Going to the doctor

Geos said that I need to get a check up. Well, not just me but everybody. Apparently, once a year employees are supposed to go get a health check to make sure... well, I don't know... we aren't dead on the inside or something.

In Japan, doctor's visits are very different from in America. You just show up and wait. You don't have a "family" doctor, just go to the specialist you need to go to and that is that. And apparently in Tsuruga the only place to get a general check up is the hospital. Which means that I could expect to wait for...oh, 3 or 4 hours.

Well, Kaori said she had to take her Grandma to the doctor today and why don't we try there first. See if they can take care of us instead of having to go to the hospital.

So, today, went to the smaller doctor's office and was able to be seen.

And I was. Mostly as a circus sideshow attraction.

The nurses were laughing as they called me over. They weighed me and said, "Ooooh, big!" in English. Fantastic.

Then I had an eye test. The eye test is different in Japan, of course, they don't use E's they use circles with a piece out of them, so kind of like a C, with the opening oriented in different directions. So, my left eye was excellent. I could read every single one of them from big to the smallest. I earned a "Sagoi!" which is "wow." And my right eye, well I couldn't see a single one of the C's out of my right eye. I had to have Kaori translate for me that I have an astigmatism and have never been able to see out of my right eye. They were laughing and said I rubbed my right eye too much and went blind.

And then I had to go get an x-ray and they laughed as they called me over. I think they thought it was very funny to call me over. I don't know why. Maybe because they had to use the motion like I was a little kid. I dunno. Anyway, I was wearing a long-sleeved button down as I am want to do when in public over here and they asked me to take it off for the x-ray. Well, then they saw the tattoo and it was all over. I had to spend five minutes showing my tattoos to one nurse after another.

And then came the most embarrassing part of my day. I had to go see the doctor and Kaori had to come to translate for me and I had to lift my shirt up so he could listen to my heartbeat. Yay, get to show off my big fat rolls to a room full of people including my co-worker. Fantastic.

Ah, whatever.

And later, in the waiting room as we were waiting for Kaori's grandmother to finish her appointment and a little toddler boy kept staring at me. However, I am used to that and he was cute. He would get distracted by his mom or someone else, and then he would remember I was there and turn around to stare at me. It was very cute.

All in all, successful doctor's visit. My blood pressure is a little high and my weight is definitely high, but nothing horrendous. And I thought they would take my blood, but they didn't. I was hoping to find out what my blood type is. Oh well. Next time.

Today is nice and hot and humid and rainy. A perfect Japanese June day.