Problem Solved.

Still possibly in need of a tight, white jacket but there is now a confirmed diagnoses for at least some of the issues.

Thinking I think I can, I think I can, I think I can the whole time, I actually left the house yesterday. There were many stops to make and many errands to run but most importantly, beyond my good judgment, I made an appointment at the Naval Hospital to look into my various recent annoyances. Due to past experiences, I have found that nurse practitioners tend to be much more thorough and concerned than doctors and upon the question as to whether I would mind seeing one at the hospital, I jumped at the chance.

Forty minutes this woman spent with me! What doctor do you know does that for simple cold and fatigue symptoms? When she walked in, I was consumed in one of my books for school which peaked her interest. Not many people you meet are instantly drawn to a title like Major Problems in American Foreign Relations but this woman certainly was one of the rare few. And she knew her stuff! So, perhaps my entire visit was not medically oriented but it certainly reinforced my praises of the nurse practitioner.

At the end of our time and her tests, she confirmed my fears that I had quite a nasty little inner ear infection which was the cause of pretty much all of my silly symptoms. Oh, and a discovery was made that a hair had gotten stuck in the infected ear but luckily wasn’t growing into the lining of my inner ear. Gross. Could have lived without knowing that and probably so could you. Anyway, the prescription… antibiotic ear drops (which hurt so much I actually bawled when KH first put them in but it was more that my eardrums couldn’t handle anymore pressure on them rather than KH did it too roughly or that drops of water could actually hurt a person - such a pansy) and a few shots that were missing from my records. Joy.

Over to immunization with my records and while I waited as lucky number 17, I read my chart. Who doesn’t do that? Admit it… you know you would to.

Upon my closer reading, I discovered four shots that I was going to be lucky enough to receive! Two in one arm and two in the other. A flu shot (not too late they say especially with those buggy little kids I deal with), a tetanus shot, a Hepatitis A (only the first of two) and an easy-peasy PPD. When asked if I wanted it fast or slow on the Hep A, I went with fast only to nearly faint at the pain and let loose a scream like the babies around me. Slow wasn’t much better but I made it like the big girl I was trying to be. Now a full 29 hours later, I still can’t lay on either side due to the muscle pain that has settled in. And don’t tell me to swing my arms around to get those muscles moving or I will swing on over to you and knock you in the head.

I did survive the whole tragic ordeal and decided that only one thing could help ease the pain… retail therapy. Now I haven’t much engaged in this practice lately frankly because it was just too darn hard when I got here and I hated being told that it wouldn’t fit my big ass in such not-open-for-discussion terms. Even now, I cringe at clothes shopping here in Japan despite my smaller bum. No, this retail therapy was all about buying for others. And I truly had a blast! I actually lost track of time and was late meeting KH for dinner. I found this little stationary shop that made me want to cry with all of its beauty as well as an actual Body Shop with only some products of unrecognizable names!

Oh and I did my research for the trip we are planning in February to the Sapporo Ice Festival. Unfortunately, I come home today to hear that KH might have to head out of town in February and that I won’t know any details for a day or two. Which makes planning a trip that should have been booked a month ago rather… impossible. Hotels are filling up quickly so it is with both hands and both feet that I cross fingers and toes that the two trips do not coincide.

See how very productive my day was? I have broken the pattern! Okay, not so much. Today it was back to my lazy hygienic ways and too many hours spent in front of the computer writing about Kennedy’s miscalculations in the Cuban Missile Crisis. While it is so very hard, try not to envy me too much. Tomorrow is another paper on the prosperity and despair that riddled the Roaring Twenties prior to the Depression and I will welcome anyone who would like to throw out a page or two for me. Only three more weeks until the end of the semester and I truly cannot wait to have my freedom and my time back to get out and explore more than I have recently. I’m sure that the minute my finals are completed, all of that misplaced motivation will come flying back into my body and I will go out and tell you more about my glory days in Japan.

Now the time has come again for ear drugs, melatonin and an extra heavy dose of Nyquil.