upstairs with me so I would know where to go. She stayed to help ask questions for the doctor and took my temperature. I had a fever so she walked with me to have some blood drawn and to get a chest x-ray. She stayed with me until I was almost done and was very nice about it.
Within just ONE HOUR I did all of the following: 1) I saw the doctor, 2) had a vial of blood drawn, 3) received a chest x-ray, 4) saw the doctor again after my x-ray films were developed and blood analyzed, 5) paid my very cheap copay of 15,000 won (~$12), and 6) walked across the street to the pharmacy to get my prescription!! I had my prescription and was on my way home by the time an hour was up. I'd be amazed if all of that could be done in 2 hours time back home. I don't think I sat anywhere for more than 5 minutes yesterday, and that was
without an appointment.
My chest x-ray was clear but my white blood cell count was high. The one thing I saw the doctor click in English on his computer was acute bronchitis. The rest was in Korean.
The pharmacy has a unique way of distributing medicine. Each time I've received a liquid and pills. Last time the liquid was a cough syrup in a clear unmarked bottle. The pharmacist wrote on the bottle the quantity and doses per day. This time I received the liquid in these shampoo sample-type packets with the frog on the front. I'm guessing that's the antibiotic. I was on different pills last time but received them in the same packaging, so the pharmacy counts out each patient's medicine, puts each dose in its individual packet, then vacuum seals the whole thing.
Way less packaging than giving each patient four or five different bottles of medicine! One of the pills is Tylenol because it's written on the pill, but I have no idea what the others are. It's a little disconcerting not knowing what I'm taking, but I got better quickly last time so I guess they know what they're doing.
This photo was from awhile ago, but the little girl was cute. We were on the bus and she kept leaning way back to play with some straps on my bookbag (when I was standing before taking the photo). The mother was talking to someone so I don't think she realized the little girl was keeping herself entertained.
Way less packaging than giving each patient four or five different bottles of medicine! One of the pills is Tylenol because it's written on the pill, but I have no idea what the others are. It's a little disconcerting not knowing what I'm taking, but I got better quickly last time so I guess they know what they're doing.
By the end of next week they'll probably be completely green, like some of the other trees. I love the green and pink together in the photo above.
There were no games for kids, vendors selling toys or artwork, or any of the normal things usually seen at a festival, but there were some cool flower and photo displays from a contest. I thought this jeans one was pretty original....
...but I thought the bull was by far the best. All the placards were in Korean so I don't know which displays won something in the contest. Maybe it wasn't even a contest, but it seemed like it probably was.
In addition to the blooming cherry blossoms, there were also lots of flower pots with a wide variety of flowers.
And more magnolia trees, this time of the pink variety.
I have to include a few parting "ick" shots. A food vendor was selling silkworms and some sort of shelled animal that I haven't seen anywhere else. The silkworms are very common.
Then we rode back down and William tried to pet some cows, but they were too shy. They kept backing away but then he'd move a little bit and they'd come back. I think he finally got to pet one who was a little more brave than the rest.
The magnolias are in bloom and they're beautiful. I love magnolias. It's getting prettier here now that things are starting to flower and turn green again. 
The farmers are all plowing their fields, so soon there will be lots of green to see. I can't wait!
